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 Currier: Co-founder of the Connecticut Death Collective

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:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://coleimperi.com/">Cole Imperi</a>: Founder of the School of American Thanatology and one of America’s leading experts on death, dying and grief</li>
<li><a href="https://www.thegravewoman.com/">Joél Simone Maldonado</a>: Licensed funeral director, also known as The Grave Woman</li>
<li><a href="https://ctdeathcollective.weebly.com/">Celine Currier</a>: Co-founder of the Connecticut Death Collective</li>
</ul>

Disruptions are all around us. Some spark joy and possibility. Others move us to take action and re-evaluate our world. Every week on Disrupted, host and political scientist Khalilah Brown-Dean unpacks how big and small disruptions are shaping our lives.

From technology, economics, education, and healthcare to navigating our way through a global pandemic, continued racial inequalities, geopolitical upheaval, and climate change. What can history teach us about the current moment? What can we learn as we prepare for the disruptions yet to come? Who are the people using their voice to reset, reenergize, and create change? What are we learning about ourselves and our society to help us move forward?

Disruptions are all around us. Some spark joy and possibility. Others move us to take action and re-evaluate our world. Every week on <a href="https://www.ctpublic.org/show/disrupted">Disrupted</a>, host and political scientist <a href="https://www.ctpublic.org/people/khalilah-brown-dean">Khalilah Brown-Dean</a> unpacks how big and small disruptions are shaping our lives.
From technology, economics, education, and healthcare to navigating our way through a global pandemic, continued racial inequalities, geopolitical upheaval, and climate change. What can history teach us about the current moment? What can we learn as we prepare for the disruptions yet to come? Who are the people using their voice to reset, reenergize, and create change? What are we learning about ourselves and our society to help us move forward?

Disrupted

Rethinking narratives around death and dying

This hour, we are taking a look at how race has impacted agriculture and the environmental movement. Leah Penniman, Co-Executive Director and Farm Director at Soul Fire Farm, talks about her book Black Earth Wisdom: Soulful Conversations with Black Environmentalists. The discussion touches on everything from Leah's childhood to how the creation of some of the most prominent national parks in the U.S. is linked to the eugenics movement. And Dr. Dorceta Taylor, a professor at the Yale School of the Environment, explains what environmental justice is, and why we need to think about marginalized communities when we think about the environment.

For more information on Soul Fire Farm, you can visit their website.

You can read Dorceta Taylor's research on disparities in environmental grantmaking through ResearchGate.

GUESTS:


Leah Penniman: Co-Executive Director and Farm Director at Soul Fire Farm, author of Black Earth Wisdom: Soulful Conversations with Black Environmentalists.


Dorceta Taylor: Professor and Senior Associate Dean of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at the Yale School of the Environment. She was interviewed for Leah Penniman’s book Black Earth Wisdom and is author of multiple books herself, includingThe Rise of the American Conservation Movement:  Power, Privilege, and Environmental Protection.

This episode originally aired on April 26, 2023.

This hour, we are taking a look at how race has impacted agriculture and the environmental movement. Leah Penniman, Co-Executive Director and Farm Director at <a href="https://www.soulfirefarm.org/">Soul Fire Farm</a>, talks about her book <a href="https://blackearthwisdom.org/">Black Earth Wisdom: Soulful Conversations with Black Environmentalists</a>. The discussion touches on everything from Leah's childhood to how the creation of some of the most prominent national parks in the U.S. is linked to the eugenics movement. And Dr. Dorceta Taylor, a professor at the Yale School of the Environment, explains what environmental justice is, and why we need to think about marginalized communities when we think about the environment.
For more information on Soul Fire Farm, you can visit their <a href="https://www.soulfirefarm.org/">website</a>.
You can read Dorceta Taylor's research on disparities in environmental grantmaking through <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/369261149_Examining_Disparities_in_Environmental_Grantmaking_Where_the_Money_Goes">ResearchGate</a>.
GUESTS:
<ul>
<li>
Leah Penniman: Co-Executive Director and Farm Director at <a href="https://www.soulfirefarm.org/">Soul Fire Farm</a>, author of <a href="https://blackearthwisdom.org/">Black Earth Wisdom: Soulful Conversations with Black Environmentalists</a>.
</li>
<li>
Dorceta Taylor: Professor and Senior Associate Dean of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at the Yale School of the Environment. She was interviewed for Leah Penniman’s book Black Earth Wisdom and is author of multiple books herself, including <a href="https://www.dukeupress.edu/the-rise-of-the-american-conservation-movement">The Rise of the American Conservation Movement:  Power, Privilege, and Environmental Protection</a>.
</li>
</ul>
This episode originally aired on April 26, 2023.

Black Americans are reclaiming their relationship with nature

Dr. Eddie S. Glaude Jr. returns to the show to talk about his new book, 'We Are the Leaders We Have Been Looking For.' The book reevaluates our understanding of leadership and argues that ordinary people need to become leaders. He also explains his views on the 2024 election and how reading The Autobiography of Malcolm X changed his life.

