12:00: Teens hope new center will curb gun violence and promote peace
1:00: Iranians discuss the fall of the dictator and what’s next
"We want the ones who's stealing the cars. We want the ones who's robbing. We want the ones who's failing with their schoolwork." That's what staff members at Teen Empowerment (TE) say about connecting with local young people. The nonprofit works alongside teens to foster peace, equity, and justice in the community. As reported by WXXI's Noelle Evans and Max Schulte, the center recently opened a new location at the corner of Magee and Dewey avenues — an area on Rochester's north side that has been the site of numerous deaths by gun violence in recent years. TE leaders say it an opportunity to offer young people a different pathway forward. This hour, we sit down with some of the teens and a Teen Empowerment leader to discuss their work, their goals, and what the new hub means for their mission. In studio:
- Shanterra Randle-Mitchum, director of Rochester programs at Teen Empowerment
- Emerra Moore, Teen Empowerment participant
- Yaselis Pineda, Teen Empowerment participant
- Paul Ross Jr., Teen Empowerment participant
Then in our second hour, in January, we welcomed a panel of Iranian Americans to discuss their hopes for the future of Iran. Now that the Ayatollah is dead, a range of possibilities is in play. They discuss their hopes and their fears, as war rages in Iran. In studio:
- Niaz Abdolrahim, Ph.D., associate professor of mechanical engineering at the University of Rochester
- Pouya Seifzadeh, Ph.D., associate professor of strategy at SUNY Geneseo and local business owner of Funtastic Adventure Park, Bounce Hopper, and Ontario Play & Cafe
"Connections" is livestreamed each day on the WXXI News YouTube channel. Watch here.
