We’re excited to announce today the launch of One Small Step Communities, an expansion of our new initiative to foster conversations across political divides.

With support from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, StoryCorps will provide training and production assistance to six local public radio stations across the United States as part of our One Small Step initiative to facilitate and broadcast conversations with Americans of opposing viewpoints.

The stations participating in One Small Step Communities are: KCUR – Kansas City; Texas Public Radio – San Antonio; Utah Public Radio – Logan; Arizona Public Media – Tucson; WUSF – Tampa; and WBHM – Birmingham.

Two members of each participating station came to our offices in Brooklyn today to take part in training led by StoryCorps staff. The stations will also receive program support and a customized set of professional recording equipment.

Stations will record conversations with community residents of differing political persuasions and selected interviews will be shared across each station’s media platforms.

Chuck Holmes, Executive Director of WBHM, says, “Ours is a city of dichotomies: Black and white. Rich and poor. Young and old. Steelmaking and tech start-ups. Native Southerners and newcomers from the North. One Small Step gives us a unique means and framework for continuing the work we’ve done for years to engage both sides of the partisan divide to demonstrate the fairness of our journalism and its civic purpose.”

One Small Step entails facilitating and recording conversations between two people — specifically to counteract intensifying political divides, by enabling those who disagree to listen to each other with respect. Rather than spark additional political debates, One Small Step encourages answers to questions like, “Was there a moment, event, or person in your life that shaped your political views?” and “What scares you most when you think about the future?”

In addition, NPR will provide a national platform for sharing stories recorded in these communities in 2019. Stay tuned for more on how to listen and take part.

One Small Step is supported by a broad coalition of government and philanthropic support. Major supporters include The Rockefeller Foundation, the Fetzer Institute, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the Einhorn Family Charitable Trust, Charles Koch Foundation, and the Righteous Persons Foundation. Additional support provided by Present Progressive Fund at Schwab Charitable.

View the media announcement here.

You can also sign up to receive occasional emails about One Small Step.