GUEST:


Dr. Eddie S. Glaude Jr.: James S. McDonnell Distinguished University Professor of African American Studies at Princeton University. He is a frequent contributor to MSNBC and a bestselling author. His newest book is 'We Are the Leaders We Have Been Looking For.'

You can listen back to the first episode of Disrupted, which also features Dr. Eddie S. Glaude Jr. and was mentioned in this week's interview, on our website.

You can read the piece in Time that Dr. Eddie Glaude Jr. wrote that was discussed in this episode on Time's website.

<a href="https://aas.princeton.edu/people/eddie-s-glaude-jr">Dr. Eddie S. Glaude Jr.</a> returns to the show to talk about his new book, '<a href="https://www.hup.harvard.edu/books/9780674737600">We Are the Leaders We Have Been Looking For</a>.' The book reevaluates our understanding of leadership and argues that ordinary people need to become leaders. He also explains his views on the 2024 election and how reading The Autobiography of Malcolm X changed his life.
GUEST:
<ul>
<li>
Dr. Eddie S. Glaude Jr.: James S. McDonnell Distinguished University Professor of African American Studies at Princeton University. He is a frequent contributor to MSNBC and a bestselling author. His newest book is '<a href="https://www.hup.harvard.edu/books/9780674737600">We Are the Leaders We Have Been Looking For</a>.'
</li>
</ul>
You can listen back to the first episode of Disrupted, which also features Dr. Eddie S. Glaude Jr. and was mentioned in this week's interview, <a href="https://www.ctpublic.org/show/disrupted/2020-10-07/creating-an-america-as-a-better-steward-of-its-ideal">on our website</a>.
You can read the piece in Time that Dr. Eddie Glaude Jr. wrote that was discussed in this episode on <a href="https://time.com/6966768/fantasy-white-america-eddie-glaude/">Time's website</a>.

Rethinking how we approach leadership with Eddie S. Glaude Jr.

With the release of Beyoncé’s new album, Cowboy Carter, the long and often-ignored history of Black country music is back in the spotlight. This hour, we talk to a woman who has made a career in country music, even though the industry hasn't always been welcoming. Alice Randall is a chart-topping country songwriter and author of the new book 'My Black Country A Journey Through Country Music's Black Past, Present, and Future.' She'll explain how she co-wrote the lyrics to a number one country song and tell us about the Black musicians who have shaped the genre from the very beginning.

GUEST:


Alice Randall: Chart-topping songwriter whose hits include “XXX’s and OOO’s (An American Girl),” which was first recorded by Trisha Yearwood. She is a bestselling novelist and Professor of African American and Diaspora Studies and Writer-in-Residence at Vanderbilt University. Her newest book is a memoir titled 'My Black Country: A Journey Through Country Music’s Black Past, Present, and Future.' A new album called 'My Black Country: The Songs of Alice Randall' features her music recorded by Black women.

You can learn more about the interview with Leah Penniman that was mentioned in this episode on our website.

Special thanks to our interns Scout Raimondo and Sajina Shrestha.

With the release of Beyoncé’s new album, Cowboy Carter, the long and often-ignored history of Black country music is back in the spotlight. This hour, we talk to a woman who has made a career in country music, even though the industry hasn't always been welcoming. <a href="https://www.alicerandall.com/">Alice Randall</a> is a chart-topping country songwriter and author of the new book '<a href="https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/My-Black-Country/Alice-Randall/9781668018408">My Black Country A Journey Through Country Music's Black Past, Present, and Future</a>.' She'll explain how she co-wrote the lyrics to a number one country song and tell us about the Black musicians who have shaped the genre from the very beginning.
GUEST:
<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.alicerandall.com/">Alice Randall</a>: Chart-topping songwriter whose hits include “<a href="https://youtu.be/N4Q68U4-2A0?si=nX2amh_dsyBuAp9D">XXX’s and OOO’s (An American Girl)</a>,” which was first recorded by Trisha Yearwood. She is a bestselling novelist and Professor of African American and Diaspora Studies and Writer-in-Residence at Vanderbilt University. Her newest book is a memoir titled '<a href="https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/My-Black-Country/Alice-Randall/9781668018408">My Black Country: A Journey Through Country Music’s Black Past, Present, and Future</a>.' A new album called '<a href="https://ohboy.com/collections/my-black-country-the-songs-of-alice-randall">My Black Country: The Songs of Alice Randall</a>' features her music recorded by Black women.
</li>
</ul>
You can learn more about the interview with Leah Penniman that was mentioned in this episode <a href="https://www.ctpublic.org/show/disrupted/2023-12-27/our-2023-favorites-black-americans-are-reclaiming-their-relationship-with-nature">on our website</a>.
Special thanks to our interns Scout Raimondo and Sajina Shrestha.

Rethinking narratives around death and dying

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