Where We Live

Turtles are among one of the oldest reptiles to walk the planet. Although turtles often live long lifespans and are among some of the most resilient animals on the planet,human presence has meant a huge threat to their species. 

In her new book Of Time and Turtles, Sy Montgomery says turtles live “slow.” She spent time working with the people that have dedicated their lives to rehabilitating these fascinating creatures, and she joins us to talk about her book.

And Matt Patterson, fellow turtle lover, illustrator of this book and their accompanying picture book The Book of Turtles joins us too. He is also a wildlife artist and sculptor.

We'll learn about what’s being done to care and protect these animals.

GUESTS:

• Sy Montgomery: Author of Of Time and Turtles
• Matt Patterson illustrator of The Book of Turtles and wildlife artist

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.

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Researchers at Yale University are focused on the harrowing history of eugenics, the role the institution played in developing this psuedoscience, and its many lingering "afterlives."

Professor Dan HoSang formed the Anti-Eugenics Collective at Yale, and says this history is "integral to the story of the University." HoSang and the Collective also explore how the tenets of eugenics transformed and lived on in some surprising ways.

This hour, HoSang joins us, plus we look at how Yale psychiatry programs and public schools in New Haven are building curriculum around this research. For example, Dr. Marco Ramos underscores the legacy of "New Haven as a laboratory," something he asks new psychiatry residents to consider.

"Our pedagogy increasingly is asking trainees to be to become critical of that relationship, and say, 'To what extent is my research advancing my interest versus the community that I'm supposed to be serving?'" Dr. Ramos explains, "This history sets up a framework where they can make sense of that and process it emotionally, and they can figure out what they can do to... build trust with the communities they're working with. But that's impossible, I think, unless it's contextualized in this longer history that really starts with eugenics."

GUESTS:

• Daniel HoSang: Professor of Ethnicity Race and Migration and American Studies, Yale University
• Dr. Marco Ramos: Psychiatrist, Yale School of Medicine; Assistant Professor, Yale History of Science and Medicine Program
• Meredith Gavrin: Co-Founder, New Haven Academy
• Elias Theodore: First-Year Student, Yale University

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.

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See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A content warning to our listeners: today we will be talking about suicide.

September is Suicide Prevention Month. United States saw nearly 50,000 deaths by suicide in 2022, and suicide continues to be on the rise.

Talking openly about suicide and mental health can be a critical part of deterring suicide deaths. But having those discussions can be really challenging and experts say there are specific ways to conduct these conversations delicately.

Later, we hear from Connecticut Urgent Crisis Centers.

If you are struggling with suicidal thoughts, you can go online to 988lifeline.orgor dial 9-8-8.

GUESTS:

• Aneri Pattani: Senior Correspondent for KFF Health News
• Ann Dagle: President and Co-founder of the Brian Dagle Foundation and Tri-chair of Connecticut Suicide Advisory Board
• Dr Laine Taylor: Medical Director for The Village for Families and Children

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.

Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ashley Hamel discovered her love of music while growing up in Connecticut. The singer-songwriter eventually left New England behind to build her music career in Indonesia.

This hour, she joins us from Jakarta to talk about her new single, "New England Baby…"

Plus, earlier this year, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal introduced a bill that he hopes will rein in the role of online, third-party ticket sellers. He has the latest on the "Unlock Ticketing Markets Act," and the concerns he has for up-and-coming musicians competing in what he has called a ticket-selling "monopoly."

GUESTS:

• Ashley Hamel: Singer-Songwriter

• Richard Blumenthal: U.S. Senator for Connecticut

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 on August 31, 2023.

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Endometriosis is one of the most common diseases affecting those with uteruses. Despite its prevalence, proper diagnosis can take up to ten years, leaving many suffering without support or treatment.

State Representative Jillian Gilchrest recently launched a legislative working group to advocate for better research and education policies across Connecticut. Arleigh Cole is a local public educator, and a member of the endometriosis working group.

Plus, we hear from Shannon Cohn, a filmmaker and public advocate for endometriosis awareness. She discusses her new documentary Below the Belt, and her efforts to educate medical and school professionals about the condition through her organization Endo What?

GUESTS:

• Jillian Gilchrest: Connecticut State Representative; Co-Chair, Connecticut Reproductive Rights Caucus; Chair, Endometriosis Working Group
• Arleigh Cole: Endometriosis Public Educator, via her Instagram @Missendostood
• Halley Terrell: Licensed Clinical Social Worker; Life Coach
• Shannon Cohn: Director, Below the Belt and Endo What?

Connecticut Public intern Carol Chen contributed to this episode which originally aired July 27, 2023.

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Esmeralda Santiago is out with a new book, Las Madres, following five women as they survive – and are shaped by their experience of – Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico. The novel explores themes of memory and home, faith and disaster.

This hour, the acclaimed author joins us to discuss.

