Real talk, Real people: Recent Episodes
James Walker
Real talk, Real people is a podcast that turns the mic over to everyday people to hear what they have to say about the problems and social issues we face as a society. Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/real-talk-real-people/support
Activist Barbara Fair of stopsolitary.org shares her thoughts on current political scene in Connecticut.
In part one, we left you at the end of week 4 of our amateur attempt to grow marijuana. Here were are at week 8.
Marijuana is legal to possess and grow in Connecticut and Virginia where this podcast is produced. We are amateurs but decided to give growing our own a try.
From being invited by Michelle Obama to kick off her Let Move! campaign on the White House lawn to teaching in schools in Harlem and the South Bronx to now holding classes in Fairfield County, Chef Raquel has made a name for herself.
Life is about overcoming obstacles and former Army veteran Matt Hammett has faced many challenges. He has used these challenges to start Socks For The Homeless. Contact him at 860-625-1931 to help.
Daniel Hunt and Denval Lawrence are among 100 men of color being honored at a gala at The Bushnell in Hartford
Here is a promo for my memoir Dead Windows: My Long Journey Out Of Domestic Violence. Available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Apple Books and Google Books ( https://amzn.to/47rtL3z )
James Rawlings, president/CEO of the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America, Connecticut, gives an update on funding and what's being done to help the 45,000 people carrying the Sickle Cell Trait in Connecticut.
Recorded in 2020: My guests are Eliza Caldwell, a community gardens manager at Gather New Haven who oversees 50 gardens; and Alexander Morales, an operations assistant at the Green Village Initiative in Bridgeport, which has 12 gardens.
They’re here to talk about how their gardens are benefiting low-income communities. Previously recorded in 2020.
Real talk, Real people revisit a discussion on guns
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We revisit an episode with the late state Rep. Quentin "Q" Williams and Activist Barbara Fair discussing solitary confinement
Pastor of First Calvary Baptist Church is bringing big changes to New Haven
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Dr. Lesly Valbrun is the new president of the Greater Bridgeport NAACP says he is charting a course for the city's Black youth and wants to make an impact on the community.
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The Walker family recall their childhood
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The late Congressman John Lewis coined the phrase "Good trouble," meaning that sometimes it is necessary to cause trouble to call attention to injustices and enact change. My guest is Mark Colville, a well-known activist who lives in New Haven. Whether he is in North Dakota protesting the pipeline or at a naval base in Georgia protesting against nuclear weapons or fighting for the homeless in his own backyard, Mark's activism knows no bounds.
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A former criminal lawyer and current Probate Judge Clifton Graves discusses crime and domestic violence.
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Karin Smith and Derek Tompkins are the owners of the only Black-owned bookstore in Bridgeport.
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After 25 years of stop and go, "Dead Windows," my book about growing up in a domestic violence household, is available on Amazon.
https://www.amazon.com/Dead-Windows-journey-domestic-violence-ebook/dp/B0BGG1GNJF
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New Haven Police want more minorities to join the force. Sgt. Paul Finch and Assistant Chief Bertram Ettienne talk about erasing the negative image about being a cop and highlight the opportunities and benefits of joining the force.
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Bridgeport Councilman Ernie Newton is the director of the city's new Reentry Welcoming Center. As a man who had to rehabilitate his reputation after a federal conviction, he is perfect for his new position and remains a powerful voice in Bridgeport.
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Many children and young people are feeling the affects of having their social lives and education interrupted due to the pandemic. And as society returns to normal, many low-income kids feel it has left them invisible.
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At 24 years of age, he was appointed a commissioner in Hamden by then-Mayor Curt Leng. At age 25, the White House recognizes his volunteer efforts to help kids and his community.
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Three local women are using their individual talents to unite the Black community. Collectively, they call themselves "The Essence of Abundance."
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Doris Lorraine Walker is no longer with us but to her seven children, she will live forever. We share some of our childhood memories of the woman who meant so much to us. This episode was taped on July 9th, her birthday.
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Our guest this week on Adversary to Ally is Dr. Charles Morgan
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What does Independence day mean to you?
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Marcus Stallworth of the Child Welfare League of America is our guest. You also can watch the episode here: https://youtu.be/wYtLQ4JB9BE
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My guest is Barbara Alexander, who runs the Westville Performing Arts Center where budding performers learn to act, dance and sing. Now, she has written a 12-step guide to help aspiring artists launch their career and win their audition.
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More than 10 years ago, two men teaching at a local university asked their students if they were to create a perfect world, what would it look like? They found that younger people were making decisions based on what they learned in the media and from influencers. The two men set out to change that with their company "Welcome 2 Reality," which is now a nationwide network that collaborates with child agencies, educators, clinicians and more.
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My guests are Deborah Caviness and Diana Washington of the Southern CT Black Chamber of Commerce. Many minorities believe it is hopeless to get a loan or grant to start or keep their business running. That may have been true in the past, but business leaders say don't throw away your dreams as it is easier than ever to start your own business. This episode also can be watched on YouTube. https://youtu.be/MAQlFxSLTcc
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Guest: Tyree Snead of Hampton, Virginia
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Many advocates and lawmakers believe business tactics used by the auto dealer industry are abusive and discriminatory. Research by a Yale professor formed the basis for federal anti-discrimination lawsuits against the auto dealer industry. This roundtable discussion highlights these practices as well as key actions lawmakers and regulators can take in Connecticut and New York State to finally address abusive and discriminatory lending practices in the car business.
Related discussion: https://anchor.fm/real-talk-real-people/episodes/Black-car-buyers-face-predatory-lending-at-dealerships-e15tkua/a-a6bi7pj
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This episode is also available to watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/f9hlIuj_XlQ
We're back in Chimene's Kitchen in Scottsboro, Virginia, where she is baking bread and smothering chicken.
