Where We Live

When students at Simsbury High School discovered that there was little to no data on Asian American students in Connecticut, they launched a new project to change that.

Through out this year, these students have been collecting oral histories from Asian American voices across Connecticut in the oral history project “Make Us Count.”

The project debuts at a community-wide event happening this week at Simsbury High School. It will feature best-selling author Celeste Ng.

Michelle Henry is an English and Asian American Studies Teacher at Simsbury High School. She helped develop this project with students. She was named Educator of the Year by the Granby-Simsbury Chamber of Commerce.

Today, we hear from her and the students behind this project. We'll also hear from Jason Oliver Chang, who helped get Asian American and Pacific Islander studies in all Connecticut public schools.

Guests:

• Jason Oliver Chang: Associate Professor of History and Asian American Studies and Department head of social and critical inquiry at the University of Connecticut
• Michelle Henry: English and Asian American Studies Teacher at Simsbury High School
• Raelyn Medina - Senior at Simsbury High School
• Vivian Amsterdam - Senior at Simsbury High School
• Dhriti Mallavarapu: Senior at Simsbury High School

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For migratory birds, nighttime light can be deadly. Artificial light draws birds off course, increasing the risk of exhaustion, window collisions and predation.

Experts say the problem is growing as Connecticut skies become brighter.

This hour, we explore how light pollution impacts birds, river ecosystems, insects and even human health.

Plus, an amateur astronomer shares why protecting dark skies matters not just for science, but for our connection to the natural world.

Guests:

• Craig Repasz, director of Lights Out Connecticut
• Misha SemeLev, associate university architect for sustainability, Yale University
• Alan Sheiness, board of directors treasurer, Lyme Land Trust 

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Arthur Sze took an non-traditional path to becoming the U.S. Poet Laureate.

Born in 1950 to Chinese immigrants, his family wanted him to pursue a safe career path that would assure security and prosperity. But while studying at MIT, he felt the call to write and study poetry; a call that changed the trajectory of his life.

Sze spent his career translating traditional Chinese poetry. He also taught at the Institute of American Indian Arts in New Mexico and is now a professor emeritus of the institute.

Sze is currently traveling the country with his signature Poet Laureate project “Words Bridging Worlds,” a series of workshops and readings that celebrate poetry in translation.

He joins us for a conversation on poetry, the power of language and the art of translation.

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Charlie Widmer describes himself as a multi-genre musician, but his range goes far beyond most artists. From opera to bluegrass, he's pretty much done it all.

Widmer is now the Connecticut State Troubadour, an official position devoted to music education and community.

One of his major goals is to make more people comfortable pursuing music, he said.

"My whole goal with being an educator is to try and just help people be less hard on themselves," he said. "It's not about being perfect. It turns out no one has it figured out. It turns out everyone's pretending. And I think it's time we take the masks off."

Today, we’ll hear about Widmer's musical journey across the globe, and his ongoing work to nurture the local music scene in Connecticut.

Where We Live is available 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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“An Arcane Inheritance," the latest novel of author Kamilah Cole, weaves dark academia with occult secrets at a fictional Ivy League school based in Hartford.

The story follows the ambitious, determined Ellory Morgan, a Jamaican immigrant and first-generation college student pursuing a degree in political science. A lavish scholarship allows her to begin her college education at Warren University, but soon after arriving on campus, things start to unravel into the paranormal.

We'll explore Cole's latest book, ask what drew her to Hartford and explain "dark academia" — a popular genre where brooding and blazers meet ivory towers and sinister secrets.

GUEST:

• Kamilah Cole: author of several books including “An Arcane Inheritance"

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The postpartum period can be one of the most vulnerable and challenging times in a parent’s life.

It's also one of the least talked about. That's despite mental health disorders being the leading complication of childbirth in the United States of America, affecting 1 in 5 women.

The postpartum period can bring depression, anxiety and a host of other mental health challenges. And too often, parents are left wondering what’s normal and where to turn for help.

This hour, we explore postpartum mental health and what support is available in Connecticut.

We’re joined by a doctor from St. Mary's Hospital, where a new unit, designed specifically for pregnant and postpartum patients, recently opened. We also hear from Postpartum Support International’s Connecticut chapter about why this period is so high-risk and how they’re working to connect families with care.

And later, we’ll hear one mother’s story of navigating postpartum depression, and how she’s processed that experience through a new collection of poetry.

Guests:

• Kassondra Mangione, author of "Coffee Mug Rings"
• Dr. Irina Magidina, chair of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Saint Mary’s Hospital
• Jennifer Vendetti, co-chair, Board of Directors, Postpartum Support International Connecticut Chapter
• Samantha Smalls, Board of Directors, Postpartum Support International Connecticut Chapter

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It takes a village to raise a child.

Today, we're exploring what it means to be an aunt and the many ways these important figures provide mentorship, guidance and care.

Whether you are a biological or surrogate aunt, these role models are instrumental in our life. But what does it mean to be an aunt in 2026?

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Chef Ham El-Waylly straddles two very different worlds: fine dining and home cooking. In his new cookbook, he shares the recipes and memories that bring it all together.

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There is another war happening in the Middle East. The challenges service members are facing are quite different than they were in years past.

Today, we get an update on the Connecticut Army National Guard and hear what's being done to support Guard units.

We hear from active Guard members and the mental health workers supporting these troops.

Guests:

• Staff Sgt. Camryn Rawlings: 6th Recruiting and Retention Battalion, Connecticut Army National Guard
• Col. Michael Lynch: Former Commander of the 1-102nd Infantry, Connecticut Army National Guard
• Robert Haswell: LCSW and Section Chief for Managed Services Connecticut Mental Health and Addiction Services
• Albert Guillorn: LMFT and overseer of the Embedded Clinician program that places licensed clinicians to drill with Guard units

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Tick activity is on the rise.

Connecticut scientists are seeing unseasonably high levels of tick activity in the state this year.

That uptick carries big potential impacts for human health. Lyme disease is one of the many diseases these parasites can carry. We ask what you can do to protect yourself.

We’ll also get the latest on another environmental hazard with big health impacts in Connecticut – air pollution.

Guests:

• Katie Dykes: Commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
• Dr. Neeta Connally: Professor at WCSU and director WCSU Tick-borne prevention Laboratory
• Goudarz Molaei: Research scientist, medical entomologist and director of Tick and Tick-Borne Disease Surveillance Program at The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station

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