Real talk, Real people

I wanted to call my listeners attention to the Second Annual Alyssiah Wiley End Relationship Violence Awareness Event that is taking place Oct. 13 at Eastern Connecticut State University. I was invited to speak at the event but was not able to attend this very important event.

You may recall that Alyssiah was the 20 year-old Eastern Connecticut State University student who was murdered, her remains found scattered in a wooded area of Trumbull.

Her mother, Corrine Martin, a West Haven resident, founded Mothers of Victim’s Equality in New Haven. She previously spoke with Real talk and talked about her two daughters and granddaughter who were lost to domestic violence..

We’re picking up where we left off last week in our conversation with Dr. Regina Wilson and certified licensed counselor for New Haven County Shenira Billups about how the pandemic has been particularly difficult for the mental health of young Black kids. Let’s hear what they have to say

The pandemic has been particularly difficult for the mental health of young Black kids because they have had to deal with more than social isolation, anxiety and depression that the pandemic brought.

My guests today are Dr. Regina Wilson and Shenira Billups, a certified licensed counselor for New Haven County. They are here to talk about the challenges black kids are facing.  Due to the length of this discussion, we are running it in two parts, today and next Monday.

There are many efforts underway by police and community leaders to stop gun violence, but the bullets just keep on flying -- including five shootings in four days in New Haven.  In light of this, we are returning to a conversation we had six months ago with Hamden resident Kimberly Washington. 

Eight years ago, she founded the nonprofit "Mothers Demand Action" to bring attention to gun violence in her community and rallied mothers from around New Haven County to her cause.

We talked to Kimberly at Hamden High School where she works as a teacher.

We have a different type of show this week as we welcome French hat-maker Catherine Cazes Wiley to Real talk, Real people. Catherine runs a nonprofit and a for profit business on Chapel Street in downtown New Haven that centers around sewing and hat-making.

Sewing and making your own clothes and other household items have seen a tremendous resurgence during the past five years. In fact, the sale of sewing machines is soaring and fabric is flying off the shelves.

Catherine’s goal is to teach people how sewing can earn them extra cash and she spends her time teaching classes and making and repairing hats.

Let’s hear what she has to say.

African Americans continue to face predatory lending practices when they apply for credit. And never is this more evident than when Blacks go to buy a car.

My guest today is economist and lawyer Ian Ayres. He is the Deputy Dean and the Oscar M. Ruebhausen Professor at Yale Law School. He started his research back when President Barack Obama was then president of the Harvard Law Review and published an article about his findings.

Let’s listen to what he has to say.

Attorney Michael Jefferson joins us this week. He is the founder of the Kimaya (Kee Ah Ma) Movement here in Connecticut.

You’ve probably noticed the black and white signs around New Haven and Hamden bearing the slogan "Black men vote too."

It is one of the ways the Kimaya Movement seeks to educate Black men and help them become more viable and effective members of their communities.

Let’s hear what he has to say.

My guest today is Dr. Kristen Zarfos with Trinity Health of New England. She is a breast cancer specialist and medical director of the Karl J. Krapek Sr. Comprehensive Women’s Health Center at Saint Francis Hospital in Hartford.

Black women are needlessly dying and she is here to tell them why.

Let’s listen to what she has to say.

There are many minority women who are chucking their 9-5 jobs and striking out on their own. And they are breaking ground by opening businesses not traditionally associated with minority women.

My guest today is New Haven resident Shantel Garcia, the owner and founder of Innovative Consulting and Solutions, an entity that helps business owners and executives keep their companies organized, productive and financially sound.

She is here to tell us how she got started and offer tips to women contemplating starting their own business.

Let’s hear what she has to say.

What a difference a day makes.

Last Tuesday, Democratic state Rep. Quentin "Q" Phipps, who represents Middletown, and Barbara Fair of Stop Solitary CT taped an episode about the bill, SB1059, which stops the inhumane treatment of the solitary confinement of prisoners.

The bill was passed by the CT House and Senate but Gov. Ned Lamont had yet to sign it into law, even though he publicly stated he would.

On Wednesday, the governor blindsided supporters of the bill when he vetoed the measure and instead issued an executive order to reduce the time prisoners could be confined.

Much of what Barbara and Q had to say remains relevant so we decided to run the episode with updated comments about the governor's veto from Barbara.