Although it is officially 2012, we couldn’t let this listener response to our 2011 Auld Lang Syne go unheard. Another rockin’ SOTRU listener of Oakland, California, gives us her Fan’s Fab Five. Thanks, and take it away, Courtney Supple …

As a resident of Oakland, CA, I have to put my town’s episode at the top of the list. You helped listeners envision an Oakland that isn’t normally portrayed in the mainstream media. We are a town of entrepreneurs, of artists, of farmers, of loving people from all walks of life who take care of each other, in spite of and because of the struggles we face. I remember listening to the episode as I’m riding my bike from East Oakland (where Sobrante Park is located), past Lake Merritt, to Downtown Oakland, and as I’m listening to our stories, I am filled with joy and pride and I begin to feel an even deeper level of closeness to the neighbors I’m passing by and the neighborhoods I’m passing through. I didn’t know I could love this town more than I already did, but I do. Thank you

“As for my other top four (it’s so hard to pick; y’all create such a great show every time!):

1. Cleveland, OH - I love the entrepreneurial spirit and it’s so inspiring to hear the stories of people who put their ideas into action and are succeeding!

2. The Bronx, NY – I hear a lot of Oakland in The Bronx story, particularly the first story about the woman taking care of her block. Reminds me of the episode you did on Detroit, where there was a mural that said, ‘you don’t have to move out of your neighborhood to live in a better one.’ It’s always a matter of regular folks taking it upon ourselves to create the lives and world we wanna live in

3. Birmingham, AL - I love it when y’all share voices that don’t fit nicely into a comfortable little narrative that makes us all feel warm and fuzzy and satisfied. The stories heard in the beginning of this episode challenged me and my ideas, and I think we all need more of that in our lives and in our larger cultural dialogue.

4. Wyoming - Nobody talks about Wyoming. Nobody goes to Wyoming. There are more people in several major American cities than there are in the entire state of Wyoming. But there are stories there that everyone can relate to, in some way or another. Whether it’s hearing that little girl sing with her mama, or that police officer talk so openly about being homophobic and how he’s changed, or from communities divided by economic opportunity/environmental devastation, we can all relate to something somewhere in these stories. To realize that connection is incredibly powerful and, I assume, part of the reason you produce this show.

Thank you SOOOOOO much for SOTRU! Thank you for connecting me to others around the country that are creating beautiful communities in the most simple, yet innovative ways. You make me cry and laugh and hope and that’s what good storytelling is allllll about. Well done and keep it up!!!

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Thanks, again, Courtney. Like Courtney, some of our incredible SOTRU listeners have been moved by the issues being brought to life, mobilizing them to take action and help these communities. It is moments like these that make all of the toiling, hard work and frustrations transform into pride and reaffirm why SOTRU does exists: it is because of the resounding awesomeness and community produced by people in the good ol’ U.S. of A.

Happy 2012 to all of our awesome friends, supporters and communities. It’s going to be an interesting year full of great and surprising episodes that introduce more fantastic  people and places in the great country of ours. Stay tuned … it’s going to be a phenomenal SOTRU year!

In the third installment of 2011 Auld Lang Syne and the Fab Five, we hear from the SOTRU Godfathers themselves: Al Letson, our sagacious host with the most (had to say it) and purveyor of America’s stories, and Ian DeSousa, the other side of SOTRU’s soul. In addition to their top five 2011 SOTRU episodes, we are also sharing an audience favorite of this season and what makes it endearing.

The Fab Five of the voice and face of SOTRU who delivers stories that make you crave more are:

Sacramento
Las Vegas
Birmingham
The Bronx

And, although Al’s last pick is from 2010, it is an incredibly fantastic award-winning episode that should go on your  to-do list before 2011 gets here. Check it out:
BAYARD RUSTIN

The top five picks of SOTRU’s co-creator and chief commander of all things awesome, Ian DeSousa:

Las Vegas
Birmingham
Mississippi Gulf Coast
Oakland
Wyoming

SOTRU listener Deirdre Kennedy shares her thoughts on her favorite episode:        ”Thank you, SOTRU, for your thoughtful and well-produced story on Sacramento. It was truly inspiring, both as a piece of journalism and as a reminder to find a way to help others in the community. Plus, I love Al’s narration.”

