The first episode of "Live Boldly with Rev Sara Smith," features an introduction to the new WPKN Radio program, by host, Rev. Sara Smith, Senior Minister of the United Congregational Church of Bridgeport, President/CEO and Founder nOURish BRIDGEPORT, Inc., and Sacred Heart University’s Protestant chaplain. As the program opens Rev. Smith talks about her life's journey and engagement in important issues in the Greater Bridgeport community, as well as her planned focus for her one hour "Live Boldly" program which is broadcast on the 2nd Saturday of each month at 7:00 am on Listener Supported Community Radio, WPKN, 89.5 FM, WPKN.org.

This first show features an interview with Tshon Cooper-Davis, Food Pantry Director & Volunteer Coordinator with nOURish BRIDGEPORT,
a non-profit group founded in 2009 that operates 10 programs focusing on education, food, and health.

Interview with Anna Bernstein, principal federal policy advisor at the Guttmacher Institute, conducted by Melinda Tuhus.

Between The Lines’ Melinda Tuhus spoke with Anna Bernstein who talks about the new policy the Trump administration is implementing that prioritizes abstinence, a policy directly advocated for in the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025 playbook.

Interview with Sam Carliner, freelance journalist covering U.S. foreign policy, immigration policy, and social movements, conducted by Scott Harris.

Sam Carliner, a freelance journalist covering U.S. foreign policy, immigration policy, and social movements, talks about his recent article, “Pro-Palestine Academics Have Been Fighting the New McCarthyism,” which recounts how in recent years hundreds of academics have been fired, censored, threatened, or otherwise punished for their research and advocacy. The movement for Palestine has been one of the Trump administration’s main targets, and provides an important example of how those facing repression are fighting back.

Interview with Thomas Meyer, deputy political director of Food & Water Watch and Food & Water Action, conducted by Scott Harris.

Thomas Meyer discusses his group’s important work opposing the construction of data centers nationwide, where public opposition is on the rise to the rapid construction of artificial intelligence and cloud computing data centers, driven by bipartisan concerns over massive energy consumption, strained local water supplies, noise pollution, and rising residential utility bills.

Interview with Dr. Jake Scott, a clinical associate professor of infectious diseases at Stanford University School of Medicine, conducted by Scott Harris.

Dr. Jake Scott is a coauthor of “Updated evidence for COVID-19, RSV, and Influenza Vaccines for 2025-2026” in the New England Journal of Medicine. He discusses his Aug. 11 commentary, “What the vaccine executive order gets wrong, and what it will cost us,” which examines the consequences of President Trump’s Aug. 10 executive order that decreases the number of universally recommended vaccines for children, calls for splitting up the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) shot, maintaining that each vaccination should occur at a separate medical visit.

Interview with Michael Sozan, a senior fellow at American Progress, conducted by Scott Harris.

Michael Sozan talks about his critically important and comprehensive report, written with Ben Olinsky: “The Trump Administration is Interfering in the 2026 Midterm Elections to Entrench the Imperial Presidency,” which lays out the existential threat posed to democracy this November that isn’t getting the attention it so desperately deserves right now.

The Monthly Labor Report speaks with Hae-Lin Choi, co-founder/co-executive director of Hands Off NYC (https://www.handsoffnyc.com), in the lead up to Labor Day 2026.
Hae-Lin talks about Labor Days past and how this one will set a marker for a new worker-immigrant alliance in preparation to fight for a fair election on November 3. 
Hosted by Michael Zweig and Richard Hill

Interview with Joshua Rovner, director of Youth Justice with The Sentencing Project, conducted by Melinda Tuhus.

Between The Lines’ Melinda Tuhus spoke with Josh Rovner, a senior research analyst with The Sentencing Project, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit, where he focuses on youthful offenders and works to keep juveniles out of the adult court system. Here he talks about several major recent court rulings regarding juvenile sentences, and what Colt Gray can expect as he begins his lifetime behind bars.

Interview with Autumn Waddell, an activist with the Elbit Out of South Carolina coalition, conducted by Scott Harris.

Autumn Waddell discusses the recent arrests of three protesters picketing outside the Elbit Systems of America’s factory in Ladson, South Carolina. She also talks about Israel’s genocide in Gaza, violations of free speech surrounding dissenting views on the U.S. relationship with Israel, and the international campaign against Elbit Systems, which in Britain, under the name Palestine Action, has been designated as a proscribed “terrorist” organization and banned under the U.K.’s Terrorism Act.

Interview with Gov. Ned Lamont and state Rep. Josh Elliott, conducted by Scott Harris.

Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont and state Rep. Josh Elliott discuss their positions on voters’ top issues, including skyrocketing health care costs, taxing the rich, the high cost of electricity and the urgent need to build affordable housing.