Disrupted

Connecticut Public

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! 

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

    6H AGO

    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 the White House Correspondents' Dinner was being held, a Supreme Court ruling that impacted the Voting Rights Act and developments that continued to shape the Iran war. It also came at a notable time for Jill Lepore: just three days after the conversation, she was announced as this year's winner of the Pulitzer Prize in History. Jon Meacham also won a Pulitzer Prize back in 2009. The event was the final discussion of The Connecticut Forum’s 34th season. We enjoyed hearing from these award-winning historians so much that we decided to extend the conversation to two episodes. If you like what you hear today, you can hear more next week. GUESTS: Jill Lepore: the David Woods Kemper ’41 Professor of American History at Harvard University and Professor of Law at Harvard Law School. She is also a staff writer at The New Yorker and bestselling author. Her books include These Truths: A History of the United States and We the People: A History of the U.S. Constitution. Jon Meacham: Distinguished Visiting Professor at Vanderbilt University. His bestselling books include And There Was Light: Abraham Lincoln and the American Struggle and the Pulitzer prize-winning American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House. 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. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    49 min

  2. 6D AGO

    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 since the height of the Me Too movement. We'll discuss everything from policy to social media. GUESTS: Nicole Bedera: Sociologist who studies sexual violence and author of On the Wrong Side: How Universities Protect Perpetrators and Betray Survivors of Sexual Violence. Kat Tenbarge: Award-winning independent journalist who covers internet culture, politics and sexual violence and co-founder of Spitfire News. This episode originally aired on January 9, 2026. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    49 min
  3. Curated failures, plus young people define success for themselves

    MAY 8

    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. There's also the Hawaii Chair, a chair whose cushion gyrates in a way that will supposedly help you get in shape. None of those products became everyday household items, but the Museum of Failure still honors them. After all, innovation is only possible when we try things that might not work. This hour, we’re reframing failure and celebrating people who take risks. In addition to talking about the Museum of Failure, we'll hear a from panel of young people whose educational journeys didn't go the way they expected. But rather than feel like failures, they've embraced their new paths as a way to redefine success. GUESTS: Dr. Samuel West: Organizational psychologist who founded the Museum of Failure in Sweden in 2017. The museum now travels around the globe. It’s in Paris until May 17, 2026. Melina Floyd: Community organizer in Bristol Ella Nicastro: Paraprofessional at Duffy Elementary School in West Hartford. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    49 min

  4. MAY 1

    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 girls— best friends who grow up in the Jim Crow era in a town called Honeysuckle, Louisiana. Neither one of them knows their mom, a fact that looms large in their lives. They both leave Honeysuckle— one for college and the other in search of her mom. They go on very different, sometimes heartbreaking journeys. But their shared childhood always binds them together. GUEST: Tayari Jones: Bestselling author of five novels, including An American Marriage and Kin, both of which were selected for Oprah's Book Club. She is Charles Howard Candler Professor of English and Creative Writing at Emory University and the Andrew D. White Professor-at-Large at Cornell University. She was recently named one of Time Magazine’s 100 most influential people of 2026. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    49 min
  5. Despite barriers to self-care, Black women can still find ways to bloom

    APR 24

    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 only 26 but I was already working myself to death.” A lot changed after that appointment. Tara started thinking about how hard she worked and how hard the other Black women she knew worked. Eventually, Tara shifted careers. Today, she is a wellness advocate who wants to break down the barriers to self-care that Black women face. GUEST: Tara Pringle Jefferson: Author of Bloom How You Must: A Black Woman’s Guide to Self-Care and Generational Healing. She’s also Founder of The Self Care Suite, a wellness community for Black women. 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. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    41 min

  6. APR 17

    Poet Tracy K. Smith on how poems get us through ‘Perilous Times’

    When Tracy K. Smith served as Poet Laureate of the United States, she used her platform to bring people together. In 2018, she traveled the country for a series called American Conversations: Celebrating Poems in Rural Communities. At these events, she encouraged people to share their thoughts, regardless of their background. While Tracy’s two terms as poet laureate ended in 2019, she is still using poetry to build connections. Her new book is Fear Less: Poetry in Perilous Times. GUEST: Tracy K. Smith: Boylston Professor of Rhetoric and Oratory at Harvard. She served as the 22nd Poet Laureate of the United States from 2017 to 2019. Her 2011 collection Life on Mars won the Pulitzer Prize. Her latest book is Fear Less: Poetry in Perilous Times. You can find both of the poems Tracy reads on this episode, "Everybody's Autobiography" and "Charity," online. Special thanks to our former interns Vy Duong and Talei Ricketson. This episode originally aired on November 14, 2025. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    49 min
  7. 8 years after a major Supreme Court decision, where we are with gambling today

    APR 10

    8 years after a major Supreme Court decision, where we are with gambling today

    In 2018, the Supreme Court Case Murphy v. National Collegiate Athletic Association reshaped gambling in the U.S. The ruling ended a ban on sports gambling— it had previously been illegal in every state except Nevada. Today, 39 states and Washington, D.C. have at least some form of legalized sports betting. Sports betting became legal in Connecticut in 2021. This hour, we’re taking a look at how gambling has changed since then. We'll talk about how sports betting companies think about the work that they do and the way people are impacted by gambling addiction. We'll also discuss the the effect gambling is having on college students. GUESTS: Danny Funt: Reporter who’s covered the sports betting boom for publications like The Washington Post and The New Yorker. His new book is Everybody Loses: The Tumultuous Rise of American Sports Gambling. Brian Hatch: Community Engagement Manager for the Connecticut Council on Problem Gambling. He’s also the host of All in: The Addicted Gambler’s Podcast. If you or someone you know is being adversely affected by gambling, there is help available. You can reach out to the Connecticut Council on Problem Gambling’s helpline at 888-789-7777. You can go to their website at ccpg.org. You can also reach the National Problem Gambling Helpline at 1-800-MY RESET (1-800-697-3738). Here are some of the other resources mentioned in the episode: To find treatment programs in Connecticut, you can contact a Bettor Choice Program. You can find a local or virtual Gamblers Anonymous meeting through their website You can also listen to Brian's podcast, All in: The Addicted Gambler’s Podcast See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    49 min

  8. APR 3

    A look at housing, from current legislation to a wave of arson in the 1970s

    Housing policy impacts everyone, so this hour, we are taking some time to break down what is happening with housing policy in Connecticut's current legislative session. CT Public's own Abigail Brone joins us to talk about some of her recent reporting. Plus, in the 1970s, a wave of arson swept U.S. cities. The arson has long been attributed to the Black and brown residents of apartment buildings, but Bench Ansfield argues that the fires were most often set by the landlords who owned the buildings. That's part of the book Born in Flames: The Business of Arson and the Remaking of the American City. GUESTS: Abigail Brone: Housing Reporter for Connecticut Public Bench Ansfield: Assistant Professor of History at Temple University and author of Born in Flames: The Business of Arson and the Remaking of the American City. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    49 min
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Ratings & Reviews

4.7
out of 5
26 Ratings

About

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! 

Information

  • Channel
    Connecticut Public
  • Creator
    Connecticut Public Radio
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    293
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Connecticut Public Radio
  • Show Website
    Disrupted

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