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Whether it is guns, theft, or domestic violence, crime in the Black community is running amok and getting worse. And with juvenile laws protecting teens who are stealing cars and committing petty crime, the question that needs to be answered is, where are the parents and whatever happened to pride and discipline?
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Adversary to Ally welcomes Capt. Mark Catania of the Glastonbury Police Department. He discusses what happens when police go on a domestic violence call and the steps law enforcement are taking to tackle the problem.
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Lawmakers are proposing or already pouring millions into mental health services for children, citing the effects the pandemic has had on them. Nearly a year ago, Dr. Regina Wilson and Shenira Billups, a certified licensed counselor for New Haven County, talked about the challenges black kids are facing. Here is an abbreviated version of that important conversation.
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Cooking is an art. But how do you prepare a tasty meal when you live in an old farmhouse where the kitchen is currently under renovation and space is limited? Chimene shows us how as she makes "Aunt Doretha's Bread." Note to listeners: All of our episodes can be watched on YouTube. Follow this link: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2Rc2WtQLxtN_Xekh4oYrPA
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This is our collaboration with Mothers of Victim's Equality Inc., where men talk about domestic violence and intimate partner violence. Our guest is Pamplico, SC resident Joseph Woodberry.
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Ty Hopkins is a multi-talented New Haven man whose website "Hip-Hop Paradise" gets more than 50,000 views a week and climbing. He says his goal is to provide a space for all artists.
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Bringing the arts to the community is what drives Barbara Alexander, founder of "Arts in CT," a nonprofit with a mission to provide leadership and support to the diverse arts community of Greater New Haven." And to help her do this, she has opened "a multidisciplinary arts hub" she is calling the Westville Performing Arts Center at 351 McKinley Ave in New Haven. She is here to talk about why this is good for the community.
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Our guest is Kenneth Thompson, a former Connecticut resident now living in South Carolina. He founded the Gussie Wortham Foundation in memory of his sister, Gussie Wortham. The conversation is about domestic and intimate partner violence.
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As I told listeners at the end of December, we are making changes to the podcast and while we do, we invite you to hang out with the Walkers. We talk about everything and can be pretty funny.
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This episode can be watched on YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZBWXVpn5nI
As she states on her website, "Natural Annie Essentials," Bridgeport resident Annya White-Brown makes "pure soy candles with a feel-good vibe!" And with her unique scents like Island Vibes, Ginger and Sandalwood, Ylang Ylang & Rose and Lavender among many others, she is prepared to "fill your home and lift your mood with vibrant scents."
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Watch this interview on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ClvyovPxCc0&t=583s
The partners behind Adversary to Ally discuss why they got together and what they hope to accomplish by having men talk about domestic and intimate partner violence.
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Watch the YouTube version of this podcast: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qvaM4JIJMbk
2021 was a good year for Real talk, Real people. Our end of the year stats from Spotify and Anchor show that the number of hours people tuned in to our podcast grew by 128 percent; we increased our followers by 57 percent; our streams have increased by 44 percent and 2 percent of our audience is located in Germany and Ireland. We introduced jameswalkermedia.com and formed a partnership with Corrinna Martin, founder and president of Mothers of Victim's Equality to produce "Adversary to Ally," a once a month conversation where men talk about domestic violence and intimate partner violence in an effort to find solutions to stop the violence against women and children. Both of these new ventures were successful. We owe it all to our listeners and we thank you for listening and downloading. We look forward to bringing you more new content in 2022.
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Watch the YouTube version of this podcast: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_BjBD2WpeA
Christmas is a time of peace and goodwill toward your fellow man and we can only hope that spirit carries into the new year. But Christmas is also the time when families gather and new memories are made and older ones are shared. Here are some of the memories my siblings and I remember.
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From brazen flash mobs carting off TVs and soap powder to a middle-aged man stealing underwear and T-shirts, large retail stores face a wave of thefts as property crimes soar in Connecticut.
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Happy Thanksgiving folks. It's that time of the year when we turn our attention to what we are thankful for in our lives. For me, it's still the little things that count.
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This is the inaugural episode of Adversary to Ally, a joint partnership between Real talk, Real people and Mothers of Victim's Equality that will take place every third Monday of the month on our show.
The conversations will center around domestic and intimate relationship violence and abuse. In our research, we found that there were not many options available for men to talk openly and share their feelings about this type of violence. We felt that had to change -- and in order for there to be change, there had to be a venue where men could talk about it.
My guest this week is Ashon Avent, a professor at Eastern Connecticut State University owner of Main Avent Sports and Apparel.
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It's no secret that many senior citizens struggle financially as prices continue to go up and most live on a fixed and limited income.
An advocacy group named "The Senior Citizens League" is lobbying Congress to issue a one-time $1,400 to seniors to help combat high prices. This is a good temporary solution but more is needed.
Since Congress cannot control the rising cost of housing, food and utilities, I believe Congress also should consider a monthly stipend to seniors living on less than $75,000 a year.
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We have re-run older episodes the last two Mondays while we work on a new addition to the show we will unveil on our November 15th episode. We will be back with new episodes new week. Meanwhile, there are local elections this week so we are re-running an episode questioning whether or not there should be term limits on time spent in political office?
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If COVID-19 taught minorities one thing, that is to take better care of your health. You do that by gaining more access to health services and by becoming more knowledgeable about health issues that affect not only you but your race.
My guests are Leandre Memborn, former New Havener living in Providence RI; Frank Taveres of Waterbury and Jim Rawlings, chairman of the board of directors for The Southern Connecticut Sickle Cell Disease Association of America.
