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Connections
Connections

The ongoing story of Clarissa Street 

By Racquel Stephen,
Veronica Volk, Elissa Orlando, Julie Williams
Published August 19, 2025 at 3:13 PM EDT
Four smiling people stand in a radio talk studio: a woman far left has long blonde hair and is wearing glasses and a denim dress; a woman near left has short brown hair and is wearing glasses and a white blazer over a black t-shirt; a woman near right has short blonde hair and is wearing a blue patterned blouse and jeans; a man near right has short grey hair and is wearing glasses and a white t-shirt with yellow lettering.
Julie Williams
/
WXXI News
Renee Long, Patricia Mason-Williams and George Fontenette with host Racquel Stephen on "Connections" on Tuesday, August 19, 2025
A smiling woman with short blonde hair sits at a desk in front of a microphone wearing a gold necklace and green and white patterned dress.
David Griffin
/
WXXI News
Racquel Stephen guest hosting "Connections with Evan Dawson"

Clarissa Street was once the cultural heartbeat of Rochester’s Third Ward. It was home to legendary jazz clubs, thriving businesses, and a tight-knit community.

Urban renewal and highway construction dismantled that neighborhood, but its legacy lives on through the annual Clarissa Street Reunion.

In this hour, we hear from community leaders and elders about the history of Clarissa Street, why it matters in 2025, and how remembering the past can shape our future.

Our guests:

Connections
Racquel Stephen
Racquel Stephen is WXXI's health, equity and community reporter and producer. She holds a bachelor's degree in English literature from the University of Rochester and a master's degree in broadcasting and digital journalism from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University.
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Veronica Volk
Veronica Volk is a senior producer and editor for WXXI News.
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Elissa Orlando
Elissa Orlando is a producer for “Connections with Evan Dawson.” She returns part-time to WXXI News after stepping back from a long career in public media and in translational science.
See stories by Elissa Orlando
Julie Williams
Julie Williams is an associate producer for "Connections with Evan Dawson." She started at WXXI in 2019 and has been working on Connections since 2022.
See stories by Julie Williams