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One Small Step with Braver Angels

Moury Khan — Mon, 29 Jul 2024 15:25:52 +0000

Cole Johnston, Manager, Student Programs, One Small Step Campus.

Last month, I attended the Braver Angels Convention in Kenosha, WI with the One Small Step (OSS) on Campus team. With over 750 delegates present, equally represented by half “red” and half “blue,” the event was bustling and bubbling over with diverse ideas and perspectives. Our One Small Step breakout sessions were well-received, and it was thrilling to see participants from across the country appreciate the uniquely human-centered approach of our model. After his workshop experience, one participant noted:

“I had previously heard my interview partner share out in another session, but in a million years I wouldn’t have been able to guess the unique childhood he had. The experience left me with a feeling of wonder and thoughts about how every single person has a unique story that no one else but them will ever fully understand.”

The highlight of my experience was the College Debates and Discourse Alliance Symposium, which offered invaluable insights into creating thriving, dialogic communities of practice on college campuses. Something that stuck with me was Virginia Military Institute’s learnings from their fellowship program. They underscored the importance of empowering students and supporting them as leaders and experts in their own communities. It was an exciting and reassuring reminder that, amidst the AI revolution, this work of connecting humans will always be done by people, for people. Moreover, relationship-building and empowering people to work toward change in their own communities is what will lead us to a more cooperative, kind, and thoughtful democracy.

Our presence at the convention, both through structured sessions and informal interactions, highlighted the connections between the work of OSS and Braver Angels. I was reminded that we are a part of a broader movement toward civic renewal and bridging divides. By participating in events like the Braver Angels Convention, we are joining a coalition of like-minded changemakers. We do not agree on all the details, but, most importantly, we agree on where we’re going together. Above all, the convention felt like it was pointing us toward StoryCorps’ larger north star: helping us believe in each other by illuminating the humanity and possibility in us all — one story at a time.

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StoryCorps App

Rachel Sater — Fri, 12 Jul 2024 15:05:45 +0000

Launched with support from the 2015 TED Prize and the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, our free mobile app puts the StoryCorps experience entirely in your hands so that you can record and archive a meaningful conversation with anyone, anywhere.

The app guides users through the interview experience from start to finish with easy-to-use tools to help you prepare interview questions, record high-quality conversations on your mobile device, and upload the audio to the Library of Congress and our new StoryCorps Archive platform.

To get started, download the app and read our user guides below. For support and to share your feedback and community success stories, visit our Help Center or email us at contactus@storycorps.org.

User Guides

Safety Tips for Recording on the App During COVID-19

Do not record if you are ill and do not record any family members who are ill. Symptoms of illness include fever, cough, feeling very tired, and may also include sore throat or runny nose.

If the person you want to interview is uncomfortable about doing a recording, do not put pressure on them to participate.

If your interview subject does not live with you and is sheltered at home or in a facility, do not go and record with their face-to-face.

Wash your hands and have your interview partner wash their hands before the interview.

Clean your phone with a wipe* before you begin and at the end of the interview.

Sit at least six feet away from the person you are recording. Hold the phone two feet from your mouth to record the question, use a selfie stick or slide the phone over a table to the person you are interviewing for their answer. The interviewee should also hold the phone two feet from their mouth. Wipe the phone down in between each question and answer.

*NYTimes – How to Clean Your Phone to Help Protect Against Coronavirus

How To Use The StoryCorps App

Learn how to use the free StoryCorps App in five simple steps!

The Origin of the StoryCorps App

Watch the 2015 TED Talk in which Dave Isay shares his vision for how meaningful conversation can transform the world.

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OSS America Launches with National PSA Campaign

Lisa Sock + Associates — Tue, 16 Jul 2024 20:04:35 +0000

StoryCorps recently launched One Small Step America, an effort to begin the national expansion of its One Small Step (OSS) initiative. The kick-off includes a national PSA campaign with digital, print, broadcast, and outdoor advertising in markets across the country. Having focused OSS locally in three local Model Communities, it’s now possible for anyone, anywhere in the country, to quickly and easily participate in an OSS conversation.

The PSA campaign, by creative agency I.D/W, features the work of famed illustrator Noma Bar and leads with the tagline “let’s talk…for a change.”

