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 MadresDr. 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/donateSee 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 RadioSupport the show: http://wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 ChildhoodMonette Ferguson: Executive Director, Alliance for Community Empowerment in BridgeportKaren Lott: Executive Director, Women’s League Child Development Center in HartfordAllyx Schiavone: Executive Director, Friends Center for Children in New HavenJessica 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/donateSee 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 CapitalSupport the show: http://wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 LonelinessGary Sekorski: Co-Founder and Chair, For All Ages; Co-Founder, Connecticut Collaborative to End LonelinessConnie Malone: Canton ResidentSiri Palreddy: Senior at Amherst CollegeSupport the show: http://wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There have been a lot of things that have revolutionized how educators teach in the classrooms. Things like Wikipedia, Google and even calculators have caused temporary panic in the education space.  Now that ChatGPT and other artificial intelligence tools are becoming a central part of our everyday lives, some educators are scrambling to rethink their curriculum. If you ask the artificial intelligence app, ChatGPT, to write you a 500 page essay on the themes in Moby Dick, in a matter of seconds, you’ll have a well written paper. Even further, you can even tell ChatGPT “write me a 500 word essay on the themes of Moby Dick, in the voice of a 10th grader” and the essay will reflect the tone and language of the average 15 year old. When ChatGPT was first released, we took a deep dive into AI ethics and learned how it might education. And today, we get an update and we talk to teachers around the state and hear how they are actually utilizing AI in the classroom. GUESTS: Jeff Young: Editor of EdSurge, an education journalism initiativeTom Deans: Professor of English and Director of the University Writing Center at the University of ConnecticutErica Strong: Literacy Coach at Lebanon Middle SchoolJohn Allen: Social Studies Teacher  at Putnam High SchoolSupport the show: http://wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Before baking powder became a kitchen staple, there was a state-level showdown over the rights to produce and sell it, and food historian Linda Civitello says Connecticut played a central role. This hour, she joins us to dig into her book, Baking Powder Wars: The Cutthroat Food Fight that Revolutionized Cooking. Plus, Darien First Selectman Monica McNally previews the town’s $85 million purchase of Great Island, a 63-acre property linked to baking powder tycoon William Ziegler. From Baking Powder Wars: The Cutthroat Food Fight that Revolutionized Cooking by Linda Civitello. © 2017 by Linda Civitello. Used with permission of the University of Illinois Press. GUESTS: Linda Civitello: Food Historian; Author, Baking Powder Wars: The Cutthroat Food Fight that Revolutionized CookingMonica McNally: First Selectman of DarienSupport the show: http://wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s Primary Day here in Connecticut. We have closed primaries here in Connecticut, meaning only voters registered in either political party can participate in this election. Historically, voter turnout tends to be pretty low on Primary Day, especially on years where we don’t have a big presidential election. According to the Associated Press, turnout for the 2019 Democratic mayoral primaries in Bridgeport, Hartford and New Haven all hovered between 13% and 15%. Today, we hear about some of the conversations Connecticut civics teachers are having in their classrooms around elections. And we want to hear from you too. Are you voting in today’s primary election? How do you see the role of primary elections? For all the primary results, listen live to The Wheelhouse with host Frankie Graziano and a panel of reporters from across the state. Wednesday at 9 a.m. and 8 pm. on Connecticut Public. GUESTS: Patricia Crouse: practitioner in residence in Legal Studies and Political Science at the University of New HavenJulia Miller: Civics Teacher at Metropolitan Business Academy inter-district magnet school in new havenDr. David Bosso: Social studies teacher at Berlin High School and 2012 Connecticut teacher of the yearAbigail Brone: Housing Reporter with Connecticut PublicSupport the show: http://wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Yale Program on Climate Change Communication found that the majority of Americans are either "alarmed" or "concerned" about climate change. They also discovered links between distress about climate change and a desire to take action. This hour, Dr. Anthony Leiserowitz digs into this study, and the Six Americas Super Short Survey (SASSY). You can take the SASSY Survey here. Plus, NBC Connecticut meteorologist Rachael Jay and New Haven Climate Movement organizer Adrian Huq will share their perspectives as different kinds of climate communicators. How do you process feelings of alarm or distress around climate change, or even, take action? GUESTS: Rachael Jay: Meteorologist, NBC ConnecticutDr. Anthony Leiserowitz: Founder and Director, Yale Program on Climate Change CommunicationAdrian Huq: Co-Founder, New Haven Climate Movement Youth Action Team; Youth Coordinator, Climate Health Education Project 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/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There’s a stereotypical depiction of concussions in movies and TV shows: someone - often an athlete, gets hit in the head, falls down, and everyone crowds around them and asks them if they know what day it is. Then, the patient, spends the next two weeks lying alone in the dark. But in recent years we have developed a new understanding about concussions -- how they happen, their severity, and how best to treat them. We hear from Dr. Bulent Omay, the Chief of Neurotrauma and Neurosurgery at the Yale School of Medicine. We also hear from a practicing physical therapist who specializes in brain injury treatment. And we learn about Concussion Box, a non-profit dedicated to supporting TBI