Plus, we take a look at efforts to ready permanent relief resources in Hartford, given the increasing prevalence of extreme weather events in Puerto Rico. Researchers estimate 13,000 people came to Connecticut from Puerto Rico in the year that followed Hurricane Maria. Dr. Charles Venator Santiago has the latest.

GUESTS:

• Esmeralda Santiago: Author, Las Madres
• Dr. Charles Venator Santiago: Faculty Director, UConn's Puerto Rican Studies Initiative; Director, El Instituto: Institute of Latino, Caribbean, and Latin American Studies

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.

Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fall is officially here, and the days are getting shorter, but hopefully you’re still finding some time to be outside.

Fall gardening is well on its way. This is a great season to harvest squash and other root vegetables, and prepare your garden for next year. 

Whether you are expanding your gardening space or perhaps getting ready to plant bulbs for the first time, there’s a lot of factors to consider; the what, where and when you should plant just to name a few! Many gardeners are choosing native plants which are some of the most sustainable plants to plant.

Charlie Nardozzi, horticulturist and host of the Connecticut Garden Journal on Connecticut Public Radio joins us today to answer our gardening questions and yours.

What questions do you have about fall gardening? Have you planted or harvested any vegetables yet?

GUEST:

• Charlie Nardozzi: horticulturist and host of the Connecticut Garden Journal on Caonnecticut Public Radio

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Local advocates and experts in early childcare education say funding and staffing shortfalls were only deepened during the pandemic. With federal relief funding set to expire at the end of the month, posing another short-term hurdle, or "cliff," what are the long-term solutions?

Connecticut Senator Richard Blumenthal is pushing Congress for $16 billion in federal funding through the Child Care Stabilization Act. "Childcare was in crisis even before the pandemic," said Senator Blumenthal on Monday. "But the pandemic has brought it to the brink of collapse." He also highlighted the Child Care for Every Community Act, and the Child Care for Working Families Act.

At the same press conference on Monday, Merrill Gay, Executive Director at Connecticut Early Childhood Alliance, called the upcoming funding cutoff a “predictable calamity."

This hour, we hear from Connecticut Office of Early Childhood Commissioner Beth Bye, and members of the recently-formed Blue Ribbon Panel on Child Care. A new draft of a five-year plan, expected to be finalized by December, outlined possible solutions, including a pay raise.

GUESTS:

• Beth Bye: Commissioner, Connecticut Office of Early Childhood
• Monette Ferguson: Executive Director, Alliance for Community Empowerment in Bridgeport
• Karen Lott: Executive Director, Women’s League Child Development Center in Hartford
• Allyx Schiavone: Executive Director, Friends Center for Children in New Haven
• Jessica Sager: Executive Director, All Our Kin

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.

Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 2015, journalist Elise Hu moved to South Korea to open the NPR Seoul bureau. During her time in South Korea, she witnessed the rise of K-beauty culture or “Korean beauty.”

K-beauty encompasses a multitude of beauty treatments. It doesn’t just include luxury skincare lines, and expensive facemasks; there's also LED light therapy, injections, fillers, and a myriad of options for plastic surgery.

These procedures are becoming an increasingly normal part of daily life in South Korea, but also in the United States. They are also more accessible than ever to anyone that wants to change the way they look.

Although some are starting to question the pursuit of keeping up with today’s beauty standards, this multibillion dollar beauty industry isn't going away.

Today, Elise Hu joins us on Where We Live to talk about her book Flawless: Lessons in Looks and Culture from the K-Beauty Capital.

We talk about the pursuit and pain of keeping up with today’s beauty standards.

GUEST:

• Elise Hu: host of TED Talks Daily and also a host-at-large for NPR. She is the author of Flawless: Lessons in Looks and Culture from the K-Beauty Capital

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Approximately half of U.S. adults reported experiencing loneliness, even prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. The issue recently moved U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy to issue an advisory around the "loneliness epidemic" in America.

Soon after, Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy introduced a bill that would launch an Office of Social Connection Policy, and fund CDC research to "better understand the epidemic of social isolation and loneliness."

While on The Colin McEnroe Show in July, Murphy said the move was "part of a broader exploration for me of what is eating in America... I have come to the conclusion that there's a lot of new and unique things that are hurting Americans and making them feel unhappy today," chief among them loneliness or "aloneness."

This hour, we explore how loneliness, isolation and social disconnection are being addressed where we live. Deb Bibbins and Gary Sekorski founded For All Ages, and more recently, the Connecticut Collaborative to End Loneliness, to help bolster and centralize resources.

How does loneliness or isolation affect you?

GUESTS:

• Deb Bibbins: Co-Founder and Chair, For All Ages; Co-Founder, Connecticut Collaborative to End Loneliness
• Gary Sekorski: Co-Founder and Chair, For All Ages; Co-Founder, Connecticut Collaborative to End Loneliness
• Connie Malone: Canton Resident
• Siri Palreddy: Senior at Amherst College

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