We sat down with Leigh Okies, Creative Director and Principal at I/D.W, to discuss the creative development for this campaign. “StoryCorps approached us to design the campaign after deciding that it was a good time to begin scaling the OSS effort, given the contentious election year and the momentum achieved in the Model Communities — among other factors,” Leigh said.

“For this campaign, we knew we needed to create imagery and a message that would resonate beyond political ads. ‘Let’s talk…for a change’ is inviting and sends a message of hope. It also underscores the fact that the vast majority of Americans are exhausted by toxic polarization and looking for a way out. Now more than ever, we need to work together to mend the divisions in our country.”

The campaign, which will roll out into markets nationwide this summer, directs people to TakeOneSmallStep.org, where they can see conversations across the political divide modeled by OSS participants, sign up to record their own One Small Step conversation, or simply find more information about the initiative.

She added, “We used the image of red and blue arms coming together, with the hands clasped around a talk bubble because — for the billboards in particular — we have only about three seconds to convey that this effort is about bringing people with opposing political views together in conversation.”

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Stories to honor the Olympics

Moury Khan — Tue, 23 Jul 2024 21:40:42 +0000

The Olympic games are a time to celebrate some of the most determined athletes in the world. Every four years, the global phenomenon is not only the highlight of the summer, but also an inspiration for individuals to carry the same tenacity and commitment in their own lives. Listen to stories exemplifying how sports have changed the lives of trailblazing and everyday athletes alike.

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Her legs were built like cinder blocks, and her voice would wrap all around you.

From War Zones To Flood Zones: Two Veterans Find A New Calling

Jey Born — Sat, 06 Jul 2024 03:30:27 +0000

Lt. Commander Michael Davidson grew up listening to his grandfather, who he called “Pipa,” tell stories from his time in the Navy. He was determined to follow in Peepaw’s footsteps, and spent 23 years on ships and submarines.

Windy Barton also followed her grandfather’s path into the Navy, and spent 4 years on ships—fighting engine fires and making major repairs while out to sea.

Both Windy and Michael struggled to feel fulfilled after leaving the military, until they discovered Team Rubicon: a special team of veterans who go into the fray when natural disasters strike.

They came to StoryCorps to reflect on what inspired their sense of duty, and the new calling they’ve found in helping others when they are most in need.

Top Photo: Windy Barton and Michael Davidson at their StoryCorps interview in Arlington, Texas on November 14, 2023.

This interview was recorded in collaboration with Team Rubicon.

This broadcast is supported in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American people, and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Originally aired July 6, 2024, on NPR’s Weekend Edition Saturday.

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Brothers in Arms: Dan Miller Reflects on His Journey After His StoryCorps Conversation

Moury Khan — Fri, 05 Jul 2024 14:52:16 +0000

Nick Bennett and Dan Miller, guided by family traditions of military service, found themselves in the heart of the Iraq War’s “Triangle of Death” in 2004. Nick, following in the footsteps of his grandfathers who fought in World War II, joined the Marines with a profound sense of duty. Dan, inspired by his uncle’s legacy, also enlisted and advanced to the rank of Gunnery Sergeant. During their deployment, Nick’s responsibilities in maintaining communication between soldiers and their families contrasted with his longing for frontline action. This shared experience led them to StoryCorps, where they revisited their time in Iraq and the camaraderie formed in the midst of conflict. Their story was broadcast on April 27, 2024 on NPR’s Weekend Edition Saturday.

Photos courtesy of the Wounded Warrior Project.

In a follow-up to his initial StoryCorps conversation, Dan Miller, a Marine veteran, reflects more deeply on his experiences in the “Triangle of Death” in Iraq. He revisits his role and the emotions he grappled with during that challenging period, offering new insights and perspectives that have emerged since his first interview.

Have any new insights or perspectives emerged since your StoryCorps conversation?

Yes, I have had new insights and gained a new perspective on what happened that day, Nov 11th, 2004, as well as the aftermath from that day. I’ve had the chance to sit with Nick and dig into the sequence of events before, during, and after. I’ve been able to see things from his point of view which helped me to process a lot of my feelings about guilt and anger towards that day. I’ve been able to gain a new perspective on my own life following the war and how that day, that deployment shaped where I am in life now.

