The upcoming holiday season is known as a time for gathering with friends and family over food. But November 1st marked the cut-off of SNAP benefits and the rapid increase of food insecurity across the nation as part of the Trump administration's continued campaign against immigrants, the working class, and the federal assistance programs which tens of millions depend upon.

In this episode of Mic Check, host Tyler Nelson speaks with Maggie Mitchell Salem, Executive Director of IRIS (Integrated Refugee and Immigration Services), a resettlement agency located in New Haven, Connecticut. Maggie provides an update on IRIS’s new location in downtown New Haven, the Trump regime's continuing erosion of America’s great legacy of bipartisan immigration policy, and what the loss of SNAP and other essential services means for immigrants and U.S.-born citizens. Their conversation concludes on the topic of hope, plus some tangible ways that listeners can help their sisters and brothers around Connecticut experiencing hunger and food insecurity.

Resources recommended by Maggie include:
IRIS Food Pantry (75 Hamilton St, New Haven) is open from 8:30-11:00am on Wednesdays. Donations accepted at irisct.org/donate.

Community Soup Kitchen of New Haven (84 Broadway, New Haven) provides healthy and nutritious meals to all persons. Information at csknewhaven.org.

Connecticut Foodshare connects people with mobile and local food pantries at ctfoodshare.org/find-food.

Laura Modlin interviews Melissa McDowell on how she cured herself with food.

"I have met a lot of people in the local food movement who were set on their path to championing better food after curing themselves with what they ate. So, I am pleased to be able to interview one very special lady on WPKN who did just that." ~ Laura

Photo courtesy of Melissa McDowell.

On the August 17, 2025 episode of Mic Check, host Mike Merli sat down with Barbara Fair.

Born and raised in New Haven, Barbara graduated with an MSW (Master’s in Social Work) from Southern Connecticut State University, who presented her in 2022 with a Presidential Gold Medal naming her as a woman of distinction for her many years fighting for prison reform. Barbara is currently Director of Stop Solitary CT, and has spent much of her life in the struggle for racial and social justice in Connecticut and across the nation. Barbara’s most rewarding role in life is as a mother, grandmother, and great grandmother.

During the discussion, they touch on two important events happening this week:

On Thursday August 21, from 6pm to 9pm, Stop Solitary CT will hold their monthly Community Meeting, at the Whitneyville Cultural Commons (1253 Whitney Avenue) in Hamden, Connecticut. The discussion will bring together private Defense Attorneys, Prosecutors, and civil rights activist Abraham Santiago.

On Friday August 22, at 9am, Barbara and Stop Solitary CT will be gathering in front of Hartford Superior Court (95 Washington Street) for a vigil before a hearing where the court will decide whether or not to publicly release the video of J'Allen Jones' March 2018 death at Garner Correctional Institution in Newtown.

Barbara Fair can be reached at:
barbfair848@gmail.com.

More info on Stop Solitary CT at:
www.stopsolitaryct.org/
x.com/stopsolitaryct
www.instagram.com/stopsolitaryct/

More info on the death of J'Allen Jones at:

www.ctinsider.com/news/article/jal…uit-19813830.php

www.wfsb.com/2024/10/18/frustra…to%20be%20released

www.wtnh.com/news/connecticut/h…eath-of-an-inmate/

www.nhregister.com/news/article/ac…ecount=MA%3D%3D

After the US election in 2024, American’s were flooded with what they could expect from the incoming administration in the first 100 Days. The news was filled with the horrors to come, Isabelle Barbour initiated her own 100 Days from January 20th to April 29th of 2025. She set out to connect, hold space, and listen to people across the country about what they were feeling, doing, what they feared and what they loved. This is part 2 of of the 100 Days Project story and features the five people that Isabelle recorded with -- in the last 50 days.

After the US election in 2024, American’s were flooded with what they could expect from the incoming administration in the first 100 Days. The news was filled of the horrors to come, Isabelle Barbour initiated her own 100 Days from January 20th to April 29th of 2025. She set out to connect, hold space, and listen to people across the country about what they were feeling, doing, what they feared and what they loved. This is part 1 and features eight people that Isabelle recorded with in the first 50 days.

On the July 20, 2025 episode of Mic Check, host Mike Merli sits down with José Sandoval aka Abu-Reza, Bridgeport resident and member of the Bridgeport Islamic Community Center (BICC) community.

The program features Mike and José discussing the life of Percy Berry, as well as reflections from James Shaham, Hamza Seyal, Fernando Gonzalez, Zain Seyal, and Bisher Hiba, who all knew Percy and are heard here honoring and celebrating his life.

Percy was a beloved member of Bridgeport's Muslim community, as well as a Justice Adviser for the Connecticut Justice Alliance, which works to keep children and youth out of the legal system by disrupting and dismantling the pathways that funnel children and youth into courts and prisons.

Through that work, Percy spoke at the Connecticut state legislature, testified in hearings, and worked to help others in numerous ways. He played an important role behind the scenes that helped lead to SB 1542 being passed and signed into law. SB 1542 called for restricting the use of handcuffs and restraints on Connecticut kids age 14 and under.

More information on the Connecticut Justice Alliance can be found at:
https://ctja.org/
https://www.facebook.com/CTJusticeAlliance/
https://www.instagram.com/ctjusticealliance/

More information on the Bridgeport Islamic Community Center can be found at:
https://www.mybicc.org/
https://www.facebook.com/mybicc/

Laura Modlin interviews Annie Hornish, Connecticut state director and lobbyist for Humane World for Animals, on 2025 Connecticut bill outcomes in Hartford, how to keep your pets safe in summer heat & tips on living with bears.

Photo by Laura Modlin.

Laura Modlin interviews Susan Masino, a neuroscientist and professor of Applied Science at Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut, on how being in nature impacts brain health.

Photo by Laura Modlin.