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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Hear her voice: Domestic violence took the lives of two of her daughters and a grandchild.

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. 

Black women with cancer find support and friendship at "Sister's Journey"

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.

A breast cancer survivor shares her journey

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.

Eating healthy can help low-income people control obesity and diabetes

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

Black community must focus more on mental health

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!"

Putting the spotlight on local, nontraditional businesses headed by women

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.

Could you use $1,000 a month? Revisiting Universal Basic Income

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.

Black business leaders say now is the time to strike out on your own

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?

Schools are set to reopen. Is in-person learning safe for kids?

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.

Vaccine? Sorry, I have to say no

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. 

Coping? Wrestling with the present, worrying about the future

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. "

Make your paycheck work: Part 2 on taking steps to gain financial freedom

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. 

Drag queens struggle to earn a living in era of COVID-19

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.

Evictions? 140,000 Connecticut residents could be affected

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

Every dollar counts on the road to financial freedom

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.

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Real talk, Real people

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