Photo courtesy of the Wounded Warrior Project.

In what ways have you continued to process and come to terms with the emotions surrounding your experiences in Iraq?

I would say that I continue to process every time I wake up because I start the day by reminding myself that if I had stayed standing where I had been next to Nick or in front of him, I could easily have been killed or severely wounded. I remind myself that I was lucky to walk away with a few scratches and a concussion. I know that my emotions have changed since the StoryCorps piece.

I process more clearly now, and I have come to terms with not only letting go of the guilt of the loss of so many of my fellow Marines and the “why them and not me” thing, but I’ve come to terms with the taking of life over there and the fact that it was something that just had to be. We took lives to save lives.

Have you found any new ways to honor or commemorate the sacrifices made during your service, both personally and within the veteran community?

Yes, I have dedicated my life to working for Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) as a professional speaker traveling the country and telling my story in the hopes of involving more veterans and their family members with WWP to obtain the help they need. I sit on the board of the K9’s for Veterans nonprofit and assist with pairing veterans in need with service animals at all levels to improve their quality of life. I sit on the board of the Forgotten Warrior Memorial, a memorial created in Channahon State Park, Channahon, IL, helping to contact the family members of warriors across the nation who have lost the battle with PTSD and ended their lives. These warriors deserve a place to be honored for their service and not just remembered as a person who gave up. The memorial is that place. I honor myself by continuing to live the words that my mother instilled in me as a young boy, service to others before self. That is how I honor those lost, those broken but fighting to recover, and those who need a hand up, not a handout.

How has your relationship with each other as veterans and as individuals progressed since we last spoke? Have there been any significant moments of growth or understanding?

My relationship with Nick is stronger than it was before the StoryCorps conversation. I see him in a different light as so much stronger than I ever thought before. I feel closer to him because he makes me feel whole again. I will love Nick as my brother until the day I die.

Reflecting on the support you’ve received from the Wounded Warrior Project and the veteran community, how has this impacted your sense of belonging and purpose?

This is a simple one, I can say without hesitation or doubt if it were not for the support of WWP and my fellow veteran brothers and sisters, I would not be here today. They have saved me many times over. They have saved me from me, from the demons that haunt my dreams, from the guilt that takes over my soul, from the anger that clouds my brain.

In what ways have you found strength and resilience in your personal journey as veterans since our last conversation?

I have found strength in my journey by doing what I do every day, working to help others helps me. Being communicative about how I feel now and not shoving it away for fear of looking weak.

Looking ahead, what aspirations or goals do you have for the coming year in terms of your personal growth and well-being as veterans?

I want to continue to grow as a speaker, reaching more and more people. I want to work on getting back to a higher level of fitness. I want to begin to rebuild relationships with folks that I shunned away from out of self-doubt and self-pity. I want to continue to rise above my past towards a better future.

How do you envision your ongoing relationship with each other and your involvement in the veteran community as you continue to navigate life after service?

I envision working hard to get closer to Nick by spending my time with him. It is tough because we live so far away from each other, but I feel it is worth the effort and the money to make it happen. He is such a huge part of my life story and a fellow Marine. I look forward to hopefully getting together with him sooner rather than later and maybe going fishing. I know we have spoken about our mutual love of fishing for its calmness and the chance to catch up on life.

What has recording your story with StoryCorps’ Military Voices Initiative meant to you?

Recording my story has meant the world to me. It has given me a chance to put on record a major life event that I hope when others hear will push them to come to terms with their events and speak out loud about them. To be able to sit down and talk through everything with Nick was like a cleansing of my soul in so many ways. I can also share my story with my loved ones and friends and to know it will be saved for all to hear makes me very humbled yet very proud. Proud to be an American, Proud to be a Marine, and Proud to be a Veteran.

Why do you think veterans, service members, and military families should record with StoryCorps’ Military Voices Initiative?

I think it is vital to our nation’s history that veterans, service members, and military families record their stories with StoryCorps Military Voices Initiative. Not only does it give them a chance to share their incredible stories, but it saves these stories for generations to come. I was once told by a fellow Marine that a person is never truly forgotten until their name is spoken for the very last time. StoryCorps Military Voices Initiative guarantees that the warriors and family members who have played such a pivotal role in what makes our country the greatest country in the world shall never be forgotten.

