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Connections

Coming up on Connections: Wednesday, February 13

First hour: Discussing stereotypes faced by women in politics

Second hour: The documentary, "Don't Be Nice"

The New York Times stirred debate with a piece about perceptions of sexism on the campaign trail. Six women are running for president in 2020, and record numbers of women are running for office on just about every level. The Times piece is called “A Woman, Just Not That Woman.” It details how voters claim to view men and women equally as political contenders, yet women face steeper challenges. Our guests weigh in:

  • Nicole Hushla Re, vice chair of the Monroe County Democratic Party
  • Robin Wilt, member of the Brighton Town Board
  • Stephanie Townsend, member of the Pittsford Town Board

Then in our second hour, the documentary “Don’t Be Nice” tells the story of five slam poets from New York City who have teamed up to compete for a national title. Their coach encourages them to push past the entertainment value of the form and write and speak from a place of vulnerability, confronting painful issues related to race, gender, sexuality, and identity. The film will be screened as part of the Black Cinema Series at the Little Theatre on Friday. We’ll preview the film with its director and local slam poets who will share their process. Our guests:

  • Kevin Hicks, journalist, and vice president of the Rochester Association of Black Journalists
  • Reenah Golden, founder and artistic director of The Avenue Blackbox Theatre, host of the Goddess Hour on WAYO FM, co-creator of Kuumba Consultants, and founder of SLAAAM High
  • Shaq "A.O.R." Payne, spoken word artist and recording artist
  • Nikhil Melnechuk, filmmaker for “Don’t Be Nice,” actor, and poet
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.