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Hartford man wants high school diploma 56 years after being expelled
As a part of the Class of 1968, Gerald ‘Mike’ Fothergill walked out of Hartford Public High the day after the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. and was later expelled by the school board. He is now hoping the school will give him or allow him to earn his diploma.
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New Puerto Rican restaurant opens in New Britain
Boriexpress, a small Puerto Rican restaurant in New Britain, is a spot where you can get authentic Latin food on the go.
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Mobile bookstore in Hartford aims to highlight authors and protagonists of color
Jennifer Wilder is bringing the bookstore to the block. “After a little bit in the world of literacy, I realized that the narrative about the availability of books of color was a false narrative,” Big Red Book Truck owner Jennifer Wilder said. Wilder created the Big Red Book Truck, a mobile bookstore, to change the narrative about the availability and…
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Vegan food joint in Hartford advocates for the community
The former film and acting teacher from Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts switched careers to reshape the way we think about vegan food.
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Vegan food joint in Hartford advocates for the community
When you visit ZoJu Foods in Hartford, you’ll find Anthony Solano in the kitchen. “Yeah, my role is chef and owner, which is still a new title I’m trying to acclimate to.” It’s a brand-new role for Solano, who opened his business just five months ago inside the CREC building on Charter Oak Avenue. The former film and acting...
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Program aims to increase number of Spanish-speaking social workers in the state
The UConn School of Social work is working to address a shortage of bilingual social workers through Connecticut ¡Adelante!, a new program offered in Hartford.
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From tech entrepreneur to owner of a Connecticut pro soccer team
Being the first isn’t something new for André Swanston. “Being one of the youngest and only Black is kind of what I have done in everything for pretty much 20 years straight,” Swanston Organization Chairman and CEO André Swanston said. Swanston was born in the Bronx and grew up in a diverse and working-class neighborhood. “The Bronx is something I…
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Norwalk artist aims to spread messages of love and acceptance
For 5ivefingaz, creating art has always been a form of expression and a safe haven. “Art has been a savior for me where it has kept me out of trouble. It’s gotten me into a little bit of trouble, but mostly out of trouble,” artist 5ivefingaz said. As a kid trying to figure out his craft, Five would spend...
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UConn alumni and faculty remember late choral director
Friends who knew Dr. Peter Bagley remember him as always dedicating his time to teaching and mentoring. “Whether it was at class time, or whether it was just interaction and talking about life,” Director of Music and Arts at Asylum Hill Congregational Church Jack Pott said. The way that Dr. Bagley led a choir is recounted as a well-oiled...
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Quinnipiac grad is the first Black woman to win an Emmy for reality show casting
It’s awards season and one Quinnipiac University grad just won her first Emmy for her work on “The Traitors,” a type of show that’s part murder-mystery wrapped in a challenge competition. It’s streaming now on Peacock.
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The Shack in New Haven aims to help youth and seniors
In the West Hills area of New Haven, at 333 Valley St., is an intergenerational organization universally known as The Shack. “We welcome all the kids, it doesn’t matter where you are from, if you want a safe haven, we welcome them to come to The Shack,” Founder and CEO Honda Smith said. She’s also a city alderwoman. The Shack...
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The Shack in New Haven aims to help youth and seniors
In the West Hills area of New Haven, at 333 Valley St., is an intergenerational organization universally known as The Shack.
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Kid-run charity effort in CT gets new round of national exposure
The founder of Chelsea’s Charity is bringing her unique approach to art therapy to kids across the country.
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Bridgeport startup unites the community through roller skating
“I started skating in 2019 and it was just something that I really fell in love with immediately.” When Takina Pollock Shafer laces up her skates, she says there’s a freedom that fills every twist and turn. “Roller skating is just liberating for me. It’s something that helped me get back in touch with my inner child,” Shafer said....
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Bridgeport woman's pandemic pastime becomes movement
Here’s how one woman’s outdoor activity during the pandemic has become a movement in Bridgeport.
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New East Hartford mayor has big plans for town
Mayor Connor Martin says he is proud to be a leader who better reflects the community of East Hartford.
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Veteran, Quinnipiac student wins social work award for mental health advocacy
A military veteran and soon-to-be social worker says mental health advocacy is one of his most important missions, especially among Black and brown communities. Sergeant Nebiyou Masresha spent eight years with the Army National Guard and was deployed to Afghanistan in 2012. “For me, it was coming back,” he said. “Coming back from deployment and having to deal with mental…
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Connecticut nurses write book to empower Latina nursing community
A group of nurses, led by one right here in Connecticut, decided to use their words to represent the experiences they share as a part of a group that is far too small, Latinas in nursing.
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The Hat House by Brothers Johnson 1929 Hat Co. opens in Hartford
A brand new clothing retailer is opening in Hartford’s North End on Garden Street.