Photos courtesy of the Wounded Warrior Project.

How did recording your story with StoryCorps’ Military Voices Initiative feel?

Recording my and Nick’s story felt a little weird at first because neither of us looked at what happened to us as anything different than what has happened to thousands of others. But then as the process moved forward, we both realized that this was something special being created for not only us but for everyone. It made me feel incredibly proud to have the honor of taking part in such a moving event. And hopefully helping future generations of warriors and their families by telling our story.

This follow up conversation was made possible by the Wounded Warrior Project. Learn more about our Military Voices Initiative.

Want to record your story? Meet us at one of our stops!

Event	Partner	Booking Links & Dates
In-Person Virginia: Williamsburg	WHRO (Hampton Roads) 1408 Richmond Road Williamsburg, VA 23185	July 10-July 13

Virtual Appointments

Event	Partner	Booking Links & Dates
Virtual Pennsylvania	WHYY	July 15-19 August 12-15 August 21-25
Virtual Arizona	Arizona Public Media	July 24-27 August 12-15 August 21-25
Virtual Virginia	WHRO (Hampton Roads)	July 29-August 1 August 12-15 August 21-25

Not in a city that we’ll be visiting? You can record anywhere with the StoryCorps App. Learn more here.

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Staff Spotlight: Charlie Palumbo, Military Voices Initiative Manager

Moury Khan — Thu, 11 Jul 2024 13:50:43 +0000

About Me:

Navy veteran turned advocate, passionate writer, and author with big dreams. Proud wife and mom to two amazing boys, and dog mom to a lovable Labrador mix. When I’m not hiking trails or chasing sunsets, I’m off traveling. Life is an adventure and I’m living it to the fullest!

What is your role and how long have you been at StoryCorps?

I’m the Military Voices Initiatives (MVI) Manager and I’ve been at StoryCorps just over three months.

What does your job entail?

My role involves managing a grant for MVI. This initiative aims to uplift, preserve the legacy, and honor the military and veteran community by visiting new cities annually to record conversations with active duty military, their spouses, and veterans. In each city, we collaborate with key veteran stakeholder groups and local radio stations to broadcast these stories, ensuring they reach a wider audience and foster a deeper understanding of the military experience. I also have the privilege of developing partnerships, which is something I love, and listening to a lot of amazing stories!

I used to be in the Navy, on the U.S.S. Chancellorsville in Japan, where I met my husband before following him to Italy. I’m also the proud sister of a Coast Guard member who will be retiring this year after twenty-five years of service. As an advocate for veterans, military families and service members for more than 14 years, my focus was primarily on transition and employment. My experience in the military and veteran space brings new insights and partnerships to MVI, which is super exciting to me.

What are the rewards of your job?

So far, it’s been the testimonials that I hear after people share their stories: how they’ve connected and how the conversations have transformed them. I also really enjoy building partnerships with those in veteran’s space and telling them about StoryCorps and MVI. It’s especially gratifying to listen to people’s stories and hear sides of them they typically don’t share.

My favorite perk of the job is being surrounded by extremely talented colleagues who share the same passion for seeing the good in humanity and the importance of storytelling.

What are the challenges of your job?

I’ve only had this job a short time, so you don’t know what you don’t know. Every day I find out something new and I’ve just been jumping in and learning as I go. I’m excited about this opportunity and to see what else I can do, once I have more context and experience.

Why should everyone record a conversation with StoryCorps?

The experience can surprise you and you don’t have an agenda for what you’re sharing. It’s just an organic moment for a deep and meaningful conversation and an opportunity to be heard and listened to in a deeper way. Unfortunately, I don’t think most people get that level of connection in their everyday lives, even though it’s what we all need and yearn for. It’s also important to leave our legacy and a recording that our loved ones and others can listen to.

What’s your favorite StoryCorps story?

Peter the Wolf. It’s about a powerful relationship between a veteran and a wolf—it’s very poignant because he wasn’t capable of having a relationship with his kids, but the veteran could connect with an animal. It definitely left me in tears.