patients. Have you ever had a concussion? How did it affect you then, and is it still impacting you today? We want to hear from you. GUESTS: Dr. Bulent Omay: Chief of Neutrotrauma at the Yale School of Medicine.Dr. Vanessa Cornwell Chiu: a practicing physical therapistEliana Bloomfield: Wesleyan undergrad student and founder of ConcussionBox, a non-profit that aims to support people experiencing concussionsSupport the show: http://wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The writers and actors strike has frozen film and TV productions across the country, and left many creatives to go back to their quote, "civilian jobs," as Mystic-based actress Callie Beaulieu recently shared with Connecticut Public. "We're at a tipping point with the survival of our profession," she says. This hour, local studios, actors and crew members join us. Plus, NPR correspondent Mandalit del Barco has the latest; and Hearst Connecticut reporter Alex Soule explains why Connecticut is at a "crossroads" where it concerns the film and TV tax incentive program. Plus, some 2,000 movie screens have gone dark over the pandemic, according to one recent study by the Cinema Foundation. But there's a bright spot where we live: Connecticut boasts four drive-in theaters. We hear from the owners of one drive-in in Mansfield. RELATED: For family owners of Mansfield Drive-In, business is 'more than a movie' GUESTS: Olivia Nicole Hoffman: ActressKeith Nelson: Costume DesignerAndrew Gernhard: Owner, Synthetic Cinema InternationalMandalit del Barco: NPR entertainment reporterAlexander Soule: Reporter, Hearst CTNaomi Jungden: General Manager, Mansfield Drive-InSupport the show: http://wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What do you think about getting older? Is it an exciting new chapter, or something you’re dreading? And when you think about seniors or elders, do you see reverence or irrelevance? Eventually, we all get older. But one of the last acceptable forms of discrimination is ageism. Today on Where We Live, we talk about age discrimination. We hear from Jeff Hamaoui. He’s the Co-founder of the Modern Elder Academy and says that midlife is not about the midlife crisis; it’s about finding your "second adulthood.” So, what do you think about getting older? Is it an exciting new chapter, or something you’re dreading? We want to hear from you. GUESTS: Jeff Hamaoui: Co-founder of the Modern Elder AcademyRobin Clare: Executive Director Seniors Job Bank in West HartfordKauther Badr: Associate Professor at Southern Connecticut State UniversityNora Duncan: State Director of the AARP ConnecticutSupport the show: http://wnpr.org/donateSee 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-SongwriterRichard Blumenthal: U.S. Senator for ConnecticutSupport the show: http://wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Once, receiving an A meant that a student had excelled in their coursework. But now, receiving an A means access to advanced classes, scholarships and of course, college admissions. No two school districts, or even two teachers grade in the exact same way. Which means that grade bias is a real problem. So two students that might have the exact same academic performance, could receive two very different grades. With all this emphasis on grades, are students missing out on learning? Today on Where We Live, we talk about the history of grading, where the A through F system came from and how some educators are rethinking the way we grade students. We hear from one Connecticut school district that’s changing the way they grade their students. And we want to hear from you too, is grade anxiety keeping you or your student up at night? GUESTS:  Ethan Hutt: Associate Professor of the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, author of Off the Mark: How Grades, Ratings, and Rankings Undermine Learning (but Don’t Have To)Joe Feldman: author of Grading for Equity: What It Is, Why It Matters, and How It Can Transform Schools and Classrooms and CEO of Crescendo Education GroupDr. Thomas McBryde: Norwalk Deputy SuperintendentEdgar Sanchez: Lead Research Scientist at ACT 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/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When you don’t feel well, and don’t know why, the last thing you want to be is dismissed by your doctor. More and more patients are taking it on themselves to research their own symptoms, and looking for answers and diagnoses through online forums. What’s happening at the doctor’s office that is causing a disconnect and distrust between patients and their doctors? Today, we’re talking about the relationship between doctors and their patients, and how that’s impacting diagnostics. We want to hear from you. When was the last time were you at a doctor’s office? Did you feel heard and respected? Did you feel like you could trust your healthcare to provide you with the best healthcare you can get? If you're a doctor, what would you like your patients to know? GUESTS: Shannon Koplitz: Board of Director and treasurer for the Dysautonomia InternationalDr. Perry Wilson: Associate Professor of Medicine and Public Health at Yale, and author of How Medicine Works and When It Doesn't: Learning Who to Trust to Get and Stay HealthyDr. Vasanth Kainkaryam: Direct Primary Care Physician in Connecticut.Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 1999 the Columbine shooting shook the country and made everyone aware of the threat of gun violence in schools. As a result, schools made an effort to implement lockdown procedures as a way to keep students and staff safe. But with the rates of shootings only continuing to rise, these threats of mass shootings are feeling too real, and the lockdowns that were meant to keep students safe are instead inflicting trauma. So what is going on in these lockdowns that are causing negative impacts and a decline in mental health? Today we look at what is happening inside the school walls during these lockdowns and what it is doing to our students. A common solution that many schools have turned to is School Resource Officers or SROs. What do you think should be done to protect our schools while minimizing trauma? Mo Canady: Executive Director of National Association of School Resource OfficersKate Dias: President of Connecticut Education Association and High School Math teacher in Manchester School DistrictDavid J Schonfeld: Director, National Center for School Crisis and Bereavement at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles Stacey Addo produced this show that originally aired on July 28, 2023.