StoryCorps Blog – StoryCorps

Teacher Appreciation Week #GoogleDoodle Featuring StoryCorps Stories

Veronica Fischmann — Mon, 03 May 2021 11:00:00 +0000

We are kicking off Teacher Appreciation Week 2021 in partnership with Google to honor educators and highlight the voices of teachers and students.

You can find five StoryCorps stories in an interactive, animated Google Doodle here. These stories feature voices from across the country, and touch on everything from the struggles a young man faced as one of the first Black students to integrate his high school to two teachers reflecting on how COVID-19 has affected their work. The common thread across all of them is the incredible and lasting impact that these educators have had on their students’ lives.

Listen to all five original stories below.

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"There was nothing more that I wanted to do than to protect you."

Between Two Worlds: New StoryCorps Animated Shorts

Freddy Bendekgey — Thu, 30 Sep 2021 13:58:00 +0000

This September, we’re releasing stories about migration, self-acceptance, and life and death in our brand-new animated season: “Between Two Worlds.” Watch a new animation every week and explore the moments of great transition that help teach us who we are.

A Life of Honor

Joseph Patton joined the Navy in 1955, during a time when it was illegal for service members to be openly gay. At StoryCorps, he remembers serving in silence while also reflecting on the beauty and joy that love has brought to his life.

Read the full transcript here.

Man of Steel

To Ken Kobus, the steel mill was always a part of his life. His father, John Kobus, dedicated 40 years of his career as a steelmaker. Towards the end of John’s life, he spent it bedridden in hospice care, motioning and manipulating the air as if he was still making steel. At StoryCorps, Ken sits down with his friend Ron Barraf to honor John’s legacy.

Read the full transcript here.

A Piece of Home

In 1998, a violent conflict forced Najat Hamza to flee her home in Oromia, a regional state in Ethiopia. She recalls the night she said goodbye to her mother before she, her father, and two siblings left for Kenya. Najat eventually settled down in Minnesota, but she still longs for a place she left behind. She came to StoryCorps to reflect on her journey and share what home means to her.

With a landmass of 136,560 square miles and more than 35 million people, Oromia is Ethiopia’s largest regional state. Its distinct agro-climatic zones—arid/dry, tropical/jungle, and temperate—contribute to the area’s physiographic diversity. It is home to the capital city of Addis Ababa, the Bale mountains, and has coffee farms to the west and south of the region.

Like the diverse climate, Oromia is home to many ethnic groups. In certain areas, diversity of language, traditions, and socioeconomic stratification have been sources of tension that caused a political divide among some groups.

Read the full transcript here.

Want to listen to more StoryCorps stories? Sign up for our Story of the Week newsletter to discover a new voice every week.

Commemorating the 20th Anniversary of September 11

Freddy Bendekgey — Tue, 07 Sep 2021 14:00:48 +0000

In 2005, in partnership with the 9/11 Memorial & Museum, StoryCorps launched the September 11 Initiative. The goal of the project is to record at least one story commemorating each life lost during the attacks on September 11, 2001 and the February 26, 1993 World Trade Center Bombing.

This year, in recognition of the 20th anniversary of the September 11 attacks, StoryCorps is releasing two new animated shorts highlighting the voices of those impacted by this tragedy, “September 12th” and “Father Mychal’s Blessing.” These new animations are part of a rich body of stories from the September 11 Initiative, which includes conversations with family members, colleagues, and friends who wish to commemorate the events of September 11.

These StoryCorps interviews are archived in the StoryCorps Archive in the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress, and are also part of a special collection at the National 9/11 Memorial & Museum.

Father Mychal’s Blessing

On 9/11, Father Mychal Judge, beloved chaplain to the NYC Fire Department, was killed during the attack on the World Trade Center while offering spiritual support, becoming the first certified fatality of the 9/11 attacks. His friend, Father Michael Duffy, read the sermon at his funeral. He remembers Father Mychal’s endearing mannerisms, constant positivity, and profound impact on everyone he knew.
Read the full transcript here.

September 12th

On 9/11, Vaughn Allex checked in two passengers arriving late for their flight. He learned later that they were two of the hijackers of the plane that crashed into the Pentagon. He recalls the toll it took on him.
Read the full transcript here.

