Disrupted

When people think of craft, certain images might come to mind, like knitting in a rocking chair by a warm fireplace. People often think of it as a quiet, solitary activity— one that doesn’t make much of a public statement. But crafts like knitting can be radical. The rocking chair by the fireplace isn’t just quiet and solitary— it can also be a site of real political change.

This hour, we’re listening back to our episode about the power of craft. We’ll hear from a crafter who helped popularize the term "craftivism." It refers to a movement that combines craft with activism. We’ll also talk to a local potter who hopes to spread awareness of the indigenous Wangunk people. They are not recognized as a tribe by the federal or state government.

GUESTS:

• Betsy Greer: writer and maker. She’s editor of the book Craftivism: The Art of Craft and Activism and author of Knitting for Good!: A Guide to Creating Personal, Social, and Political Change Stitch by Stitch. She helped popularize the term "craftivism."

• Gary Red Oak O'Neil: a Wangunk Elder, potter, and educator. He’s been a member of Wesleyan Potters since 1968. His solo exhibition, Excavations, was on view at the Ezra and Cecile Zilkha Gallery at Wesleyan University in fall 2025, and a current exhibition, The Art of Wangunk Elder Gary Red Oak O'Neil is on view at Wesleyan potters until March 22;

This episode originally aired on August 22, 2025.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A number of student groups and grassroots organizations recently called for a day of “No work, no school, no shopping,” to protest immigration enforcement in Minnesota. This comes at a time when consumers are used to seeing reasons not to support certain brands or companies, and worker strikes are up around the country.

This hour, we take a look at labor strikes and economic boycotts, when they work, and when they don’t. We discuss what power consumers have, and we explore the history of labor movements and talk about the present moment.

GUEST:

• Americus Reed II: Professor of Marketing at The Wharton School

• Kim Kelly: Labor reporter for In These Times Magazine. She is the author of Fight Like Hell: The Untold History of American Labor

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Greater Hartford Gives Foundation invests in a wide range of projects from arts to education. And they recently celebrated their 100th year in existence. With that milestone, they decided to make some changes. Their projects include building a new headquarters and increased funding for scholarships. Even the name is new— until recently, the Greater Hartford Gives Foundation was known as the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving.

Joining us today to talk about both his work with the foundation and his past in politics is Jay Williams, President and CEO of the Greater Hartford Gives Foundation.

GUEST:

• Jay Williams: President and CEO of the Greater Hartford Gives Foundation. He has also served as Mayor of Youngstown, Ohio and worked in multiple roles in the Obama administration.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Krystal Marquis’ debut novel, The Davenports, came out in 2023. The novel centers on four Black women navigating their careers and romances in 1910 Chicago. The book deals with class, race and gender, and it quickly joined New York Times’ bestsellers list for Young Adult Hardcover fiction. A second book, The Davenports: More Than This, was also a bestseller. And the popularity of the series may only be just beginning. Prime Video is currently adapting a television series based on The Davenports.

GUESTS:

• Krystal Marquis: the New York Times bestselling author of The Davenports. Her short story "Group Project" will be included in the book 13 Little Love Stories: An Anthology Inspired by Taylor Swift Songs.

• Tanisha C. Ford: Professor of History at The Graduate Center of the City University of New York (CUNY). Her most recent book is 'Our Secret Society: Mollie Moon and the Glamour, Money, and Power Behind the Civil Rights Movement'

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Every February, the United States celebrates Black History Month. But in recent years, the celebration might have felt a bit different.

On January 31, 2025, the Department of Defense announced it would no longer use official resources to celebrate cultural awareness months, including Black History Month, which began the following day. That announcement came after the Trump administration's rollback of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiatives within the federal government.

This hour, we listen back to our conversation with a panel of experts talking about Black History Month and what it means today.

GUESTS:

• Kevin Gaines: Julian Bond Professor of Civil Rights and Social Justice and former Interim Director of the Carter G. Woodson Institute at the University of Virginia.

• Christina Greer: Associate Professor of Political Science at Fordham University

• Michael Harriot: founder of ContrabandCamp and bestselling author of Black AF History: The Un-Whitewashed Story of America.

In this episode, the guests mention several Black Americans who have made an impact on U.S. history. Here are some of the names if you want to learn more:

Ella Baker, Mary McLeod Bethune, George Washington Carver, James Chaney, Septima Clark, John Henrik Clarke, David Dennis Sr, Fannie Lou Hamer, Steven Henson, bell hooks, Barbara Jordan, Garrett Morgan, Constance Baker Motley, Gloria Naylor, Bernice Johnson Reagon, Gloria Richardson, Amelia Boynton Robinson, Jo Ann Robinson, Cleveland Sellers, Robert Smalls, the students in the court case Edwards v. South Carolina, Ida B. Wells-Barnett

Special thanks to our former interns Angelica Gajewski and Kathy Wang.

This episode originally aired on February 28, 2025.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When was the last time you dabbled in something? In this episode of Disrupted, author Karen Walrond talks about the joys of dabbling and the space where dabbling and activism meet. She shares how trying activities like sports, pottery or baking—even if you're not good at them—can expand our definition of self.

We also visit Jason Ramos' New Haven dance studio, Baila Con Gusto CT, where dabblers learn how to Salsa, Bachata and Merengue in community with one another.

Plus, Spanish artist Esther Gonzalez reads her essay, “How to Reset Your Artistic Life.”

GUESTS:

• Karen Walrond: Author of ‘The Lightmaker's Manifesto’ and ‘Radiant Rebellion’. Her latest book is ‘In Defense of Dabbling: The Brilliance of Being a Total Amateur’

• Jason Ramos: Founder of Baila Con Gusto CT, a dance studio in residence at St. Paul & St. James Church in New Haven

• Esther González: Artist and author of the essay ‘How to Reset Your Artistic Life.’ Find her artwork on Instagram. And read more of her essays on her Substack, Journal Rash.

Special thanks to the students at Baila Con Gusto CT who spoke to us about what inspires them to dance.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Disrupted recently reached a milestone— five years on the air. We celebrated with a live event that included a panel discussion on “Finding Joy and Purpose in Turbulent Times.” Panelists Erik Clemons and Ryan Parker opened up about the duality between joy and turbulence in their lives, and Ryan gave us a stirring performance of his poetry.

GUESTS:

• Erik Clemons: CEO and President of ConnCORP (Connecticut Community Outreach Revitalization Program) and ConnCAT (Connecticut Center for Arts and Technology). ConnCAT offers job training and youth programs, while ConnCORP is dedicated to economic development in New Haven

• Ryan Parker: educator, poet and activist. He’s a certified mama’s boy and chocolate chip cookie lover. He works as an educational consultant and has spent more than two decades teaching. He was Poet Laureate of Manchester from 2019 to 2023. He helped create Project Happyvism, which includes a song and a children's book. His upcoming projects include a healing retreat in the Azores and an educational children's program with episodes set to release at the end of February.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Connecticut’s Clean Slate law passed in 2021. The law aims to erase certain convictions from people’s records after a period of time. It was initially scheduled to go into effect in January of 2023, but the program faced delays. This hour, we'll take a look at where things stand with Clean Slate today.

We'll also hear from Joe Soss and Joshua Page. Their recent book is Legal Plunder: The Predatory Dimensions of Criminal Justice. The book explores how the legal system takes resources from marginalized communities. As part of his research for the book, Professor Page spent more than a year working as a bail bond agent.

GUESTS:

• Maysoon Khan: Investigative Reporting Fellow with The Accountability Project at Connecticut Public.

• Joshua Page: Fink Professor of Sociology at the University of Minnesota and one of the authors of Legal Plunder: The Predatory Dimensions of Criminal Justice.

• Joe Soss: Inaugural Cowles Chair for the Study of Public Service at the University of Minnesota and one of the authors of Legal Plunder: The Predatory Dimensions of Criminal Justice.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The United Nations General Assembly is currently in its 80th session. This hour we look at the status of the organization today, and the challenges it faces.

Plus, historian Thant Myint-U has a new book out about his grandfather, U Thant, who was the UN’s first non-European secretary-general, and a leading ambassador of peace during the Cold War. Myint-U joins us to talk about his grandfather's role in the history of the United Nations and the lessons we can take from his example for the present.

GUESTS:

• Thant Myint-U: Author of Peacemaker: U Thant and the Forgotten Quest for a Just World. He is an Honorary Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge, a Senior Fellow at UN Foundation, and he formerly served on three UN peacekeeping operations

• Eugene Chen: Senior Fellow at the United Nations University Centre for Policy Research. He is a former UN official

This episode originally aired on October 31, 2025.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

According to Amnesty International, 15 countries used the death penalty in 2024. The United States was one of those countries. Capital punishment is illegal in 23 states and isn’t used in some of the states where it is legal. But the United States still executed 25 people in 2024 and nearly twice as many people in 2025.

But amidst all the statistics and lofty arguments for and against, it’s important to remember that capital punishment affects real people. It impacts both the people sentenced to death, and the families who’ve lost loved ones to violence.

This hour, we’re listening back to our episode about what the death penalty means to the human beings impacted by it.

Staff Writer at The Atlantic and two-time Pulitzer Prize finalist Elizabeth Bruenig, has seen the impact of the death penalty firsthand. She’s also lost a family member to violence. While many journalists cover capital punishment, fewer are applying to attend the executions of people on death row.

In a deeply personal conversation, Khalilah Brown-Dean talks with Bruenig about her coverage of capital punishment. Her recent cover story in The Atlantic is, 'Witness: Inside America's Death Chambers - What Years of witnessing executions taught me about sin, mercy and the possibility of redemption.'

Bruenig describes her own family tragedy, the realities of death by lethal injection, and why her feelings about capital punishment have changed over time. Plus, the pair describe the complex emotions victims’ families grapple with in the aftermath of tragedy.

GUEST:

• Elizabeth Bruenig: Staff writer at The Atlantic

This episode originally aired on September 5, 2025. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.