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Sixty Years Later: The Children Of Freedom Summer Look Back

Jey Born — Fri, 26 Jul 2024 03:30:35 +0000

In 1964, civil rights groups organized Freedom Schools: summer programs for kids across the state of Mississippi.

Freedom School class at Mt. Zion Baptist Church in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, students on the church steps with their teacher.

More than 2,500 children attended 41 schools. Classes ranged from literature and math to theater and crafts. But the central focus was government and civic engagement.

Ethel Murrell (L) Stokes and Theresia Clark (C) at Priest Creek Missionary Baptist Church Freedom School in Palmers Crossing with their teacher volunteer Sandra Adickes (R).

Many of the teachers were white college students who had traveled from across the country to participate.

Folksinger Julius Lester singing for Freedom School students on the steps of Mt. Zion Baptist Church in Hattiesburg. Glenda Funchess standing (second from left).

Hattiesburg, Mississippi had six schools – more than any other town.

The Clark sisters at a church during Freedom Summer in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, 1964.

This was one piece of a larger program called “Freedom Summer.” More than 700 volunteers, from across the country came to Mississippi to register Black voters en masse and fight discrimination at the polls.

Donald Denard (Center) with two other students outside Morning Star Baptist Church.

Sixty years later, Freedom School students Deborah Carr, Stephanie Hoze, Theresia Clark-Banks, Julia Clark-Ward, Glenda Funchess, and Donald Denard came to StoryCorps to reflect on their memories of that summer.

Top Photo: Clockwise Left to right: Stephanie Hoze, Donald Denard, Glenda Funchess, Julia Clark-Ward, Theresia Clark-Banks, and Deborah Carr at their StoryCorps interview in Hattiesburg, MS on March 10th and 11th, 2024. By Tamekia Jackson for StoryCorps.

Archival photos courtesy of Herbert Randall Freedom Summer Photographs, Special Collections in McCain Library and Archives, The University Southern Mississippi. Copyright Herbert Randall.

This broadcast is supported in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American people, and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Originally aired July, 26, 2024, on NPR’s Morning Edition.

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Brothers in Arms: Nick Bennett Reflects on His Journey After His StoryCorps Conversation

Moury Khan — Fri, 28 Jun 2024 19:32:15 +0000

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“You gave me a life that day.”

StoryCorps Launches One Small Step America with National PSA Campaign

Moury Khan — Mon, 01 Jul 2024 14:30:00 +0000

StoryCorps has launched One Small Step America, an effort to nationally scale the organization’s One Small Step (OSS) initiative. The kick-off will include a national PSA campaign with digital, print, broadcast, and outdoor advertising in markets across the country. Having focused One Small Step in three local Model Communities since 2021, StoryCorps today makes it possible for anyone, anywhere in the country, to quickly and easily participate in a One Small Step conversation.

OSS America PSA campaign billboard.

In development since 2017, OSS pairs strangers with opposing political beliefs for conversations, not to debate politics, but to get to know each other as fellow Americans. The initiative is based on social psychology’s contact theory and to date, more than 5,400 people in over 40 states have participated in OSS.

Dave Isay, Founder and President of StoryCorps, said, “We are not as divided or as different as we think. In fact, 9 out 10 Americans are tired of division, scared of where it’s leading the country, and looking for a way out. As we scale One Small Step nationally, we want people to know that they are part of the ‘exhausted majority.’ One Small Step offers hope, sanity, and a simple step for Americans to take to help close the divides tearing at the very fabric of our nation. We believe we are uniquely positioned to make an impact, and will fight with everything we’ve got—because if the culture of contempt wins, we all lose.”

Research by accomplished scientists and pollsters shows that One Small Step is singularly effective in helping people with opposing political views see the humanity in their fellow Americans, and in seeding hope for meaningful communication once again.

The PSA campaign, designed by creative agency I.D/W and featuring the designs of famed illustrator Noma Bar, will lead with the message “Let’s Talk…for a Change.” It will direct people to TakeOneSmallStep.org, where they can see conversations across the political divide modeled by OSS participants, sign up to record their own One Small Step conversation, or simply find more information about the initiative. Click here to learn more.

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