http://stateofthereunion.com Our hour-long Public Radio program travels this great nation one town or city at a time and is hosted by multifaceted artist, Al Letson. Fri, 03 Feb 2012 20:54:28 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 Our hour-long Public Radio program travels this great nation one town or city at a time and is hosted by multifaceted artist, Al Letson. Our hour-long Public Radio program travels this great nation one town or city at a time and is hosted by multifaceted artist, Al Letson. State of the Re:Union http://stateofthereunion.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/SOTRU_Logo_600px.jpghttp://stateofthereunion.com no Brenton Crozier brenton@stateofthereunion.com http://stateofthereunion.com/sacramento-ca-all-hands-on-deck http://stateofthereunion.com/sacramento-ca-all-hands-on-deck#comments Sat, 10 Sep 2011 20:16:54 +0000 State of the Re:Union http://stateofthereunion.com/?p=8142 READ MORE]]> http://stateofthereunion.com/sacramento-ca-all-hands-on-deck/feed 0 There’s been a lot of bad news coming out of Sacramento lately: homelessness, the foreclosure rate, unemployment, political gridlock in a state crippled by the recession.  Add to that a stubborn case of politics fatigue, and you’ve got a lot of reasons to write off this city.  But we trekked to California’s beleaguered state capital to peek behind the national headlines and find out who keeps this city running—day in, day out—despite all that’s going wrong.  And we left with the realization that people in Sacramento are remaking the American city, in surprising and deeply moving ways. State of the Re:Union wants to hear from you! Use the comment section below to let us know what you think about our latest episode, All Hands on Deck. [podcast]http://sotrupodcasts.creativeempirell.netdna-cdn.com/Sacramento_podcast.mp3[/podcast][/podcast] There’s been a lot of bad news coming out of Sacramento lately: homelessness, the foreclosure rate, unemployment, political gridlock in a state cr… <a href="http://stateofthereunion.com/sacramento-ca-all-hands-on-deck" [...] State of the Re:Union 51:29 state of the re:union, sotru, al letson, sacramento ca, sacramento episode no http://stateofthereunion.com/cleveland-oh-entrepreneurs-at-work http://stateofthereunion.com/cleveland-oh-entrepreneurs-at-work#comments Sat, 20 Aug 2011 16:26:09 +0000 State of the Re:Union http://stateofthereunion.com/?p=7794 READ MORE]]> http://stateofthereunion.com/cleveland-oh-entrepreneurs-at-work/feed 0 Source: GandZ from Wikimedia Commons Cleveland, Ohio is a city that was made by entrepreneurs, but for decades, it’s been known as a city that’s a shell of its former manufacturing-era glorious self. However, Cleveland is being embraced by a new generation of entrepreneurs as a place to put their dreams in motion. This is a now a city of entrepreneurship in a range of incarnations… in their kids’ education, in the environment, even in beer. This is an hour of entrepreneurial stories, taking a look at that go-get-em-seize-your-dreams energy in a variety of forms. State of the Re:Union wants to hear from you! Use the comment section below to let us know what you think about our latest episode, Entrepreneurs at Work. [podcast]http://sotrupodcasts.creativeempirell.netdna-cdn.com/Cleveland_Podcast.mp3[/podcast][/podcast] Cleveland, Ohio is a city that was made by entrepreneurs, but for decades, it’s been known as a city that’s a shell of its former manufacturing… <a href="http://stateofthereunion.com/cleveland-oh-entrepreneurs-at-work" [...] State of the Re:Union 51:29 state of the re:union, sotru, al letson, cleveland ohio, cleveland episode no http://stateofthereunion.com/wyoming-the-new-old-west http://stateofthereunion.com/wyoming-the-new-old-west#comments Fri, 19 Aug 2011 19:28:07 +0000 State of the Re:Union http://stateofthereunion.com/?p=8034 READ MORE]]> http://stateofthereunion.com/wyoming-the-new-old-west/feed 0 Source: Wusel007 from Wikimedia Commons People are few and far between in Wyoming.  Those that do live here prize tradition, self-reliance, and their connection to the land.  So when change comes to the high plains—an oil boom, a minister with new ideas—communities here are tested.   And neighbors have to strike a balance between preserving their independent way of life, and learning to rely on one another. We trek to the small towns and remote ranches of Wyoming, meeting people as they adapt to the New Old West. Tell us what you think about our Wyoming episode, The New Old West. Just comment below to get the conversation started. [podcast]http://sotrupodcasts.creativeempirell.netdna-cdn.com/Wyoming_Podcast.mp3[/podcast][podcast]http://sotrupodcasts.creativeempirell.netdna-cdn.com/Wyoming_Podcast.mp3[/podcast][/podcast] People are few and far between in Wyoming.  Those that do live here prize tradition, self-reliance, and their connection to the land.  So when chang… <a href="http://stateofthereunion.com/wyoming-the-new-old-west" [...] State of the Re:Union 51:29 state of the re:union, sotru, wyoming episode, al letson no http://stateofthereunion.com/the-bronx-ny-still-rising-from-the-ashes http://stateofthereunion.com/the-bronx-ny-still-rising-from-the-ashes#comments Thu, 18 Aug 2011 18:24:37 +0000 State of the Re:Union http://stateofthereunion.com/?p=7879 READ MORE]]> http://stateofthereunion.com/the-bronx-ny-still-rising-from-the-ashes/feed 0 The Bronx has long been seen as a symbol of America’s failings.  For many people here, ‘making it’ means escaping the crime and poverty of their borough.  