Take one small step with KUOW and Storycorps
Created by StoryCorps, One Small Step is an effort to remind the country of the humanity in all of us, even those with whom we disagree.
The initiative brings strangers with different political beliefs together for a conversation—not to debate politics—but to get to know each other as people. KUOW and StoryCorps invite you to take part in One Small Step, an effort to bring communities together, one conversation at a time.
In collaboration with StoryCorps and other community organizations throughout Washington state, we invite you to meet someone new—a fellow resident with different political beliefs from you, who you might never talk to otherwise—for a simple, personal, 50-minute conversation.
For more details on participation, email alexandra@kuow.org.
One Small Step is based on contact theory, which states that a meaningful interaction between people with opposing views can help turn “thems” into “us-es.” Its scientific and systematic approach is supported by a group of advisors that include scientists, researchers, and psychologists. Since its launch in 2021, over 3,400 people across 40 states have participated in a One Small Step conversation.
KUOW was one of just five stations selected nationally to host One Small Step in 2023. With participant permission, these conversations will be preserved for future generations at the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress.
Listen to some of the conversations below and watch our showcase event
About StoryCorps
Founded in 2003, StoryCorps has given over 625,000 people, in all 50 states, the chance to record interviews about their lives. The award-winning organization preserves the recordings in its archive at the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress, the largest single collection of human voices ever gathered, and shares select stories with the public through StoryCorps’ podcast, NPR broadcasts, animated shorts, digital platforms, and best-selling books. These powerful human stories reflect the vast range of American experiences, engender empathy and connection, and remind us how much more we have in common than what divides us. StoryCorps is especially committed to capturing and amplifying voices least heard in the media. The StoryCorps MobileBooth, an Airstream trailer that has been transformed into a traveling recording booth, crisscrosses the country year-round gathering the stories of people nationwide. 2023 marks StoryCorps’ 20th anniversary. Learn more at storycorps.org.
StoryCorps’ One Small Step and the Radio Station Hubs are made possible by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
