Connections Podcast

A recent op-ed in the New York Times defending cultural appropriation has sparked controversy. Writer Kenan Malik compared campaigns against cultural appropriation to gatekeeping. In response, author K. Tempest Bradford pointed out that those who defend appropriation either don’t understand it, misrepresent it, or ignore its complexity. She says there’s a difference between appropriation – when a dominant culture takes elements from a culture of people who have been oppressed, leading to

Stephanie Woodward was one of 20 Rochester-area disability rights activists arrested while protesting the Senate health care bill in Washington, D.C. last week. The group, called ADAPT, staged a “die-in” outside of Senator Mitch McConnell’s office. Woodward is the director of advocacy for the Center for Disability Rights. She says the bill’s proposed cuts to Medicaid would be devastating to people with disabilities, and without it, people who now live independently would be forced into nursing

The Trump administration's proposed budget cuts have left many people concerned about the future of a number of programs, including after school programs and Meals on Wheels. A local group says political leaders need to better understand the value of these programs. We talk to them about the myths and realities, and about how the proposed cuts could affect people in our area. Our guests: Kelly Bauman, director of expanded learning at the Rochester City School District Stephanie Fitzgerald,

From bagging groceries to scooping ice cream to delivering newspapers, summer jobs were a rite of passage for American teenagers. In 1978, 72 percent of Americans ages 16 to 19 were either working or looking for jobs. In 2016, only 43 percent of teenagers were active on the job market. So what happened? It’s not that teens are lazy, it’s that their priorities have changed: instead of making money, many are focused on summer classes, internships, and building their resumes for college. They’re

We continue or series of conversations with candidates for Rochester mayor. Green Party candidate Alex White joins us for a second time. He says his vision will help alleviate the city’s long-standing issues with poverty, public safety, vacant properties, and poor school performance. We talk to him about his platform and ask our questions and yours.

We convene a panel of journalists to discuss how things are covered and what is covered at all. Megyn Kelly from NBC News took a lot of criticism when she decided to interview conspiracy theorist Alex Jones. And what about journalists who have interviewed Richard Spencer, the white nationalist? Our panel discusses who journalists should interview and why. Our guests: Adam Chodak , anchor and managing editor for WROC-TV Andrea Hickerson , journalism professor at RIT Howard Owens , publisher of

It has been 20 years since Radiohead released "OK Computer." The album was a departure in certain ways for the band, and today, it seems like everyone is writing think pieces about both Radiohead and that record. In the New Yorker, Amanda Petrusich wrote that Radiohead essentially saw the future, and the band's songs reflect the loneliness that comes from isolation -- isolation due to political malaise, celebrity culture, and addiction to technology. We talk to Radiohead fans about these ideas,

A growing grassroots group is focused on disproving what we've been hearing about Rochester's so-called "Parcel 5:" that it's a done deal, and a performing arts center is the future of the site. These organizers have put together demonstrations, artistic protests, and more to bring attention to the site. They say that the city has made a decision that is not inclusive, and they're determined to remind everyone that there's still time to change course. But what would be a better fit? Who would

Patrick O'Flynn is running for another term as Monroe County Sheriff. He's being challenged by Todd Baxter, the former Greece Police Chief and former executive director for the Veterans Outreach Center. We had the opportunity to sit down with Baxter several weeks ago; this is our chance to hear directly from the sheriff, who believes his record will enable him to win another shift in the office.

As a child, singer Bethany Yarrow was surrounded by a family of activists who loved folk music. That's because her father is Peter Yarrow of Peter, Paul, and Mary. As an adult, her musical tastes drifted to other genres, but eventually, she went back to her roots and was inspired by how folk music can convey important messages. She and her partner, cellist Rufus Capadoccia, have performed and participated in demonstrations all over the world in support of causes like the environmental movement,