But some have refused to flee. This episode shines a light on the hold-outs and the dreamers, people who’ve committed their lives to keeping chaos at bay in the Bronx. What did you think of Still Rising from the Ashes? Start the discussion by using the comment section below to let us know what you think. [podcast]http://sotrupodcasts.creativeempirell.netdna-cdn.com/Bronx_Podcast.mp3[/podcast][/podcast] The Bronx has long been seen as a symbol of America’s failings.  For many people here, ‘making it’ means escaping the crime and poverty of their borou… <a [...] State of the Re:Union 51:29 state of the re:union, sotru, al letson, the bronx, bronx episode no http://stateofthereunion.com/mississippi-gulf-coast-defending-the-gulf http://stateofthereunion.com/mississippi-gulf-coast-defending-the-gulf#comments Wed, 17 Aug 2011 15:59:11 +0000 State of the Re:Union http://stateofthereunion.com/?p=7578 READ MORE]]> http://stateofthereunion.com/mississippi-gulf-coast-defending-the-gulf/feed 0 After Hurricane Katrina ravaged the area, Mississippi Gulf Coast residents were forced to come together to deal with the aftermath. Then, just as they were starting to get back on their feet, the BP Deepwater Horizon disaster dumped millions of barrels of oil into the water just off their shores. Cumulatively, these events have made environmentalists out of a whole lot of Gulf Coast residents who may not have considered themselves as such… We tell an hour of stories about the fight for the natural world Gulf Coast bringing residents together, both with one another and with unlikely partners—and how, in some instances, that fight is turning out to be exactly what a community needed to survive. We would love to hear what you think about our newest episode, Defending the Gulf. Simply comment below to get the conversation started. After Hurricane Katrina ravaged the area, Mississippi Gulf Coast residents were forced to come together to deal with the aftermath. Then, just as t… <a href="http://stateofthereunion.com/mississippi-gulf-coast-defending-the-gulf" [...] State of the Re:Union 51:28 state of the re:union, sotru, al letson, mississippi gulf coast, gulf coast, ms gulf coast, gulf coast episode no http://stateofthereunion.com/coming-up-from-underground http://stateofthereunion.com/coming-up-from-underground#comments Mon, 23 May 2011 15:06:45 +0000 Tina Antolini http://stateofthereunion.com/?p=4358 READ MORE]]> http://stateofthereunion.com/coming-up-from-underground/feed 1 Entrance to tunnel, Las Vegas, NV When you’ve spent several years living underground, or out in the stark quiet of the desert, what it’s like to find yourself back in an apartment with cable TV and a fridge stocked with food? In State of the Re:Union’s Las Vegas episode, we explored the world beneath the casinos: a network of flood channels running under the city that have become home to a community of people. Transition back to “normal” life after living in the tunnels is no easy experience. But, as State of the Re:Union’s Senior Producer Tina Antolini shows us, they’re getting some outside help… wpa_urls.push('\u0068\u0074\u0074\u0070\u003a\u002f\u002f\u0073\u0074\u0061\u0074\u0065\u006f\u0066\u0074\u0068\u0065\u0072\u0065\u0075\u006e\u0069\u006f\u006e\u002e\u0063\u006f\u006d\u002f\u0077\u0070\u002d\u0063\u006f\u006e\u0074\u0065\u006e\u0074\u002f\u0070\u006f\u0064\u0063\u0061\u0073\u0074\u0073\u002f\u0077\u0065\u0062\u002d\u0066\u0065\u0061\u0074\u0075\u0072\u0065\u005f\u0035\u002d\u0031\u0038\u002e\u006d\u0070\u0033');Las Vegas - Coming up from Underground SOTRU Producer Tina Antolini interviews former desert-and-tunnel-dweller Tom Ortega, Las Vegas, NV Tom Ortega shows off his now well-stocked fridge, Las Vegas, NV When you’ve spent several years living underground, or out in the stark quiet of the desert, what it’s like to find yourself back in an a… <a href="http://stateofthereunion.com/coming-up-from-underground" [...] http://stateofthereunion.com/state-of-the-reunion-oakland-the-self-made-city http://stateofthereunion.com/state-of-the-reunion-oakland-the-self-made-city#comments Sun, 01 May 2011 16:35:30 +0000 State of the Re:Union http://stateofthereunion.com/?p=4057 READ MORE]]> http://stateofthereunion.com/state-of-the-reunion-oakland-the-self-made-city/feed 1 Refugees, entrepreneurs, visionaries—these are the historic roots of Oakland, California. The city has long been home for people building new lives and imagining even better ones. But dreams deferred also haunt this place, in its empty post-boom skyscrapers, its infamous homicide rates and deep budget cuts. In the face of entrenched problems, though, the people of Oakland characteristically answer back with diverse, revolutionary solutions. We would love to hear what you think about our newest episode, Oakland – The Self-Made City. Go ahead, give us what you got! Simply comment below to get the conversation started. Refugees, entrepreneurs, visionaries—these are the historic roots of Oakland, California. The city has long been home for people building new li… <a [...] State of the Re:Union 50:01 state of the re:union, state of the reunion, sotru, al letson, oakland, oakland ca, oakland california, prx, npr show, public radio no http://stateofthereunion.com/start-the-discussion-about-our-las-vegas-episode http://stateofthereunion.com/start-the-discussion-about-our-las-vegas-episode#comments Sun, 01 May 2011 16:26:16 +0000 State of the Re:Union http://stateofthereunion.com/?p=2880 READ MORE]]> http://stateofthereunion.com/start-the-discussion-about-our-las-vegas-episode/feed 0 These days, two versions of Las Vegas occupy the public imagination. One is of Sin City, home to The Strip, to glitter and entertainment. The other is as a dramatic victim of the recent economic recession, a city where whole neighborhoods have been foreclosed upon, where the jobless rate shot up to double digits, where massive casino and hotel constructions were suspended, leaving hulking ghosts to remind residents of the boom times. We would love to hear what you think about our newest episode, Las Vegas – Bright Lights, Big City, Small Town. Go ahead, give us what you got! Simply comment below to get the conversation started. These days, two versions of Las Vegas occupy the public imagination. One is of Sin City, home to The Strip, to glitter and entertainment. The other is… <a [...] State of the Re:Union 51:55 state of the re:union, state of the reunion, sotru, al letson, las vegas no http://stateofthereunion.com/state-of-the-reunion-miami-bridging-the-divide http://stateofthereunion.com/state-of-the-reunion-miami-bridging-the-divide#comments Sun, 01 May 2011 16:10:49 +0000 State of the Re:Union http://stateofthereunion.com/?p=4158 READ MORE]]> http://stateofthereunion.com/state-of-the-reunion-miami-bridging-the-divide/feed 0 Famous for its beaches and clubs, Miami is also the 3rd poorest city in the nation. If you own a store in South Beach, your customers are equally likely to be billionaires or homeless people . . . and likely to have started life somewhere else. Although Miami is an incredibly international city—instead of working towards assimilation and blending with one another, ethnic communities exist as a patchwork, remaining like isolated microcosms of their homeland. We would love to hear what you think about our newest episode, Miami – Bridging the Divide. Go ahead, give us what you got! Simply comment below to get the conversation started. Famous for its beaches and clubs, Miami is also the 3rd poorest city in the nation. If you own a store in South Beach, your customers are equally likely… <a [...] State of the Re:Union 51:27 state of the re:union, sotru, miami, miami florida, spam allstars, diaspora, state of the reunion, npr show, prx, publc radio no http://stateofthereunion.com/state-of-the-reunion-utica-city-with-a-warm-heart http://stateofthereunion.com/state-of-the-reunion-utica-city-with-a-warm-heart#comments Sun, 01 May 2011 15:43:23 +0000 State of the Re:Union http://stateofthereunion.com/?p=4038 READ MORE]]> http://stateofthereunion.com/state-of-the-reunion-utica-city-with-a-warm-heart/feed 3 A couple of decades ago, Utica, New York, was dying, by even its residents diagnosis: a popular bumper sticker in the ‘90s read “Last One Out of Utica, Please Turn Out the Lights.” Once a bustling textile city perched on edge of the Erie Canal, Utica lost its mills in the mid-20th century, and has been losing population ever since. But something has changed in recent years, with a surprising influx of refugees to this part of snowy, cold upstate New York—the newcomers have given Utica hope for second chance. We would love to hear what you think about our newest episode, Utica – City with a Warm Heart. Go ahead, give us what you got! Simply comment below to get the conversation started. A couple of decades ago, Utica, New York, was dying, by even its residents diagnosis: a popular bumper sticker in the ‘90s read “Last One Out of Utica,… <a [...] State of the Re:Union 50:51 state of the re:union, state of the reunion, sotru, al letson, npr show, prx, public radio, utica, utica ny, utica new york no http://stateofthereunion.com/birmingham-episode-announcement http://stateofthereunion.com/birmingham-episode-announcement#comments Sun, 01 May 2011 15:18:12 +0000 State of the Re:Union http://stateofthereunion.com/?p=4020 READ MORE]]> http://stateofthereunion.com/birmingham-episode-announcement/feed 0 Birmingham is a place that can’t escape its history—especially the painful parts. Almost fifty years later after the tragedies and triumphs of the civil rights era, Birmingham is still a community trying to put itself back together. Some have started trying to unearth the city’s past and face it. To do that, people are looking beyond the civil rights era: from slavery to vaudeville, and from Birmingham as a steel town to its post-industrial future. We would love to hear what you think about our newest episode, Birmingham – The Long Story Short. Go ahead, give us what you got! Simply comment below to get the conversation started. Birmingham is a place that can’t escape its history—especially the painful parts. Almost fifty years later after the tragedies and triumphs of the… <a href="http://stateofthereunion.com/birmingham-episode-announcement" [...] State of the Re:Union 50:51 state of the re:union, state of the reunion, sotru, al letson, public radio, npr show, birmingham, alabama no http://stateofthereunion.com/record-store-day http://stateofthereunion.com/record-store-day#comments Fri, 15 Apr 2011 13:23:48 +0000 Katie Ball http://stateofthereunion.com/?p=845 READ MORE]]> http://stateofthereunion.com/record-store-day/feed 11 Music lovers across the globe all have stories of that first record store that ushered in their individual Age of Enlightenment. Chances are, those little shops of our youth are long gone, particularly now that digital technology offers customers the chance to shop from home with a click. But there are still die-hard fans out there who not only continue to go out into the