As we go into 2012, SOTRU is preparing for another awesome year of magnifcent and memorable encounters filled with intriguing people, communities and issues. So, we hope that you enjoy a very safe and interesting New Year! And thank you for helping us remember the moments of 2011 that have made positive  impacts and promising changes for our communitites.

As we venture further along into our 2011 SOTRU reminiscing, moments and stories are recaptivating our attention, and rightly so. There have been some amazing people, communities and occurrences highlighted in this year’s episodes, and their stories have greatly impacted many lives. (To see the collection of 2011 SOTRU episodes, click here. )

Today, we hear some fab five choices from some more SOTRU team members.

 The one and only Laura Starecheski, yet another producer extraordinaire, tells us what her five favorite episodes are, along with what makes them so special to her.

Las Vegas: Yep - I, too, love the way this episode shows us the sides of
the city outsiders would never usually get to see.
The Bronx: Hometown pride!
Cleveland: Loved the different way of looking at theme – Connecting
entrepreneurship to community- such a cool idea.
Birmingham: What a way to get started living the SOTRU life!
Sacramento: Sleeper hit. Did not expect to find so many amazing stories. It showed me the value of going off the beaten path and  looking behind national news coverage, and the super story-finding collaborationmade with Tina, Marietta and interns.

 SOTRU’s social media coordinator, digital content editor, and maker of tasty treats is Jan Bennett. Relatively new to the team, Jan eagerly gives her fab five of 2011, admitting that she is so estatic to be a part of something so wonderfully amazing.

 Las Vegas: It was so intriguing (and somewhat refreshing) to learn about the Las Vegas that isn’t all glitz and glam.                                                                                                                         Sacramento: Adding to the fantastic stories woven together is how awesome it is to watch Al’s excitement about this episode!                                                                                                    Mississippi Gulf Coast: The stories of people still dealing with the aftermath of disasters, both natural and manmade, are inspiring. As infuriating as it was to listen to some of the big oil antics, it was just as heartening to learn of the incredible strength of spirit and amazing character these men and women display.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           Wyoming: I was not expecting to learn about the detrimental (and sometimes life-threatening) impact fracking is having on many communities. If knowledge is power, learning this made me feel like Superman. This compelled me to Love the music of the Joe Speed Band.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  Cleveland: I adore the idea of a city coming back to life because its people will not let it go gently into the good night. The inside mountain biking range is pretty fantastic, too.

Which SOTRU moments, episodes or stories are you favorite? Use the box below to tell us what makes them stand out from the rest. Tomorrow we will share some of listener responses – people will be able to see how brilliant you are!

In celebrating the official last week of 2011, State of the Re:Union’s staff members share their five favorite episodes, stories or moments found in the SOTRU’s 2011 seasons. (Click here for a SOTRU reference guide, or just to hear your favorites again.)

 The ever-awesome, awe-inspiring and talented Brie Burge keeps SOTRU on track and things running smoothly as SOTRU’s business manager, info hub and multimedia producer. Brie gave us not only her fab five, but what made them endearing to her: 

Las Vegas - Gave me a different look at the Vegas most of us know.
Birmingham –  Al’s writing is amazing in this episode, giving us a real look at race.
The Bronx - People that don’t give up and work hard to make their neighborhood a better place (Hetty Fox and Jahlove)
MS Gulf Coast - Gives us a picture of the long-lasting effects of the oil spill, after the national media has packed up and left town.
Sacramento – The Kings story is my absolute favorite of the entire season. Also love the Winter Sanctuary/homeless pedicures story.

One of SOTRU’s producers extraordinaire is the incredibly fantastic Tina Antolini. She helped create not only some awesome episodes, but Tina contributed posts and updates on some of the people, places and stories explored in the episodes. Anyone who can make pigs brain appealing - all right, maybe she sold me more on the pots de creme -  has to be phenomenal. (You can find out more from the Cleveland episode.)

 Tina’s fab five are:

Las Vegas
Utica, NY
Birmingham
The Bronx
Miami

We will be sharing some fan favorites on the last Friday in 2011!  (That’s in three days, just in case anyone has lost track due to early celebration.) Use the box below to tell us your fab five. If you would like to tell us what makes ‘em special to you, we would love to share. Cheers!

