Losing someone you love is one of the most devastating experiences in life. Today, we talk about how we grieve as we approach All Souls Day and Dia de los Muertos or Day of the Dead. We talk with the co founder of Farewelling. The company transforms funerals, believing they should be as unique as weddings and birthday parties. And later, bereavement periods in the US can be quite short, with the expectation we make a quick return to work and normal life. Should we rethink how we process grief? GUESTS: Caitlin Abrams - grave cleaner from Southern Vermont Elizabeth Meyer Karansky - Co-founder of Farewelling, a company working to transform funerals. She is also a funeral director, thanatologist, and a death doula Jelena Kecmanovic - psychologist and director of Arlington Behavior Therapy Institute Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Where We Live

Celebrating end of life on your own terms

Riot Baby is author Tochi Onyebuchi’s first foray into adult fiction, a “fiery” response to the “horrifically regular death” of unarmed black men and the non-indictments of officers responsible. It has been heralded by critics as “searing" and "devastating,” garnering a long list of awards and nominations. Although Riot Baby has also been called "dystopian," Onyebuchi explains why that isn’t exactly the case when it comes to this work of speculative fiction. Plus, hear from nurse practitioner and poet Cortney Davis about her book, “I Hear Their Voices Singing.” How can genres like science fiction and poetry help us to better understand - or cope with - our world? Guests: Tochi Onyebuchi - Author, Riot Baby Cortney Davis - Nurse Practitioner and Poet Laureate of Bethel (2019-2022) Where We Live Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Haven author Tochi Onyebuchi on why 'Riot Baby' is not a dystopian story

Bobby Valentine, an unaffiliated candidate for Stamford mayor, has drawn big-name Republican donors – former president George W. Bush, and Anthony Scaramucci and Linda McMahon, former president Donald Trump appointees. In a debate Oct. 21 on News 12, hosted by the Stamford Chamber of Commerce, Valentine summed up his motivation for the upcoming Nov. 2 election: “I want to be the mayor of this city for one reason and one reason only. I’m not going to Hartford from here, I’m not going to D.C. from here. I’m staying here till the end. I have my plot here, and I want to make the city of Stamford proud.” Valentine is under fire for recent comments including referring to Stamford voters as “dumb” and “lazy,” calling his opponent Rep. Caroline Simmons a “35-year-old girl,” and in a 28 second video clip, stating, “If you’re not owning, you’re not caring,” and Stamford renters are “not leaving the community better than when they got here.” As per the Oct. 12 filing with the Stamford Town Clerk’s office, Valentine’s campaign raised $520,645.21. Combined, the candidates have raised more than $1 million in one of the most high-profile, divisive, and closely contested mayoral races in Stamford’s history. Guests: Bobby Valentine - Mayoral candidate, (unaffiliated), Stamford. Former Director of Public Health and Safety, city of Stamford. Former professional baseball player – L.A. Dodgers, California Angels, New York Mets, and the Seattle Mariners. Former manager – the Texas Rangers, New York Mets, Boston Red Sox. Brianna Gurciulo - Politics Reporter, Stamford Advocate Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Baseball legend Bobby Valentine says he has his ‘plot’ in Stamford, raises over $500,000 for Nov. 2 mayoral race

Slowly and surely, live theater has come back to life but that doesn’t mean theater is completely back to normal. Today, we check in with theaters in Connecticut and hear about what’s coming to the stage this fall, all while keeping actors and theater patrons safe. We learn how the types of performances that you see might have changed as well. Are you going to see a show?  GUESTS: Jacqui Hubbard - Executive artistic director at Ivoryton Playhouse in Ivoryton, Connecticut Kit Ingui - Managing Director of Long Wharf Theater in New Haven, Connecticut Melia Bensussen - Artistic Director at Hartford Stage Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Theater aims to become more inclusive and equitable

First, a new series from The Accountability Project at Connecticut Public Radio shines a spotlight on juvenile justice in the state. Walter Smith Randolph and Jacqueline Rabe-Thomas preview their findings. Then, with staffing shortages and supply chain snags impacting eateries across the state, a new social media campaign reminds you to #BEKINDtoRestaurants. Hear from Connecticut restaurant owners, chefs and managers, plus the folks behind this much needed PSA. Are you being kind when you dine? Walter Smith Randolph - Investigative Editor and Lead Reporter for The Accountability Project Jacqueline Rabe-Thomas - Investigative Reporter for The Accountability Project at Connecticut Public Radio April Gibson - Executive Chef, The North House in Avon Dylan Reis - General Manager, The North House in Avon Jared Schulefand - Chef, Owner and Operator, Home Restaurant in Branford Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Feeling the strain of supply and staffing shortages, Connecticut restaurants ask you to "be kind"

