Where We Live

It’s the season of the witch! While we prepare to wear our pointed hats this Halloween, we can’t forget the gruesome history of witch hunts in New England – including Connecticut.

While many movies today celebrate witches as quirky, empowered, and misunderstood, the history behind being called a “witch” is rooted in prejudice and fear.

In today’s political landscape, the word “witch” continues to be weaponized against female politicians. So how far have we really come from the days of witch hunts?

For more Where We Live conversations around Connecticut's history of witches:

• 'Before there was Salem, there was Connecticut': State formally pardons accused witches
• A push to exonerate victims of Connecticut's early witch trials
• Connecticut witches of the past, present and future
• Author Spotlights Connecticut's History Of Witch Hangings

GUESTS:

• Natalie Bellager, Public Programs Manager, Connecticut Museum of Culture and History
• Julie Walsh, Associate Professor of Philosophy, Wellesley College 

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When the Afghanistan fell under Taliban rule in 2021, instruments were destroyed and musicians were silenced.

Today, we hear from Afghan musicians taking part in a performance at the Bushnell Theater in Hartford entitled “Symphony of Resilience: The Afghan Orchestra Unsilenced.”

We’ll listen to some of their original music and learn how some artists in Afghanistan are finding ways to pursue and even record music abroad.

Plus, Kevin Bishop, the founder of Cuatro Puntos, a Connecticut non-profit that works to amplify persecuted and underrepresented music and musicians, joins us.

GUESTS:

• Nazira Wali: musician and composer
• Arson Fahim: musician, pianist, composer and conductor
• Kevin Bishop: Founder and Executive Director of Cuatro Puntos

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James White entered the Connecticut school system at age 7. Although he would go on to graduate high school and run a small business, he found himself struggling. He had to ask friends and family members for help with paperwork. Writing and reading was a challenge. But then he found the Literacy Volunteers of Greater Hartford and started taking classes.

Many adults struggle with reading comprehension, and writing. There are approximately 48 million adults in the United States that cannot read above a third grade level. Today, we take a look at literacy education in Connecticut and beyond.

There are many areas of literacy, including media literacy. If you hear the term media literacy, you might think of news, social media, or even yes, election ads and political messaging. But media literacy is starting to encompass a lot of other mediums including artificial intelligence. We learn about expanding media literacy education.

GUESTS:

• James White: Student taking courses at the Literacy Volunteers of Greater Hartford
• Steve Morris: Executive Director for the Literacy Volunteers of Greater Hartford
• Michelle Ciulla Lipkin: Executive Director of the National Association for Media Literacy Education

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Every presidential election, campaigns flood our TVs with political ads. Back in 1952, “Ike for President” became the very first political advertisement on TV. Dwight Eisenhower's campaign may have been the first to use television like this. But it’s certainly not the last.

Today, more than 70 years later, political ads are everywhere. In recent weeks, both the Kamala Harris and Donald Trump campaigns have ramped up their advertising. And it’s no longer just on our TV screens; it’s on social media platforms, too.

This hour, we’re looking at political advertising during the 2024 election cycle from the messages we’re seeing to how that impacts what we do at the ballot box.

What kinds of messages are you seeing?

GUEST:

• Erika Franklin Fowler: Professor of Government at Wesleyan University and co-director of the Wesleyan Media Project

Note: The ad from Rep. Jahana Hayes's campaign played in this episode originally aired in 2022 and was featured on the campaign's website homepage at the time of this broadcast. This episode originally aired on August 24, 2024.

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Early voting starts next week across Connecticut. This means voters can cast their ballots ahead of Election Day in November. Each town and city will have at least one early voting location, and voters can even cast their ballots over the weekend.

Today, we hear from poll workers getting ready for early voting in Connecticut. Plus, we'll hear about what early voting looks like across the country.

Connecticut Secretary of the State Stephanie Thomas joins us. She explains what you need to know about casting your ballot ahead of Election Day.

Find information on registering to vote, finding your polling location and more by visiting myvote.ct.gov.

GUESTS:

• Stephanie Thomas: Connecticut Secretary of the State
• David Becker: Executive Director of the Center for Election Innovation & Research
• Ginny Kim: Volunteer with Asian Pacific American Coalition of Connecticut and Co-lead of the Let’s Vote Initiative
• David Fenn: Poll worker in Windham
• Stacey Chowanec: Poll worker in Willimantic

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The humanitarian crisis in Lebanon has become dire.

