Connections Podcast

Here's a very ambitious and, frankly, risky idea: a local high school is getting ready to debut an original musical, largely about race and divisions in American society. Byron-Bergen decided not to do a classic musical, and instead is launching 10 (Again). It's set in 1976 in Western New York. The show pushes the boundaries by zeroing in on a wide range of stereotypes about many races, as well as women. Our guests discuss the show's mission, and how they're using humor to address some painful

Urban agriculture: it's a growing and popular concept in many places, and it's the subject of the next Reshaping Rochester event. So what is the future of urban agriculture in cities like Rochester? Our guests talk about the success of urban agriculture in Brooklyn, and lessons that might be applied here. Maria Furgiuele, interim executive director of the Community Design Center Rochester Nathaniel Mich, community programs coordinator for Foodlink , and manager of Lexington Avenue Urban Farm

School leaders argue that New York State has shortchanged them. Last week, we heard from suburban districts. Now, we hear from students and parents in the Rochester City School District, who argue that students there are more acutely impacted. So what are they asking for? And what do they hope to accomplish with this weekend's People's March for Education Justice ? Our guests: Je'Carl Hill, RCSD graduate and youth organizer at Teen Empowerment Juan Callado, high school student at Monroe BOCES,

Where's the ideological diversity on college campuses? As reported in Reason and elsewhere, some campuses see more than 95% of their professors (who donate) give to Democrats. Conservative professors and students might feel stifled or outcast. Our guests discuss whether campuses should strive to have more ideological diversity, and whether progressive thought is a more natural path for academics. Robby Soave , reporter and staff editor, Reason.com and Reason magazine Stephen Brauer , associate

Brian Alexander set out to write a book about how modern corporate culture destroyed his hometown of Lancaster, Ohio. What he ended up finding was a town reeling from corporate raiders, but still proud to vote for Donald Trump -- who has hired one of the men who helped gut the town's biggest employer, Anchor Hocking. It's the story of white working class America, struggling to maintain its identity as longtime jobs disappear. Alexander tells us what he learned in his research, and what lessons

Quick question: how much power in New York State comes from carbon sources? How much comes from wind? How much from nuclear? And how vulnerable is our grid? There are massive questions about how to bring new sources of energy to New Yorkers, and how the grid can -- or can't -- accommodate it. The New York Times recently published a story about this challenge, and the ways our power arrives at our homes. We explore it with the author and one of her primary sources for the piece: Emily Rueb, New

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: Music, history, and culture, with cellist Rufus Cappadocia; The heroin epidemic and one former addict's story; The Finger Lakes Regional Economic Development Council; The Arnett Cafe's success story and the co-owner's thoughts about growing up in Rochester; A new CSA charter.

We preview this Sunday's Academy Awards. Our guests give their predictions for who will win, who should win, and we discuss how this year's Oscar nominations have ended the diversity drought. Our guests: Jack Garner, longtime film critic Lester D. Friedman, professor and former chair of the Media and Society Program at Hobart and William Smith College Adam Lubitow , film critic for City Newspaper

Rufus Cappadocia began playing the cello when he was three-years-old. 14 years later, he added a fifth string to his instrument, and was thinking about music through a global and historical context. We talk to this remarkable musician about composing and playing music, designing instruments, and about the social and environmental causes he supports.

What is a real CSA? Some local farmers feel that once the local food movement became popular, a lot of businesses have started calling themselves a CSA without really following the original ideas, putting actual CSA farms at risk of losing customers. In other words, your CSA might not really be a CSA, and smaller farms could be hurt by this. We talk to several local farmers, including a woman who has created a charter to define what a CSA is -- just in time for CSA Day on Friday. Our guests: