Engage

A new program created for Central Floridians in underserved communities to embark on health care careers and a path to a better life. Central Florida Public Media Education Reporter Danielle Prieur drops in for a year-end wrap up of her coverage in 2024. A new Mills 50 natural wine bar facilitates community connections as a "third place" for socialization.

A member of Central Florida’s Syrian community discusses the joy surrounding the country’s liberation and the trepidation regarding an unknown future. A conversation with Brooke Barnett, the next President of Rollins College. Central Florida Public Media Environment Reporter Molly Duerig drops in for a year-end retrospective of her coverage. We’ll journey back to Victorian England as a local troupe puts a 19th Century spin on Christmas.

The Florida Department of Corrections put a policy into place earlier this year that has impacts on the state’s incarcerated transgender population. The impact of the incoming administration on the future of NASA’s programs and missions happening on our Space Coast. Lillian Hernández Caraballo provides a year-end wrap-up on her coverage of the region’s unhoused population. As Christmas draws nigh, we’ll look at the folklore that has brought us Santa, Belsnickel and Krampus.

We learn how a devastating injury brought 17-year-old Hala from war-torn Gaza to Orlando for treatment. A Bloomberg News investigation reveals some questionable practices in Florida’s homeowner’s insurance industry. Central Florida Public Media is taking the idea of connecting with people in our community a step further with our Building Briges Together event. Orlando designer Lindsay Matteoni always dreamed of decorating the White House for Christmas, and this year the letter arrived saying her dreams were coming true.

As the region is plunged into near-freezing temperatures, area shelters are looking to provide warmth and comfort. Following a deadly road rage incident in Orlando, we’ll talk about the increase in anger on the road. We’ve all been sitting at a red light with no traffic around wondering why it won’t turn green. The Florida Policy Project’s chief discusses why that is and reforming the state’s traffic management. A Central Florida delegation travels to Spain to open more economic doors.

ENGAGE presents our favorite discussions from today and yesterday in this retrospective Thanksgiving edition.

UCF Anthropology professor Ty Matejowsky tells us why we eat what we eat on Turkey Day. Therapist Cherlette McCullough offers tips on how to handle those tense dinner table confrontations. We learn about a culinary training program that is changing lives. Rollins College student Joseph Pool is uniting people through Breaking Bread.

Ahead of the Florida Blue Florida Classic this weekend, we are exploring the event’s significance to Historically Black Colleges and Universities alumni and the Central Florida community that welcomed the classic when other cities in this state rejected it. We invited people to join us for a kitchen table conversation at Oley’s Kitchen and Bar-B-Que on Rio Grande Avenue in Orlando. We spoke to Florida Blue Central Florida Market President Tony Jenkins, ONYX Magazine CEO Rich Black, Orlando Commissioner Bakari Burns, and local comedian and producer Rod Z.

The owner of a popular downtown Orlando event venue discusses the new measures put in place by city officials to curb the street party atmosphere in response to the mass shooting Halloween night. A year since mobile sports betting was made legal in Florida, we discuss concerns these apps are cultivating a new generation of problem gamblers. The growing economic contributions Latinas are making in Central Florida communities. With the help of superstar striker Barbra Banda, the Orlando Pride advance to the National Women’s Soccer League Championship match for the first time. We talk to the team fans in Zambia beaming with pride over their hometown hero.

FAMU law professor explains when minors get prosecuted as adults and the role of the juvenile justice system. We meet Taylor Cadle whose reporting of sexual abuse as a teen to Polk County detectives resulted in charges being filed against her for lying. Central Florida Public Media’s Abe Aboraya stops by with the latest installment from the One Small Step series examining civil discourse in the region.