Disrupted

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.

The Greater Hartford Gives Foundation invests in a wide range of projects from arts to education. And they recently celebrated their 100th year in existence. With that milestone, they decided to make some changes. Their projects include building a new headquarters and increased funding for scholarships. Even the name is new— until recently, the Greater Hartford Gives Foundation was known as the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving. Joining us today to talk about both his work with the foundation and his past in politics is Jay Williams, President and CEO of the Greater Hartford Gives Foundation. GUEST: Jay Williams: President and CEO of the Greater Hartford Gives Foundation. He has also served as Mayor of Youngstown, Ohio and worked in multiple roles in the Obama administration. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Krystal Marquis’ debut novel, The Davenports, came out in 2023. The novel centers on four Black women navigating their careers and romances in 1910 Chicago. The book deals with class, race and gender, and it quickly joined New York Times’ bestsellers list for Young Adult Hardcover fiction. A second book, The Davenports: More Than This, was also a bestseller. And the popularity of the series may only be just beginning. Prime Video is currently adapting a television series based on The Davenports. GUESTS: Krystal Marquis: the New York Times bestselling author of The Davenports. Her short story "Group Project" will be included in the book 13 Little Love Stories: An Anthology Inspired by Taylor Swift Songs. Tanisha C. Ford: Professor of History at The Graduate Center of the City University of New York (CUNY). Her most recent book is 'Our Secret Society: Mollie Moon and the Glamour, Money, and Power Behind the Civil Rights Movement' See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Every February, the United States celebrates Black History Month. But in recent years, the celebration might have felt a bit different. On January 31, 2025, the Department of Defense announced it would no longer use official resources to celebrate cultural awareness months, including Black History Month, which began the following day. That announcement came after the Trump administration's rollback of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiatives within the federal government. This hour, we listen back to our conversation with a panel of experts talking about Black History Month and what it means today. GUESTS: Kevin Gaines: Julian Bond Professor of Civil Rights and Social Justice and former Interim Director of the Carter G. Woodson Institute at the University of Virginia. Christina Greer: Associate Professor of Political Science at Fordham University Michael Harriot: founder of ContrabandCamp and bestselling author of Black AF History: The Un-Whitewashed Story of America. In this episode, the guests mention several Black Americans who have made an impact on U.S. history. Here are some of the names if you want to learn more: Ella Baker, Mary McLeod Bethune, George Washington Carver, James Chaney, Septima Clark, John Henrik Clarke, David Dennis Sr, Fannie Lou Hamer, Steven Henson, bell hooks, Barbara Jordan, Garrett Morgan, Constance Baker Motley, Gloria Naylor, Bernice Johnson Reagon, Gloria Richardson, Amelia Boynton Robinson, Jo Ann Robinson, Cleveland Sellers, Robert Smalls, the students in the court case Edwards v. South Carolina, Ida B. Wells-Barnett Special thanks to our former interns Angelica Gajewski and Kathy Wang. This episode originally aired on February 28, 2025. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When was the last time you dabbled in something? In this episode of Disrupted, author Karen Walrond talks about the joys of dabbling and the space where dabbling and activism meet. She shares how trying activities like sports, pottery or baking—even if you're not good at them—can expand our definition of self. We also visit Jason Ramos' New Haven dance studio, Baila Con Gusto CT, where dabblers learn how to Salsa, Bachata and Merengue in community with one another. Plus, Spanish artist Esther Gonzalez reads her essay, “How to Reset Your Artistic Life.” GUESTS: Karen Walrond: Author of ‘The Lightmaker's Manifesto’ and ‘Radiant Rebellion’. Her latest book is ‘In Defense of Dabbling: The Brilliance of Being a Total Amateur’ Jason Ramos: Founder of Baila Con Gusto CT, a dance studio in residence at St. Paul & St. James Church in New Haven Esther González: Artist and author of the essay ‘How to Reset Your Artistic Life.’ Find her artwork on Instagram. And read more of her essays on her Substack, Journal Rash. Special thanks to the students at Baila Con Gusto CT who spoke to us about what inspires them to dance. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Disrupted recently reached a milestone— five years on the air. We celebrated with a live event that included a panel discussion on “Finding Joy and Purpose in Turbulent Times.” Panelists Erik Clemons and Ryan Parker opened up about the duality between joy and turbulence in their lives, and Ryan gave us a stirring performance of his poetry. GUESTS: Erik Clemons: CEO and President of ConnCORP (Connecticut Community Outreach Revitalization Program) and ConnCAT (Connecticut Center for Arts and Technology). ConnCAT offers job training and youth programs, while ConnCORP is dedicated to economic development in New Haven Ryan Parker: educator, poet and activist. He’s a certified mama’s boy and chocolate chip cookie lover. He works as an educational consultant and has spent more than two decades teaching. He was Poet Laureate of Manchester from 2019 to 2023. He helped create Project Happyvism, which includes a song and a children's book. His upcoming projects include a healing retreat in the Azores and an educational children's program with episodes set to release at the end of February. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Connecticut’s Clean Slate law passed in 2021. The law aims to erase certain convictions from people’s records after a period of time. It was initially scheduled to go into effect in January of 2023, but the program faced delays. This hour, we'll take a look at where things stand with Clean Slate today. We'll also hear from Joe Soss and Joshua Page. Their recent book is Legal Plunder: The Predatory Dimensions of Criminal Justice. The book explores how the legal system takes resources from marginalized communities. As part of his research for the book, Professor Page spent more than a year working as a bail bond agent. GUESTS: Maysoon Khan: Investigative Reporting Fellow with The Accountability Project at Connecticut Public. Joshua Page: Fink Professor of Sociology at the University of Minnesota and one of the authors of Legal Plunder: The Predatory Dimensions of Criminal Justice. Joe Soss: Inaugural Cowles Chair for the Study of Public Service at the University of Minnesota and one of the authors of Legal Plunder: The Predatory Dimensions of Criminal Justice. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The United Nations General Assembly is currently in its 80th session. This hour we look at the status of the organization today, and the challenges it faces. Plus, historian Thant Myint-U has a new book out about his grandfather, U Thant, who was the UN’s first non-European secretary-general, and a leading ambassador of peace during the Cold War. Myint-U joins us to talk about his grandfather's role in the history of the United Nations and the lessons we can take from his example for the present. GUESTS: Thant Myint-U: Author of Peacemaker: U Thant and the Forgotten Quest for a Just World. He is an Honorary Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge, a Senior Fellow at UN Foundation, and he formerly served on three UN peacekeeping operations Eugene Chen: Senior Fellow at the United Nations University Centre for Policy Research. He is a former UN official This episode originally aired on October 31, 2025. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Disrupted is a show about the changes and changemakers shaping our world. In these clips, you can hear how the show brings personal stories to life, while offering listeners new ways to think about the most challenging issues of the day. 0:00-9:22 Dr. Shizuko Tomoda talks about having a mother who survived the atomic bomb that the U.S. dropped on Hiroshima. As we looked for a guest who could offer the perspective of someone directly impacted by the bomb, one of our team members found, through her personal network, Dr. Tomoda’s story 9:22-10:49 Journalist Elizabeth Bruenig talks about her experience witnessing an execution 10:49-14:52 Shelly Carter, the first woman and first person of color to talk serve as Chief of Hamden, CT’s fire department, talks about breaking barriers 14:52-17:10 Two high school students, Nariyah Lindsay and Oluwaseyi Oluborode, talk about their efforts to extend a bill expanding access to transportation 17:10-24:21 Clips from our episode on student journalism. We hear from Gary Green, Executive Director of the Student Press Law Center. We then hear a panel of student journalists, hosted by our student intern Kathy Wang. This episode was in production when the government revoked Tufts University graduate student Rümeysa Öztürk’s visa after she wrote an op-ed. In that environment, it was not easy to find students willing to talk to us, but the team persevered 24:21-27:21 Interim Chancellor of the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities system, John Maduko, talks about the ways the federal government’s policies are impacting higher education in Connecticut 27:21-29:23 Connecticut College biology professor Maria Rosa talks about how students are going overseas because of current education policies in the U.S. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

According to Amnesty International, 15 countries used the death penalty in 2024. The United States was one of those countries. Capital punishment is illegal in 23 states and isn’t used in some of the states where it is legal. But the United States still executed 25 people in 2024 and nearly twice as many people in 2025. But amidst all the statistics and lofty arguments for and against, it’s important to remember that capital punishment affects real people. It impacts both the people sentenced to death, and the families who’ve lost loved ones to violence. This hour, we’re listening back to our episode about what the death penalty means to the human beings impacted by it. Staff Writer at The Atlantic and two-time Pulitzer Prize finalist Elizabeth Bruenig, has seen the impact of the death penalty firsthand. She’s also lost a family member to violence. While many journalists cover capital punishment, fewer are applying to attend the executions of people on death row. In a deeply personal conversation, Khalilah Brown-Dean talks with Bruenig about her coverage of capital punishment. Her recent cover story in The Atlantic is, 'Witness: Inside America's Death Chambers - What Years of witnessing executions taught me about sin, mercy and the possibility of redemption.' Bruenig describes her own family tragedy, the realities of death by lethal injection, and why her feelings about capital punishment have changed over time. Plus, the pair describe the complex emotions victims’ families grapple with in the aftermath of tragedy. GUEST: Elizabeth Bruenig: Staff writer at The Atlantic This episode originally aired on September 5, 2025. 