Connections With Renee Shaw

Murray State University is celebrating its centennial birthday this year. Renee Shaw talks to the president of MSU, Bob Jackson, about his presidency, career, and a new book he has co-authored, entitled "The Finest Place We Know: A Centennial History of Murray State University, 1922-2022."

Renee's guest is Melynda Jamison of Court Appointed Special Advocates of Lexington.

Renee Shaw speaks with retiring Berea College President Lyle Roelofs about his 11-year tenure at the college.

David Cozart, head of the Commonwealth Center for Fathers and Families, talks about his organization's effort to engage fathers more, especially those incarcerated, in their children's lives. Next, Renee Shaw speaks with financial experts Dale Morgan and Beverly Bowens about their efforts to educate and empower youngsters and the larger Lexington community regarding financial literacy.

Whitney Austin, a mass shooting survivor, talks about the recent events in Texas and a policy proposal to curb gun violence that she’s pushing in Kentucky to keep firearms out of the hands of the mentally ill.

Renee Shaw talks with Ben Chandler, president and CEO of the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky, about the organization's effort to inform pregnant women about COVID-19 and vaccinations, the recent health policy passed by state lawmakers and health equity issues.

Kentucky's Secretary of State Michael Adams talks about the May 2022 primary and election reforms going into effect this voting cycle, shifts in voter registration, combating disinformation about election integrity and his possible future political aspirations.

Brigitte Blom, president and CEO of the Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence, talks about how education fared during the 2022 Kentucky General Assembly and how the organization is engaged in policymaking around early childhood education, equity and student success.

April is Child Abuse Prevention Month. Renee Shaw and her guests discuss the statistics of kids who suffer from abuse in Kentucky and some ways state organizations and policymakers are working to protect them. Guests include Shannon Moody, chief officer of strategic initiatives for Kentucky Youth Advocates and Sonja Grey, executive director of Exploited Children's Help Organization.

Renee Shaw talks about kidney health, prevention and mitigation of chronic kidney disease and the importance of being a kidney donor with Dr. Kenneth Afenya, internal medicine and nephrology specialist, and Sarah Crouch, executive director of the Kidney Health Alliance of Kentucky.

Jonathan Bullington, an investigative reporter with the Louisville Courier Journal, talks about the outsized mass incarceration rates in Kentucky and an analysis of 43 years of persistent felony offender cases by Courier Journal investigative reporters and the Vera Institute of Justice linking jail and prison overcrowding to Kentucky's Persistent Felony Offender (PFO) law.

Renee Shaw talks with journalists who produced "A Critical Moment," a radio documentary about teaching race in America from WFPL News in Louisville. WFPL's Arts & Culture Reporter Stephanie Wolf investigated how the Holocaust is covered in German classrooms. And, WFPL's Education and Learning Reporter Jess Clark examined how race is covered in Kentucky classrooms.

Renee Shaw talks with educator Dr. Felicia C. Smith, president of the National Center for Families Learning, about getting government, families and organizations mobilized in delivering a high-quality education to kids.

Renee Shaw talks with Eric Friedlander, secretary of the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services, about the shortage of social workers in the state, reversing the rise in opioid addiction, the global public health crisis and the cabinet's budget priorities for the current legislative session.

Renee Shaw and guests talk about the healthcare worker shortage and a new collaboration to address the issue in Kentucky's healthcare industry. Guests: Kris Williams, chancellor of the Kentucky Community and Technical College System; LaKisha Miller, executive director of the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce Workforce Center; and Nancy Galvagni, president and CEO of the Kentucky Hospital Association.

Host Renee Shaw talks with scholar, sociologist and author William Turner about his new book "Harlan Renaissance: Stories of Black Life in Appalachian Coal Towns" which chronicles the area's vibrant Black communities during coal's final post-war boom years.

Renee Shaw talks with Crystal Wilkinson, Kentucky's poet laureate 2021-2022, about her recent and upcoming projects. Wilkinson is the award-winning author of Perfect Black, a collection of poems, and three works of fiction - The Birds of Opulence, Water Street and Blackberries, Blackberries.

Host Renee Shaw talks with Johnny Collett, deputy director of the University of Kentucky Human Development Institute about its mission to advance efforts that improve the lives of people with disabilities. Then, Renee talks with Berea College student Victoria Brooks about her rare bone disease and how she wants to use her experience and disability to help others.

Renee Shaw talks with authors Silas House, Gwenda Bond and Julian Thomas about their work that will be highlighted at the 40th annual Kentucky Book Festival held in Lexington in November. Then, Sara Woods, festival director for Kentucky Humanities, talks about the schedule that includes virtual and in-person events during the week, including a Saturday event featuring 140 authors.

Renee Shaw speaks with hip hop artist, community activist, and motivational speaker Devine Carama talks about his appointment as director of One Lexington, a program that mobilizes city government and community resources against violence and other topics.