Karen Walrond on the joys of dabbling

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 definit…

From woodworking to summer camp, there are endless ways to spread Black Joy

For Black Americans, following the news can be a psychological challenge. 4 in 5 Black adults say they see or hear racist or racially insensitive coverage about Black people at least sometimes. That’s according to a 2023 Pew Research survey. And coverage can be hard to watch even if it isn’t insen…

Celebrating Juneteenth in the past and present

Confederate forces surrendered to Union forces in Appomattox Court House, Virginia in April of 1865. But many people in Texas were still living under slavery. The Emancipation Proclamation had gone into effect in January of 1863 in places under Union control. But Union forces did not arrive to enf…

The complexities of belonging and not belonging in U.S. culture

Connecticut has a higher percentage of Puerto Rican residents than any other state. That’s according to 2020 U.S. Census data. But Puerto Rican residents still make up less than 10% of the state’s population. So how do Puerto Rican people in Connecticut find community? This hour, we’re talking ab…

Pulitzer Prize-winning historians Jill Lepore and Jon Meacham on Lessons from History (Part II)

“History repeats itself,” the saying goes. Or, as another saying goes, “those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” There’s also “History doesn’t repeat itself but it often rhymes.” Together these sayings suggest the value of history in our culture and our belief that it can he…

Pulitzer Prize-winning historians Jill Lepore and Jon Meacham on Lessons from History (Part I)

At the start of May, Khalilah sat down for a conversation with historians Jill Lepore and Jon Meacham. The conversation was titled “Lessons from History,” and it came at a time when a lot was going on in U.S. politics. In just the past week there had been gunshots fired outside the ballroom where …

After #MeToo, what has changed?

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 sinc…

Curated failures, plus young people define success for themselves

Some inventions change the way we see the world. Others fail to meet the lofty expectations set for them. Those are the ones that make it into a traveling museum called the Museum of Failure. It recognizes products like Nintendo's early attempt at 3-D gaming and a clear soda called Crystal Pepsi. T…

Tayari Jones’ book ‘Kin’ challenges readers’ assumptions about novels centering women

Tayari Jones has had quite the literary career. Her 2018 novel An American Marriage was a New York Times bestseller and an Oprah’s Book Club Pick. Her latest novel, Kin came out earlier this year, and once again it was a bestseller and an Oprah’s Book Club Pick. Kin tells the story of two Black gi…

Despite barriers to self-care, Black women can still find ways to bloom

When Tara Pringle Jefferson was 26, she was a freelance consultant and writer. She says she often worked 18 hour days. After some time, she started feeling pain in her neck and shoulder. When she went to the doctor, the doctor prescribed a treatment that she didn’t expect— rest. Tara writes, “I was…