When the Afghanistan fell under Taliban rule in 2021, instruments were destroyed and musicians were silenced.

Today, we hear from Afghan musicians taking part in a performance at the Bushnell Theater in Hartford entitled “Symphony of Resilience: The Afghan Orchestra Unsilenced.”

We’ll listen to some of their original music and learn how some artists in Afghanistan are finding ways to pursue and even record music abroad.

Plus, Kevin Bishop, the founder of Cuatro Puntos, a Connecticut non-profit that works to amplify persecuted and underrepresented music and musicians, joins us.

GUESTS:
Nazira Wali:musician and composer
Arson Fahim:musician, pianist, composer and conductor
Kevin Bishop:Founder and Executive Director of Cuatro Puntos

<a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-66357611">When the Afghanistan fell under Taliban rule in 2021, instruments were destroyed and musicians were silenced.</a>
Today, we hear from Afghan musicians taking part in a performance at the Bushnell Theater in Hartford entitled <a href="https://bushnell.org/shows-concerts/cuatro-puntos-symphony-of-resilience">“Symphony of Resilience: The Afghan Orchestra Unsilenced.”</a>
We’ll listen to some of their original music and learn how some artists in <a href="https://www.cuatropuntos.org/albums.html">Afghanistan are finding ways to pursue and even record music abroad.</a>
Plus, Kevin Bishop, the founder of <a href="https://www.cuatropuntos.org/">Cuatro Puntos, a Connecticut non-profit that works to amplify persecuted and underrepresented music and musicians,</a> joins us.
GUESTS:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mhZkEemrNaU">Nazira Wali:</a> musician and composer</li>
<li><a href="https://www.wbur.org/news/2023/10/15/the-makers-arson-fahim">Arson Fahim:</a> musician, pianist, composer and conductor</li>
<li><a href="https://www.cuatropuntos.org/kevinbishop.html">Kevin Bishop:</a> Founder and Executive Director of Cuatro Puntos</li>
</ul>

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.

Produced by Connecticut Public, '<a href="https://www.ctpublic.org/show/where-we-live/about">Where We Live'</a> 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.

Where We Live is a call-in talk show about who we are in Connecticut and our place in the world.

Where We Live

Produced by Connecticut Public, '<a href="https://www.ctpublic.org/show/where-we-live/about">Where We Live'</a> 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.

Afghan musicians refuse to be silenced

James White entered the Connecticut school system at age 7. Although he would go on to graduate high school and run a small business, he found himself struggling. He had to ask friends and family members for help with paperwork. Writing and reading was a challenge. But then he found the Literacy Volunteers of Greater Hartford and started taking classes.

Many adults struggle with reading comprehension, and writing. There are approximately 48 million adults in the United States that cannot read above a third grade level. Today, we take a look at literacy education in Connecticut and beyond.

There are many areas of literacy, including media literacy. If you hear the term media literacy, you might think of news, social media, or even yes, election ads and political messaging. But media literacy is starting to encompass a lot of other mediums including artificial intelligence. We learn about expanding media literacy education.

GUESTS:
James White: Student taking courses at the Literacy Volunteers of Greater Hartford
Steve Morris: Executive Director for the Literacy Volunteers of Greater Hartford
Michelle Ciulla Lipkin: Executive Director of the National Association for Media Literacy Education

James White entered the Connecticut school system at age 7. Although he would go on to graduate high school and run a small business, he found himself struggling. He had to ask friends and family members for help with paperwork. Writing and reading was a challenge. But then he found the <a href="https://lvgh.org/">Literacy Volunteers of Greater Hartford</a> and started taking classes.
Many adults struggle with reading comprehension, and writing. <a href="https://www.proliteracy.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/2023-PL-AdultBasicEducation-FactSheet-2467.pdf">There are approximately 48 million adults in the United States that cannot read above a third grade level. </a>Today, we take a look at literacy education in Connecticut and beyond.
There are many areas of literacy, including <a href="https://medialiteracynow.org/challenge/what-is-media-literacy/">media literacy</a>. If you hear the term media literacy, you might think of news, social media, or even yes, election ads and political messaging. <a href="https://www.edweek.org/technology/ai-literacy-explained/2023/05">But media literacy is starting to encompass a lot of other mediums including artificial intelligence.</a> We learn about expanding media literacy education.
GUESTS:
<ul>
<li>James White: Student taking courses at the Literacy Volunteers of Greater Hartford</li>
<li>Steve Morris: Executive Director for the <a href="https://lvgh.org/our-team">Literacy Volunteers of Greater Hartford</a></li>
<li>Michelle Ciulla Lipkin: Executive Director of the <a href="https://namle.org/">National Association for Media Literacy Education</a></li>
</ul>

Low literacy skills are more common than you think: One student shares his story

Every presidential election, campaignsflood our TVs with political ads. Back in 1952, “Ike for President” became the very first political advertisement on TV. Dwight Eisenhower's campaign may have been the first to use television like this. But it’s certainly not the last.

