The foliage is in bloom and spirits are high because spring is here! And that means that State of the Re:Union is ready to release its first five episodes. Al and team visited some truly amazing cities and towns and captured compelling stories of these communities and their inspiring residents. You can listen to these programs here beginning April 30th and listen for SOTRU on NPR stations around the country this spring. Our website will feature supplemental material to each episode in the form of video documentaries, video and audio podcasts, images and a whole lot of awesomeness!

Brooklyn, NY

State of the Re:Union visits New York City’s most populated borough to examine how this diverse collection of communities handles the friction of change, the pull of tradition, and discovers that special something that makes this neighborhood so celebrated. Listen to the episode and read more on the Brooklyn page.


Greensburg, KS

One night in May of 2007, a tornado wiped Greensburg, Kansas, off the map. The town’s residents have decided to not only resurrect the town, but to rebuild in a true spirit of renewal. State of the Re:Union examines the profound devastation and the rigors and rewards of this innovative rebirth. Listen to the episode and read more on the Greensburg page.


Milwaukee, WI

Once America’s machine shop, Milwaukee has suffered the fate of many American rust belt cities. But despite shuttered businesses, and high unemployment rates, Milwaukee and its resilient people are poised for a rebirth. State of the Re:Union visits Milwaukee to explore its industrial past and to learn of its post-industrial future. Listen to the episode and read more on the Milwaukee page.

Oakridge, OR

Back in the timber industry’s heyday, small mill towns in Oregon were thriving. Business was booming. Then in the early 1990s, the saws stopped. The mills shut down and their economies crumbled. State of the Re:Union surveys how a town that has lost its identity reinvents itself. Listen to the episode and read more on the Oakridge page.


New Orleans, LA

The city of New Orleans is as proud of its traditions as it is steeped in them. But since the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, the city and its residents have been thrust into new relationships with those very traditions they hold so dear. State of the Re:Union visits the Big Easy to explore how the city is negotiating that tension between the old and the new — from music to po boys to combating crime — five years after the storm. Listen to the episode and read more on the New Orleans page.

Tags: Al Letson, brooklyn, greensburg kansas, Milwaukee, new orleans, npr, oakridge oregon, prx, Public Radio, sotru, State of the Re:Union

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