Architect and attorney Sara Bronin spent seven years as the chair of the Hartford Planning and Zoning Commission. Connecticut listeners might know her from her work with the organization DesegregateCT, a statewide coalition pushing for zoning reform across in our state.

Her new book Key to the City: How Zoning Shapes Our World goes beyond Hartford, and looks at how zoning molds cities and communities across the nation.

And zoning isn’t just about housing, it touches every aspect of our lives including our physical and emotional health. Better zoning starts with getting better data about zoning. There are thousands of different zoning codes, and Sara is working to log them all through the National Zoning Atlas.

She is also currently serving as 12th chair of the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation.

GUEST:

• Sara Bronin: Founder of DeSegregateCT and author of Key to the City: How Zoning Shapes Our World

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Today on Where We Live, a Connecticut lab is embarking on a groundbreaking initiative to study endometriosis, a painful condition that impacts people with a uterus.

Endometriosis is just one of the many invisible illnesses that impact an estimated 10% of the American population, according to Disabled World, an independent Health and Disability news source.

This hour, we talk about why invisible illnesses are difficult to diagnose and how scientists are trying to change that.

GUESTS:

• Michayla Savitt, State Government Reporter, CT Public
• Jennifer Crystal, Author of “One Tick Stopped the Clock”
• Kelsi Carolan, Assistant Professor and licensed clinical social worker, University of Connecticut

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Dating in 2024 can be tough. There are no shortage of stories about dating in the age of Tinder, Bumble, Hinge, and more!

But today, we're going to talk about dating, and falling in love, when you're an older adult. Last fall, the spinoff show “The Golden Bachelor” started a national conversation about falling in love in midlife and beyond.

Today we hear from experts about dating in this age range, and we’ll even get to hear some love stories that will put "The Notebook" to shame.

And if you are dating or have fallen in love, at any age, we want to hear from you!

GUESTS:

• Dr. Kristina Zdanys: Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Division Chief for Geriatric Psychiatry and Behavioral Health at UConn Health

• Chip Conley: Founder & CEO of the Modern Elder Academy

Where We Live is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

Cat Pastor contributed to this show which originally aired February 16, 2024.

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Last school year, students across the nation took part in on campus protests to bring attention to the Israel-Hamas War. Overwhelmingly, student protesters were demanding that their colleges divest from Israel.

It led to encampments on college greens, large demonstrations and some arrests of both students and faculties.

At some campuses, college administrations have welcomed student demonstrations, and activism. But this school year has brought new policies around protesting.

Today, we hear from student organizers across Connecticut and hear their perspective on these changes, and plans to organize in the future.

GUESTS:

• Kate Hidalgo Bellows: Staff Reporter at the Chronicle of Higher Education covering today’s students and campus culture
• Dan Barrett: Legal Director of ACLU of Connecticut
• Antonia Kambolis: Junior at Trinity College
• Batya Kline: Student Organizer at Wesleyan University

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As the author of the children’s book My Mama is a Pilot, Saba Shahid says she wants children to feel “represented and valued” through her stories.

Only 1% of commercial airline pilots are women of color. And Saba Shahid’s path to becoming a pilot is a little bit different than most. It actually started as a pandemic hobby!

Saba Shahid is this year’s recipient of the Girl Scouts Legacy of Leadership Award. She joins us for the hour to talk about her remarkable career, and her work as a Lifetime Girl Scout.

GUESTS:

• Saba Shahid: Author, pilot, and recipient of this years Girl Scouts of Connecticut 2024 Legacy of Leadership Award
• Elicia Pegues Spearman: CEO of the Girl Scouts of Connecticut
• Stephanie Abrams: President & CEO of the New England Air Museum

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National Hobbit Day is this week. From the rolling hills of the Shire to the great forests of Mirkwood, J.R.R. Tolkien’s fantastical worlds have inspired generations of illustrators to bring imagined concepts to life through art.

This hour, we sit down with three local fantasy and science-fiction illustrators, including David Wenzel, who created a graphic novel adaptation of The Hobbit.

GUESTS:

• David Thorn Wenzel, Illustrator and children's book artist best known for his graphic novel adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit
• Michael Whelan, Fine artist of Imaginative Realism, Illustrator of Science Fiction and Fantasy
• Tom Kidd, Science fiction and fantasy illustrator

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Many wine tastings are about evaluating the aroma, balance and tannin. But for some people, wine is about so much more than that. It’s about history, community, and memory.

Less than 1% of wineries in the United States are owned by Black connoisseurs. But that is starting to change. And with more makers, lovers and sellers of color coming into this industry, who consumes and enjoys wine is evolving too.

Today, we hear from Black and brown winemakers and enthusiasts in Connecticut.

GUESTS:

• Donna Moore: Winemaker at Sunset Hill Vineyard in Lyme, Connecticut

• Marissa Ocasio: Director of Education at Center Wine and Spirits in Glastonbury

• Jennifer Regan Lefebvre: Professor of History at Trinity College, Connecticut and author of the book Imperial Wine: How the British Empire Made Wine’s New World

Where We Live is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

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It might not feel like it today, but cooler weather is coming. This often means more time spent indoors, and an uptick in contagious diseases such as the flu, the common cold, and yes, COVID-19.

Today, we’ll talk about what you need to know to protect yourself and your family this year. The new COVID-19 booster is available. But deciding when you should vaccinate - that’s a case by case basis.

Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) is a rare illness that is spread through the bite of an infected mosquito.

Just this week, more mosquitoes tested positive for EEE in Farmington and Manchester. A New Hampshire resident died from this virus in late August. We hear what you need to know about protecting yourself and your family.

An estimated 17 million adults in the nation have long COVID. We’ll get updates on Long COVID and hear from a patient.

GUESTS:

• Dr. Ulysses Wu: Chief Epidemiologist at Hartford Healthcare
• Emily Taylor: President & CEO of Solve M.E./CFS Initiative
• Professor Richard Gard: Retired Professor of Yale School of Music retired and St Thomas More chapel at Yale

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It can be hard for many adults to self-regulate their screen time. For kids, it can be nearly impossible.

According to the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Children ages 8-12 are spending 4 to 6 hours in front of screens a day. Teens are spending up to 9 hours in front of screens.

According to a report by Pew Research Center, 72% of teachers say cellphone distraction is a major problem in classrooms. Instead of asking teachers to police cellphone use, some schools are choosing to do an outright ban on cellphones. That means absolutely no cellphone use during school hours whether students are in the classroom or in the lunchroom.

Today, we hear what this looks like in practice.

In addition to limiting or banning cellphone use in school, some are calling for more conversations around media literacy, and recognizing the signs of technology addiction and dependence.

If you’re a parent, an educator or maybe even a student, we want to hear from you. What do you think of cellphone bans in school? Is it necessary, and would it actually work?

GUESTS:

• Natasha Singer: technology reporter for the New York Times
• Melissa Whitson: Professor of Psychology at the University of New Haven. She is also a licensed clinical psychologist.
• Rachel Besharat Mann: Associate Professor at the Practice at Wesleyan University.

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Summer camp and after-school care provide kids with a safe place to learn, grow and also give working parents some peace of mind. But they’re not accessible for all kids.

This hour, we look at the impact on families when out-of-classroom programs are out of reach.

GUESTS:

• Corrianne Chipello, Executive Director & CEO, Hartford’s Camp Courant
• Michelle Doucette Cunningham, Executive Director, Connecticut Network for Children and Youth 
• James Jones, Executive Director, Boys & Girls Club of New Britain

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