StoryCorps, the national nonprofit organization dedicated to recording, preserving and sharing the stories of people from all backgrounds and beliefs, will utilize a new virtual platform to record remote interviews in the Lewis Clark Valley from 07/08/20 – 08/07/20 as part of its Mobile Tour.
Now in its 15th anniversary year, the StoryCorps Mobile Tour has facilitated thousands of meaningful conversations between people who know and care about one another. To date, these face-to-face conversations have taken place in its Mobile Booth: an Airstream trailer outfitted with a recording studio. For the first time, to respond to the need for social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic — while working towards its mission to help people feel more connected and less alone — StoryCorps is piloting a Virtual Mobile Tour and offering the opportunity for residents in the greater Lewiston and Clarkston region to participate online.
Reservations to record will be available at 10am on June 24 PST and can be made by calling StoryCorps’ 24-hour toll-free reservation line at 1-800-850-4406 or visiting storycorps.org.
In a StoryCorps interview, two people are able to record a meaningful conversation with one another about who they are, what they’ve learned in life and how they want to be remembered. A trained StoryCorps facilitator guides them through the interview process. After each 40-minute recording session, participants receive a digital copy of their interview. With participant permission, a second copy is archived at the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress for future generations to hear.
During StoryCorps’ remote visit, the interview process and experience will use remote video conference technology, which allows both participants to see and hear one another during their conversation and to be joined by a facilitator remotely.
Founded in 2003 by award-winning documentary producer and MacArthur Fellow Dave Isay, StoryCorps has traveled to every corner of the country to record interviews in the effort to create a world where we listen closely to each other and recognize the beauty, grace and poetry in the lives and stories we find all around us.
“StoryCorps tells an authentic American story — that we are a people defined by small acts of courage, kindness and heroism. Each interview reminds people that their lives matter and will not be forgotten,” said Isay. “During this pandemic, the value of preserving these stories, and of strengthening connections between people who may feel physically isolated, is more important than ever.”
In the Lewis Clark Valley, StoryCorps is partnering with NPR affiliate Northwest Public Broadcasting (NWPB). NWPB will air a selection of the local interviews and create special programs around the project. StoryCorps may also share excerpts of these stories with the world through the project’s popular weekly NPR broadcasts, animated shorts, digital platforms and best-selling books.
“We’ve all had the experience of listening to a loved one and wishing that we could record the conversation for posterity,” Kerry Swanson, NWPB Station Manager, said. “StoryCorps enables us to share important life experiences with each other and future generations. We look forward to being able to share those stories from the Pacific Northwest.”
NWPB is proud to partner with Innovia Foundation to welcome StoryCorps to the region.
“We are honored to sponsor the StoryCorps Mobile Tour and lift up the voices of those who live in the greater Lewiston and Clarkson region,” said Innovia Foundation CEO Shelly O’Quinn. “Every day, we encounter local residents whose stories deserve to be shared and celebrated. As the community foundation for Eastern Washington and North Idaho, Innovia is committed to elevating and advancing the diverse backgrounds and perspectives of community members across our region. We are thankful for this partnership with Northwest Public Broadcasting.”
StoryCorps is made possible in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American people.
About StoryCorps
Founded in 2003 by Dave Isay, StoryCorps has given over half a million Americans of all backgrounds and beliefs, in towns and cities in all 50 states, the chance to record interviews about their lives. The organization preserves the recordings in its archive at the Library of Congress, the largest single collection of human voices ever gathered, and shares select stories with the public through StoryCorps’ weekly podcast, NPR broadcasts, animated shorts, digital platforms, and best-selling books. These powerful human stories reflect the vast range of American experiences, wisdom and values; engender empathy and connection; and remind us how much more we have in common than divides us. For more information visit storycorps.org, or follow us on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube at @storycorps.
About Northwest Public Broadcasting
Northwest Public Broadcasting is a PBS and NPR affiliate, reaching more than 3.6 million people throughout Washington State and parts of Oregon, Idaho and British Columbia. Approximately half of the population reached receives public radio broadcast signals exclusively through NWPB. Internet streaming services, PBS Passport, smartphone apps, and smart speakers all deliver NWPB programs to growing audiences every day.
About CPB
The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), a private, nonprofit corporation created by Congress in 1967, is the steward of the federal government’s investment in public broadcasting. It helps support the operations of more than 1,500 locally owned and operated public television and radio stations nationwide. CPB is also the largest single source of funding for research, technology and program development for public radio, television and related online services. For more information, visit cpb.org, follow us on Twitter @CPBmedia, Facebook and LinkedIn and subscribe for other updates.
About Innovia Foundation
Innovia Foundation ignites generosity that transforms lives and communities so that every person has the opportunity to thrive. As the community foundation for Eastern Washington and North Idaho, we partner with people who want to make our world better. We work together to address and solve our region’s problems, help those in need, identify and respond to our greatest opportunities and leave a lasting impact. Each year, Innovia Foundation invests nearly $7 million into our communities through grants and scholarships to nonprofit organizations and local students.