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/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The number of people who became unhoused in Connecticut increased by 13 percent between 2021 and last year. And in most places around the country, cities rely on shelters to accommodate people who are unhoused. But those who’ve lived there say this model isn’t working. Families are separated. There’s a 90-day stay limit. There’s little to no security for personal belongings. And at dawn, everyone’s asked to leave, rain or shine. Today on Where We Live, we hear from the founder of Rosette Village, a transitional housing community on Rosette Street in New Haven. It's a housing model where people live together with their families and stay for as long as they need to, which can improve health outcomes for unhoused people. Their tents are provided with electricity. Everyone has lockers for personal belongings. And they say their health has improved. Residents are hoping to live in prefabricated tiny homes set up on site so they can live safely.Later, we talk about the health impact on people without housing. GUESTS: Suki Godek: an unhoused activist living at RosetteMark Colville: the housing activist behind Rosette VillageNew Haven Mayor Justin ElickerDr. Caitlin Ryus: Instructor in Emergency Medicine and the Co-Director of the Yale Emergency Scholars Fellowship 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/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

23% of the adult U.S. population cannot read above a third-grade level. Literacy isn’t limited to reading and writing, it can also refer to basic math, comprehension and critical thinking skills. According to ProLiteracy, bringing reading levels up “would generate an additional $2.2 trillion in annual income. Today, we get a deeper understanding of adult literacy in our country and across our state. There is no part of the U.S. population that isn’t touched by low literacy. And many people suffer from shame around the struggle to read and write. GUESTS: Haleigh Guerrera: Basic Literacy Tutor with Literacy Volunteers of Greater HartfordAliyya Swaby: Reporter for ProPublicaMark Vineis: President and CEO of ProLiteracy Where We Live is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode. Cat Shen contributed to this episode that recently aired April 7, 2023.Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh have estimated that more than half of wheelchairs break down in a typical six-month period. Many Connecticut residents say those repairs can take months. This hour, we hear from local advocates with the Connecticut Wheelchair Reform Coalition about a recently-formed legislative task force and their goals for next session. In particular, they hope to study and set limits on repair turnaround times. UPitt researcher Dr. Lynn Woroby also shares her findings on the frequency of wheelchair breakdowns. Plus, how does private equity impact health care? Private Equity Stakeholder Project is a nonprofit watchdog organization investigating this question. The business model and priority for private equity investments is to maximize profit, Eileen O'Grady explains. "In order to produce those kinds of returns, it might mean cutting staffing, reducing training hours, or relying on staff or clinicians that have a lower level of licensure. It might also mean financial shenanigans, like adding lots and lots of debt to a company to pay their shareholders... All of these things can have really material impacts on the quality of care and on the quality of jobs." GUESTS: Jonathan Sigworth: Member, CT Wheelchair Reform Coalition; Member, State Independent Living Council; Consumer Spokesperson, Connecticut Wheelchair Task Force; Co-Founder, CEO and President, More Than WalkingFarrah Garland: Member, CT Wheelchair Reform Coalition; Member, State Independent Living CouncilLynn Woroby: Research Assistant Professor, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the University of PittsburghEileen O'Grady: Research and Campaign Director, Private Equity Stakeholder Project 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/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Virtually all Connecticut residents engage in the arts, culture and humanities, either formally or informally, a recent survey found. But attendance rates at many cultural organizations haven't quite returned to pre-pandemic levels. This hour, we get the latest from Connecticut Humanities executive director Jason Mancini, and hear about a recent push for a "roadmap" that would better fund and link the arts, culture and tourism in the state. We also check in with the Maritime Aquarium, and the Connecticut Museum of Culture and History, formerly the Connecticut Historical Society. Have you taken advantage of Connecticut's Summer at the Museum? Listeners this hour shouted out locations like the New England Air Museum, the Vintage Radio and Communications Museum, and more. Plus, we preview early plans to highlight the state's revolutionary history in 2026, the 250th anniversary of the country's founding. Former Secretary of State Denise Merrill spoke about the creation of the Connecticut Semiquincentennial Commission in advance of "America 250." We also revisit a recent conversation on Connecticut Public's Disrupted with Maisa Tisdale, CEO and President of the Mary and Eliza Freeman Center for History and Community. The homes in Bridgeport are some of the last remaining structures of Little Liberia, one of the earliest settlements of free people of color in pre-Civil War Connecticut. GUESTS: Dr. Jason Mancini: Executive Director, Connecticut HumanitiesCyndi Tolosa: Development Director, Connecticut HumanitiesDenise Merrill: Former Connecticut Secretary of StateJason Patlis: President and CEO, Maritime Aquarium in NorwalkRobert Kret: CEO, Connecticut Museum of Culture and History 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/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.