Students from Parkland, Florida travelled to Newtown Connecticut—the site of the Sandy Hook massacre—to rally against gun violence this weekend. But the problem of gun violence is not just confined to mass shootings.
This hour we talk with Connecticut Public Radio reporter Vanessa de la Torre about how students from Hartford and Parkland came together to broaden the conversation surrounding gun violence.
We also check in on the latest HIV trends. Researchers estimate that one in two black gay men will test positive for HIV in their lifetime. We learn why this startling disparity exists, and hear from a Hartford organization that is working to combat this epidemic.
Finally, there was a rare find in Norwalk CT at the site of a bridge construction project. We’ll talk with an archaeologist about what they found, and learn more about the people who lived there centuries ago. Should the state preserve this ancient site?
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GUESTS:
- Vanessa de la Torre - Reporter for Connecticut Public Radio (@vdelatorre)
- Joshua Fee - 14-year-old student at Hartford’s Classical Magnet School and member of Hartford Communities That Care’s Youth Leadership Academy
- Dr. Cato Laurencin - Dusen Distinguished Professor of Orthopedic Surgery at UConn. He’s also the editor in chief of the Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities, and lead author on a recent paper about racial disparities in HIV.
- Jovany Rolon- Caseworker for Community Renewal Team (CRT) in Hartford
- Dr. Sarah Sportman- Senior archaeologist with Archaeology and Historical Services (AHS). She and her team studied the archaeological site in Norwalk.
READING LIST:
Hartford Courant: Students Of All Ages Call For End To Gun Violence At March For Our Lives Event In Newtown – “Students from Hartford Communities That Care Youth Leadership Academy brought up similar points, telling the audience that they had been affected by gun violence, not because they were black or lazy, but rather because they exist in a system that fails to prioritize fixing their community. They gave several suggestions to help support communities, including supporting young entrepreneurs, providing the necessary tools for literacy and putting resources toward programs that help end the school-to-prison pipeline.”
CT Mirror: Despite Progress, HIV Racial Divide Persists - “While the lifetime risk of HIV is around one in 99 for all Americans, the CDC projects that the risk for black men who have sex with men could grow to a staggering 50 percent, if trends continue. That compares with a lifetime risk of one in 11 for white gay and bisexual men, one in 20 for black men and one in 48 for black women.”
Connecticut Public Radio: Dig Uncovers Ancient Artifacts Around Norwalk Walk Bridge – “It’s a significant site in terms of it being this really rare ‘Contact Period’ fort -- on the cusp of European arrival and trade with Native Americans,” Sportman said. “But it’s also fantastic insight into just the daily life of native people who lived in Norwalk in the 17th century.”
Chion Wolf contributed to this show.