How stories preserve the Mohegan way of life with Melissa Tantaquidgeon Zobel

The Mohegan Tribe – a sovereign and federally-recognized Indian tribe in Southeastern Connecticut – has a longstanding belief in the power of storytelling. This oral tradition is a form of spoken record-keeping. Stories can often capture a deeper and fuller understanding of culture and beliefs tha…

What does being ‘bear aware’ mean for Connecticut?

In Connecticut, the bear population has boomed. And so have human-bear conflicts. There are somewhere between 1000-1200 black bears in our state alone. You might know what to do if you encounter a black bear in the wild, but bears are not just on trails anymore. In the past year, there were 35 in…

It's time to change the way we talk about menopause

October is Menopause Awareness Month. There is not one universal menopause experience. But almost everyone with a uterus will go through it. So why is it still taboo to talk about “the change?" Well, that’s something our guest today wants to change. Today, we’ll hear from journalist and menopause…

One year of war: A look at the humanitarian crisis in Gaza

Today marks one year since the Hamas attacks on Israel that killed 1,200 people. In the ensuing war, more than 40,000 Palestinians have been killed — and there are mounting concerns about a wider conflict in the region. The United Nations reports that the humanitarian support system in Gaza is clo…

Apple of our eye: The history and future of a beloved fruit

It’s apple season here in Connecticut. And the history of the apple in New England dates back to 1623, three years after the landing of the Mayflower. Back in 2023, a late season frost devastated crops at several farms across our state. Farmers reported damage to a number of fruit crops including …

Two Connecticut authors on navigating publishing as Latinas

It’s hard getting your book published. It’s even harder when you’re an author of color. Between 1950 and 2018, 96% of American fiction books published were written by white authors. Today, hear from two Latina authors in Connecticut about their debut books. They’ll talk about navigating the publis…

From the Bronx to Paris: How breakdancing went global

Breaking, also known as breakdancing, was one of several new sports at the Olympics this summer. But there’s nothing new about the presence of b-boys and b-girls. Breaking began as a way to escape the daily socio-economic struggles of Black and Brown youth in the Bronx during the 1970s and ‘80s. …

Voters with disabilities continue to face barriers at the ballot box

Election Day is less than six weeks away. Are you planning to vote in person this year? For those with disabilities, going to polling stations can be a real challenge. People with disabilities are less likely to vote than people without disabilities. Disabled voters can face many barriers to votin…

How zoning shapes our world with Sara Bronin

Architect and attorney Sara Bronin spent seven years as the chair of the Hartford Planning and Zoning Commission. Connecticut listeners might know her from her work with the organization DesegregateCT, a statewide coalition pushing for zoning reform across in our state. Her new book Key to the Cit…

'But you don’t look sick:' The struggles of living with an invisible illness

Today on Where We Live, a Connecticut lab is embarking on a groundbreaking initiative to study endometriosis, a painful condition that impacts people with a uterus. Endometriosis is just one of the many invisible illnesses that impact an estimated 10% of the American population, according to Disab…