When the Afghanistan fell under Taliban rule in 2021, instruments were destroyed and musicians were silenced. Today, we hear from Afghan musicians taking part in a performance at the Bushnell Theater in Hartford entitled “Symphony of Resilience: The Afghan Orchestra Unsilenced.” We’ll listen to some of their original music and learn how some artists in Afghanistan are finding ways to pursue and even record music abroad. Plus, Kevin Bishop, the founder of Cuatro Puntos, a Connecticut non-profit that works to amplify persecuted and underrepresented music and musicians, joins us. GUESTS: Nazira Wali: musician and composer Arson Fahim: musician, pianist, composer and conductor Kevin Bishop: Founder and Executive Director of Cuatro Puntos Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

James White entered the Connecticut school system at age 7. Although he would go on to graduate high school and run a small business, he found himself struggling. He had to ask friends and family members for help with paperwork. Writing and reading was a challenge. But then he found the Literacy Volunteers of Greater Hartford and started taking classes. Many adults struggle with reading comprehension, and writing. There are approximately 48 million adults in the United States that cannot read above a third grade level. Today, we take a look at literacy education in Connecticut and beyond. There are many areas of literacy, including media literacy. If you hear the term media literacy, you might think of news, social media, or even yes, election ads and political messaging. But media literacy is starting to encompass a lot of other mediums including artificial intelligence. We learn about expanding media literacy education. GUESTS: James White: Student taking courses at the Literacy Volunteers of Greater Hartford Steve Morris: Executive Director for the Literacy Volunteers of Greater Hartford Michelle Ciulla Lipkin: Executive Director of the National Association for Media Literacy Education Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Every presidential election, campaigns flood our TVs with political ads. Back in 1952, “Ike for President” became the very first political advertisement on TV. Dwight Eisenhower's campaign may have been the first to use television like this. But it’s certainly not the last. Today, more than 70 years later, political ads are everywhere. In recent weeks, both the Kamala Harris and Donald Trump campaigns have ramped up their advertising. And it’s no longer just on our TV screens; it’s on social media platforms, too. This hour, we’re looking at political advertising during the 2024 election cycle from the messages we’re seeing to how that impacts what we do at the ballot box. What kinds of messages are you seeing? GUEST: Erika Franklin Fowler: Professor of Government at Wesleyan University and co-director of the Wesleyan Media Project Note: The ad from Rep. Jahana Hayes's campaign played in this episode originally aired in 2022 and was featured on the campaign's website homepage at the time of this broadcast. This episode originally aired on August 24, 2024. Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Early voting starts next week across Connecticut. This means voters can cast their ballots ahead of Election Day in November. Each town and city will have at least one early voting location, and voters can even cast their ballots over the weekend. Today, we hear from poll workers getting ready for early voting in Connecticut. Plus, we'll hear about what early voting looks like across the country. Connecticut Secretary of the State Stephanie Thomas joins us. She explains what you need to know about casting your ballot ahead of Election Day. Find information on registering to vote, finding your polling location and more by visiting myvote.ct.gov. GUESTS: Stephanie Thomas: Connecticut Secretary of the State David Becker: Executive Director of the Center for Election Innovation & Research Ginny Kim: Volunteer with Asian Pacific American Coalition of Connecticut and Co-lead of the Let’s Vote Initiative David Fenn: Poll worker in Windham Stacey Chowanec: Poll worker in Willimantic Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The humanitarian crisis in Lebanon has become dire. The country faces economic and financial uncertainty, and nearly 2000 deaths since the start of the conflict. The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs says that of the 5.5 million people living in Lebanon, 1 million people are in dire need. Today, humanitarian aid organizations International Rescue Committee and Anera joins us to describe what is happening on the ground in Lebanon. Plus two Lebanese Americans living and working as chef-owners in Connecticut join us to respond to the situation and speak on Lebanese cuisine, culture and hospitality. GUESTS: Samar El-Yassir: Lebanon and Jordan Country Director for Anera Ciaran Donnelly: Senior Vice President, Crisis Response, Recovery & Development at International Rescue Committee Reem Hadir: chef and founder of Lebnani Mediterranean Kitchen and Bar in Watertown George Noujaim: chef owner of Noujaim’s Mediterranean Cuisine in Winsted Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Mohegan Tribe – a sovereign and federally-recognized Indian tribe in Southeastern Connecticut – has a longstanding belief in the power of storytelling. This oral tradition is a form of spoken record-keeping. Stories can often capture a deeper and fuller understanding of culture and beliefs than historical texts. This hour, we talk to Melissa Tantaquidgeon Zobel, the tribe’s vice chair of the council of elders and tribal historian. Melissa is part of a long line of “culture bearers,” tasked with keeping the traditions of the Mohegan Tribe alive through stories. GUESTS: Melissa Tantaquidgeon Zobel, the Mohegan Tribe’s vice chair of the council of elders and tribal