Speaking at the State of the Union, President Donald Trump demanded a full restoration of funding for the Department of Homeland Security. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, has carried out raids in major cities across the nation resulting in mass arrests, violence and the deaths of two people in Minneapolis, Renee Good and Alex Pretti. Today, we break down what was said at the State of the Union. Later, experts join us to talk about immigration reform and ICE presence in Connecticut. GUESTS: Lisa Hagen: Federal Policy Reporter, CT Public and the Connecticut Mirror Maureen Abell: Staff Attorney at New Haven Legal Assistance Association and Visiting Clinical Professor at Yale Law School with the Immigrant Rights Clinic Sarah Pierce: Director of Social Policy at Third Way, a national think tank and advocacy organization Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s been four years since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Recent peace talks concluded without bringing the region any closer to peace. This war has displaced millions and killed thousands of civilians. Russian armed forces recently attacked district heating systems leaving thousands of civilians without heat. 2026 has been the coldest winter in Ukraine since the initial invasion. Today, we get an update on this conflict. We hear from U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal about his recent visit toUkraine. Plus, Connecticut residents with ties to Ukraine have organized to send aid overseas. We hear from them. GUESTS: Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) Larissa Babij: Connecticut native and writer, translator and dancer living in Kyiv, Ukraine. Her book is “A Kind of Refugee: The Story of an American Who Refused to Leave Ukraine” Carl Harvey: Organizer with the New Haven Connecticut Ukrainian American Humanitarian Aid Fund Myron Melnyk: Organizers with New Haven Connecticut Ukrainian American Humanitarian Aid Fund Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This hour, we’re exploring the history of tap dance in America. Tap was first developed as a fusion of footwork styles with roots in Africa and Ireland. Over the decades, tap legends like Bill “Bojangles” Robinson, Eleanor Powell, and Gregory Hines popularized the artform and brought it to the national stage. Local dancers, choreographers, and teachers join us to discuss how they are keeping the rich legacy of tap dance alive in their work today. GUESTS: Kevin Ramsey: Chair of the Theater Division, University of Hartford Ralph Perkins: Associate Professor of Dance and Music Theater, University of Hartford Katie Cavenagh: founder of the Connecticut Tap Collaborative Jillian McNamara: founder of the American Dance Collaborative 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. This episode originally aired on December 2, 2024.Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Seeing yourself in a book can open a world of possibilities. But diverse books need more than diverse characters, they need diverse stories. Although many efforts have been made to expand the books and curriculum used to teach Black history, African American children’s literature can still be quite limited. Today, Black authors join us to talk about expanding Black literature and Black stories. GUESTS: Nichole Hawkins: Youth and Family Services Early Literacy Coordinator, Hartford Public Library Gwendolyn Wallace: children’s literature author, Ph.D. student and public historian Dhonielle Clayton: Board Chair of We Need Diverse Books, a nonprofit working to improve literacy and turning diverse manuscripts into published books. She is also New York Times bestselling author Valerie Bolling: long-time educator and author of books for children and educators Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“An Arcane Inheritance," the latest novel of author Kamilah Cole, weaves dark academia with occult secrets at a fictional Ivy League school based in Hartford. The story follows the ambitious, determined Ellory Morgan, a Jamaican immigrant and first-generation college student pursuing a degree in political science. A lavish scholarship allows her to begin her college education at Warren University, but soon after arriving on campus, things start to unravel into the paranormal. We'll explore Cole's latest book, ask what drew her to Hartford and explain "dark academia" — a popular genre where brooding and blazers meet ivory towers and sinister secrets. GUEST: Kamilah Cole: author of several books including “An Arcane Inheritance" Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What does it mean to take a break? Going on a walk or doodling during a meeting? Maybe turning off your phone and reading a book? For author Melissa Febos, years of destructive relationships left her in need of a different kind of break — giving up sex. She embarked on a year-long journey of abstinence from romantic and sexual relationships, documenting what she discovered about herself in “The Dry Season: A Memoir of Pleasure in a Year Without Sex.” Guests: Melissa Febos: author of five books, including "The Dry Season: A Memoir of Pleasure in a Year Without Sex" Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This show either exists or doesn't exist. It's possible you won't know until you listen to it. Today, we're getting quarky, exploring the weird — and mind-boggingly small — world of quantum mechanics. What is it? Should we be excited? Scared? Some superposition of both? We’ll also hear about new state and federal investments into quantum technology, and learn how Connecticut colleges are making quantum more accessible. Guests: Chad Orzel: chair of the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Union College and author of the book “How to Teach Quantum Physics to Your Dog.” Christine Broadbridge: founding director of CSCU’s Center for Quantum and Nanotechnology and the executive director of research and innovation at SCSU. Emily Edwards: associate research professor at Duke University and co-leader of the National Q-12 Education Partnership. Where We Live is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, 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.

