First hour: Former white supremacist Christian Picciolini on disengaging from extremist movements
Second hour: People and organizations making positive change in Rochester, part 10
We talk with a former neo-Nazi about his work helping people disengage from hate groups. Christian Picciolini was 14 years old when he joined a white supremacist group. He left it eight years later after he began to question its ideology. As NPR reports, "He remembers a specific incident in which he was beating a young black man. His eyes locked with his victim, and he felt a surprising empathy. It was a turning point." Picciolini now helps members of hate groups disengage from extremist movements. He will be in Rochester as a guest of Monroe Community College next week, but first, he joins us on Connections. Our guest:
- Christian Picciolini, leader of the Free Radicals Project, and author of several books, including "Breaking Hate: Confronting the New Culture of Extremism"
Then in our second hour, it's this year's final monthly spotlight on people and organizations making positive change in the community. This hour's group of do-gooders includes:
- Bob Freese, conscious leader coach, and advocate for the Bicentennial Tree
- Jennifer Caddick, vice president for communications and engagement for the Alliance for the Great Lakes
- Rev. Pat Dupont, minister for outreach at Asbury First United Methodist Church
- Kimberly Rouleau, coordinator of ROC Made With Love
- Rebecca Phelps, owner and founder of Gracious Dance
- Colleen Bedford, co-leader of the Goodness Initiative
- Trevor Shooshan, co-founder of Vertical Boost
- Geoffery Rogers, host of the "GSL Show"
- Retha Rogers, support group coordinator for Rise Up Rochester