world seeking used vinyl and new and used CDs, these folks are also fostering a young brood of new music lovers; buyers who are still willing to embrace new technology but also looking for both the tangible and more intrinsic benefits of vinyl. wpa_urls.push('\u0068\u0074\u0074\u0070\u003a\u002f\u002f\u0073\u0074\u0061\u0074\u0065\u006f\u0066\u0074\u0068\u0065\u0072\u0065\u0075\u006e\u0069\u006f\u006e\u002e\u0063\u006f\u006d\u002f\u0077\u0070\u002d\u0063\u006f\u006e\u0074\u0065\u006e\u0074\u002f\u0075\u0070\u006c\u006f\u0061\u0064\u0073\u002f\u0032\u0030\u0031\u0030\u002f\u0030\u0034\u002f\u0044\u0065\u0068\u0069\u0073\u0073\u002d\u0052\u0065\u0063\u006f\u0072\u0064\u002d\u0073\u0074\u006f\u0072\u0065\u002d\u0064\u0061\u0079\u005f\u006d\u0069\u0078\u0064\u006f\u0077\u006e\u002e\u006d\u0070\u0033');Ringing in Record Store Day More and more artists are answering the call by issuing new recordings in said-format, often in spectacular colors (and more and more with a digital download code included as a free bonus). Still, independent record stores throughout the country are struggling. On the third Saturday of April, Record Store Day is celebrated throughout the world, where your favorite independent gets the chance to dream up all sorts of shenanigans to help celebrate the cornerstone of a music lover’s community. In honor of this year’s Record Store Day (April 17th) producer Katie Ball wandered around her three favorite haunts in Orlando, Florida: East-West Music Records, Rock & Roll Heaven and Park Ave CDs. Take a look at these great record stores for yourself! Be sure to check out the new Sounds of the Re:Union feature, For the Record, where we chronicle independent gems from across the country. We started with The Beat in Sacramento, California, and are working on an episode about the Louisiana Music Factory in New Orleans. Music lovers across the globe all have stories of that first record store that ushered in their individual Age of Enlightenment. Chances are, those… <a href="http://stateofthereunion.com/record-store-day" [...] http://stateofthereunion.com/state-of-the-reunion-bayard-rustin-who-is-this-man http://stateofthereunion.com/state-of-the-reunion-bayard-rustin-who-is-this-man#comments Fri, 03 Dec 2010 21:32:09 +0000 State of the Re:Union http://stateofthereunion.com/?p=725 http://stateofthereunion.com/state-of-the-reunion-bayard-rustin-who-is-this-man/feed 0 State of the Re:Union 52:53 state of the re:union, state of the reunion, npr, public radio, prx, al letson, bayard rustin, civil rights, martin luther king no http://stateofthereunion.com/mariachi-documentary http://stateofthereunion.com/mariachi-documentary#comments Tue, 19 Oct 2010 15:16:17 +0000 State of the Re:Union http://stateofthereunion.com/?p=2284 READ MORE]]> http://stateofthereunion.com/mariachi-documentary/feed 4 El Rey – You Can Never Leave the Music For our Los Angeles documentary, we teamed up with California Is a Place in an intimate piece that focuses on the day-to-day life of working mariachis. From the daily uncertainty of employment and living conditions to the unquestionable passion and love for the music, State of the Re:Union explores how these practitioners of beloved culture are making their living and making home in LA. To listen to our radio episode, Los Angeles – Home Sweet Home, or see other related collateral, visit our Los Angeles page. And please start the conversation about this documentary by commenting below. blank Listen to Our Radio Episode, Los Angeles – Home, Sweet Home: blank wpa_urls.push('\u0068\u0074\u0074\u0070\u003a\u002f\u002f\u0073\u006f\u0074\u0072\u0075\u0070\u006f\u0064\u0063\u0061\u0073\u0074\u0073\u002e\u0063\u0072\u0065\u0061\u0074\u0069\u0076\u0065\u0065\u006d\u0070\u0069\u0072\u0065\u006c\u006c\u002e\u006e\u0065\u0074\u0064\u006e\u0061\u002d\u0063\u0064\u006e\u002e\u0063\u006f\u006d\u002f\u004c\u0041\u005f\u0046\u0075\u006c\u006c\u0045\u0070\u0069\u0073\u006f\u0064\u0065\u002e\u006d\u0070\u0033');Los Angeles - Home, Sweet Home El Rey – You Can Never Leave the Music For our Los Angeles documentary, we teamed up with California Is a Place in an intimate piece that focuses… <a href="http://stateofthereunion.com/mariachi-documentary" [...] http://stateofthereunion.com/appalachia-rising-episode http://stateofthereunion.com/appalachia-rising-episode#comments Sat, 21 Aug 2010 13:29:32 +0000 State of the Re:Union http://stateofthereunion.com/?p=2075 READ MORE]]> http://stateofthereunion.com/appalachia-rising-episode/feed 1 Rural Appalachia has long been portrayed in the media as a place of victims: people at the mercy of the region’s poverty or bigotry. In this episode, SOTRU turns that notion of Appalachia on its head, telling stories of residents fighting for the well-being of their land, people and culture. We travel to southern West Virginia, where former coal miners and their families are fighting mountain-top removal mining and a small town is reinventing itself. Then, we visit Eastern Kentucky, where a community radio show has inspired an outpouring of activism. To discuss this episode, please comment on this post. We would love to hear your thoughts. Start the discussion! wpa_urls.push('\u0068\u0074\u0074\u0070\u003a\u002f\u002f\u0073\u006f\u0074\u0072\u0075\u0070\u006f\u0064\u0063\u0061\u0073\u0074\u0073\u002e\u0063\u0072\u0065\u0061\u0074\u0069\u0076\u0065\u0065\u006d\u0070\u0069\u0072\u0065\u006c\u006c\u002e\u006e\u0065\u0074\u0064\u006e\u0061\u002d\u0063\u0064\u006e\u002e\u0063\u006f\u006d\u002f\u0041\u0070\u0070\u0061\u006c\u0061\u0063\u0068\u0069\u0061\u005f\u0046\u0075\u006c\u006c\u0045\u0070\u0069\u0073\u006f\u0064\u0065\u002e\u006d\u0070\u0033');Appalachia