Shows / Where We Live
Where We Live
Produced by Connecticut Public, 'Where We Live' puts Connecticut in context. Host Catherine Shen brings us fascinating, informed, in-depth conversations and stories beyond news headlines. We start local, but we take time to explore domestic and international issues and consider how they impact us personally and here at home.
Episodes
- Where We Live
Feeling safe or creating trauma? How lockdown drills are impacting our schools
In 1999 the Columbine shooting shook the country and made everyone aware of the threat of gun violence in schools. As a result, schools made the effort to…
- Where We Live
'Not all in your head': Examining endometriosis
Endometriosis is one of the most common diseases affecting those with uteruses. Despite its prevalence, proper diagnosis can take up to ten years, leaving many…
- Where We Live
Revisiting author chats with Chasten Buttigieg and Willie Mae Brown
Author and teacher Chasten Buttigieg joins us to discuss his book. He is the husband of 2020 presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg in 2018. His book, I Have to…
- Where We Live
Connecticut author helps to translate the harrowing accounts of a Ukrainian refugee
Connecticut author and lawyer Anne Howard is known for her work writing true crime, but her recent book is a departure from her prior work. Today, we talk…
- Where We Live
NPR's Aisha Harris on 'Reckonings with the Pop Culture That Shapes Me'
Aisha Harris, co-host for NPR’s Pop Culture Hour, is out with a new book titled Wannabe: Reckonings With The Pop Culture That Shapes Me. Harris explores how…
- Where We Live
R.F. Kuang's satirical thriller 'Yellowface' tackles ethics in authorship
R.F. Kuang's works of historical fantasy, including The Poppy War series, have been racking up awards since she began publishing in 2018. Her novel Babel…
- Where We Live
'Our Red Book': Everyone has a period story
After collecting oral histories from generations of women in her family in "My Little Red Book," Rachel Kauder Nalebuff created Our Red Book, an extended…
- Where We Live
Wheelchair repairs can take months: What local advocates are doing to change that
Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh have estimated that more than half of wheelchairs break down in a typical six-month period. Many Connecticut…
- Where We Live
A midsummer reading show
Are you finally reading that bestseller that’s been collecting dust on your nightstand? Are you revisiting a dog-eared old favorite? If you're reading…
- Where We Live
Seeding the next generation of farmers in Connecticut
Across Connecticut's thousands of farms, spanning nearly 400,000 acres, the average age of farmers just under the national average at 58. Over 90% of senior…
- Where We Live
Understanding how climate change is impacting our health and wellbeing (and what you can do about it)
Extreme heat can leave us feeling exhausted after doing the most basic activities of daily living like getting groceries or commuting to work. Low air quality…
- Where We Live
Arts and culture check-in in Connecticut, plus a preview of 'America 250'
Virtually all Connecticut residents engage in the arts, culture and humanities, either formally or informally, a recent survey found. But attendance rates at…
- Where We Live
Exploring gardening and farming in the AAPI community
For some, gardening can act as a love letter to our family history. The act of cultivating the same plants and herbs that your grandmother, or great…
- Where We Live
How SCOTUS affirmative action ruling impacts Connecticut admissions
It has been one week since the Supreme Court struck down affirmative action and “race-conscious” college admissions programs. The decision has roiled…
- Where We Live
Identifying public health needs after COVID-19 emergency status lifted
The World Health Organization (WHO) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently lifted the COVID-19 "emergency," but the pandemic isn't over…
- Where We Live
Our state troubadour emphasizes the power of the arts, plus Connecticut's theatres are making a comeback
Connecticut is one of only a few states that has a State Troubadour - an ambassador of music and song. And the state troubadour is also tasked with promoting…
- Where We Live
Efforts to protect transgender care in Connecticut
Earlier this month, the Human Rights Campaign declared a national state of emergency for LGBTQ people, following "the worst year on record" for the number of…
- Where We Live
R.F. Kuang's satirical thriller 'Yellowface' tackles ethics in authorship
R.F. Kuang's works of historical fantasy, including The Poppy War series, have been racking up awards since she began publishing in 2018. Her novel Babel won…
- Where We Live
'Blackology': How can efforts around inclusivity in STEM fields go farther?
