Get Connected

The fastest-growing brain disease in the world is almost entirely preventable. So why are cases of Parkinson’s Disease skyrocketing?  In THE PARKINSON’S PLAN, leading neurologists Dr. Ray Dorsey and Dr. Michael Okun explore how chemicals — including those banned in dozens of countries but still used widely the in U.S. — are fueling a hidden Parkinson’s epidemic.  Dr. Ray Dorsey is Director of The Center for the Brain and Environment at Atria Health and Research Institute in NYC, and Dr. Michael Okun is Director of the Norman Fixel Institute for Neurological Diseases at The University of Florida Health.

One of the most iconic neighborhoods in New York is geting a glow up:  The Village Alliance Business Improvement District (BID) [https://villagealliance.org/] has announced the launch of Project Green, a five-year, $2 million fundraising campaign to dramatically increase greenery across one of the city’s most vibrant neighborhoods, Greenwich Village. Our guest is Scott Hobbs, Executive Director of the Village Alliance, leading the organization’s first comprehensive streetscape initiative in over 20 years.

Uptown Voices: An Uptown Story [https://www.wilpierce.com/] is a multi-media exhibition in development designed to document Harlem’s history through intimate large-format portraits and oral histories of residents who have lived in the community for 30 years or more. The brother and sister team behind the project, photographer Wil Pierce and curator Joyous Pierce, have launched an open call for nominations—inviting New Yorkers to put forward family, friends, or neighbors whose Harlem stories should be preserved.

While gig work is wide ranging and offers plenty of freedoms, being an independent worker often means no access to traditional employment protections or benefits, such as healthcare, retirement or paid leave. Rafael Espinal, Executive Director of Freelancers Union [https://freelancersunion.org/], visits to talk about the growing independent workforce and portable benefits. Freelancers Union is the largest organization representing independent workers in the U.S., with over 500,000 members nationwide. Membership is free and open to all U.S.-based freelancers.

POISONING THE WELL: How Forever Chemicals Contaminated America takes a look at the toxic chemicals PFAS, and how they’ve become permanently embedded in our soil, our water, and our bodies. Authors Sharon Udasin and Rachel Frazin discuss the controversy and consequences. Sharon Udasin is a staff reporter for The Hill, covering Western climate and policy. She was the recipient of a 2022 SEAL Environmental Journalism Award, and spent nearly a decade in Israel, reporting on environment, energy, and agriculture for The Jerusalem Post. Rachel Frazin covers energy and environment policy for The Hill. Her work has also appeared in the Chicago Sun-Times, The Daily Beast, the Tampa Bay Times, and elsewhere.