Rising Rural Appalachia has long been portrayed in the media as a place of victims: people at the mercy of the region’s poverty or bigotry. In this episode, S… <a href="http://stateofthereunion.com/appalachia-rising-episode" [...] http://stateofthereunion.com/austin-texas-growing-pains http://stateofthereunion.com/austin-texas-growing-pains#comments Fri, 20 Aug 2010 17:37:41 +0000 State of the Re:Union http://stateofthereunion.com/?p=2063 READ MORE]]> http://stateofthereunion.com/austin-texas-growing-pains/feed 0 Unlike places that have been thrown into a state of crisis by a disaster, Austin, Texas, has been thrown into crisis by success. Its population has skyrocketed, but along with the economic advantages has come a considerable identity crisis. Austin has long prided itself on its funkiness, and many residents have grown worried new development and growth might jeopardize the city’s countercultural “feel.” In this hour, SOTRU looks at the tension between “keeping Austin weird” and its growing success. To discuss this episode, please comment on this post. We would love to hear your thoughts. Start the discussion! wpa_urls.push('\u0068\u0074\u0074\u0070\u003a\u002f\u002f\u0073\u006f\u0074\u0072\u0075\u0070\u006f\u0064\u0063\u0061\u0073\u0074\u0073\u002e\u0063\u0072\u0065\u0061\u0074\u0069\u0076\u0065\u0065\u006d\u0070\u0069\u0072\u0065\u006c\u006c\u002e\u006e\u0065\u0074\u0064\u006e\u0061\u002d\u0063\u0064\u006e\u002e\u0063\u006f\u006d\u002f\u0041\u0075\u0073\u0074\u0069\u006e\u005f\u0046\u0075\u006c\u006c\u0045\u0070\u0069\u0073\u006f\u0064\u0065\u002e\u006d\u0070\u0033');Austin - Growing Pains Unlike places that have been thrown into a state of crisis by a disaster, Austin, Texas, has been thrown into crisis by success. Its population has sk… <a href="http://stateofthereunion.com/austin-texas-growing-pains" [...] http://stateofthereunion.com/state-of-the-reunion-los-angeles-home-sweet-home http://stateofthereunion.com/state-of-the-reunion-los-angeles-home-sweet-home#comments Tue, 17 Aug 2010 13:25:17 +0000 admin http://stateofthereunion.com/?p=2017 READ MORE]]> http://stateofthereunion.com/state-of-the-reunion-los-angeles-home-sweet-home/feed 0 Los Angeles, Lala land, often thought of as the city of movies and money and fame. But that characterization doesn’t get at the heart and soul of this City of Angels. SOTRU will spend the episode telling stories of habitat and how several groups of people are making a home in this beautiful and sprawling metropolis. To listen to the episode, check out our LA photos and much more, visit our Los Angeles page. To discuss this episode, please comment on this post. We would love to hear your thoughts. Start the discussion! wpa_urls.push('\u0068\u0074\u0074\u0070\u003a\u002f\u002f\u0073\u006f\u0074\u0072\u0075\u0070\u006f\u0064\u0063\u0061\u0073\u0074\u0073\u002e\u0063\u0072\u0065\u0061\u0074\u0069\u0076\u0065\u0065\u006d\u0070\u0069\u0072\u0065\u006c\u006c\u002e\u006e\u0065\u0074\u0064\u006e\u0061\u002d\u0063\u0064\u006e\u002e\u0063\u006f\u006d\u002f\u004c\u0041\u005f\u0046\u0075\u006c\u006c\u0045\u0070\u0069\u0073\u006f\u0064\u0065\u002e\u006d\u0070\u0033');Los Angeles - Home, Sweet Home Los Angeles, Lala land, often thought of as the city of movies and money and fame. But that characterization doesn’t get at the heart and soul of this C… <a [...] http://stateofthereunion.com/oakridge-npr-weekend-edition http://stateofthereunion.com/oakridge-npr-weekend-edition#comments Mon, 16 Aug 2010 15:59:08 +0000 State of the Re:Union http://stateofthereunion.com/?p=1816 READ MORE]]> http://stateofthereunion.com/oakridge-npr-weekend-edition/feed 0 Did you miss State of the Re:Union’s piece about Oakridge on NPR’s Weekend Edition? Don’t fret, you can listen now: wpa_urls.push('\u0068\u0074\u0074\u0070\u003a\u002f\u002f\u0073\u006f\u0074\u0072\u0075\u0070\u006f\u0064\u0063\u0061\u0073\u0074\u0073\u002e\u0063\u0072\u0065\u0061\u0074\u0069\u0076\u0065\u0065\u006d\u0070\u0069\u0072\u0065\u006c\u006c\u002e\u006e\u0065\u0074\u0064\u006e\u0061\u002d\u0063\u0064\u006e\u002e\u0063\u006f\u006d\u002f\u0053\u004f\u0054\u0052\u0055\u005f\u004f\u0061\u006b\u0072\u0069\u0064\u0067\u0065\u005f\u004f\u006e\u0057\u0065\u0065\u006b\u0065\u006e\u0064\u0045\u0064\u0069\u0074\u0069\u006f\u006e\u004e\u0050\u0052\u002e\u006d\u0070\u0033');SOTRU on NPR's Weekend Edition You can listen to the full hour, watch our documentary Dear Oakridge, read the Dear Oakridge Letters and much more at our Oakridge page. Did you miss State of the Re:Union’s piece about Oakridge on NPR’s Weekend Edition? Don’t fret, you can listen now: You can list… <a href="http://stateofthereunion.com/oakridge-npr-weekend-edition" [...] http://stateofthereunion.com/state-of-the-reunion-twin-cities-world-within-two-cities http://stateofthereunion.com/state-of-the-reunion-twin-cities-world-within-two-cities#comments Mon, 16 Aug 2010 15:45:38 +0000 State of the Re:Union http://stateofthereunion.com/?p=1985 READ MORE]]> http://stateofthereunion.com/state-of-the-reunion-twin-cities-world-within-two-cities/feed 0 It isn’t exactly Lake Wobegon anymore… Once known as the home of Midwestern Lutherans and Scandanavian farmers, the cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul are now wildly diverse. They have become cities of immigrants, from Tibetans to Somalis, Iraqis to the Khmer people of Cambodia. In this episode, SOTRU explores the worlds