historian Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In Connecticut, the bear population has boomed. And so have human-bear conflicts. There are somewhere between 1000-1200 black bears in our state alone. You might know what to do if you encounter a black bear in the wild, but bears are not just on trails anymore. In the past year, there were 35 incidents of bears entering homes right here in our state. Although they might look friend-shaped, we wouldn’t recommend getting friendly. In fact, intentionally feeding the bears is now against the law. Maybe you’ve seen a bear where you live. Today, we’ll hear from bear experts across the state and learn what to do if you come across one. Did you follow this year’s Fat Bear Week? This week-long national tournament by the National Parks Service celebrates bear hibernation and conservation, while also serving as a campaign to make the public bear aware. We learn about it. GUESTS: Jason Hawley: Wildlife Biologist for the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Felicia Ortner: Volunteer Docent at the Connecticut Beardsley Zoo Rachel Maiser: Natural Resource Lead for the Northeast Regional Office of the National Park Service Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

October is Menopause Awareness Month. There is not one universal menopause experience. But almost everyone with a uterus will go through it. So why is it still taboo to talk about “the change?" Well, that’s something our guest today wants to change. Today, we’ll hear from journalist and menopause advocate Tamsen Fadal on changing how we talk about the change. She is the author of the upcoming book How To Menopause: Take Charge of Your Health, Reclaim Your Life, and Feel Even Better than Before. She is also a producer and executive producer of the new documentary The [M] Factor: Shredding The Silence On Menopause. Today, she joins us for the hour. Plus, a local OB GYN joins us. What's your menopause story? GUESTS: Tamsen Fadal: author, journalist and menopause advocate Dr. Karianne Silverman: OBGYN at St Francis Hospital/Trinity Health Of New England in Hartford Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today marks one year since the Hamas attacks on Israel that killed 1,200 people. In the ensuing war, more than 40,000 Palestinians have been killed — and there are mounting concerns about a wider conflict in the region. The United Nations reports that the humanitarian support system in Gaza is close to total collapse. Civilians in the region have severely reduced access to food, water, sanitation, hygiene and health services. This hour, we get an update on humanitarian aid in Gaza. Plus, we explore the principles of international humanitarian law, also known as the laws of war, and what they aim to do during times of conflict. GUESTS: Nathaniel Raymond, Executive Director of the Humanitarian Research Lab at the Yale School of Public Health Janti Soeripto, President & CEO of Save the Children, an international NGO and humanitarian aid organization based in Connecticut Lila Hassan, Independent investigative journalist Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s apple season here in Connecticut. And the history of the apple in New England dates back to 1623, three years after the landing of the Mayflower. Back in 2023, a late season frost devastated crops at several farms across our state. Farmers reported damage to a number of fruit crops including pears, peaches, berries and yes, even apples. There are thousands of apple varieties world wide, with only a fraction of which are grown in our state. But apple lovers and enthusiasts are working to bring new varieties to local orchards near you. Today is all about apples. Later, we hear about the origins of apple cider. GUESTS: Evan Lentz: Assistant Extension Educator in the Department of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture at UConn Jim Wargo: Grower and Owner of Hidden Gem Orchard Craig Cavallo: co-author of American Cider and co-owner of Golden Russet Cafe and Grocery in Rhinebeck, New York Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s hard getting your book published. It’s even harder when you’re an author of color. Between 1950 and 2018, 96% of American fiction books published were written by white authors. Today, hear from two Latina authors in Connecticut about their debut books. They’ll talk about navigating the publishing industry and the importance of centering marginalized voices. In her novel, The Girls in Queens, Christine Kandic Torres tells the story of two Latinx women coming of age in Queens, New York. In her memoir, A Body Across Two Hemispheres, Victoria Buitron shares how she came of age between Ecuador and the United States. We'll also hear about their work as editors of the 2024 Connecticut Literary Anthology. GUESTS: Christine Kandic Torres: author of The Girls in Queens and fiction editor of the 2024 Connecticut Literary Anthology Victoria Buitron: author of A Body Across Two Hemispheres and nonfiction editor of the 2024 Connecticut Literary Anthology Where We Live is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode. This episode originally aired July 11, 2024.Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Breaking, also known as breakdancing, was one of several new sports at the Olympics this summer. But there’s nothing new about the presence of b-boys and b-girls. Breaking began as a way to escape the daily socio-economic struggles of Black and Brown youth in the Bronx during the 1970s and ‘80s. This hour, we hear how breaking expanded into the mainstream. We’ll explore how, at its core, breaking is a form of storytelling and resistance. GUESTS: Rosemarie Roberts, Dayton Professor of Dance, Connecticut College Brandon Couloute, aka “B-Boy Lectronic,” dancer, choreographer and educator Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.