PMJA Award - Disrupted '80 years ago, the U.S. dropped atomic bombs on Japan. Shizuko Tomoda still feels the impact.'

Disrupted with Khalilah Brown-Dean
Episode: 80 years ago, the U.S. dropped atomic bombs on Japan. Connecticut’s Shizuko Tomoda still feels the impact
Original Airdate: August 8, 2025
Category: Interview

Disrupted is a show about changes and changemakers. It’s about the big and small disruptions that shape our lives. Because of that mission, when we realized that August 2025 would mark 80 years since the United States dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, we wanted to make sure our coverage recognized both the historical and the personal impact of that day.

We found a source who could not only speak to how that day changed people’s lives, but who also, through her own advocacy, was making changes in her community.

When we saw Dr. Shizuko Tomoda's documentary film, Memory of Hiroshima through Imagination, we were not only drawn to her personal story, but also to the fact that she taught for years at Central Connecticut State University and even brought students to Japan to learn about the bombing. It’s that experience that makes Dr. Tomoda such a powerful guest. Not only does she have a unique personal background, but she has used that background to educate other people.

The full episode was produced by Isaac Moss, Kevin Chang Barnum, Erica McIntosh, Robyn Doyon-Aitken  and Megan Fitzgerald with help from Coco Cooley.