Of the millions of people working in STEM fields in the U.S., only 9% are Black, according to the Pew Research Center. Those numbers are "unchanged" since…
- Where We Live
'RuPaul’s Drag Race' spotlights Connecticut’s 'thriving' drag scene
While contestants with Connecticut ties have appeared on the reality competition series RuPaul's Drag Race in the past, the Season 15 premiere on MTV marks the…
- Where We Live
'Teaching with truth and complexity': Checking in on the state's Black and Latino Studies elective
Connecticut rolled out a Black and Latino history elective this past school year, the first of several recent curricular updates and mandates to go live…
- Where We Live
A conversation with Five for Fighting frontman John Ondrasik
John Ondrasik, better known as Five for Fighting, has been performing since childhood. And after several hit singles, he hasn’t slowed down. He’s currently…
- Where We Live
Unpacking the debate around LGBTQ studies in secondary and elementary schools
Parents in Granby, Connecticut, are deeply divided over a 45-second video shown to students. The short video featured kids talking about Pride Month. Today, we…
- Where We Live
NPR's Aisha Harris on 'Reckonings with the Pop Culture That Shapes Me'
Aisha Harris is a cultural critic and co-host for NPR’s Pop Culture Hour, and she’s out with a new book, titled Wannabe: Reckonings With The Pop Culture That…
- Where We Live
Exploring Connecticut's Historic and Public Gardens
Earlier this spring, horticulturist Charlie Nardozzi joined us on Where We Live to answer all your gardening questions and we got this comment from listener on…
- Where We Live
Birds of prey fall prey to rodenticide
Anticoagulant rodenticide, a quick fix for controlling the rat and mice population, is now having an effect on birds of prey. Today, we talk to A Place Called…
- Where We Live
Forever young: The rise of the 'kidults'
Toys are occasionally marketed to "children of all ages." In recent years, market research has shown the number of toy-buyers over 12 years old is growing. The…
- Where We Live
Debt, mortgages and taxes: Why teaching all children financial wellness is critical to equity
Connecticut residents have the highest average credit card in the nation. Although personal finance courses are offered in high schools, they aren’t mandated…
- Where We Live
Libraries rock! Westport Library launches a record label, and a new vinyl album
Danielle Capalbo is the lead singer of Connecticut local band DaniProbably. She recently recorded her song "Cowboy" with Grammy-winning producer Peter Katis…
- Where We Live
'Our Red Book': Everyone has a period story
After collecting oral histories from generations of women in her family in "My Little Red Book," Rachel Kauder Nalebuff created Our Red Book, an extended…
- Where We Live
Highlights from the region with conductor Eric Jacobsen, the Schaghicoke Tribal Nation and the rise of green burials
We talk to a lot of interesting people on the show. Today, we’re revisiting three memorable conversations we’ve had this year. Eric Jacobsen just completed his…
- Where We Live
What the debt ceiling deal means for Connecticut
For months, Republicans and Democrats have clashed over the national debt limit. But over the weekend, President Joe Biden and House Republicans reached a…
- Where We Live
Exploring Connecticut's parks, trails and greenspaces
With so many outdoor spaces to explore in New England, we forget that some of the best hikes, and parks are right here in our backyard. Today, we’re talking…
- Where We Live
A conversation with Congressman Jim Himes
Congressman Jim Himes has been serving in Congress since 2009 when he was elected to represent Connecticut's 4th district. Since then, he’s become a democratic…
- Where We Live
Cups, discs, wands and swords: Tarot and 'divination' in Connecticut
A Pew survey from 2018 estimated 13% of adults consult tarot card readers, astrologers or "fortune-tellers." But more recent market research shows sales for…
- Where We Live
In 'Reciprocity Project,' Indigenous voices reframe our relationship to the Earth
In one episode of the docu-series Reciprocity Project, Connecticut-based educator and member of the Passamaquoddy Tribe Chris Newell teaches acclaimed cellist…
- Where We Live
Exploring 'car dependency' in Connecticut
Nearly 92% of American households reported owning at least one vehicle in a recent five-year 2021 census report. Connecticut falls just below that national…
- Where We Live
The delicate art of obituary-writing
Whether they’ve been written by a loved one or a local newsroom, obituaries are an earnest attempt at the impossible: distilling one person's life into a…
- Where We Live
The challenges of addressing adult literacy
23% of the adult U.S. population cannot read above a third-grade level. Literacy isn’t limited to reading and writing, it can also refer to basic math…
- Where We Live