Today, more than 70 years later, political ads are everywhere. In recent weeks, both the Kamala Harris and Donald Trump campaigns have ramped up their advertising. And it’s no longer just on our TV screens; it’s on social media platforms, too.

This hour, we’re looking at political advertising during the 2024 election cycle from the messages we’re seeing to how that impacts what we do at the ballot box.

What kinds of messages are you seeing?

GUEST:
Erika Franklin Fowler:Professor of Government at Wesleyan University and co-director of the Wesleyan Media Project

Note: The ad from Rep. Jahana Hayes's campaign played in this episode originally aired in 2022 and was featured on the campaign's website homepage at the time of this broadcast. This episode originally aired on August 24, 2024. 

Every presidential election, campaigns flood our TVs with political ads. Back in 1952, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YP7WaUPACuY">“Ike for President” became the very first political advertisement on TV.</a> Dwight Eisenhower's campaign may have been the first to use television like this. But it’s certainly not the last.
Today, more than 70 years later, political ads are everywhere. In recent weeks, both the Kamala Harris and Donald Trump campaigns have ramped up their advertising. And it’s no longer just on our TV screens; <a href="https://apnews.com/article/syracuse-trump-election-meta-facebook-3dad5035102ba3fbead33ef4130e81e3">it’s on social media platforms, too.</a>
This hour, we’re looking at <a href="https://mediaproject.wesleyan.edu/releases-081424/">political advertising during the 2024 election cycle from the messages</a> we’re seeing to how that impacts what we do at the ballot box.
What kinds of messages are you seeing?
GUEST:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://efowler.faculty.wesleyan.edu/">Erika Franklin Fowler:</a> Professor of Government at Wesleyan University and co-director of the <a href="https://mediaproject.wesleyan.edu/">Wesleyan Media Project</a></li>
</ul>
Note: The ad from Rep. Jahana Hayes's campaign played in this episode originally aired in 2022 and was featured on the campaign's website homepage at the time of this broadcast. This episode originally aired on August 24, 2024.

The evolution of the political ad

Early voting starts next week across Connecticut. This means voters can cast their ballots ahead of Election Day in November. Each town and city will have at least one early voting location, and voters can even cast their ballots over the weekend.

Today, we hear from poll workers getting ready for early voting in Connecticut. Plus, we'll hear about what early voting looks like across the country.

Connecticut Secretary of the State Stephanie Thomas joins us. She explains what you need to know about casting your ballot ahead of Election Day.

Find information on registering to vote, finding your polling location and more by visiting myvote.ct.gov.

GUESTS:
Stephanie Thomas: Connecticut Secretary of the State
David Becker: Executive Director of the Center for Election Innovation & Research
Ginny Kim: Volunteer with Asian Pacific American Coalition of Connecticut and Co-lead of the Let’s Vote Initiative
David Fenn: Poll worker in Windham
Stacey Chowanec: Poll worker in Willimantic

<a href="https://portal.ct.gov/sots/election-services/early-voting/early-voting">Early voting starts next week across Connecticut.</a> This means voters can cast their ballots ahead of Election Day in November. Each town and city will have at least one early voting location, and voters can even cast their ballots over the weekend.
Today, we hear from poll workers getting ready for early voting in Connecticut. Plus, we'll hear about what <a href="https://electioninnovation.org/research/voting-before-election-day-resources/use-voting-before-election-day/">early voting looks like across the country.</a>
Connecticut Secretary of the State Stephanie Thomas joins us. She explains what you need to know about casting your ballot ahead of Election Day.
Find information on registering to vote, finding your polling location and more by visiting <a href="https://portal.ct.gov/sots/election-services/voter-information/voter-fact-sheet">myvote.ct.gov.</a> 
GUESTS:
<ul>
<li>Stephanie Thomas: Connecticut Secretary of the State</li>
<li>David Becker: Executive Director of the <a href="https://electioninnovation.org/">Center for Election Innovation &amp; Research</a></li>
<li>Ginny Kim: Volunteer with <a href="https://www.facebook.com/APACofCT/">Asian Pacific American Coalition of Connecticut</a> and Co-lead of the Let’s Vote Initiative</li>
<li>David Fenn: Poll worker in Windham</li>
<li>Stacey Chowanec: Poll worker in Willimantic</li>
</ul>

Afghan musicians refuse to be silenced

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