Talking about race isn’t easy.But talking with a friend about race and the difficult issues it encompasses is about far more than words – it’s about the health and trust of a relationship.Yseult Polfliet Mukantabana and Hannah Summerhill took that concept from living room conversations to their podcast called “The Kinswomen,” and now to a book titled “Real Friends Talk About Race: Bridging the Gaps Through Uncomfortable Conversations.”This week, Delaware Public Media’s Kyle McKinnon caught up with Mukantabana and Summerhill to learn more about their book and building healthy relationships through difficult but necessary conversations about race.

Brandywine Hundred in northern Delaware has a rich history, but much of it could easily fall under the banner of “little-known.”However, that could change with the creation of the Brandywine Hundred Historical Society to help tell the area’s stories better and more widely.In this week’s History Matters, contributor Larry Nagengast takes a look at the work needed to create the organization and what it hopes to accomplish.

The Delaware Choral Society was founded in 1957 with the goal of working together to perform George Frideric Handel’s ‘Messiah.’These days, their mission is to get as many people interested in choral music as possible. You’ll have a chance to see the Society this week at their “Night at the Opera" concert at The Schwartz Center for the Arts in Dover.In this edition of Arts Playlist, Delaware Public Media’s Kyle McKinnon spoke with Rocky Tejada – the Artistic Director for the Delaware Choral Society – about the upcoming concert.

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It’s been nearly a decade since the state created its Downtown Development District program to spur downtown areas in cities and towns across Delaware.Since then, hundreds of projects have received a financial boost through the program, but has it had the impact officials hoped it would when it was rolled out?Contributor Jon Hurdle explores that question this week and what the program has accomplished up and down the state.

A recent study conducted by Nemours Children’s Health found kids with autism have a higher risk for serious eye disorders, but are less likely to receive vision screening.The initial stages of childhood are crucial to eyesight, and early detection of problems and subsequent treatment can prevent long-term damage, or even vision loss.This week, Delaware Public Media’s Kyle McKinnon sat down with Dr. Brittany Perry – the study’s senior author and pediatrician at Nemours Children’s Health – to learn more about the study and its findings.

The art of animation has taken many forms over the years – from arranging hand-painted and drawn figures, to claymation and stop-motion techniques.And its ability to tell stories without boundaries is what leads so many artists to use it today, including Wilmington-based animator Tad Sare. Some of Sare’s work can be found this month at his “Projected Perspectives” exhibit at The Delaware Division of the Arts’ Mezzanine Gallery.In this edition of Arts Playlist, Delaware Public Media’s Quinn Kirkpatrick chats with Tad Sare about the exhibit and working as an animator.

Roughly one in five children in the U.S. are living with a mental health disorder, and nearly one-third of them show signs of depression.That’s according to data compiled by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services before the pandemic, which ushered in a major shift in daily routines and exacerbated kids’ mental health issues. At the same time, there’s a major shortage of treatment options both nationally and locally.In this week’s edition of Enlighten Me, Delaware Public Media’s Kyle McKinnon catches up with Joshua Thomas – executive director of the National Alliance on Mental Illness in Delaware – for more on addressing the youth mental health crisis.

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It’s never too early to plan for your future.That’s the guiding principle behind a new middle school pilot program expected to roll out this fall around the First State. It’s called ‘Rethinking Middle Grades’ and will launch in 10 schools in the 2023-2024 school year.Contributor Larry Nagengast takes a closer look this week at the project, who’s involved, and what it will look like.