Author Amy Tan is best known for popular novels like The Joy Luck Club and its 1993 film adaptation. The book and movie explore several mother-daughter relationships — some of which were shaped by Amy’s own experiences.

Amy’s latest book, The Backyard Bird Chronicles, hits close to home in a different way. In it, she brings the birds in her backyard to life with humor and tragedy through observations and drawings from her nature journals. But the book isn’t just a recounting of wildlife. Amy vividly imagines the birds’ inner thoughts and comes away with piercing observations about wildlife, humanity and the relationship between them.

This hour, Amy talks to us about that book and offers her insights on a wide range of topics including how birds have led her to reflect on mortality, her changing experience of racism and overcoming her fear of sharks.

A note to our radio listeners: Starting the week of September 23, Disrupted moves from Wednesdays at 2:00 PM to Fridays at 9:00 AM and a rebroadcast at 8:00 PM, plus our Sunday at 2:00 PM rebroadcast.

Author Amy Tan is best known for popular novels like <a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/300526/the-joy-luck-club-by-amy-tan/">The Joy Luck Club</a> and its <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0107282/">1993 film adaptation</a>. The book and movie explore several mother-daughter relationships — some of which were shaped by Amy’s own experiences.
Amy’s latest book, <a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/717452/the-backyard-bird-chronicles-by-amy-tan/">The Backyard Bird Chronicles</a>, hits close to home in a different way. In it, she brings the birds in her backyard to life with humor and tragedy through observations and drawings from her nature journals. But the book isn’t just a recounting of wildlife. Amy vividly imagines the birds’ inner thoughts and comes away with piercing observations about wildlife, humanity and the relationship between them.
This hour, Amy talks to us about that book and offers her insights on a wide range of topics including how birds have led her to reflect on mortality, her changing experience of racism and overcoming her fear of sharks.
A note to our radio listeners: Starting the week of September 23, Disrupted moves from Wednesdays at 2:00 PM to Fridays at 9:00 AM and a rebroadcast at 8:00 PM, plus our Sunday at 2:00 PM rebroadcast.

Disrupted is about the changes we all encounter and the forces driving those changes. Some disruptions spark joy and possibility. Others move us to take action and re-evaluate our world. But the show isn't just about those disruptions; it’s about embracing them, exploring new perspectives, and feeling more connected to ourselves and our communities. Host and political scientist Khalilah Brown-Dean creates a place where changemakers come together to help us see the world differently and challenge us to grow together.

Visit ctpublic.org/disrupted for more! 

Disrupted is about the changes we all encounter and the forces driving those changes. Some disruptions spark joy and possibility. Others move us to take action and re-evaluate our world. But the show isn't just about those disruptions; it’s about embracing them, exploring new perspectives, and feeling more connected to ourselves and our communities. Host and political scientist Khalilah Brown-Dean creates a place where changemakers come together to help us see the world differently and challenge us to grow together.
Visit <a href="https://www.ctpublic.org/show/disrupted">ctpublic.org/disrupted</a> for more!

Disrupted

Through birding, Amy Tan finds the value of stillness

This hour, we are returning to conversations about the stories we see represented on the small screen. Elizabeth Ito is the creator of 'City of Ghosts' and also worked on Adventure Time. She'll discuss using people's real voices in her work and covering topics like gentrification on a series that children watch. Bethonie Butler, author of 'Black TV: Five Decades of Groundbreaking Television from Soul Train to Black-ish and Beyond,' talks to us about shows centering Black characters from 1968's Julia up to the present day.

GUESTS:


Elizabeth Ito: writer, director and storyboard artist in the animation industry. She is the creator of the series 'City of Ghosts,' which is currently on Netflix. She also worked on Adventure Time.


Bethonie Butler: author of 'Black TV: Five Decades of Groundbreaking Television from Soul Train to Black-ish and Beyond.' Bethonie is a former reporter for The Washington Post where she covered television and pop culture.

This episode originally aired on February 21, 2024. 

Disrupted is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Spotify, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

This hour, we are returning to conversations about the stories we see represented on the small screen. <a href="https://www.elizabethito.com/">Elizabeth Ito</a> is the creator of '<a href="https://www.netflix.com/title/80994664">City of Ghosts</a>' and also worked on Adventure Time. She'll discuss using people's real voices in her work and covering topics like gentrification on a series that children watch. Bethonie Butler, author of '<a href="https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/bethonie-butler/black-tv/9780762481514/">Black TV: Five Decades of Groundbreaking Television from Soul Train to Black-ish and Beyond</a>,' talks to us about shows centering Black characters from 1968's Julia up to the present day.
GUESTS:
<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.elizabethito.com/">Elizabeth Ito</a>: writer, director and storyboard artist in the animation industry. She is the creator of the series '<a href="https://www.netflix.com/title/80994664">City of Ghosts</a>,' which is currently on Netflix. She also worked on Adventure Time.
</li>
<li>
Bethonie Butler: author of '<a href="https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/bethonie-butler/black-tv/9780762481514/">Black TV: Five Decades of Groundbreaking Television from Soul Train to Black-ish and Beyond</a>.' Bethonie is a former reporter for The Washington Post where she covered television and pop culture.
</li>
</ul>
This episode originally aired on February 21, 2024. 
Disrupted is available as a podcast on <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/disrupted/id1534163465">Apple Podcasts</a>, <a href="https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/f8967bbf-ebf9-4abe-a31f-9363adaa2383/disrupted">Amazon Music</a>, <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/0zWn3s3Wpj3CRbYg6WnHDc">Spotify</a>, <a href="https://tunein.com/podcasts/News--Politics-Podcasts/Disrupted-p1371247/">TuneIn</a>, <a href="https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/disrupted-connecticut-public-radio-Mcm2UfSKxuq/">Listen Notes</a>, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