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October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and my guest is breast cancer survivor Lolita Bonilla Brooks.
Many of us know someone that has been devastated by a diagnosis of breast cancer. According to breastcancer.org, nearly 282,000 new cases of invasive breast cancer are expected to be diagnosed in women in the U.S. this year, and Black women not only have the highest breast cancer death rates of all racial and ethnic groups, they have a 41 percent higher rate of breast cancer deaths than White women.
Lolita is here to share her journey on becoming a survivor. Let’s listen to what she has to say.
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This is a special edition of Real talk, Real people. We are celebrating our second anniversary of turning the mic over to everyday people to listen to what they have to say about the issues and problems we face as a society.
And you guys had a lot to say.
On our first episode in October of 2019 we talked about the pros and cons of universal basic income and last week we reran an episode about domestic violence and child abuse as this month puts the focus on that topic.
Over the last two years, we have talked about issues that focused on breast cancer, guns, fatherhood, black men voting, COVID-19 and vaccines as well as gay pride, prisons and solitary confinement and term limits for politicians. We took a look at sickle cell, diabetes and health care disparities in the minority community and the overall lack of mental health services for members of the black community.
But we also put the focus on black women who started nontraditional businesses, volunteerism, growing your own food, getting kids involved in music and the arts and scholarships for black male teens in high school as well as care for senior citizens.
We highlighted local businesses, local people and local nonprofits that are making a difference in our communities. We also brought in a French hat-maker who teaches local people the art of sewing.
And we’re not through. Next month we are starting something new and I will talk about that in an upcoming episode.
It’s impossible for me to list all the topics but we are taking this opportunity to share some of the highlights of Real talk, Real people over the last two years. We hope you enjoy it.
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I wanted to call my listeners attention to the Second Annual Alyssiah Wiley End Relationship Violence Awareness Event that is taking place Oct. 13 at Eastern Connecticut State University. I was invited to speak at the event but was not able to attend this very important event.
You may recall that Alyssiah was the 20 year-old Eastern Connecticut State University student who was murdered, her remains found scattered in a wooded area of Trumbull.
Her mother, Corrine Martin, a West Haven resident, founded Mothers of Victim’s Equality in New Haven. She previously spoke with Real talk and talked about her two daughters and granddaughter who were lost to domestic violence..
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We’re picking up where we left off last week in our conversation with Dr. Regina Wilson and certified licensed counselor for New Haven County Shenira Billups about how the pandemic has been particularly difficult for the mental health of young Black kids. Let’s hear what they have to say
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The pandemic has been particularly difficult for the mental health of young Black kids because they have had to deal with more than social isolation, anxiety and depression that the pandemic brought.
My guests today are Dr. Regina Wilson and Shenira Billups, a certified licensed counselor for New Haven County. They are here to talk about the challenges black kids are facing. Due to the length of this discussion, we are running it in two parts, today and next Monday.
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There are many efforts underway by police and community leaders to stop gun violence, but the bullets just keep on flying -- including five shootings in four days in New Haven. In light of this, we are returning to a conversation we had six months ago with Hamden resident Kimberly Washington.
Eight years ago, she founded the nonprofit "Mothers Demand Action" to bring attention to gun violence in her community and rallied mothers from around New Haven County to her cause.
We talked to Kimberly at Hamden High School where she works as a teacher.
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We have a different type of show this week as we welcome French hat-maker Catherine Cazes Wiley to Real talk, Real people. Catherine runs a nonprofit and a for profit business on Chapel Street in downtown New Haven that centers around sewing and hat-making.
Sewing and making your own clothes and other household items have seen a tremendous resurgence during the past five years. In fact, the sale of sewing machines is soaring and fabric is flying off the shelves.
Catherine’s goal is to teach people how sewing can earn them extra cash and she spends her time teaching classes and making and repairing hats.
Let’s hear what she has to say.
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African Americans continue to face predatory lending practices when they apply for credit. And never is this more evident than when Blacks go to buy a car.
My guest today is economist and lawyer Ian Ayres. He is the Deputy Dean and the Oscar M. Ruebhausen Professor at Yale Law School. He started his research back when President Barack Obama was then president of the Harvard Law Review and published an article about his findings.
Let’s listen to what he has to say.
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Attorney Michael Jefferson joins us this week. He is the founder of the Kimaya (Kee Ah Ma) Movement here in Connecticut.
You’ve probably noticed the black and white signs around New Haven and Hamden bearing the slogan "Black men vote too."
It is one of the ways the Kimaya Movement seeks to educate Black men and help them become more viable and effective members of their communities.
Let’s hear what he has to say.
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My guest today is Dr. Kristen Zarfos with Trinity Health of New England. She is a breast cancer specialist and medical director of the Karl J. Krapek Sr. Comprehensive Women’s Health Center at Saint Francis Hospital in Hartford.
Black women are needlessly dying and she is here to tell them why.
Let’s listen to what she has to say.
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There are many minority women who are chucking their 9-5 jobs and striking out on their own. And they are breaking ground by opening businesses not traditionally associated with minority women.
My guest today is New Haven resident Shantel Garcia, the owner and founder of Innovative Consulting and Solutions, an entity that helps business owners and executives keep their companies organized, productive and financially sound.
She is here to tell us how she got started and offer tips to women contemplating starting their own business.
Let’s hear what she has to say.
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What a difference a day makes.
Last Tuesday, Democratic state Rep. Quentin "Q" Phipps, who represents Middletown, and Barbara Fair of Stop Solitary CT taped an episode about the bill, SB1059, which stops the inhumane treatment of the solitary confinement of prisoners.