within the Twin Cities, from Ethopian Lutherans to Hmong rappers to a Somali community struggling with a devastating mystery. To listen to our Twin Cities episode, take a look at our pictures from the area and much more, visit our Twin Cities page. We want you to start the discussion. To share your thought, simply comment on this post and get the conversation going! wpa_urls.push('\u0068\u0074\u0074\u0070\u003a\u002f\u002f\u0073\u006f\u0074\u0072\u0075\u0070\u006f\u0064\u0063\u0061\u0073\u0074\u0073\u002e\u0063\u0072\u0065\u0061\u0074\u0069\u0076\u0065\u0065\u006d\u0070\u0069\u0072\u0065\u006c\u006c\u002e\u006e\u0065\u0074\u0064\u006e\u0061\u002d\u0063\u0064\u006e\u002e\u0063\u006f\u006d\u002f\u0054\u0077\u0069\u006e\u0043\u0069\u0074\u0069\u0065\u0073\u005f\u0046\u0075\u006c\u006c\u0045\u0070\u0069\u0073\u006f\u0064\u0065\u002e\u006d\u0070\u0033');Española - The Land Remembers It isn’t exactly Lake Wobegon anymore… Once known as the home of Midwestern Lutherans and Scandanavian farmers, the cities of Minneapolis and St. P… <a [...] http://stateofthereunion.com/espanola-discussion http://stateofthereunion.com/espanola-discussion#comments Sun, 15 Aug 2010 15:15:56 +0000 admin http://stateofthereunion.com/?p=1937 READ MORE]]> http://stateofthereunion.com/espanola-discussion/feed 2 We are excited to announce the release of our Española episode: The Land Remembers. Al Letson and team explore this incredible area to examine the ancient water distribution culture of acequias, the heroin epidemic and what is being done to combat it and the amazing family tradition of low riders. To listen to the episode, watch our documentary, check out our pictures and much more on our Española page. To discuss this episode, please comment on this post. We would love to hear your thoughts. Start the discussion! wpa_urls.push('\u0068\u0074\u0074\u0070\u003a\u002f\u002f\u0073\u006f\u0074\u0072\u0075\u0070\u006f\u0064\u0063\u0061\u0073\u0074\u0073\u002e\u0063\u0072\u0065\u0061\u0074\u0069\u0076\u0065\u0065\u006d\u0070\u0069\u0072\u0065\u006c\u006c\u002e\u006e\u0065\u0074\u0064\u006e\u0061\u002d\u0063\u0064\u006e\u002e\u0063\u006f\u006d\u002f\u0053\u0074\u0061\u0074\u0065\u006f\u0066\u0074\u0068\u0065\u0052\u0065\u0075\u006e\u0069\u006f\u006e\u005f\u0045\u0073\u0070\u0061\u006e\u006f\u006c\u0061\u005f\u0046\u0075\u006c\u006c\u0045\u0070\u0069\u0073\u006f\u0064\u0065\u002e\u006d\u0070\u0033');Española - The Land Remembers We are excited to announce the release of our Española episode: The Land Remembers. Al Letson and team explore this incredible area to examine the an… <a href="http://stateofthereunion.com/espanola-discussion" [...] http://stateofthereunion.com/new-orleans-the-big-easy http://stateofthereunion.com/new-orleans-the-big-easy#comments Tue, 04 May 2010 20:02:30 +0000 State of the Re:Union http://stateofthereunion.com/?p=1075 READ MORE]]> http://stateofthereunion.com/new-orleans-the-big-easy/feed 0 Listen to the episode and check out our video documentary, podcasts, images and articles on New Orleans! If you’ve listened to our NOLA episode, we want to hear from you. Please tell us what you liked, what you didn’t like and what you thought we could have done differently. The SOTRU team appreciates your feedback! Listen to the episode and check out our video documentary, podcasts, images and articles on New Orleans! If you’ve listened to our NOLA episo… <a href="http://stateofthereunion.com/new-orleans-the-big-easy" [...] State of the Re:Union 51:28 state of the re:union, state of the reunion, npr, public radio, prx, al letson, new orleans, nola, the big easy, bounce no http://stateofthereunion.com/oakridge-or http://stateofthereunion.com/oakridge-or#comments Mon, 03 May 2010 18:58:08 +0000 State of the Re:Union http://stateofthereunion.com/?p=1054 READ MORE]]> http://stateofthereunion.com/oakridge-or/feed 9 Listen to the episode and check out our video docs, podcasts, images and articles about Oakridge! If you’ve listened to our Oakridge episode, we want to hear from you. Please tell us what you liked, what you didn’t like and what you thought we could have done differently. The SOTRU team appreciates your feedback! Listen to the episode and check out our video docs, podcasts, images and articles about Oakridge! If you’ve listened to our Oakridge episode… <a href="http://stateofthereunion.com/oakridge-or" class="read_more">READ [...] State of the Re:Union 51:23 State of the Re:Union, state of the reunion, Oakridge, Al Letson, SOTRU, NPR no http://stateofthereunion.com/milwaukee-wi http://stateofthereunion.com/milwaukee-wi#comments Mon, 03 May 2010 18:54:40 +0000 State of the Re:Union http://stateofthereunion.com/?p=1039 READ MORE]]> http://stateofthereunion.com/milwaukee-wi/feed 4 Listen to the episode and check out our video documentary, podcasts, images and articles from Milwaukee! If you’ve listened to our Milwaukee episode, we want to hear from you. Please tell us what you liked, what you didn’t like and what you thought we could have done differently. The SOTRU team appreciates your feedback! Listen to the episode and check out our video documentary, podcasts, images and articles from Milwaukee! If you’ve listened to our Milwauke… <a href="http://stateofthereunion.com/milwaukee-wi" class="read_more">READ [...] State of the Re:Union 51:30 State of the Re:Union, state of the reunion, Milwaukee, Al Letson, SOTRU, NPR, prx, public radio no http://stateofthereunion.com/greensburg-ks http://stateofthereunion.com/greensburg-ks#comments Mon, 03 May 2010 18:39:06 +0000 State