Connections Podcast

What is fair trade? What is direct trade? And what's the difference? We hear about companies that deal in these practices, but if you were asked to define them, could you? We talk to business owners who help us understand what they mean, as well as their benefits and drawbacks. Our guests: Paola Macas Betchart, workers rights advocate at the Worker Justice Center of New York, and founder of Nua Imports Renee Colon, co-owner of Fuego Coffee Roasters Gavin Thomas, co-founder of This Good World

How much do you know about Star Wars ? The Last Jedi comes out this week, and Star Wars fans are already making predictions about the film and the future of the franchise. But what if you’ve never seen Star Wars ? Even if you’ve gone your whole life without seeing the films, surely you’ve absorbed some of the saga’s references through your friends and the media, right? Maybe not. This hour, we talk Star Wars with super fans and with people (like producer Megan Mack) who have no idea who Boba

One year into the Trump presidency, climate activists are taking their efforts to the statewide level. So what are their priorities for New York State in 2018? Here’s one idea: In New York, activists and advocates say that many of the vital technologies – the ones that would update and improve our outdated energy grid – can not be deployed at a meaningful scale. How can we change that? Our guest: Suzanne Hunt, president of Hunt Green LLC

Are we alone in the universe? China has custom-built the world’s first observatory designed to listen for messages from extraterrestrial life. That country's preeminent science-fiction writer, Liu Cixin, argues that making contact with outside civilizations might lead to our extinction because they may perceive us as a threat. Yet, others say that making contact would lead to advances in science, ethics, culture, and more. So as scientists continue to develop advanced telescopes and technologies

The price of Bitcoin and other forms of crypto currency has exploded in the past month. A surge in interest has Wall Street wondering if the prices can stay this high, and average citizens are wondering if they should be buying this kind of currency. What is crypto currency? How does it work? What is its future? Our guests weigh in: George Conboy , chairman of Brighton Securities Gary Palmer Jr. , Minting Coins Mike Komaransky , former partner at DRW and former head of Cumberland Mining, one of

Is there a way to remove the stain of partisanship from politics? A local developer says yes. Howard Konar is the founder of a nonprofit called Common Ground , and he has written a book that aims to go beyond politics, and offer basic principles. Konar joins us to discuss his views and how centrism might be the cure to our polarized political culture.

"Her Voice Carries" is an art project led by Sarah C. Rutherford and features the unique stories of five women who are working and living in varying communities in Rochester. Each woman is photographed, interviewed, drawn, and painted. The project culminates in a final series of murals located throughout the five sections of the city with the intention to create a network of murals that weave a collective story. We hear from some of the women featured in the project. Our guests: Sarah C.

Cornell University is launching a new First Amendment Clinic, which will examine real cases that involve free speech and freedom of the press. The clinic will also conduct research regarding recent free speech issues. Our guests discuss the current state of the First Amendment and how it's approached in politics, journalism, and social media. In studio: Scott Malouf , attorney whose practice is focused on the intersection of social media and the law Jack Rosenberry , journalism professor at St.

Weekend Connections is a collection of some of the most noteworthy moments from the week on Connections with Evan Dawson. This episode includes conversations about: A new documentary that explores the aftermath of the 2015 mass shooting outside the Boys & Girls Club in Rochester; The African American homeschooling movement; How women in television news are harassed by viewers; Sibling survivors of suicide loss.

It's a pair of whodunits! We discuss the true stories behind a couple iconic things around the holidays, and they are not what they appear. We hear the creation stories of the poem, "The Night Before Christmas," and the board game, Monopoly. Our guests: Carlo De Vito , author of Inventing Santa Claus Mary Pilon , author of The Monopolists