The bill was passed by the CT House and Senate but Gov. Ned Lamont had yet to sign it into law, even though he publicly stated he would.
On Wednesday, the governor blindsided supporters of the bill when he vetoed the measure and instead issued an executive order to reduce the time prisoners could be confined.
Much of what Barbara and Q had to say remains relevant so we decided to run the episode with updated comments about the governor's veto from Barbara.
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Gay Pride Month is being celebrated throughout the US and by sane people and governments worldwide. I had to put it that way because in some countries being gay is illegal. And to me, that’s just insane.
My guest today is Patrick Dunn. He is the executive director of the New Haven Pride Center. He says there is much to celebrate as barriers continue to fall but he is concerned about the lack of resources for LGBTQ+ youth who are homeless and have very little support from families because they are gay.
Let’s listen to him reflect on Pride month, the Legend Drag show and how he is trying to help LGBTQ+ youth who are struggling.
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Eating healthy can help low-income people control obesity and diabetes. But eating healthy foods isn’t cheap and that is where community gardens comes in.
My guest today is Eliza Caldwell, who listeners may remember from last year when she offered tips on planting vegetables and when to do it. She is the program manager for the community gardens at Gather New Haven. Once again, she is here to talk about the value of growing healthy food and how it benefits low-income communities.
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I think it is around the age of 1, that we discover the joy of music. I don’t care if it’s classical, R&B, hip-hop, pop or jazz, music plays a crucial part in most people’s lives.
But do you ever wonder where these musicians learned to play instruments and polish their craft?
My guest today is Ty Scurry. He is the owner of the Family Music Center on Dixwell Avenue in Hamden, where the motto is "Believe, Achieve, Become!"
He has his attention on bringing music and the arts to low-income children and communities. Let’s hear how he is doing that and how you can be part of his community musical event.
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It's been a long 14 months and things are beginning to reopen. I, for one, am grateful.
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Healthy food. You wouldn’t think putting healthy food on the table would be a problem, but it is, particularly for low-income people.
My guest today is Brent Peterkin. He is the executive director of Gather New Haven. As many of you know, we had Eliza Caldwell from Gather New Haven on the podcast last year where she shared tips for growing food. She’ll be back with us in the coming weeks to share more seasonal tips on plating vegetables.
Bent is here to talk about the overall mission of Gather New Haven, which is about a lot more than growing food.
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We hear a lot about the bad things that young people are doing. But there are many young people striving to do things that help make their communities a better and safer place to live.
My guest today is Daniel Hunt. He is the newest member of the Hamden Human Services Commission. For the past several years, Daniel has been creating programs in New Haven that include building relations with police and making learning a fun experience for kids. He hopes to expand those programs and bring them into Hamden.
He is to talk about what he hopes to do in his new position on the commission.
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We're jumping into the year 2022 to give young Black men about to graduate high school a heads up on scholarship money that could be theirs.
My guest today is Ed Stowe Jr. He is the vice chairman of scholarships for the Fairfield County chapter of Alpha Psi Alpha.
He says his fraternity has four $2,500 scholarships to give away but many times has a hard time finding young men to apply.
What are the requirements? How do they get it? Let's hear what he has to say.
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There are a lot of mix-messages about COVID-19, with conflicting information coming from many sources.
My guest today is Dr. Heidi Zapata, an infectious disease doctor at Yale University's School of Medicine.
She is here to talk candidly about the virus, where we stand on getting people vaccinated, the effectiveness of the different vaccines and what potentially lies ahead.
This podcast is also available in video format on YouTube. https://youtu.be/VlwT9Ah2xbQ
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There is a crisis brewing in New Haven that potentially affects Black and brown people seeking mental health treatment at the Connecticut Mental Health Center. Officials' plan to bring in armed police and add surveillance. This has the advocacy group Hamden Action Now calling the impending policy change a veiled attempt for more control of Black and Brown communities. My guests today are Rhonda Caldwell of hamdenactionnow, along with Carmen Black Parker and Keith Gallagher from Yale University who work at the CMHC. This is an important discussion. It is available in both audio and video versions.
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New Haven resident Alessia Mesquita, 28, is the latest woman to lose her life to domestic violence. Police say she was shot dead by her boyfriend while she was with their 1 year old child.
My column this past Sunday in Hearst CT newspapers is about domestic violence because it has become more deadlier than ever.
We’re going to listen to Corrinna Martin, the founder of Mothers of Victim Equality, a nonprofit to help women victimized by domestic violence.
She lost two daughters and a grandchild to domestic violence.
Here in Connecticut, nearly 38 percent of women and approximately 33 percent of men experience domestic violence, sexual violence and/or intimate partner stalking during their lifetimes.
And 30 percent of all criminal court cases involve family violence. In 2017, there were 18 family homicide victims and a gun was used in 35 percent of those homicides.
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We've had some interesting women on the show during the last 16 months. They have talked about everything from breast cancer to solitary confinement to mental health to how to get a better handle on your finances.
We decided to end National Women’s Month with three of our guests who talked about the importance of healthy eating, being the boss and Black self-identity.
They are respectively, Eliza Caldwell from Gather New Haven; Samantha Williams, president of east haven-based samsword and Bridgeport resident Sharaya Smith.
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Black women have been making a difference around the country fighting social issues that affect black communities -- and Hamden resident Kimberly Washington is no exception.
Eight years ago, she founded the nonprofit "Mothers Demand Action" to bring attention to gun violence in her community and rallied mothers from around New Haven County to her cause.
Real talk caught up with Kimberly at Hamden High School where she works as a teacher.
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What does it take to be a good father?
