12:00: Marking the bicentennial of the Erie Canal
1:00: New play explores native identity in modern America
How would the Rochester region have developed differently without the Erie Canal? This year marks the canal's bicentennial, and a number of events are planned. Modern life has changed the canal from economic engine to a multi-use resource. Enthusiasts say more New Yorkers should use it. This hour, Evan and co-host Eric Grode explore the history of the canal, its significance to the region, and how it helped Rochester become the city it is today. Our guests:
- Mark S. Ferrara, professor of English at SUNY Oneonta and author of "The Raging Erie: Life and Labor Along the Erie Canal"
- Christine L. Ridarsky, historian for Rochester and Monroe County
- Patrick Russell-Walsh, executive director of Corn Hill Waterfront and Navigation Foundation
- Nate Harrington, senior in the Magazine, News, and Digital Journalism program at Syracuse University and project coordinator for "Unlocking New York"
Then in our second hour, a new play at Geva Theatre asks whether Pure Native is a clever name for new bottled water with Haudenosaunee connections...or if it's purely exploitative. The show could push audiences to examine what they stand for, and what selling out really means. And for populations who have been abused, where is the line? Is it different? Our guests discuss it with Evan and co-host Eric Grode. In studio:
- Vickie Ramirez (Tuscarora), playwright of "Pure Native"
- Ansley Jemison (Seneca Nation, Wolf Clan), cultural liaison at Ganondagan State Historic Site and cultural consultant on "Pure Native"
- Eron Damercy, director of connectivity for Geva Theatre
*Note: "Connections" is livestreamed each day on the WXXI News YouTube channel. Watch here.
