This hour on Disrupted, we hear from three women who are rewriting narratives around death and dying in the U.S. The COVID-19 pandemic forced many of us to confront death head-on. At the same time, we’re also seeing major changes in the death care industry — from the emergence of things like green burials and human composting to the diversification of funeral directors. GUESTS: Cole Imperi: Founder of the School of American Thanatology and one of America’s leading experts on death, dying and grief Joél Simone Maldonado: Licensed funeral director, also known as The Grave Woman Celine Curr ..read more

Disrupted will be back with new episodes in September. In the meantime, as we prepare for the election, we are bringing you some highlights from the New Hampshire Public Radio series 'Civics 101.' Are We A Democracy Or A Republic? Civics 101 has a tagline: we’re a show about the basics of how our democracy works. And there’s a complaint we get pretty often around here, that our tagline contains the word "democracy," but the United States is actually a republic. So...do we need to make a change? We dig into that question, and talk about how our two-party system compares to other countries ..read more

This week on Disrupted, we dive deep into one of the wildest election cycles in recent history. Journalist and editorial director for Mother Jones, Jamilah King, offers her take on some of the latest political developments. We also discuss Vice President Kamala Harris’s candidacy with Higher Heights for America, an organization that supports Black women in politics. You can also watch Disrupted host Khalilah Brown-Dean's interview with C-Span's Washington Journal about the role of black sororities and fraternities and why they could play a huge role in the election. Guests: Jamilah ..read more

This hour, we explore Connecticut music. Violinist Kersten Stevens recently released a jazz album that she worked on with eight-time Grammy winner Christian McBride. She talks to us about facing imposter syndrome and how her unique sound came out of her experience playing a wide range of genres while growing up in Connecticut. Qiana Coachman-Strickland, also known as "DJ Q-Boogie," discusses her work supporting women DJs as the Owner and Founder of the Female DJ Association. And filmmakers Andy Billman and Joe Franco tell us about their upcoming documentary on music venue Toad's Place in New H ..read more

In its early stages, Miss America was mostly about physical beauty. Today, pageants have placed more emphasis on interviewing skills, social platform and inclusiveness. Shavana Clarke is the first openly queer and lesbian woman to win Miss Connecticut USA. She shares her pageant journey and her mental health experience through her personal blog. We also hear from Sally-Ann Fawcett, one of the judges in the first ever Miss AI Beauty Pageant. It’s a competition where teams from around the world digitally create the contestants.   GUESTS: Shavana Clarke: 2024 Miss Connecticut USA. Sally ..read more

This hour, we prepare for the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic games. We'll hear from competitors, including a Connecticut native who lost part of her leg in a shark attack one year ago. She will now swim for Team USA in the Paralympics. We'll also check in on the geopolitical implications of this year's Olympics and talk to Logan "Logistx" Edra, who is competing in breaking— a style of dance rooted in hip-hop culture. It is the first time that breaking will be an Olympic sport. GUESTS: Ali Truwit: swimmer from Connecticut who will be competing in the Paris 2024 Summer Paralympic Games Les Carp ..read more

It's time for our second annual summer movie panel! This time we are talking about the possible end of the summer blockbuster (as we know it) and the end of the world in film. The panelists discuss the lack of hype around any specific movie(s) this year as compared to what we saw with last year's Barbie/Oppenheimer pairing and the trend in post-apocalyptic imagery in films like Dune: Part Two and Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga. We also hear about movies for kids like Inside Out 2 and talk about what made Challengers so successful. GUESTS: Alissa Wilkinson: Movie Critic at the New York Times. She is ..read more

This hour, we’ll hear some of our favorite segments from our archive that teach us about the past and present of LGBTQ+ rights. Historian Marc Stein describes LGBTQ+ history beyond the Stonewall Uprising, including protests that occurred in Bridgeport. In a segment from Where We Live, Orion Rummler of The 19th News updates us on anti-trans bills that are being passed at the state level. And Dawn Ennis talks about finding joy during a time of discrimination. GUESTS: Marc Stein: Jamie and Phyllis Pasker Professor of History at San Francisco State University; director of the OutHistory; co ..read more

While many Black Americans have been celebrating Juneteenth since 1865, the holiday has often been overlooked by non-Black Americans. This hour, we look at the tradition of the holiday and recognize its importance as a time to learn more about Black history in the U.S. Alliah L. Agostini is a mom and children’s book author. Her books The Juneteenth Story: Celebrating the End of Slavery in the United States and The Juneteenth Cookbook teach the history and joy of Juneteenth. Distinguished Professor Dr. William Darity explains the history of reparations and today's racial wealth gap.   GUES ..read more

For parents, thinking about mental health is also about the lessons they impart on their children. This hour, we talk to two parents who advocate for mental health. First, Medina Jett, author of 'Peace Be Still: Navigating My Son’s Bipolar Disorder,' opens up about being a mother to a young adult with a mental illness. Then, Michell Clark discusses his book 'Eyes on the Road' and offers advice on how he's prioritized his mental health as a parent and beyond. GUESTS: Medina Jett: attorney, real estate developer and President of Jett Speaks. She’s also a mental health advocate whose newest boo ..read more