of the Re:Union http://stateofthereunion.com/?p=873 http://stateofthereunion.com/greensburg-ks/feed 1 Listen to the episode and check out our video documentary, podcasts, images and articles from Greensburg! wpa_urls.push('\u0068\u0074\u0074\u0070\u003a\u002f\u002f\u0073\u006f\u0074\u0072\u0075\u0070\u006f\u0064\u0063\u0061\u0073\u0074\u0073\u002e\u0063\u0072\u0065\u0061\u0074\u0069\u0076\u0065\u0065\u006d\u0070\u0069\u0072\u0065\u006c\u006c\u002e\u006e\u0065\u0074\u0064\u006e\u0061\u002d\u0063\u0064\u006e\u002e\u0063\u006f\u006d\u002f\u0053\u0074\u0061\u0074\u0065\u006f\u0066\u0074\u0068\u0065\u0052\u0065\u0055\u006e\u0069\u006f\u006e\u005f\u0047\u0072\u0065\u0065\u006e\u0073\u0062\u0075\u0072\u0067\u005f\u0054\u006f\u0074\u0068\u0065\u0053\u0074\u0061\u0072\u0073\u0074\u0068\u0072\u006f\u0075\u0067\u0068\u0044\u0069\u0066\u0066\u0069\u0063\u0075\u006c\u0074\u0069\u0065\u0073\u002e\u006d\u0070\u0033');State of the Re:Union: Greensburg, KS - To the Stars through Difficulties So now that you’ve listened to our Greensburg episode, we want to hear from you! Please tell us what you liked, what you didn’t like and everything in between. The SOTRU team appreciates and looks forward to your feedback! Simply leave a comment below in the “Leave a Reply” section and get the conversation started! So now that you've listened to our Greensburg episode, we want to hear from you! Please tell us what you liked, what you didn't like and everything in between. The SOTRU team appreciates and looks forward to your feedback! Simply leave a [...] Al Letson 51:34 Al Letson, green, green community, green town, Greensburg, greensburg kansas, greensburg ks, sotru no http://stateofthereunion.com/brooklyn-ny-change-happens http://stateofthereunion.com/brooklyn-ny-change-happens#comments Sat, 01 May 2010 20:23:18 +0000 State of the Re:Union http://stateofthereunion.com/?p=755 READ MORE]]> http://stateofthereunion.com/brooklyn-ny-change-happens/feed 1 Listen to the episode and check out our video documentary, podcasts, images and articles from Brooklyn! So now that you’ve listened to our Brooklyn episode, Change Happens, we want to hear from you! Please tell us what you liked, what you didn’t like and everything in between. The SOTRU team appreciates and looks forward to your feedback! Simply leave a comment below in the “Leave a Reply” section and get the conversation started! Listen to the episode and check out our video documentary, podcasts, images and articles from Brooklyn! So now that you’ve listened to our Br… <a href="http://stateofthereunion.com/brooklyn-ny-change-happens" [...] State of the Re:Union 51:27 state of the re:union, state of the reunion, sotru, al letson, prx, npr, public radio, brooklyn, john forte no http://stateofthereunion.com/rustinsubmission http://stateofthereunion.com/rustinsubmission#comments Mon, 05 Apr 2010 18:31:47 +0000 Al Letson http://stateofthereunion.com/?p=3500 READ MORE]]> http://stateofthereunion.com/rustinsubmission/feed 0 State of the Re:Union’s submission for the NLGJA Awards. Click on “The Entire Radio Episode” to stream the show. wpa_urls.push('\u0068\u0074\u0074\u0070\u003a\u002f\u002f\u0073\u006f\u0074\u0072\u0075\u0070\u006f\u0064\u0063\u0061\u0073\u0074\u0073\u002e\u0063\u0072\u0065\u0061\u0074\u0069\u0076\u0065\u0065\u006d\u0070\u0069\u0072\u0065\u006c\u006c\u002e\u006e\u0065\u0074\u0064\u006e\u0061\u002d\u0063\u0064\u006e\u002e\u0063\u006f\u006d\u002f\u0053\u0074\u0061\u0074\u0065\u006f\u0066\u0074\u0068\u0065\u0052\u0065\u0055\u006e\u0069\u006f\u006e\u005f\u0042\u0061\u0079\u0061\u0072\u0064\u0052\u0075\u0073\u0074\u0069\u006e\u005f\u0057\u0068\u006f\u0049\u0073\u0054\u0068\u0069\u0073\u004d\u0061\u006e\u002e\u006d\u0070\u0033');The Entire Radio Episode Bayard Rustin submission for NLGJA Awards State of the Re:Union’s submission for the NLGJA Awards. Click on “The Entire Radio Episode” to stream the show. Bayard Rustin… <a href="http://stateofthereunion.com/rustinsubmission" class="read_more">READ MORE</a> http://stateofthereunion.com/plan-it http://stateofthereunion.com/plan-it#comments Wed, 30 Sep 2009 20:24:38 +0000 Zak Rosen http://stateofthereunion.com/?p=1931 READ MORE]]> http://stateofthereunion.com/plan-it/feed 0 We’ve released our Los Angeles episode, so I wanted to share with you the work of one forward-thinking Angeleno, James Rojas. James, like so many others around the country are re-thinking blocks, neighborhoods, and cities.  In James’ words, “Nobody should own planning.  Nobody should own redevelopment.  It should be a public, inclusive project that everyone should be a part of.” wpa_urls.push('\u0068\u0074\u0074\u0070\u003a\u002f\u002f\u0073\u006f\u0074\u0072\u0075\u0070\u006f\u0064\u0063\u0061\u0073\u0074\u0073\u002e\u0063\u0072\u0065\u0061\u0074\u0069\u0076\u0065\u0065\u006d\u0070\u0069\u0072\u0065\u006c\u006c\u002e\u006e\u0065\u0074\u0064\u006e\u0061\u002d\u0063\u0064\u006e\u002e\u0063\u006f\u006d\u002f\u0050\u006c\u0061\u006e\u0049\u0074\u0050\u006f\u0064\u0063\u0061\u0073\u0074\u002e\u006d\u0070\u0033');Plan It Podcast With that said, we’re very interested in hearing your stories of how you or your neighbors have “taken back planning,” or have begun to think about what your neighborhood isn’t, but can be.   In LA, there a bunch of examples of this type of thinking;Watts House Project (hear our story on WHP in our LA episode tomorrow), Los Angeles Eco-Village and Fallen Fruit, just to name a few. Leave your stories here, or on our facebook page.  