My guest is Dr. David Lee Asbery, the founder of Fixing Fathers, Inc., a Hamden-based start-up company on a mission to fix fathers -- one dad at a time. He says men don't have to be perfect dads but they do have to be committed to being good dads.
There are more than 4 million Black children in the U.S. The majority are growing up with a father in the home but 1.7 million are growing up in a fatherless household. But that does not mean the father is not involved.
According to a report by the Centers for Disease Control, Black men excel as fathers even when marriage is not in the picture.
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Guns, guns, guns. A lot of attention falls on the illegal use of guns in the Black community. But owning a gun legally is a Second Amendment right given to all Americans, although, it isn't talked about much in the Black community. My guest today is Norwalk resident William Hampton, owner of Train Safe Academy. A gun enthusiast and member of several gun organizations, he teaches classes on the responsibility of gun ownership. He says more Blacks than ever are learning about their rights and guns sales are through the roof. He joins us to talk about gun safety and why the Black community should know about its Second Amendment rights.
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It's been nearly a year since Barbara Fair brought her campaign to end the inhuman treatment of Connecticut prisoners to Real talk, Real people.
And now, her advocacy on behalf of prisoners has helped bring about the closure of the Northern Correctional Institution in Somers. The United Nations stated in a report that methods used at the prison seemed to be "a state-sanctioned policy aimed at purposefully inflicting severe pain or suffering, physical or mental, which may well amount to torture."
But despite the victory, Barbara says the battle isn't over yet.
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My guest today is Dwayne Jackson, one of 45 volunteers for CASA, an acronym for Court Appointed Special Advocates of Southern Connecticut. The mission of CASA is to recruit and train adults to safeguard the best interests of children who have been abused or neglected in New Haven, New London and Middlesex counties. Jackson is here to tell us why we should get involved and become a volunteer with CASA to help these kids.
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The conversation is about legalizing marijuana in Connecticut and this is a critical week to talk about it.
Gov. Lamont is expected to include marijuana legislation in his budget on Wednesday.
My guest today is Adam Wood, co-director of the Committee to Regulate Marijuana in Connecticut.
Wood joins Real talk, Real people to tell us why Connecticut should legalize marijuana and his reasoning goes beyond dollars and cents -- and he makes a lot of sense.
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The conversation this week is our ongoing look at being Black in Connecticut.
My guest is 29-year-old Bridgeport resident Avery Tillery. Avery says many of the problems in the Black community can be solved through reparations. And he believes reparations are needed in all areas of the Black community where, he says, inequality has led to such wrongs as children working to help pay bills.
He also talks about how the image of Black men as violent is distorted and how difficult it is for Black men to earn a living, even doing simple things like shoveling snow.
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What does being Black in Connecticut mean to its Black citizens? And what do we need to do to better our lives and have stronger communities?
My guest this week is Bridgeport resident Sharaya Smith. She says the first step Blacks must take is to find their identity.
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When I was a kid, the name Martin Luther King, Jr. was like an electric current running through Black neighborhoods.
The March on Washington had galvanized the civil rights movement and Black people could not stop talking about King's "I Have a Dream" speech and the real possibility that a change was going to come. It’s been nearly 58 years since King’s iconic speech and his unifying vision but as the events of 2020 spill over into 2021, we still face the same old problems.
And that’s why I, too, have a dream.
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I thought COVID-19 had shown us the worse it could bring but I was wrong. The virus is raging stronger than ever and the death tolls are at unprecedented levels here in the U.S.
As of Friday, the U.S. was averaging 247,200 new cases a day and averaging 2,982 deaths per day.
Whether you agree or disagree with taking the vaccine available, you should understand the pros and cons. And for that, we go back to a conversation with Gary Spinner of the Southwest Community Health Center in Bridgeport.
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We finally have our own website. Our new podcasts will now be uploaded to jameswalkermedia.com --- but we will continue to also upload them here for a period of time.
A little more than a year ago, Real talk, Real people put out its first podcast. It took about five months before people began to show interest, but little by little, we began to pick up more listeners. We decided to add a website, which allows us more flexibility and gives us the space to add more content and explore other ideas we are interested in bringing to you.
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Wow. What a year it has been. Who could have imagined that a virus would not only become the dominant story of the year, but bully its way through a nation mired in chaotic social upheaval to take over the way we live, work and socialize? It was a year of protests, rioting, looting and shooting -- all which took a back seat to COVID-19. We talked about all those issues with everyday people sharing their experiences and weighing in on everything from domestic violence to breast cancer to health issues, such as sickle cell and diabetes, and the benefits of community gardens. Here is what the people we talked to had to say.
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What does it mean to have faith -- and how far can it carry you during dark periods in your life?
My guest is the Rev. Alfred Smith of Macedonia Baptist Church in Ansonia. He said it was his faith that kept him strong during a year in which his left foot was amputated, family members died from COVID-19 and between the surgery and recovery time, spent 117 days alone due to the virus.
He said life doesn't play fair but faith will pull you through.
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If 2020 has done nothing else, it has reinforced my fear of being old and stuck in a nursing home.
The CT Adult Family Living Program offers an alternative for those people who wish to stay home by paying a family member, loved one or home aid to take of them.
My guest is Monica Perry, a soft spoken, longtime home health care worker. She has spent 40 plus years caring for others.
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I don’t know about anyone else, but I am frustrated with people who refuse to wear a mask in public even as COVID-19 resurges more deadlier than ever. Deaths nationwide may exceed 300,000 before Christmas.
This is supposed to be the most wonderful time of the year but I have never known the news to be so grim.
I also have never known people to be so callous and have such disregard for the value of human life by refusing to wear a mask.