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. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Disrupted team is welcoming the new year by choosing a couple of the episodes we loved from 2025. We have so many favorites that we couldn't reair all of them, but these are some of the ones that we wanted to listen back to. This week, producer Kevin Chang Barnum chose our episode on student journalism. Student journalists have been in the spotlight in recent years. In 2024, amidst massive on-campus protests, people turned to student outlets like Columbia University’s WKCR for the most up to date reporting. But practicing journalism as a student comes with risks. Tufts University graduate student Rümeysa Öztürk was detained in March after the Trump administration revoked her visa. U.S. District Judge William Sessions ordered her release on May 9th, saying the only evidence given for her detention was an op-ed she had written for her school paper. This hour, we’re talking about the role student journalists play in covering campuses and the communities around them. We discuss the risks student journalists face and they way their role is sometimes overlooked. GUESTS: Gary Green: Executive Director of The Student Press Law Center, an organization that supports first amendment rights for student journalists Anika Arora Seth: Editor in Chief of the Yale Daily News from spring 2023 to spring 2024 Maria Shaikh: Managing Editor at The Retrograde, an independent student newspaper at the University of Texas at Dallas Macy Hanzlik-Barend: News & Arts director at WKCR, Columbia University’s independent student-run radio station This episode originally aired on May 16, 2025. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Disrupted team is welcoming the new year by choosing a couple of the episodes we loved from 2025. We have so many favorites that we couldn't reair all of them, but these are some of the ones that we wanted to listen back to. This week, host Khalilah-Brown Dean chose our interview with journalist and author Megan Greenwell. Megan Greenwell's book, Bad Company: Private Equity and the Death of the American Dream, tells the story of four people whose lives were upended by private equity. This hour, we learn about the business of private equity, and how companies that many people don't understand play a big role in our lives. GUEST: Megan Greenwell: Freelance journalist and author of Bad Company: Private Equity and the Death of the American Dream. This episode originally aired on June 27, 2025. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The way people approach children’s books in the U.S. has changed a lot over time. Philosopher John Locke helped popularize the idea that learning to read should be fun with his 1693 treatise Some Thoughts Concerning Education. Fast forward 300 years and television series continued Locke’s legacy. Today's adults might remember the joy of reading being touted to young people through shows like Arthur and Reading Rainbow. The subjects of books for young people continue to change as well. The Cooperative Children’s Book Center at the University of Wisconsin—Madison tracks diversity statistics on the books they receive. 2024 was the first time since they started tracking that over half of the books had “significant BIPOC Content.” That designation takes into account the characters, settings and topics of books. This hour, we’re talking to authors about representation in young people’s literature. GUESTS: Ainissa Ramirez: Award-winning scientist and science communicator. She has worked at Bell Laboratories. Her latest book is a picture book called Spark: Jim West’s Electrifying Adventures in Creating the Microphone. Angeline Boulley: bestselling author of Firekeeper’s Daughter. Her new book is Sisters in the Wind. If you want to learn more about the Indian Child Welfare Act, you can listen to our interview with Matthew L.M. Fletcher. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Studying oysters can help us understand how Connecticut’s shoreline is changing. Studying lizards can help us understand the history of life on our planet. Biologists research living organisms. And in doing so, they help us understand not only ourselves, but also the way our lives are intertwined with those of every other species. This hour— Connecticut biologists tell us how their work helps us see what’s going on in the world around us. We'll discuss everything from how someone growing up in New York City could become fascinated by nature to the impact of federal funding cuts on research. GUESTS: Martha Muñoz: Assistant Professor in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at Yale University, Assistant Curator of Vertebrate Zoology at the Yale Peabody Museum and recipient of a 2024 MacArthur Fellowship. Maria Rosa: Assistant Professor of Biology at Connecticut College. This episode originally aired on July 25, 2025. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.