Sex ed curriculum varies greatly across our state and our country. Today, please be advised we’re talking about sex specifically, sex education. Although schools are required to teach human development and disease prevention, Connecticut schools are not required to teach sexual health education. It’s often a short curriculum taught in high school. And conversations about consent, and LGBTQ inclusivity are left out. We want to hear from you. What do you wish you had learned from your sex ed class in school? GUESTS: Michelle Rawcliffe - Comprehensive School Health Educator at Woodstock Middle School Taz Weisgerber  - Training and Technical Assistance Manager at Answer Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Let's talk about sex (education), baby

Harvard grad and Yale School of Medicine policy advisor Caroline Simmons, State Representative for the 144th District since 2014, has won an endorsement from fellow Democrats Gov. Ned Lamont and former President Barack Obama for her candidacy as mayor of Stamford, one of the wealthiest and fastest growing cities in Connecticut. The Greenwich native is up against baseball legend Bobby Valentine, 71, who’s running unaffiliated. Former Homeland Secretary Janet Napolitano, former Secretary of the Treasury Lawrence Summers, and Speaker of the House Matt Ritter are a few high profile donors to Simmons’ campaign, which has raised $503,122 to date. So what’s at stake? The unemployment rate at Stamford is at 6.2%, and the city’s labor force contracted by 4,096, from 68,698 to 64,698 in the second quarter of 2021, compared to the same period the prior year. Also, mold in schools, housing affordability, and urban planning as the city continues to grow. GUESTS:  Rep. Caroline Simmons: Democratic Mayoral Candidate, Stamford. Co-Chair, Commerce Committee; Member, Committee on Human Services, and Member, Higher Education and Employment advancement Committee, Connecticut General Assembly. Senior Specialist, Policy Innovation and Impact, Yale School of Medicine. Brianna Gurciullo - Politics Reporter, Stamford Advocate Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Stamford mayoral race heats up as big names throw their support behind State Rep. Caroline Simmons

In 1831, Simeon Jocelyn, a New Haven abolitionist, tried to establish a Black college near Yale. Now Adam Harris, the author of The State Must Provide: Why America’s Colleges Have Always Been Unequal — And How To Set Them Right, documents this ill-fated attempt — and others nationally — to establish institutions of learning for African-Americans against the tide of public and legislative opposition. Harris also examines a long history of underfunding Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), established before the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and how Black students are affected, to this day, by a lack of investment and equity in higher education. What’s next? Harris explains. GUESTS: Adam Harris - Author of The State Must Provide: Why America’s Colleges Have Always Been Unequal — And How To Set Them Right; Staff Writer, The Atlantic Jane Gates - Provost and Senior Vice President, Academic and Student Affairs, Connecticut State Colleges and Universities (CSCU) Orsella Hughes - Executive Director, Prosperity Foundation Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Adam Harris: Fixing Racism In Higher Education

With a General Election just around the corner, the so-called “sleepy” town of Guilford has made national headlines, gripped by a polarizing debate over what’s being taught in schools. Guilford High School English Chair George Cooksey and Superintendent Paul Freeman explain that while critical race theory is not itself taught in the K-12 environment in Guilford, “dimension” and diversity of source material is still a priority. Plus, a new Black and Latino Studies elective is rolling out in Connecticut high schools next fall, following the first mandate of its kind in the country. A Windsor High School teacher and student who are piloting the course weigh in. How are educators and curricula adapting to reflect our world? And how can they be caught in the political crossfire? Dr. Paul Freeman - Superintendent, Guilford Public Schools George Cooksey - English Chair, Guilford High School Daisha Brabham - Windsor High School Social Studies Teacher Shakila Campbell - Windsor High School Student Dr. Saran Stewart - Associate Professor of Higher Education and Student Affairs; Director of Global Education at UConn’s Neag School of Education Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With outcry over critical race theory, we hear from Connecticut educators and students

Republican state representative, Anne Dauphinais recently criticized Governor Lamont over his vaccine and mask mandates comparing him to Adolf Hitler. She’s not the first politician to reference Nazi Germany and the Holocaust to criticize public health rules in the pandemic. Today, we talk about why these analogies are harmful. Avinoam Patt, Director of the Center for Judaic Studies and Contemporary Jewish Life at the University of Connecticut joins us. Do these references and jokes in popular culture point to the need for better Holocaust education? Later, we’re going to talk about a really interesting story that brought an anthropologist and an archaeologist together after Superstorm Sandy. To learn more about this story, register for this free virtual event “Forensic Analysis of the Lincoln Oak Skeletal Remains,” hosted by the New Haven Museum. GUESTS: Avinoam Patt - Director for the Center of Judaic Studies at the University of Connecticut. He is also the Doris and Simon Konover Chair of Judaic Studies Dr. Nick Bellantoni - emeritus, Connecticut State Archaeologist Dr. Gary Aronsen - research associate and manager at Yale University Biological Anthropology Laboratories Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Some politicians are using Holocaust analogies as anti-vaccine rhetoric