Being that the 52nd week of 2011 is upon us, State of the Re:Union hereby designates this week “Auld Lang SOTRU” — a time to ruminate and revisit the magnificent moments captured in both the Spring and Fall season episodes.

In the few days following, we will release five favorites from SOTRU team members, including a list of Al Letson’s top five – with a bonus favorite for good luck.

 So, to help get things started, we offer a refresher of the people and places we visited. Take a look, and when you have been thoroughly sated with SOTRU 2011, use the box below to tell us five of your favorite moments, stories or episodes. On Friday, we will share some of these with the rest of our audience.

 The 2011 Spring episodes:

• Las Vegas, Nevada
• Miami, Florida
• Birmingham, Alabama
• Oakland, California
• Utica, New York

 

The 2011 Fall episodes :

• Cleveland, Ohio
• Sacramento, California
• The Mississippi Gulf Coast
• The Bronx, New York
• Wyoming

All of the stories featured in this season’s episodes have made an incredible impact, not just in the lives of those telling them, but in the lives of those who have heard them.

As we are nearing the end of what has been an extremely eventful year, State of the Re:Union would like to recall some of the fantastic adventures and captivating stories shared, and the wonderful people we encountered along the way. The spring episodes took SOTRU to visit and explore rich stories in:

• Las Vegas, Nevada: we find more than just bright lights and glitter here – like an underground tunnel community formed by the homeless, de facto community centers, “the ninth island,” and Uberschall.
• Miami, Florida – we learn of Miami’s cultural diversity, Little Latin America, 1st and Alton – a Haitian rescue mission, and meet  The Spam Allstars.
• Birmingham, Alabama: we see how people are still wrestling with desegregation, the Hispanic cultural is pouring in, and “The Giving Effect” – one woman’s gamble to provide a music program for underprivileged children is paying off.
• Oakland, California: we explore the cost of people dreaming big in Oakland, the hip-hop renaissance, and how different cultural communities are overcoming tensions to unite.
• Utica, New York: we see how refugees are reviving Utica and making it known through food and culture, and what a jam band, a monk, a revolution and a New York home have in common.

The fall episodes take us coast to coast and allow an intimate look at communities facing various issues affecting many people, and the solutions that helped to further unify their communities:

• Cleveland, Ohio: we find how a new generation of entrepreneurs are reviving the city through education, beer and the environment, an inside mountain biking range, and other plans to save their town.
• Sacramento, California: we see how residents are remaking their beloved American city through rescuing a city’s favorite park, trying to keep their beloved Kings, and why communities are connecting despite deep divides.
• The Mississippi Gulf Coast: we learn how residents unite to deal with the aftershocks of disasters – both nature and man-made, about Turkey Creek, and the life-altering struggles some residents are facing as a result of the disasters.
• The Bronx, New York: we meet determined residents and learn of their roles in taking back their city, including a teen mentor helping to inform teens about HIV, to a teacher who is keeping teens off the street with a new international music scene, to some fun-loving Franciscan friars helping the community.
• Wyoming: we learn how people are adapting to the New Old West, how Bibles and beer work together to unite people, what fracking is and the havoc it is wreaking, from the land to lives.

All of the stories featured in this season’s episodes have made an incredible impact, not just in the lives of those telling them, but in the lives of those who have heard them. In the Birmingham episode, Jeane Goforth told her story of making a difference in the lives of school children by cashing in her life savings and starting a music program for underprivileged and underfunded schools. Incredibly, but not surprisingly, some of our listeners jumped into action, and soon, Jeane’s program began receiving instruments and donations from all over our country.

The Wyoming episode took us to the southern part of Wyoming and explored the ill-effects fracking – a process used by some companies to extract oil and gas – was having on the community. After the episode aired in the fall, the EPA began a deeper investigation into the effects of fracking in consumable water. Coincidence?

The stories we covered have produced some interesting feedback and provided additional avenues that are helping other communities find solutions. We would love to know some of your favorite moments from this season. Use the box below to tell us what they are and why you think those moments stay with you.