Finding Our Way Through The Power Of Story
Since 2003, the StoryCorps organization has been recording and archiving conversations. Their mission is “to provide people of all backgrounds and beliefs with the opportunity to record, share and preserve the stories of our lives.”
Each interview is preserved at the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress. If you’ve heard even one of the stories, you’ve likely experienced how carefully they get to the heart of the matter.
Last year the StoryCorps team visited the Pacific Northwest for a project called “Finding Our Way.” In partnership with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Seattle University, and local homeless services providers, they recorded conversations concerning homelessness.
The Gates Foundation recently hosted an event featuring three stories from the project. Participants were joined by StoryCorps staff and Seattle-area leaders working to address homelessness. KUOW’s Bill Radke moderated their discussion about what our community is doing, and should do, about the homeless crisis.
The event took place on May 19 at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Visitor Center. Project sponsors included the YWCA of Seattle, King and Snohomish Counties, Catholic Community Services of Tacoma and Seattle University’s Center for Strategic Communications. Thanks to Kevin Mitchem for our recording.
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John O'Brien
Senior Producer, All Things Considered
John O’Brien is KUOW's All Things Considered Senior Producer. He spends his days setting up interviews with newsmakers on subjects from politics and public health to arts and culture. John learned to make radio starting in 2006 as an intern on KUOW’s The Conversation with Ross Reynolds.
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