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I know what they say in front of the cameras and what they say when they stand at a podium delivering a speech. But has anyone tried to contact Democrats U.S. Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro and U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal with a problem?
I did. They are two of the most recognizable “liberal” names in politics. I guess that is why I was bitterly disappointed by the response or lack of response from their offices -- and I am not alone.
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As we look forward to Thanksgiving, we here at Real talk, Real people have a lot to be thankful for. We have been up and running for more than a year. October 25th was our anniversary and as we head into the new year, we have a lot of changes coming that will offer more than our podcast. These changes include the launch of a new website -- jameswalkermedia.com, -- which will have content such as my columns -- both written and spoken -- video interviews and a lot more. We are also recording our new podcasts in a way that we hope makes them a better listening experience.
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My guest this week is Brock Bacote, a New Haven resident. He had just been released from the Brooklyn Correctional Institute 3 days when this conversation took place.
I wanted to talk to Brock to get an idea what it is like being locked up and in close quarters with other inmates after learning about COVID-19.
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A lot of people are having a hard time feeding the body what it needs to stay healthy and obesity is a huge problem.
My name is Kelly Gruber, the outpatient dietitian at Yale New Haven Health-Bridgeport Hospital.
She is here to brush us up on what nutrition is and how to use key food groups to stay healthy.
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My guest is Bernard Macklin, a flu vaccine outreach coordinator from Southern Connecticut State University.
He is urging people of color to stop potentially putting their lives at risk by clinging to myths, not facts, when it comes to vaccines and the flu.
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Can you imagine losing two daughters and a granddaughter at the hands of men filled with rage?
My guest is West Haven resident Corrinna Martin, the founder of Mothers of Victim Equality, a nonprofit to help women victimized by domestic violence.
If anyone can speak to the horrors of this disease, she can.
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The conversation continues about Black women and breast cancer. This is part 2.
In Part 1, breast cancer survivor Lolita Bonilla Brooks shared her story and the support she received.
My guest today is Kaprice Miller, the recording secretary from Sister’s Journey, a New Haven, faith-based support group founded in 1999 by the late Linda White-Epps. The group helps women on their journey to recovery and beyond.
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Nearly 34,000 Black women were expected to be diagnosed with breast cancer in 2019, and sadly, an estimated 6,540 were expected to die from it.
My guest today is breast cancer survivor Lolita Bonilla Brooks, a native of Stratford, now living in Virginia.
Due to the importance of this issue, we are doing two segments on it. Part 2 will highlight a local support group founded for Black women by the late Linda White-Epps.
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Eating healthy isn’t cheap and that is where community gardens comes in.
My guests are Eliza Caldwell, a community gardens manager at Gather New Haven who oversees 50 gardens; and Alexander Morales, an operations assistant at the Green Village Initiative in Bridgeport, which has 12 gardens.
They’re here to talk about how their gardens are benefiting low-income communities.
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If you’re following the national news, the focus from COVID-19 is shifting to its effect on mental health across the nation.
But while the media reports on the nation’s mental health, we are going back to a conversation we had with Rahisha Bevins and Louis R. Reed about the lack of mental health resources in the black community -- and also the black community’s reluctance to seek it
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The conversation is with Samantha Williams, president of samsword, based in East Haven
You may not think a business that offers online writing services would be successful, let alone profitable, but Sam says with a nationwide clientele that includes state contracts, businesses, individuals and students, she is busier than ever. The key to success? Sam says "raise your price!"
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When Andrew Yang was running for president, many people -- myself included -- scoffed at the idea of the government sending people $1,000 a month to improve their living conditions.
But I think as we all wait anxiously to see if more stimulus money is coming our way, many people may now agree that Universal Basic Income is needed to close the income gap.
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Think you can't start your own business? Well, think again. Many blacks are using the loss of a job from COVID-19 as an opportunity to strike out on their own, setting up shop in their homes -- sometimes with as little as a $1,000 to get going.
Black business leaders say now is the right time for Blacks with an entrepreneurial spirit.
My guest today is Anne-Marie Knight of the Black Business Alliance, based in New Haven. She has a lot of encouraging words for those thinking about starting their own biz but are a little wary.
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My guest is Bridgeport Board of Education member Joseph Sokolovic, who helped plan the reopening of Bridgeport schools, which are set to reopen Sept. 8
The American Academy of Pediatrics and the Children’s Hospital Association reports that children account for nearly 10 percent of COVID-19 cases nationwide and figures show COVID-19 is rising in schools that have reopened. Should parents be worried?
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The conversation this week is about the pending vaccine for COVID-19 that is expected to here no later than the beginning of 2021.
My guest is Gary Spinner from the Southwest Community Health Center in Bridgeport. He is a physician's assistant who works with HIV patients and has seen first-hand how effective vaccines can be.
One of the big questions surrounding the coronavirus is whether Black Americans will take part in experimental trials to ensure the vaccine will work for them -- and, perhaps, more importantly, will they take the vaccine when it becomes available.
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I think we’re all feeling a little out of it and maybe some mild depression about what has been going on this year. The conversation is about COVID-19 fatigue.
Our guests today are Dr. Jeff Dietz and Alex Parkhouse, two assistant professors from Quinnipiac University -- one a psychiatrist and psychoanalyst at the Frank H. Netter School of Medicine and the other, a medical sociologist whose research areas focus on chronic illness stigma, stress and mental health and health literacy.
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This is our second segment on how people earning $40,000 to $60,000 a year can chip away and find financial freedom
My guest is Cornell Wright of the Parker Wright Group, a consulting firm based in Stratford.