Representation on television from 'Julia' to 'City of Ghosts'

This year, Michael Morand, director of community engagement for Yale's Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, was appointed New Haven's official city historian. We talk with him about bringing New Haven’s history to life and the exhibit he collaborated on at the New Haven Museum. The exhibit includes years of Michael's research as part of The Yale and Slavery Research Project documenting Yale’s historical ties to slavery. The exhibit, which is on view until March, 2025, is called Shining Light on Truth: New Haven, Yale, and Slavery.

Guest: 


Michael Morand: Director of community engagement for Yale's Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library and New Haven's official city historian.

Disrupted is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Spotify, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

This year, Michael Morand, director of community engagement for Yale's Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, was appointed New Haven's official city historian. We talk with him about bringing New Haven’s history to life and the exhibit he collaborated on at the <a href="https://www.newhavenmuseum.org/">New Haven Museum</a>. The exhibit includes years of Michael's research as part of <a href="https://yaleandslavery.yale.edu/">The Yale and Slavery Research Project</a> documenting Yale’s historical ties to slavery. The exhibit, which is on view until March, 2025, is called <a href="https://www.newhavenmuseum.org/48546-2/">Shining Light on Truth: New Haven, Yale, and Slavery</a>.
Guest: 
<ul>
<li>
Michael Morand: Director of community engagement for Yale's <a href="https://beinecke.library.yale.edu/">Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library</a> and New Haven's <a href="https://library.yale.edu/news/new-haven-mayor-appoints-librarys-michael-morand-city-historian">official city historian</a>.
</li>
</ul>
Disrupted is available as a podcast on <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/disrupted/id1534163465">Apple Podcasts</a>, <a href="https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/f8967bbf-ebf9-4abe-a31f-9363adaa2383/disrupted">Amazon Music</a>, <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/0zWn3s3Wpj3CRbYg6WnHDc">Spotify</a>, <a href="https://tunein.com/podcasts/News--Politics-Podcasts/Disrupted-p1371247/">TuneIn</a>, <a href="https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/disrupted-connecticut-public-radio-Mcm2UfSKxuq/">Listen Notes</a>, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

New Haven’s historian Michael Morand on bringing the city's past to the present

Listening to the news, it feels like there are more natural disasters than ever. This hour, we return to conversations about why flooding and droughts are becoming so common and how the word "disaster" affects the way we view an event. First, Connecticut State Historian Andy Horowitz explains why understanding disasters involves looking at the decisions people made before the devastation, sometimes decades before. And Professor Mohammed Ombadi breaks down the science behind how climate change is causing an increase in extreme weather.

GUESTS:


Andy Horowitz: Associate Professor of History at UConn, Connecticut State Historian, author of 'Katrina: A History, 1915-2015'


Mohammed Ombadi: Assistant Professor in the department of Climate and Space Sciences and Engineering at the University of Michigan

Special thanks to interns Lateshia Peters and Joey Morgan.

This episode originally aired on November 8, 2023. 

Listening to the news, it feels like there are more natural disasters than ever. This hour, we return to conversations about why flooding and droughts are becoming so common and how the word "disaster" affects the way we view an event. First, <a href="https://www.andyhorowitz.com/">Connecticut State Historian Andy Horowitz</a> explains why understanding disasters involves looking at the decisions people made before the devastation, sometimes decades before. And <a href="https://www.ombadi.com/">Professor Mohammed Ombadi</a> breaks down the science behind how climate change is causing an increase in extreme weather.
GUESTS:
<ul>
<li>
Andy Horowitz: Associate Professor of History at UConn, Connecticut State Historian, author of '<a href="https://www.andyhorowitz.com/">Katrina: A History, 1915-2015</a>'
</li>
<li>
Mohammed Ombadi: Assistant Professor in the department of Climate and Space Sciences and Engineering at the University of Michigan
</li>
</ul>
Special thanks to interns Lateshia Peters and Joey Morgan.
This episode originally aired on November 8, 2023.

Through birding, Amy Tan finds the value of stillness

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