You’ve heard about the global supply chain crisis, from manufacturing snags abroad, to clogged ports on the West Coast and staffing shortages across the country. But how is that playing out in Connecticut? While the crisis is not as acute at Connecticut’s ports, there are some strong signals of supply chain issues in the local retail industry, along with staffing shortages. Hear from the Connecticut Retail Merchants Association and local business owners. Lori Hershman - Owner, Evan's, Jesse's and Jordie's Toy Shoppes Tim Phelan - President, Connecticut Retail Merchants Association Scott Preston - Owner, Preston Market Fred Carstensen - UConn Finance Professor; Director at Connecticut Center for Economic Analysis at UConn Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How the global supply chain crisis is affecting Connecticut

An estimated two million adults have a gambling disorder, that’s according to the National Council on Problem Gambling. And studies show that as many as 7 percent of young people struggle with problem gambling. This hour, we hear the story of a Connecticut man in recovery for his gambling addiction and learn about treatment. With sports betting and online gambling now available in Connecticut, what will this mean for residents? We want to hear from you. GUESTS: Tom Ferrari - resident of Meriden, Connecticut Barbara Kalpin - Peer Counselor at the Better Choice Program. Melodie Keen - Clinical Manager of Gambling services at Connecticut Renaissance providing services to Norwalk, Stamford, and Bridgeport Diana Goode - Executive Director of the Connecticut Council on Problem Gambling Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With more options for gambling in Connecticut, there's a focus on preventing addiction

The ongoing pandemic is driving the demand for online negotiation courses designed for female physicians. Data shows that the wage gap between male and female physicians was 28%, with male doctors earning over $116,000 more annually than their female counterparts. The 2020 Physician Compensation Report from Doximity shows that female physicians in Hartford earned among the least nationally at $239,897 per year, compared to $299,036 earned by female physicians across the U.S. Even at the highest level in academic medicine, women department chairs were paid $0.88 for $1 earned by men. It doesn’t stop there. Across professions, mothers were nearly twice as likely as fathers to say taking time off had a negative impact on their job or career. Pew Research found that among employees who took leave from work in the two years following the birth or adoption of their child, 25% of women reported a negative impact at work, compared with 13% of men. What role do medical institutions play in narrowing the gender bias? How much of the onus is on women physicians, and how close are we, as a society, to removing barriers to women at the workplace? GUESTS: Dr. Anees Chagpar: Professor of Surgery (Oncology), Yale School of Medicine Dr. Vidhya Prakash: Professor of Clinical Internal Medicine and Infectious Diseases, and Vice Chair of Clinical Affairs, Department of Medicine, Southern Illinois University (SIU) School of Medicine. Director of SIU Medicine’s Alliance for Women in Medicine and Science (AWIMS) Dr. Neha Jain: Medical Director, Mood and Anxiety Disorder Dr. Dave Shapiro: Chief Quality Officer, Vice Chair of Surgery, Saint Francis Hospital Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Gender bias in academic medicine

Native American studies is a new requirement for Connecticut schools, with resources being prepared in time for the 2023-2024 school year. What kind of guidance will teachers get? Plus, with the launch of Land Grab CT, we look at UConn’s status as a land-grant institution and the links to the expropriation of Indigenous lands. Chris Newell - Director of Education, Akomawt Educational Initiative; Citizen of Passamaquoddy Tribe endawnis Spears - Director of Programming and Outreach, Akomawt Educational Initiative; Citizen of Navajo Nation Steve Armstrong - Social Studies Advisor, Connecticut Dept. of Education Sage Phillips - Student Coordinator, UConn Native American Cultural Programs; Member of the Penobscot Nation Luisa Fernanda Arietta - Researcher, Greenhouse Studios at UConn Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Indigenizing Connecticut curriculum

Is it possible to quantify the actual cost of racism on individuals and on our country? Economist Dana Peterson has looked at the racial gaps in housing, employment, and credit among others. She says racism has cost the US economy $16 trillion dollars over the last two decades. Peterson’s report is the focus of a recent panel discussion moderated by Where We Live host, Lucy Nalpathanchil. Today, we hear that virtual conversation with Dana Peterson, Connecticut Attorney General William Tong, and Jay Williams, President of the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving.They share their personal stories and their views on how communities in Connecticut can work on reducing the racial wealth gap. You can register for the next in the "Two Connecticuts" series here. GUESTS Dana Peterson - Chief Economist at The Conference Board William Tong - Connecticut Attorney General Jay Williams - President of the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Measuring the real cost of racism

Where We Live is a call-in talk show about who we are in Connecticut and our place in the world.

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Where We Live

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