R.F. Kuang's satirical thriller 'Yellowface' tackles ethics in authorship
R.F. Kuang's works of historical fantasy, including The Poppy War series, have been racking up awards since she began publishing in 2018. Her novel Babel won…
- Where We Live
A foster care mom shares her journey
There are over 4,000 foster children living in Connecticut. May is Foster Care Month. From what's seen on TV and the media, foster care looks like a selfless…
- Where We Live
Amazon responds to proposed bill aimed at warehouse 'quotas'
A proposed bill would set limits on how warehouses track worker productivity where we live. Amazon – which currently employs more than 15,000 Connecticut…
- Where We Live
Gardening with Charlie Nardozzi: back to basics
Spring is here and it’s time for our annual spring gardening hour and we are going back to basics. What’s a zone? How do you choose the right kind of soil? How…
- Where We Live
'Aquatic activism': The fight for inclusion at pool clubs and beaches
the ripple, the wave that carried me home is a new play running at the Yale Repertory Theater, following a family of “aquatic activists” across decades, as…
- Where We Live
Debt, mortgages and taxes: Why teaching all children financial wellness is critical to equity
Connecticut residents have the highest average credit card in the nation. Although personal finance courses are offered in high schools, they aren’t mandated…
- Where We Live
'Blackology': How can efforts around inclusivity in STEM fields go farther?
Of the millions of people working in STEM fields in the U.S., only 9% are Black, according to the Pew Research Center. Those numbers are "unchanged" since…
- Where We Live
Forever young: The rise of the 'kidults'
Toys are occasionally marketed to "children of all ages." In recent years, market research has shown the number of toy-buyers over 12 years old is growing. The…
- Where We Live
Connecticut may continue 'incremental' expansion of HUSKY Health coverage
As of January 1, Connecticut children are eligible for Medicaid or HUSKY Health until the age of 12, regardless of their immigration status. A new bill would…
- Where We Live
A conversation with Connecticut Department of Transportation Commissioner Garrett Eucalitto
Connecticut Department of Transportation Commissioner Garrett Eucalitto is a native of Torrington and a big proponent of transit oriented development. Today…
- Where We Live
Checking in on the labor movement momentum in Connecticut
While May Day may draw its roots from a pagan holiday pinned to spring's arrival, it has a more modern incarnation inspired by the fight for the eight-hour…
- Where We Live
Acknowledging gun violence as a public health issue could be part of the solution
Last week, a 12-year old Se'Cret Pierce living in Hartford was killed in a drive-by shooting. Gun violence is one of the leading causes of deaths in America…
- Where We Live
The delicate art of obituary-writing
Whether they’ve been written by a loved one or a local newsrooms, obituaries are an earnest attempt at the impossible: distilling one person's life into a…
- Where We Live
'Our Red Book': Everyone has a period story
After collecting oral histories from generations of women in her family in "My Little Red Book," Rachel Kauder Nalebuff created Our Red Book, an extended…
- Where We Live
PFAS regulations in Connecticut
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently updated its standards around a group of manmade substances called PFAS, promising stricter enforceable limits…
- Where We Live
Going green with your self-care
When you’re searching for personal care products, whether a bar of soap or a bottle of lotion, are you reading the ingredients label? What harmful ingredients…
- Where We Live
Students lead push to observe Muslim holidays in school calendars
Calls to observe Muslim holidays in school calendars are growing in the U.S., along with the population of Muslim students. In 2018, Pew Research Center…
- Where We Live
Small solutions to climate change that make a big impact
Climate change is presenting so many challenges in our region, but residents around New England are rising to the occasion. Today, we hear from reporters from…
- Where We Live
A conversation with Connecticut's AAPI youth
Between March 2020 and September 2021, over 10,000 incidents of hate crimes against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders were reported. That’s according to…
- Where We Live
Finding solutions to slow the fast-fashion cycle
Where do our clothes come from? According to the Textile Exchange, 52% of our clothes are made from polyester. Fast fashion is an enormous industry, allowing…
- Where We Live
Author Willie Mae Brown on her new book, 'My Selma: True Stories of a Southern Childhood'
Willie Mae Brown is the author of a new book My Selma: True Stories of a Southern Childhood at the Height of the Civil Rights Movement. The book, written for…