We will also be releasing a two-part podcast episode that shares first-hand reflections on 9/11. The first part, a collaboration with Consider This, looks at the lasting toll of 9/11 on U.S. civilians, U.S. veterans, and Afghan citizens, and will be published on Friday, September 10. Part two will go live on 9/11. Subscribe to the StoryCorps podcast wherever you get your podcasts.

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From StoryCorps and Consider This: The Lasting Toll Of 9/11

Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month with AARP

Freddy Bendekgey — Wed, 01 Sep 2021 18:39:22 +0000

National Hispanic Heritage Month gives us a chance to recognize the stories, contributions, achievements, and lived experiences of Latinx people across the United States.

Record Your Stories

We are proud to partner with AARP on their Vivan Las Voces project to record the voices and stories of the Latinx community. This month, we are offering tools to help you celebrate:
StoryCorps Connect, a remote interview platform. StoryCorps Connect interviews allow you to have meaningful conversations and preserve them at the Library of Congress through video conference technology. You can learn more and get the conversation started today at StoryCorpsConnect.org.

Honor a Loved One Using StoryCorps Connect

Share Stories

Listen to and share stories from StoryCorps Historias, our initiative to record the diverse stories and life experiences of Latinx people in the United States. You can also find our full collection of Historias stories here.

Facundo the Great

Ramón “Chunky” Sanchez remembers how teachers at his elementary school anglicized the Mexican American students’ names. But one name stumped them all.
Read the full transcript here.

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"When Papu would talk to us it was like a king holding his court."

“Magic.” Two Virginia educators partnered with One Small Step, with inspiring results

lisasockassociates — Tue, 17 Aug 2021 19:04:44 +0000

2021 has been a year of tension. Disagreements seem to be higher stakes and higher volume than ever before. Will this disagreement end a friendship? Will my opinion ruin the holiday? Will I get called out on social media for asking a question? This pervasive tension and uncertainty have caused many of us to retreat inward, avoiding conflict entirely. We can’t fight if we don’t talk about our differences… right?

Two Virginia educators have refused to surrender to the tribalism and division that many across the country are experiencing. Instead of avoiding conflict for a shallow peace, Stefanie Jochman of Trinity Episcopal School and Wendy DeGroat of the Maggie L. Walker School for Government and International Studies have partnered with One Small Step, encouraging students to embrace conversations about difference. High schoolers of all backgrounds engaged in vulnerable conversations about political beliefs, anxieties, and belonging. They shared openly and listened carefully to their peers with different experiences and ideas.

The result, as Stefanie put it: “Magic.”

“Everyone has their own reasons for believing in a cause or having a certain opinion on an issue. I think it’s easy to forget that two opinions or ideas on solutions to problems can be correct.”

– OSS participant at Maggie L. Walker School for Government and International Studies

Using questions and training provided by One Small Step, Stefanie and Wendy taught students and even a few faculty the basic principles of civil discourse, paired the participants, and watched as the pairs began to have an immediate impact on each other.

Stefanie and Wendy each put their unique touch on the experience. Stefanie worked with faculty and staff facilitators who were present to assist and encourage productive dialogue. Wendy facilitated a series of mindfulness workshops to help students feel equipped for the conversations.

Both educators received immediate, positive feedback from participants. Wendy could hear students saying things to their conversation partners like, “I haven’t thought about that!” or “Oh, I’m already changing my mind.”

At the end of the conversation, one participant told Stefanie, “Everybody should be required to do this.”

Despite working in different schools, Stefanie and Wendy independently partnered with One Small Step for the same reasons. Both educators work at schools without a standard middle school-to-high school pipeline. Most students don’t know each other on the first day, and forging those connections with strangers was proving difficult for many students.

The educators recognized that these conversations, and the resulting experience in authentically and thoughtfully engaging with others, had value beyond practicing civil discourse skills. The skills and experience required for a successful One Small Step conversation are the same as the skills students must develop to have a rich and fulfilling social life – one in which difference is not ignored, but is thoughtfully considered and respected.

Stefanie and Wendy connected via StoryCorps staff and organized conversations between students at their schools. Even as students began to stray from the usual story format, the genuine excitement and curiosity was palpable.

Both educators are excited about the potential of the One Small Step model in high schools, where debate, dialogue, and even conversations are often about assessment, winning, or proving what you know. Their colleagues have been supportive of the model, even integrating some of the principles into future curriculum, and both Stefanie and Wendy are working to include alumni in future conversations.

