On the Tuesday June 9, 2026 episode of Mic Check, host Mike Merli sits down with Joe Grits, Bridgeport-based community activist and musician. Joe takes time to remember his friend Dyshan Best, who was shot and killed by Bridgeport Police on March 31, 2025. Joe also speaks about his ongoing legal battle, stemming from his grief and pain being criminalized by the state in the aftermath of Dyshan's murder.

Sandra Levinson, executive director of the Center For Cuban Studies (www.centerorcubanstudies.org), reports on her recent trip to Cuba, focusing on the island nation's struggle survival under the yoke of the Trump regime's total oil embargo.
Interview by Richard Hill

On the February 10, 2026 episode of Mic Check, host Mike Merli sat down with James Jeter, Co-Founder and Director of Full Citizens Coalition, a non-profit organization here in Connecticut. James was incarcerated at the age of 17 and served 19.5 years in prison before being released in 2016. James is dedicated to the cause of prison education and has sought opportunities to apply his own experience to benefit those still incarcerated or returning home.

James and Full Citizens Coalition are part of the Coalition for Community Healing Through Justice Reform, which has been working hard to pass an important piece of Juvenile Justice legislation at the state capitol in Hartford during this legislative session.

An important press conference on this bill will be taking place tomorrow, Wednesday February 11 at 10am in Room 1-C at the Legislative Office Building, or LOB, located at 300 Capitol Avenue in Hartford.

For more on Full Citizens Coalition:
https://www.fullcitizenscoalition.org/
voteunlocked@fullcitizenscoalition.org

To connect with the campaign behind the new Juvenile Sentencing Reform legislation being proposed at the state legislature:
coalitionforhealingandjustice@gmail.com