12:00: With DEI under siege, a look at representation in the local family court system
1:00: Business incubator program puts more plant-based food into the marketplace
We sit down with Monroe County Family Court Judge Fatimat Reid, the first African American judge in decades to serve on this bench. With the national conversation about DEI boiling over, we discuss representation in the court system — from the bench to juries to other aspects of the legal system. In studio:
- Hon. Fatimat O. Reid, Monroe County Family Court judge, and district-wide coordinating judge for diversity, equity, and inclusion
- Hon. Van H. White, Rochester City Court judge
- André Washington, Esq., treasurer of the Rochester Black Bar Association
Then in our second hour, with more Americans eating plant-based food, why aren't there more vegan restaurants and food purveyors? The answer to that question is not simple. One of our guests has launched a business that focuses on healthy food with a strong percentage of plant-based and vegan options — even though he himself is not vegan. We talk about the evolving food marketplace, and we discuss how an incubator program has helped launch new local businesses. Our guests:
- Ryan Jennings, chef, president, and co-founder of Sweet Pea Plant-Based Kitchen
- Janessa Steenberg, founder of Panacheeza
- Brad VanAuken, venture coach with RIT Venture Creations
*Note: Connections is livestreamed each day on the WXXI News YouTube channel. Watch here.
