Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
Connections

How local organizations are supporting Rochester’s children from cradle to career

"ROC THE FUTURE" logo with a yellow sun and the words "inspire, inform, improve"

12:00: How local organizations are supporting Rochester’s children from cradle to career

1:00: The 2025 State of the State address

At a time when 40 percent of Rochester’s children live in poverty, a local organization is committing to a bold goal: putting 11,000 young people on a path toward upward mobility. ROC the Future Alliance partners with a number of community institutions to support children from prenatal care through adult employment. Each year, it releases a report card detailing its progress. From programs related to education, health care, housing, and more, our guests explain these collective efforts, their successes and challenges, and how their work affects families now and in the future. Our guests:

  • Brian Lewis, executive director of ROC the Future Alliance
  • David E. Kirkland, Ph.D., keynote speaker, author, thought leader  
  • Sebrone Johnson, CEO of EDceptional
  • Janice Kpor, co-chair of ROC the Future Alliance’s Parent Engagement Collaborative Action Network (PECAN)

Then in our second hour, WXXI brings you live coverage of the Governor Kathy Hochul’s 2025 State of the State address. Since early December, Hochul has announced several proposed initiatives, including inflation refund checks, an expansion of the child tax credit, free meals for students, and investments in child care facilities and education. New York NOW host Dave Lombardo hosts this broadcast from WMHT.

Connections is also live streamed on YouTube. You can watch here.

Connections
Evan Dawson is the host of "Connections with Evan Dawson." He joined WXXI in January 2014 after working at 13WHAM-TV, where he served as morning news anchor. He was hired as a reporter for 13WHAM-TV in 2003 before being promoted to anchor in 2007.
Megan Mack is the executive producer of "Connections with Evan Dawson" and live/televised engagement programming.

Connections with Evan Dawson

Connections is our daily, live talk show. It airs live weekdays, noon-2 p.m., and re-airs at 9 and 10 p.m. You can also find us wherever you find your podcasts.

Join us with questions or comments by phone at 1-844-295-TALK (8255), email, Facebook or Twitter.

Do you have a story that needs to be shared? Pitch your story to Connections.

For transcripts, please email our Move to Include team with the day, subject, and start time (noon or 1 pm) of the episode for a transcript.