Students had to take the initiative to join and were under no obligation to participate. They volunteered their time to engage with differences and to have their ideas challenged; many of them left their first conversation with a new idea, a more complicated opinion, and an increased level of empathy for people with whom they don’t immediately agree.

2021 is proving to be another challenging year. Many of us have retreated inward and chosen to avoid conflict, but the students at Maggie Walker and Trinity have shown us a better way. Educators like Stefanie and Wendy created the opportunity, while One Small Step provided the tools, but ultimately the success depends on the participants. If more of us commit to engage with difference and practice these essential skills and attitudes, perhaps the tribalism and division of 2021 can give way to a more thoughtful consideration of the humanity in all of us.

Photos: Stefanie Jochman (left) and Wendy DeGroat (right, photo by Ruby Hayes, a student at MLWGS)

Stories of Sweet Summer Memories

Freddy Bendekgey — Thu, 12 Aug 2021 21:37:15 +0000

Ice cream trucks, baseball games, barbecues… everyone’s got their own sweet summer favorites. Luckily, the StoryCorps Archive is full of stories about lazy summer afternoons and reflections on seasons past, so we rounded up some of our favorites… (turns out our participants really, really love baseball). Listen to some of these incredible tales, get inspired, and go make some new memories this summer!

Do you want to have a conversation like these with someone you love? Just download the StoryCorps App to record your conversation and upload it directly to the Archive, housed at the Library of Congress. Or, if an in-person interview isn’t possible, use StoryCorps Connect to conduct it remotely.

Use StoryCorps Connect to record virtually

Use the StoryCorps App to record in person

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Joy on Saint James Pl.

Return to In-Person Recording

Moury Khan — Thu, 05 Aug 2021 21:46:37 +0000

StoryCorps is excited to welcome you back to our recording booths in-person starting in Fall of 2021. Here’s what you can expect after reserving your appointment.

Prior to your recording date StoryCorps staff will be in touch with you to confirm your in-person appointment and to brief you on our safety protocols. If you decide to record your interview virtually instead, that’s perfectly all right. We will continue to offer virtual appointments in addition to in-person appointments. If you would like to record in person, please review our safe community agreements below. If you are not willing to comply with these agreements, we will require you to record virtually.

StoryCorps Safe Community Agreements

-All participants and StoryCorps staff will wear masks fastened snugly over their noses and mouths when interacting in the greeting area and while in the recording space. StoryCorps will provide masks if needed.
-All non-household groups agree to maintain social distancing. Participants who choose not to distance, do so at their own risk. All StoryCorps staff will maintain a 6-foot distance from participants at all times.
-Prior to their interview, all participants will be asked to complete a health acknowledgment form to screen for COVID-19 exposure and symptoms and sign an acknowledgment of risk form.
-All participants agree to cancel their interview if they are feeling ill or have tested positive for COVID-19 within two (2) weeks of the Recording Day. If a participant is exhibiting symptoms upon arrival, StoryCorps staff will be required to cancel the interview appointment.

At any point in time, you can switch your in-person appointment to a virtual appointment. To do so, please contact your recording team. If you need to cancel your appointment for any reason, we invite you to sign up for a future virtual or in-person recording appointment if slots are available. If there are no appointment slots available, please join our waitlist, or we encourage you to record at your convenience using one of our free digital platforms: the StoryCorps App or StoryCorps Connect.

On your recording date, here’s what StoryCorps is doing to keep you safe:

-StoryCorps staff will disinfect all surfaces and door handles in our greeting and recording areas, including all chairs and tables as well as all equipment and supplies such as pens and clipboards, with products that are at least 70% alcohol. The recording booth will be sanitized in between recordings.
-StoryCorps will provide masks for anyone who needs one and will provide hand sanitizer for all participants.
-StoryCorps will prioritize recording and greeting spaces that allow for social distancing, have HVAC systems that meet COVID-19 standards, and/or that allow for open windows.
-StoryCorps will prioritize spaces with nearby bathroom facilities that allow facilitators and participants to wash their hands between engagements.
-StoryCorps will ensure that the recording and greeting space are large enough for three (3) people to sit at least 6” apart from one another—including the facilitator. (StoryCorps recommends two (2) participants in each interview, but if there are three (3) participants, you should expect to share a microphone at your own risk.
-We’ll prioritize surfaces (desks, chairs, etc.) which are solid (non-cloth/non-porous) so they can be properly sanitized.
-StoryCorps will make sure that no external visitors or contractors are allowed in the recording space during the recording day, including family members, other staff members, and members of the press.

