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Connections

Coming up on Connections: Friday, February 8

Denise Young / WXXI

First hour: Leaders of the Rochester-Monroe Anti-Poverty Initiative discuss progress, misconceptions, and reframed goals

Second hour: Understanding the value of interfaith education 

WXXI News continues its series of reporting on the Rochester-Monroe Anti-Poverty Initiative (RMAPI). As reported by Veronica Volk, RMAPI has been plagued by misconceptions since its inception; her work has examined what RMAPI is and what it does in the fight against poverty. Four years following its launch, RMAPI leaders are reframing the promises made by the initiative. Initially, it pledged to reduce the poverty rate by 50 percent in 15 years, but now, leaders are focusing on a longer timeline and discussing how their efforts are evolving. This hour, we sit down with RMAPI and community leaders to discuss the initiative’s work to date and what they hope it will accomplish in the future. In studio:

  • Leonard Brock, Ph.D., executive director of the Rochester Monroe Anti-Poverty Initiative
  • Jaime Saunders, president and CEO of the United Way
  • Isabelle Bartter, community member who served on an RMAPI working group
  • Tyrone Reaves, owner of Truform Manufacturing, and leader of the Young Adult Manufacturing Training Employment Program
  • Veronica Volk, reporter and producer for WXXI News

Then in our second hour, Nazareth College is opening a new center with the goal of promoting cross-cultural awareness and understanding among people of different belief systems. The Konar Center for Tolerance and Jewish Studies will work closely with the Hickey Center for Interfaith Studies and Dialogue and with Nazareth’s Center for Spirituality. This hour, we’re joined by representatives from the college and from the Islamic Center of Rochester to discuss the value of interfaith education in times of divisiveness. Our guests:

  • Dianne Oliver, Ph.D., dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Nazareth College
  • Susan Nowak, Ph.D., professor of religious studies and the William H. Shannon Chair of Religious Studies at Nazareth College
  • Morgan Hand, vice president of the student Interfaith Council at Nazareth College, who has attended the Parliament of World Religions and Interfaith Youth Core Interfaith Leaders Institute
  • Tabassam Javed, president of the Islamic Center of Rochester
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.