As we wrap up 2022, it is a time to reminisce and celebrate the challenges we have overcome.
This year, StoryCorps did it all. We brought stories of role models to life with our animation season, “Wisdom from our Elders.” We heard stories of triumph and defining memories in our ninth podcast season, “The Things We Carry.” And like every year, we were with you every Friday morning on Morning Edition.
2022 was a year of triumph and new normals, and we are here to tell the stories of it all. Enjoy and relive some of these stories shared this year. We cannot wait to record, preserve, and share more stories with you in 2023!
Some animations produced in 2022
Lessons From Lourdes
Lourdes Villanueva grew up a daughter of migrant workers. Her family was constantly on the move, which prevented Lourdes from receiving her high school diploma. Despite the odds stacked against her, Lourdes was determined to complete her education all while balancing working in the fields and parenting her children. At StoryCorps, Lourdes sits down with her son Roger, who reflects on how his mother’s dedication inspired him. Read the full transcript here.
Joyce’s Neighborhood
Mary Mills grew up as an only child in the 1960s in a quiet neighborhood near Santa Monica, California. Although Mary didn’t have siblings to play with, she was never lonely. There were plenty of children nearby, and they all wanted to be at her house where they would hang out with Mary… and her mom, Joyce Carter Mills. At StoryCorps, Mary brought her mom to tell her why she was “the mom every other kid wanted.” Read the full transcript here.
Meet The Greenbergs
Growing up in her parents’ home in Queens, New York during the 1950s, Laura Greenberg says she didn’t know what normal behavior was. She remembers her family expressing love through hugging, cursing, and oversharing. At StoryCorps, Laura sits down with her daughter Rebecca to reflect on their unconventional love language. Read the full transcript here.
Miss Betty’s Calling
For 25 years, Betty Thompson — who was lovingly referred to as “Miss Betty” — dedicated her career to Jackson Women’s Health Organization where she helped countless people who walked through those doors. In 2004, Jackson Women’s Health Organization became the last remaining abortion clinic in Mississippi, and in 2022, it was forced to close as a result of the US Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. At StoryCorps, Betty reflects on her decision to help these women, and the experiences as a teenager in the 1960s that brought her to her calling. Read the full transcript here.
An Honest Life
When Tony Perri first told his childhood priest he was gay, he was told, “be careful who you tell that to, son.” Seventeen years later, he came out to his wife and eventually his children. Tony’s honesty with his family paved the way for his grandson, Jeffrey, to live his life openly and be proud of his sexuality. The two came to StoryCorps to reflect on how Tony’s life has paved the way for Jeffrey. Read the full transcript here.
Labor of Love
Mary Stepp Burnette Hayden was born into enslavement in Black Mountain, North Carolina. She was 7 years old when she was freed. She stayed in Black Mountain and became a midwife, delivering several hundred babies including her own grandchildren. Her granddaughter, Mary Othella Burnette, came to StoryCorps with her daughter, Debora Hamilton Palmer, to honor the family matriarch. Read the full transcript here.
Some broadcasts produced in 2022
‘A PACKAGE DEAL’: TWO BROTHERS FACE MORTALITY TOGETHER
Growing up, brothers Mark and David Carles were best friends who did everything together. When they first recorded a StoryCorps conversation, a year after Mark was diagnosed with a rare form of liver cancer, they talked about facing mortality together. This week, David recorded another StoryCorps conversation honoring Mark’s memory — and the laughs and love that they shared. The two remained inseparable until the very end. Read the full transcript here.
AFTER FOUR DECADES IN THE CLASSROOM, A TEXAS TEACHER IS KEEPING HISTORY ALIVE
Nelva Williamson grew up with a love and respect for learning that she carried throughout her life. As a young woman, she found herself drawn to the classroom, and 42 years later, that’s still where you will find her. At StoryCorps, Nelva sits down with her son Timothy to reflect on her career and discuss the importance of teaching “the whole history.” Read the full transcript here.
He Survived The Holocaust Because Of A Stranger’s Kindness
In 1941, Rabbi Philip Lazowski and his family were among the Jews banished from their village in Poland by the Nazis and sent to the Zhetel Ghetto. One day, Philip, just 11 years old, was caught alone by a German soldier after being separated from his parents and siblings. Now 91-years-old, Rabbi Philip came to StoryCorps to remember a quick decision that changed his life. Read the full transcript here.
Some podcasts Produced in 2022
In the Comments
A few months ago, we asked our listeners one question. We then received hundreds of responses that made even our most hardened producers tear up. In this episode, find out what that question was and how it inspired our new season. Subscribe to the podcast.
One Who Is Understanding
Family names bind one generation to the next. But what if that name is lost? In this episode, a grieving family learns their legacy is being kept alive by a stranger from far away. Subscribe to the podcast.
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