Please note that these recommended guidelines are subject to change at the discretion of StoryCorps, and in accordance with updates to local, state, and federal regulations and policies. If the requirements above are not met, StoryCorps staff will be able to end the recording. If health guidelines inhibit StoryCorps from recording interviews in-person, StoryCorps staff will reschedule in-person appointments to take place virtually.

Thank you for your interest in sharing your story. We look forward to seeing you soon!

The Way Out of Toxic Polarization

lisasockassociates — Wed, 21 Jul 2021 17:56:43 +0000

By Peter T. Coleman, Professor of Psychology and Education at Columbia University

The combination of COVID, political polarization, racial injustice, and the attack on the U.S. Capitol have all contributed to a majority of Americans being miserable. But, it’s not just about two people who have different opinions and are unable to talk to each other. It goes way beyond this. The media, the internet, our political leaders, and our political structures also contribute to this miserable divide.

In an environment like we’re currently in, change can be difficult. But, it’s possible when you take small steps.

My work focuses on violent, long-term conflicts that go on for 30 years or more. We find that they change under two conditions. First, the population begins to get exhausted, fed up, and really miserable. Studies show that a majority of Americans are at this point. Second, they need to see a way out, that there is a clear way forward that is hopeful, feasible and not too costly.

How do we do this?

Don’t launch first into a political debate. Try to begin by learning about others through dialogue, by sharing your personal stories and hearing theirs in a way that opens you up to each other and to discovering more about them, yourself and the problems you are facing together. This is fundamental to overcoming the oversimplification, hate and polarization that we’re experiencing. It starts by listening and hearing one another speak about things not related to politics, such as life stories and things we share in common.

This can offer a first step toward a way out of our current misery. By experiencing this, we begin to gain a sense of what it means to move beyond our current climate of contempt. Modeling this for others is also critical. Hearing stories of people connecting across our divisions can move people and change their sense of what is possible.

One Small Step introduces the opportunity for people to have that experience, and also shows them how to have that experience. When others see and hear people with opposite opinions have meaningful conversations without descending into tense political debate, they begin to recognize that these kinds of encounters are possible, valuable and meaningful, and that they can have these experiences too.

Beyond participating in One Small Step, you can engage with others with whom you disagree politically by simply doing a couple things:

Clarify your intentions. You likely are not going to change someone’s mind about a deeply-held political belief in a single encounter. But you might be able to learn more about them or about a complicated issue and grow from your experience. Knowing your intentions going in is key to having a fruitful encounter.
Start local. In most of our lives, there are people and groups who are natural peacemakers who can help us get started. Some are individuals who are inclined to fairness and trustworthiness, who we tend to seek out when we are trying to repair our damaged relationships. Others are groups that spring up in response to tense divisions in our communities, who develop techniques for bringing people together safely and helpfully. Seeking them out should be one of your first moves when looking for a way out.
Complicate your life. When you find yourself feeling completely disdainful of them – the members of the other tribe – and absolutely certain they are dead wrong on most issues, then it might be time to complicate your life. That is, to seek out people who hold opposing views from you on important issues, but whom you feel are smart, decent and well-informed. Thinking with them can help you see things anew.
Take a hike. Research shows that when you move, physically, your mind opens up. Being active and doing something together – and ideally outside – with others that you disagree with has been found to help build cooperation and understanding. It can free up your thinking, change your perspective, and help you get in sync with others.

There is a way out of the polarization we’re currently trapped in. You’re taking positive steps to help overcome it by learning and participating in One Small Step.

As we continue to develop One Small Step, experts across a number of fields are advising StoryCorps on how to create respectful environments conducive to meaningful connection. Peter Coleman, Professor of Psychology and Education at Columbia University, is one of our advisors.

SIGN UP TO TAKE ONE SMALL STEP
We’re matching strangers from different points of view for conversations about who they are. Anyone, anywhere can sign up for our email list and complete our matching questionnaire to have the opportunity to be paired with a stranger for a One Small Step conversation.