The country faces economic and financial uncertainty, and nearly 2000 deaths since the start of the conflict.

The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs says that of the 5.5 million people living in Lebanon, 1 million people are in dire need.

Today, humanitarian aid organizations International Rescue Committee and Anera joins us to describe what is happening on the ground in Lebanon.

Plus two Lebanese Americans living and working as chef-owners in Connecticut join us to respond to the situation and speak on Lebanese cuisine, culture and hospitality.

GUESTS:

• Samar El-Yassir: Lebanon and Jordan Country Director for Anera
• Ciaran Donnelly: Senior Vice President, Crisis Response, Recovery & Development at International Rescue Committee
• Reem Hadir: chef and founder of Lebnani Mediterranean Kitchen and Bar in Watertown
• George Noujaim: chef owner of Noujaim’s Mediterranean Cuisine in Winsted

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The Mohegan Tribe – a sovereign and federally-recognized Indian tribe in Southeastern Connecticut – has a longstanding belief in the power of storytelling.

This oral tradition is a form of spoken record-keeping. Stories can often capture a deeper and fuller understanding of culture and beliefs than historical texts.

This hour, we talk to Melissa Tantaquidgeon Zobel, the tribe’s vice chair of the council of elders and tribal historian. Melissa is part of a long line of “culture bearers,” tasked with keeping the traditions of the Mohegan Tribe alive through stories.

GUESTS:

• Melissa Tantaquidgeon Zobel, the Mohegan Tribe’s vice chair of the council of elders and tribal historian

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In Connecticut, the bear population has boomed. And so have human-bear conflicts. There are somewhere between 1000-1200 black bears in our state alone.

You might know what to do if you encounter a black bear in the wild, but bears are not just on trails anymore. In the past year, there were 35 incidents of bears entering homes right here in our state.

Although they might look friend-shaped, we wouldn’t recommend getting friendly. In fact, intentionally feeding the bears is now against the law.

Maybe you’ve seen a bear where you live. Today, we’ll hear from bear experts across the state and learn what to do if you come across one.

Did you follow this year’s Fat Bear Week? This week-long national tournament by the National Parks Service celebrates bear hibernation and conservation, while also serving as a campaign to make the public bear aware. We learn about it.

GUESTS:

• Jason Hawley: Wildlife Biologist for the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
• Felicia Ortner: Volunteer Docent at the Connecticut Beardsley Zoo
• Rachel Maiser: Natural Resource Lead for the Northeast Regional Office of the National Park Service

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October is Menopause Awareness Month.

There is not one universal menopause experience. But almost everyone with a uterus will go through it. So why is it still taboo to talk about “the change?" Well, that’s something our guest today wants to change.

Today, we’ll hear from journalist and menopause advocate Tamsen Fadal on changing how we talk about the change. She is the author of the upcoming book How To Menopause: Take Charge of Your Health, Reclaim Your Life, and Feel Even Better than Before. She is also a producer and executive producer of the new documentary The [M] Factor: Shredding The Silence On Menopause.

Today, she joins us for the hour. Plus, a local OB GYN joins us. What's your menopause story?

GUESTS:

• Tamsen Fadal: author, journalist and menopause advocate
• Dr. Karianne Silverman: OBGYN at St Francis Hospital/Trinity Health Of New England in Hartford

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Today marks one year since the Hamas attacks on Israel that killed 1,200 people. In the ensuing war, more than 40,000 Palestinians have been killed — and there are mounting concerns about a wider conflict in the region.

The United Nations reports that the humanitarian support system in Gaza is close to total collapse. Civilians in the region have severely reduced access to food, water, sanitation, hygiene and health services.

This hour, we get an update on humanitarian aid in Gaza.

Plus, we explore the principles of international humanitarian law, also known as the laws of war, and what they aim to do during times of conflict.

GUESTS:

• Nathaniel Raymond, Executive Director of the Humanitarian Research Lab at the Yale School of Public Health
• Janti Soeripto, President & CEO of Save the Children, an international NGO and humanitarian aid organization based in Connecticut
• Lila Hassan, Independent investigative journalist 

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