I know Cornell from my time as senior editor of the New Haven Register, where he writes a weekly column called "Plan Well & Execute. "
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The drag queen industry has been hit hard as bars, nightclubs and restaurants have been shut down due to COVID-19, as well as other places and events where drag queens traditionally perform.
My guest today is Robin Banks, a drag queen living in Hamden, who depends on performing to earn a living. Like many drag queens, she does not work a traditional job and the virus is preventing her from taking the stage.
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I received an email from the company that manages the building where I live, stating it would begin reporting missed rent payments to the three credit bureaus.
That is a major problem during this pandemic where more than 30 million people have lost their jobs and more than 28 percent of Americans face being evicted due to the loss of jobs. Here in Connecticut, at least 140,000 are at risk of being evicted from their homes.
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How do you get on the road to financial freedom when you make $40,000 -$60,000 a year? With the cost of living, it really seems like a pipe dream to save or invest when you’re struggling to pay bills.
Stephanie Miller, an assistant professor of accounting and finance at Quinnipiac University, says it's about prioritizing and taking small steps to get bigger rewards
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There is a lack of leadership in black communities as we face multiple issues that are familiar such as jobs, housing, health care and crime.
The deaths of John Lewis and the Rev. Cordy Tindell "C.T." Vivian are reminders how important that leadership is at the national level. But who will step up at the local level?
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If COVID-19 taught minorities one thing, that is to take better care of your health. You do that by gaining more access to health services and by becoming more knowledgeable about health issues that affect not only you but your race.
My guests today are Leandre Memborn, former New Havener living in Providence RI; Frank Taveres of Waterbury and Jim Rawlings, chairman of the board of directors for The Southern Connecticut Sickle Cell Disease Association of America.
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Black-on-Black crime and gun violence continues to be a serious problem as bullets continue to take young lives.
My guest is Thayer Barkley, a Bridgeport resident and volunteer for Moms Demand Action. She says the Black community is paralyzed and suffering from PTSD
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Kiana Brown, 19, was shot in the head while she was asleep in her home in New Haven. She was the victim of a random bullet. Another innocent, black life lost. Gun violence continues to be a problem in black neighborhoods. What is the solution?
Chaz Carmon, president of the anti-gun violence organization "Ice the Beef," says the key is getting to kids while they're young. He talks about how the organization intervenes in the lives of youth.
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The spending power of black people in 2018 was estimated to be $1.9 trillion. But you would never know that when you go into black neighborhoods. Most of it did not go to black businesses. It is time black people start making a commitment to spend more of their money in black-owned businesses to get some of that money into black communities.
My guest today is businessman Howard K. Hill, the owner of Howard K. Hill Funeral Services.
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We have been gaining listeners since we aired our first episode on Oct. 25, with our podcast listened to hundreds of times. But we know new listeners may not be aware of the conversations we've had. Here are snippets of what people in Connecticut are talking about.
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Why do I love my country but at the same time hate it so much? The conversation is about systematic racism within police departments and the protests around the US. My guests today are Wes Johnson from Danbury, Clyde Nickerson from Bridgeport and Miche'lle Sanders of Shelton.
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The country is at unrest over the killing of another unarmed black man at the hands of police. My guest is Greg Johnson, president President, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People Ansonia Branch. The conversation is about George Floyd and the ongoing murders of black men by police.
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It’s no longer a secret that blacks and other minorities are being hospitalized and dying at a higher rate than whites from COVID-19.
I discussed this with my guests, Dr. David Hill and Dennis Brown, two professors from Quinnipiac University. But it is no secret it is due to what has plagued minorities for decades: lack of access to health care, low-level jobs and poor working conditions, along with crowded and inadequate housing.
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As the number of people who are unemployed due to COVID-19 continues to rise, thousands of people here in Connecticut and tens of millions nationwide are facing hunger. And that is happening as food prices soar and the food supply chain is breaking down. That is leading to competition to feed people.
My guest is Nancy Coughlin, the executive director of Person-to-Person in Stamford, a nonprofit that has been around since 1968. She will talk about how her agency is helping put food on the table during the pandemic.
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My guest this week is Brock Bacote, a New Haven resident. He had just been released from the Brooklyn Correctional Institute 3 days when this conversation took place about 10 days ago.
I didn’t bring him on to talk about his crimes or what led to them, (for more on that kind of conversation, listen to our Nov. 4 podcast with Seymour resident Jimmie Kave on the benefits of a revamped justice system and turning your life around).
But I wanted to talk to Brock to get an idea what it is like being locked up and in close quarters with other inmates after learning about COVID-19.
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You know folks, there are a lot of healthcare workers who don’t feel enough is being done to keep them safe from becoming infected with COVID-19.
Some of them work in prisons where the number of people infected with and dying from COVID-19 continues to rise.
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COVID-19 has produced a crisis unprecedented in our times but still, Connecticut has been shameful in its slow response to stop the spread in nursing homes and prevent it from further spreading in prisons. And people are paying for it with their lives.
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There are more than 11,000 people locked up in the Connecticut prison system who are potentially on death row as COVID-19 slithers through the densely populated spaces.
Should some of them be released in an effort to keep them from potentially becoming infected and infecting others? The governor says no; my two guests say yes -- and give their reasons why.
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I was under the impression that only essential employees had to show up to work to maintain social distancing as health experts attempt to get a handle on the coronavirus. But I was wrong. There are a lot of non-essential employees whose lives are being put at risk when they could be working from home
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Normally, my Monday podcast is a followup conversation to my Sunday column in Hearst Connecticut newspapers.
But I admit, the unknown factors of COVID-19 have inched my anxiety up a notch and I lost my cool this week.
