“History repeats itself,” the saying goes. Or, as another saying goes, “those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” There’s also “History doesn’t repeat itself but it often rhymes.” Together these sayings suggest the value of history in our culture and our belief that it can help us understand the present. This hour, we’re talking about history and our current political moment. This episode is the second featuring a live event with Pulitzer Prize-winning historians Jon Meacham and Jill Lepore. If you missed the first episode, don't worry— this discussion will stand on its own. The event was the final discussion of The Connecticut Forum’s 34th season. GUESTS: Jill Lepore: the David Woods Kemper ’41 Professor of American History at Harvard University and Professor of Law at Harvard Law School. She is also a staff writer at The New Yorker and bestselling author. Her books include These Truths: A History of the United States and We the People: A History of the U.S. Constitution. Jon Meacham: Distinguished Visiting Professor at Vanderbilt University. His bestselling books include And There Was Light: Abraham Lincoln and the American Struggle and the Pulitzer prize-winning American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

At the start of May, Khalilah sat down for a conversation with historians Jill Lepore and Jon Meacham. The conversation was titled “Lessons from History,” and it came at a time when a lot was going on in U.S. politics. In just the past week there had been gunshots fired outside the ballroom where the White House Correspondents' Dinner was being held, a Supreme Court ruling that impacted the Voting Rights Act and developments that continued to shape the Iran war. It also came at a notable time for Jill Lepore: just three days after the conversation, she was announced as this year's winner of the Pulitzer Prize in History. Jon Meacham also won a Pulitzer Prize back in 2009. The event was the final discussion of The Connecticut Forum’s 34th season. We enjoyed hearing from these award-winning historians so much that we decided to extend the conversation to two episodes. If you like what you hear today, you can hear more next week. GUESTS: Jill Lepore: the David Woods Kemper ’41 Professor of American History at Harvard University and Professor of Law at Harvard Law School. She is also a staff writer at The New Yorker and bestselling author. Her books include These Truths: A History of the United States and We the People: A History of the U.S. Constitution. Jon Meacham: Distinguished Visiting Professor at Vanderbilt University. His bestselling books include And There Was Light: Abraham Lincoln and the American Struggle and the Pulitzer prize-winning American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House. Disrupted is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Spotify, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Many people remember #MeToo from when it went viral in 2017. And before the hashtag, there was the Me Too movement, started by activist Tarana Burke 20 years ago as a way to support survivors of sexual violence, especially Black women and girls. This hour, we’re reflecting on what has changed since the height of the Me Too movement. We'll discuss everything from policy to social media. GUESTS: Nicole Bedera: Sociologist who studies sexual violence and author of On the Wrong Side: How Universities Protect Perpetrators and Betray Survivors of Sexual Violence. Kat Tenbarge: Award-winning independent journalist who covers internet culture, politics and sexual violence and co-founder of Spitfire News. This episode originally aired on January 9, 2026.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Some inventions change the way we see the world. Others fail to meet the lofty expectations set for them. Those are the ones that make it into a traveling museum called the Museum of Failure. It recognizes products like Nintendo's early attempt at 3-D gaming and a clear soda called Crystal Pepsi. There's also the Hawaii Chair, a chair whose cushion gyrates in a way that will supposedly help you get in shape. None of those products became everyday household items, but the Museum of Failure still honors them. After all, innovation is only possible when we try things that might not work. This hour, we’re reframing failure and celebrating people who take risks. In addition to talking about the Museum of Failure, we'll hear a from panel of young people whose educational journeys didn't go the way they expected. But rather than feel like failures, they've embraced their new paths as a way to redefine success. GUESTS: Dr. Samuel West: Organizational psychologist who founded the Museum of Failure in Sweden in 2017. The museum now travels around the globe. It’s in Paris until May 17, 2026. Melina Floyd: Community organizer in Bristol Ella Nicastro: Paraprofessional at Duffy Elementary School in West Hartford. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tayari Jones has had quite the literary career. Her 2018 novel An American Marriage was a New York Times bestseller and an Oprah’s Book Club Pick. Her latest novel, Kin came out earlier this year, and once again it was a bestseller and an Oprah’s Book Club Pick. Kin tells the story of two Black girls— best friends who grow up in the Jim Crow era in a town called Honeysuckle, Louisiana. Neither one of them knows their mom, a fact that looms large in their lives. They both leave Honeysuckle— one for college and the other in search of her mom. They go on very different, sometimes heartbreaking journeys. But their shared childhood always binds them together. GUEST: Tayari Jones: Bestselling author of five novels, including An American Marriage and Kin, both of which were selected for Oprah's Book Club. She is Charles Howard Candler Professor of English and Creative Writing at Emory University and the Andrew D. White Professor-at-Large at Cornell University. She was recently named one of Time Magazine’s 100 most influential people of 2026. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When Tara Pringle Jefferson was 26, she was a freelance consultant and writer. She says she often worked 18 hour days. After some time, she started feeling pain in her neck and shoulder. When she went to the doctor, the doctor prescribed a treatment that she didn’t expect— rest. Tara writes, “I was only 26 but I was already working myself to death.” A lot changed after that appointment. Tara started thinking about how hard she worked and how hard the other Black women she knew worked. Eventually, Tara shifted careers. Today, she is a wellness advocate who wants to break down the barriers to self-care that Black women face. GUEST: Tara Pringle Jefferson: Author of Bloom How You Must: A Black Woman’s Guide to Self-Care and Generational Healing. She’s also Founder of The Self Care Suite, a wellness community for Black women. Disrupted is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Spotify, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When Tracy K. Smith served as Poet Laureate of the United States, she used her platform to bring people together. In 2018, she traveled the country for a series called American Conversations: Celebrating Poems in Rural Communities. At these events, she encouraged people to share their thoughts, regardless of their background. While Tracy’s two terms as poet laureate ended in 2019, she is still using poetry to build connections. Her new book is Fear Less: Poetry in Perilous Times. GUEST: Tracy K. Smith: Boylston Professor of Rhetoric and Oratory at Harvard. She served as the 22nd Poet Laureate of the United States from 2017 to 2019. Her 2011 collection Life on Mars won the Pulitzer Prize. Her latest book is Fear Less: Poetry in Perilous Times. You can find both of the poems Tracy reads on this episode, "Everybody's Autobiography" and "Charity," online. Special thanks to our former interns Vy Duong and Talei Ricketson. This episode originally aired on November 14, 2025.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 2018, the Supreme Court Case Murphy v. National Collegiate Athletic Association reshaped gambling in the U.S. The ruling ended a ban on sports gambling— it had previously been illegal in every state except Nevada. Today, 39 states and Washington, D.C. have at least some form of legalized sports betting. Sports betting became legal in Connecticut in 2021. This hour, we’re taking a look at how gambling has changed since then. We'll talk about how sports betting companies think about the work that they do and the way people are impacted by gambling addiction. We'll also discuss the the effect gambling is having on college students. GUESTS: Danny Funt: Reporter who’s covered the sports betting boom for publications like The Washington Post and The New Yorker. His new book is Everybody Loses: The Tumultuous Rise of American Sports Gambling. Brian Hatch: Community Engagement Manager for the Connecticut Council on Problem Gambling. He’s also the host of All in: The Addicted Gambler’s Podcast. If you or someone you know is being adversely affected by gambling, there is help available. You can reach out to the Connecticut Council on Problem Gambling’s helpline at 888-789-7777. You can go to their website at ccpg.org. You can also reach the National Problem Gambling Helpline at 1-800-MY RESET (1-800-697-3738). Here are some of the other resources mentioned in the episode: To find treatment programs in Connecticut, you can contact a Bettor Choice Program. You can find a local or virtual Gamblers Anonymous meeting through their website You can also listen to Brian's podcast, All in: The Addicted Gambler’s Podcast See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Housing policy impacts everyone, so this hour, we are taking some time to break down what is happening with housing policy in Connecticut's current legislative session. CT Public's own Abigail Brone joins us to talk about some of her recent reporting. Plus, in the 1970s, a wave of arson swept U.S. cities. The arson has long been attributed to the Black and brown residents of apartment buildings, but Bench Ansfield argues that the fires were most often set by the landlords who owned the buildings. That's part of the book Born in Flames: The Business of Arson and the Remaking of the American City. GUESTS: Abigail Brone: Housing Reporter for Connecticut Public Bench Ansfield: Assistant Professor of History at Temple University and author of Born in Flames: The Business of Arson and the Remaking of the American City. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wellness is a multi-trillion dollar industry, but it's not “one size fits all.” For some people of color, Eurocentric beauty standards can be harmful, and trying to achieve an arbitrary wellness goal can actually cause stress. We talk with registered dietician, Dalia Kinsey about the book, Decolonizing Wellness: A QTBIPOC-Centered Guide to Escape the Diet Trap, Heal Your Self-Image, and Achieve Body Liberation. We also talk with and highlight the expertise of two local women in the industry working to make beauty and wellness accessible to all. GUESTS: Dalia Kinsey: Registered Dietician, creator of the Body Liberation for all Podcast, and Author of Decolonizing Wellness: A QTBIPOC-Centered Guide to Escape the Diet Trap, Heal Your Self-Image, and Achieve Body Liberation Maryah Gonzalez: Owner of Haus of Vanity in Cheshire, Conn. Seryna Simmons: Owner of skin and hair care boutique, Seryna’s Holistiq in Middletown, Conn. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When people think of craft, certain images might come to mind, like knitting in a rocking chair by a warm fireplace. People often think of it as a quiet, solitary activity— one that doesn’t make much of a public statement. But crafts like knitting can be radical. The rocking chair by the fireplace isn’t just quiet and solitary— it can also be a site of real political change. This hour, we’re listening back to our episode about the power of craft. We’ll hear from a crafter who helped popularize the term "craftivism." It refers to a movement that combines craft with activism. We’ll also talk to a local potter who hopes to spread awareness of the indigenous Wangunk people. They are not recognized as a tribe by the federal or state government. GUESTS: Betsy Greer: writer and maker. She’s editor of the book Craftivism: The Art of Craft and Activism and author of Knitting for Good!: A Guide to Creating Personal, Social, and Political Change Stitch by Stitch. She helped popularize the term "craftivism." Gary Red Oak O'Neil: a Wangunk Elder, potter, and educator. He’s been a member of Wesleyan Potters since 1968. His solo exhibition, Excavations, was on view at the Ezra and Cecile Zilkha Gallery at Wesleyan University in fall 2025, and a current exhibition, The Art of Wangunk Elder Gary Red Oak O'Neil is on view at Wesleyan potters until March 22; This episode originally aired on August 22, 2025.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A number of student groups and grassroots organizations recently called for a day of “No work, no school, no shopping,” to protest immigration enforcement in Minnesota. This comes at a time when consumers are used to seeing reasons not to support certain brands or companies, and worker strikes are up around the country. This hour, we take a look at labor strikes and economic boycotts, when they work, and when they don’t. We discuss what power consumers have, and we explore the history of labor movements and talk about the present moment. GUEST: Americus Reed II: Professor of Marketing at The Wharton School Kim Kelly: Labor reporter for In These Times Magazine. She is the author of Fight Like Hell: The Untold History of American Labor See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.