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Connections

Coming up on Connections: Wednesday, December 22, 2021

Walid, Billal, and Ellen Smith discussing the state of the SIV program on "Connections with Evan Dawson" on Tuesday, December 7, 2021.
Megan Mack
/
WXXI News
Walid, Billal, and Ellen Smith discussing the state of the SIV program on "Connections with Evan Dawson" on Tuesday, December 7, 2021.

First hour: Special rebroadcast - An update on the state of the SIV program

Second hour: Can tarot cards help us make sense of the pandemic?

We're joined by Ellen Smith, executive director of Keeping Our Promise. The organization helps interpreters who served U.S. military forces in Afghanistan and Iraq resettle in America. The process can take years, and it has become even more difficult -- and critical -- since the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan. This hour, we examine the current state of the Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) program, and how to help refugees in Rochester. Our guests:

  • Ellen Smith, executive director of Keeping Our Promise
  • Walid, Afghan native who served the U.S. military as an interpreter who is now living in Rochester 
  • Billal, Afghan native who served the U.S. military as an interpreter who is now living in Rochester 

Then in our second hour, tarot is an often-misunderstood medium. But rather than being merely the stuff of frivolous fortune-telling or the handiwork of mischievous forces, tarot cards can be a practical way to gain insight into our inner psychologies and make sense of the world around us. In a recent opinion column in The Globe and Mail, professional tarot reader Liz Worth clarified some of the cultural misconceptions that surround tarot and reflected on what the practice of tarot reading can mean to us during the pandemic era. “Tarot readers aren’t here to build fantasies, but tell the truth of what we see – for better or for worse,” Worth said. But what is tarot exactly, and what significance does tarot have in our lives today and in these uncertain times? CITY magazine’s arts editor Daniel Kushner hosts a discussion about where tarot comes from, how tarot cards work, and the significance this esoteric medium can have in our lives during uncertain times. Our guests:

  • Maya Rook, Maine-based cultural historian, Rochester Brainery instructor, and podcaster
  • Rork Maiellano, Rochester artist and tarot reader
Connections
Arts writer Daniel J. Kushner began writing for CITY in 2015 as a contributing writer before joining the staff full-time in 2018.
Megan Mack is the executive producer of "Connections with Evan Dawson" and live/televised engagement programming.
Emmarae Stein is the production assistant for "Connections with Evan Dawson."