On the Front Lines: Stories Recorded with the Association of American Medical Colleges

Freddy Bendekgey — Tue, 13 Jul 2021 17:47:39 +0000

In 2020 the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) partnered with StoryCorps to highlight health care professionals’ experiences with the COVID-19 pandemic, racism, and persistent inequities in America. Over the course of this partnership we were able to record with 17 individuals who shared their personal struggles and triumphs throughout their life working in the American healthcare system. The stories were recorded through StoryCorps for Hire, and premiered at the 2020 AAMC annual meeting from November 18 — 20. Listen to the incredible stories we recorded below:

John Vickers, MD, Adrienne Vickers, and Selwyn Vickers, MD

Dr. John Vickers, Jr. talks with his son, Dr. Selwyn Vickers, and granddaughter, Adrienne Vickers, about his journey to become one of the first Black people to graduate from the University of Alabama with a PhD, and the legacy he wants to leave for his family.

Aviad Haramati, PhD and Carrie Chen, PhD

Medical school educator Dr. Aviad “Adi” Haramati talks with his colleague, Dr. Huiju “Carrie” Chen, about his influences, the COVID-19 pandemic, the Black Lives Matter movement, and in the midst of it all, what gives him hope.

LaShyra Nolen and Elizabeth Gaufberg, MD

Harvard medical student LaShyra “Lash” Nolen tells her former professor Dr. Elizabeth Gaufberg about how COVID-19 has changed the way she advocates for her patients and the role she’s playing during the pandemic as the first Black woman to serve as student council president.

Rachel Pearson, MD, and Benjamin Laussade

Dr. Rachel Pearson tells her husband, Ben Laussade, what it was like being pregnant and working in a hospital in San Antonio, Texas as COVID-19 spread throughout the United States. The couple welcomed their baby, Sam, at the height of the pandemic.

Sadé Frazier, DO, MS and David Kountz, MD, MBA, FACP

Colleagues Dr. David Kountz and Dr. Sadé Frazier discuss how the murder of George Floyd and the Black Lives Matter movement have affected them both in and out of the workplace. The two also consider what needs to happen to increase the number of Black physicians in the field.

Kimberly Manning, MD, and Shanta Zimmer, MD

Dr. Kimberly Manning tells her friend and colleague, Dr. Shanta Zimmer, about her path to medicine, her experience at Tuskegee and Meharry Universities, and some of the lessons she has learned in her journey as a Black physician.

Cecil Webster, MD, and Dowin Boatright, MD

Physicians and close friends Dr. Cecil Webster and Dr. Dowin Boatright discuss racism in medical education and how difficult it can be to talk about the realities of racism with children.

Jayna Gardner-Gray, MD, and Geneva Tatem, MD

Dr. Jayna Gardner-Gray has a conversation with her colleague, Dr. Geneva Tatem, about the underrepresentation of Black doctors, advocating for the underserved communities, their experiences during the pandemic, and their hopes for the future.

At StoryCorps, we promote the power of storytelling to teach, celebrate, heal, and amplify your community or institution in partnerships tailored to your needs. If your organization is interested in partnering with StoryCorps to record and share the stories of your community, please visit our website to learn more, or reach out to customservices@storycorps.org.

Remarkable Friends Share Their Stories

Freddy Bendekgey — Mon, 12 Jul 2021 21:42:00 +0000

Since the beginning of StoryCorps, countless friends have sat down, one-on-one, to share the things that matter to them through the StoryCorps interview process. That’s why we’re celebrating stories of those people who matter to each other. Explore the collection to hear lifelong companions offer enduring support, new friends meet for the first time, and old acquaintances reconnect after years apart.

Celebrate one of your friends by inviting them to a StoryCorps interview! Just download the StoryCorps App to record your conversation and upload it directly to the Archive, housed at the Library of Congress. Or, if an in-person interview isn’t possible, use StoryCorps Connect to conduct it remotely.

Use StoryCorps Connect to record virtually

Use the StoryCorps App to record in person

Clean Streets

“I’ve been very lucky because he’s been the best partner I ever had.” Angelo Bruno and Eddie Nieves remember a decade of working together as sanitation workers in New York City.

Read the full transcript here.

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"I think I survived it by always having hope."