For students and teachers around the state, snow means one thing: maybe it'll be a snow day? This hour we celebrate the snow day. We talk about snow day rituals and superstitions. And we look at the past, present, and future of snowfall in our state. GUESTS: Stephen Young: Professor Emeritus in the Geography and Sustainability Department at Salem State University Frankie Graziano: Host and Producer of "The Wheelhouse" Elizabeth Tucker: Distinguished Service Professor of English at Binghamton University Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nearly 300,000 Connecticut residents are of Puerto Rican heritage. That’s according to Census Bureau data. Today, we take a look at what’s being done to raise the next generation of Puerto Ricans here in the diaspora. From getting children books on Puerto Rican history, to celebrating holidays like Dia de los Reyes, there are many ways to celebrate Puerto Rican culture and history. GUESTS: Charles Venator Santiago: associate professor with a joint appointment in the Department of Political Science and El Instituto, the Institute for Latino, Caribbean and Latin American Studies. Lisa Moser: bookseller at Julia de Burgos Bookstore, a bilingual bookstore centering Puerto Rican and Latine authors and artists in Philadelphia. Marilisa Jiménez García: associate Professor of Childhood Studies teaching courses in Children’s and Young Adult Literary Cultures at Rutgers University Jaquira Díaz: author of “This Is the Only Kingdom” Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One out of every four Americans is a caregiver, caring for partners, parents, grandparents or children. They juggle living their own lives while taking loved ones to the doctor, dispensing medication and even managing insurance. The struggles of these caregivers are often invisible. Many face negative financial impacts, isolation and anxiety. On this episode, we'll hear from caregivers as they share their hardships and hopes. We'll also discuss why America’s caregiving crisis is an urgent public health problem. GUESTS: Laura Mauldin: associate professor in the Department of Social and Critical Inquiry at the University of Connecticut and author of "In Sickness and Health: Love Stories from the Front Line of America’s Caregiving Crisis." Cindy Eastman: author of "True Confessions of An Ambivalent Caregiver" Sue Lloyd-Davies: author of "Pinkie's Turnabout" Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Appalachian Trail spans 52.2 miles in Connecticut and climbs over Bear Mountain, the tallest point in the state. Today, we listen to an episode of "Common Land" podcast, which follows producer Matt Podolsky’s hike of the trail with his mother. We’ll hear about the history of the trail here in Connecticut, along with some major obstacles that he encountered. Podolsky will join us later to give more insight on the experience and tell us more about the trail. GUEST: Matt Podolsky: Host and producer of "Common Land" podcast Where We Live is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, 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.

Last year, the National Institutes of Health drastically cut funding for medical research. This disrupted the work of academics and researchers across the country. Clinical trials and scientific projects were cancelled, and funding for ongoing research was revoked. This meant big cuts in funding to research institutions here in Connecticut. UConn lost $41 million from research grant terminations and unexpected non-renewals. Today, we hear how these cuts are impacting research institutions in our state and the future of science. GUESTS: Rob Stein: Correspondent and Senior Editor, on NPR’s Science Desk Evan Morris: Professor of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging and of Biomedical Engineering at Yale School of Medicine Diane Owens: mother of a pediatric patient with neurofibromatosis Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.