You can also e-mail them to me at zak@stateofthereunion.com We’ve released our Los Angeles episode, so I wanted to share with you the work of one forward-thinking Angeleno, James Rojas. James, like so m… <a href="http://stateofthereunion.com/plan-it" class="read_more">READ [...] State of the Re:Union no http://stateofthereunion.com/des-moines-heart-of-the-heartland http://stateofthereunion.com/des-moines-heart-of-the-heartland#comments Fri, 01 May 2009 02:09:53 +0000 Al Letson http://stateofthereunion.com/des-moines-heart-of-the-heartland READ MORE]]> http://stateofthereunion.com/des-moines-heart-of-the-heartland/feed 0 If you’ve listened to our Des Moines episode, we want to hear from you. Please tell us what you liked, what you didn’t like and what you thought we could have done differently. The SOTRU team appreciates your feedback! wpa_urls.push('\u0068\u0074\u0074\u0070\u003a\u002f\u002f\u0073\u006f\u0074\u0072\u0075\u0070\u006f\u0064\u0063\u0061\u0073\u0074\u0073\u002e\u0063\u0072\u0065\u0061\u0074\u0069\u0076\u0065\u0065\u006d\u0070\u0069\u0072\u0065\u006c\u006c\u002e\u006e\u0065\u0074\u0064\u006e\u0061\u002d\u0063\u0064\u006e\u002e\u0063\u006f\u006d\u002f\u0053\u0074\u0061\u0074\u0065\u006f\u0066\u0074\u0068\u0065\u0052\u0065\u0055\u006e\u0069\u006f\u006e\u005f\u0044\u0065\u0073\u004d\u006f\u0069\u006e\u0065\u0073\u0049\u0041\u005f\u0048\u0065\u0061\u0072\u0074\u006f\u0066\u0048\u0065\u0061\u0072\u0074\u006c\u0061\u006e\u0064\u002e\u006d\u0070\u0033');The Entire Radio Episode Download The Episode If you’ve listened to our Des Moines episode, we want to hear from you. Please tell us what you liked, what you didn’t like and what you th… <a href="http://stateofthereunion.com/des-moines-heart-of-the-heartland" [...] des moines, iowa, state of the re:union, heartland, middle-america http://stateofthereunion.com/jacksonville-fl-bold-new-city-of-the-south http://stateofthereunion.com/jacksonville-fl-bold-new-city-of-the-south#comments Fri, 01 May 2009 01:58:04 +0000 Al Letson http://stateofthereunion.com/?p=981 READ MORE]]> http://stateofthereunion.com/jacksonville-fl-bold-new-city-of-the-south/feed 0 If you’ve listened to our Jacksonville episode, we want to hear from you. Please tell us what you liked, what you didn’t like and what you thought we could have done differently. The SOTRU team appreciates your feedback! wpa_urls.push('\u0068\u0074\u0074\u0070\u003a\u002f\u002f\u0073\u006f\u0074\u0072\u0075\u0070\u006f\u0064\u0063\u0061\u0073\u0074\u0073\u002e\u0063\u0072\u0065\u0061\u0074\u0069\u0076\u0065\u0065\u006d\u0070\u0069\u0072\u0065\u006c\u006c\u002e\u006e\u0065\u0074\u0064\u006e\u0061\u002d\u0063\u0064\u006e\u002e\u0063\u006f\u006d\u002f\u0053\u0074\u0061\u0074\u0065\u006f\u0066\u0074\u0068\u0065\u0052\u0065\u0055\u006e\u0069\u006f\u006e\u005f\u004a\u0061\u0063\u006b\u0073\u006f\u006e\u0076\u0069\u006c\u006c\u0065\u0046\u004c\u005f\u0042\u006f\u006c\u0064\u004e\u0065\u0077\u0043\u0069\u0074\u0079\u002e\u006d\u0070\u0033');The Entire Radio Episode Download The Episode If you’ve listened to our Jacksonville episode, we want to hear from you. Please tell us what you liked, what you didn’t like and what yo… <a href="http://stateofthereunion.com/jacksonville-fl-bold-new-city-of-the-south" [...] http://stateofthereunion.com/state-of-the-reunion-des-moines-ia-heart-of-the-heartland http://stateofthereunion.com/state-of-the-reunion-des-moines-ia-heart-of-the-heartland#comments Fri, 03 Apr 2009 21:29:19 +0000 State of the Re:Union http://stateofthereunion.com/?p=723 http://stateofthereunion.com/state-of-the-reunion-des-moines-ia-heart-of-the-heartland/feed 0 State of the Re:Union 58:59 state of the re:union, state of the reunion, npr, public radio, prx, al letson, des moines, des moines ia, des moines iowa, envy corps no http://stateofthereunion.com/state-of-the-reunion-jacksonville-fl-bold-new-city-of-the-south http://stateofthereunion.com/state-of-the-reunion-jacksonville-fl-bold-new-city-of-the-south#comments Fri, 03 Apr 2009 21:27:25 +0000 State of the Re:Union http://stateofthereunion.com/?p=721 http://stateofthereunion.com/state-of-the-reunion-jacksonville-fl-bold-new-city-of-the-south/feed 0 State of the Re:Union 54:07 state of the re:union, state of the reunion, npr, public radio, prx, al letson, jacksonville, jacksonville florida, jacksonville fl no http://stateofthereunion.com/state-of-the-reunion-detroit-mi-motor-city-rebound http://stateofthereunion.com/state-of-the-reunion-detroit-mi-motor-city-rebound#comments Fri, 03 Apr 2009 21:22:24 +0000 State of the Re:Union http://stateofthereunion.com/?p=718 http://stateofthereunion.com/state-of-the-reunion-detroit-mi-motor-city-rebound/feed 0 State of the Re:Union 54:04 state of the re:union, state of the reunion, npr, public radio, prx, al letson, detroit, detroit michigan, detroit mi no http://stateofthereunion.com/state-of-the-reunion-washington-d-c-welcome-to-d-c http://stateofthereunion.com/state-of-the-reunion-washington-d-c-welcome-to-d-c#comments Thu, 02 Apr 2009 15:36:55 +0000 State of the Re:Union http://stateofthereunion.com/?p=710 READ MORE]]> http://stateofthereunion.com/state-of-the-reunion-washington-d-c-welcome-to-d-c/feed 0 “Welcome to D.C.” familiarizes the listener with a side of the capitol city that most visitors never get to see; a thriving metropolis removed from the politics that govern this nation. “Welcome to D.C.” familiarizes the listener with a side of the capitol city that most visitors never get to see; a thriving metropolis removed from t… <a [...] State of the Re:Union 54:04 state of the re:union, washington, dc, public radio no