So I decided to switch things up and bring in someone who could offer us some inspiration. Sometimes, when there is a crisis like we are experiencing now, it is interesting to hear what a member of the clergy has to say.
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Like many Americans, my rational thought process tells me we will get through this, but I admit, that process is constantly interrupted by my emotions.
I can’t help but worry about how much damage covid-19 will eventually do to the nation and more importantly, if it will affect my family and the people that I care about. I have family members throughout the US. This is what is going on where they live
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We’re doing something a little different with the podcast this week because what else is there to talk about but the coronavirus and we’re being hit with enough of that. We know what we have to do. And I am doing it.
But you know this social distancing stuff is tough.
I mean, there is only so much house cleaning and binge watching TV you can do.
So I decided to give listeners something else instead of talk this week.
My guest today is music. We all have talented family members and mine is no exception. My brother Allan is an actor who has numerous commercials, has appeared on TV shows such as Manifest, Orange is the new black, Gotham, Law and Order among others. He also wrote the music for this podcast.
About 20 something years ago, he and his now-husband, Tom, started recording songs in their apartment in Brooklyn and every four years or so, they put together a collection on a CD that makes its rounds of family and friends.
Here is their latest. I think you will like it.
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It is pretty clear that the problem is we don’t know who is carrying the coronavirus -- but we do know as Dr. Scott Gottlieb, the former commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, admitted: “We’re past the point of containment.”
And once you understand what that statement means, then you know the only thing that is going to stop the spread of this disease that has hijacked America, is a cure.
And we don’t have one.
We must follow what health experts are asking us to do. But will it keep us safe?
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Until recently, it seemed like coronavirus was something happening to people far away in other parts of the world. But even when you feel immune, it is scary watching it jump from country to country while the numbers of deaths rise.
Still, at least to me, it was one of those impending crises you hear and read about and watch television for the latest news on it -- but one that is still far away.
That is, until it knocks on the door of someone you love -- in this case, my sister, Michelle, who lives in Rhode Island.
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Sometimes, I like to take a different approach when writing a column to give people an alternative way of looking or thinking about a problem. In this case, I used tic-tac-toe to illustrate how the absence of fathers hurts children and the household
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I was invited to speak at Greenwich High School Friday as part of its Diversity Awareness Club’s Black History Month program. Here is an overview of that speech, which centered on domestic violence, being black in America and finding some success.
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The Bridgeport Police Department recently announced it would resurrect and enforce its youth curfew to curb teen violence after a rash of shootings. The curfew has been in place since 2012 but never enforced. But do curfews work? Many studies say no. And curfews are clearly a violation of constitutional rights. Bridgeport Councilman Ernest Newton and Bridgeport Board of Education member Joseph Sokolovic join the conversation.
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The "alleged" coming of snow, sleet and rain killed this week's podcast with high school students talking about Black History Month. Of course, it barely snowed. But we wanted to give you an idea of the podcasts we are working on.
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A white teacher cast two black kids as slaves in a read-aloud class play called “A Triangle of Trade.” The purpose was to give students a look at the atrocities of the slave trade. Carmen Parker, who is black, and her husband, who is white, are the parents of one of the kids. They called out the teacher and school for cultural insensitivity.
The teacher was placed on leave but both parents along with others have called for the teacher to be reinstated and not be made a scapegoat. The real problem is the lack of black teachers.
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Three years ago, I wrote in a column - https://www.nhregister.com/columnists/article/James-Walker-Responsibility-I-am-not-your-baby-11312756.php "Responsibility? I am not your baby daddy" -- that “I have never seen so many children being abused, living in misery or so many irresponsible parents.”
And it just seems to be getting worse for these kids. Since that column appeared, the abuse of children has become downright shocking and staggering.
Parents are not only killing their kids, but in some cases, are doing so in spectacular fashion, as if to make a statement to the world.
We need to do more.
My latest column about the abuse of children: https://www.middletownpress.com/middletown/article/James-Walker-Parenting-Mandatory-classes-are-15005842.php
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Case closed - or is it?
The yellow tape has been removed, the street swept clean and the latest body has been buried. In some cases, the prosecution has rested its case, the person who pulled the trigger is put behind bars and police have moved on.
But for victims left behind after gun violence, the case is never really closed. Long after it strikes its intended victim, a bullet’s trajectory just keeps on going and buries itself in the memories it leaves behind -- and each new bullet adds a new victim and a new memory.
And those memories and the post-traumatic stress disorder that develops and grips victims in their wake are what this column is all about.
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It's Christmastime and hundreds of volunteers are out in force. My Sunday column in Hearst Connecticut newspapers is a salute to volunteers. We talk to 3 people about why they put in the hours to help other people.
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We have added a call-in feature that will begin to take listeners calls. Here are the details
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Pardon our appearance -- so to speak -- as we are temporarily under construction to add a new call-in feature to make "Real talk, Real people" a better experience for listeners and allow more people to weigh in on topics. Listen for details.
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I am happy to announce that my listeners will be able to read what I have to say on Sundays and listen to me on Mondays after my column returns to the New Haven Register and Hearst Connecticut newspapers on Sunday, Dec. 1.
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African Americans are 20 percent more likely to experience serious mental health issues than the general population -- and suicide was the second leading cause of death for black men ages 15-24 in 2017. Yet, the subject is largely ignored in the black community.
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Email change to contact Real talk, Real people
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Jimmie Kave was convicted and sentenced to 20 years in prison at age 17. He wanted society to give him a second chance. He got one under a revamped juvenile justice system. So, what happened when he was released?
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Presidential candidate Andrew Yang has proposed giving every adult in the US over the age of 18 a $1,000 a month stipend to offset coming automation and job layoffs. Is this a good idea?
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