Humanities =

Access to local journalism has been declining for years now. Newspapers are closing, journalists are being laid off, and media outlets have reduced or eliminated local coverage. HumanitiesDC’s Community Journalism Program addresses this pressing need by training Washington, D.C., residents in the discipline of journalism so they can tell the stories that matter most to them and their neighbors. In...

Virginia Humanities has been working to connect the academic and public sides of the humanities for decades through their fellowship programs. Their newest fellowship supports faculty and alumni of HBCUs—historically Black colleges and universities. The focus at these schools is often on teaching, which means opportunities for humanities research can be limited. The HBCU Scholars Fellowship gives...

Illinois Humanities believes education is liberatory and should be accessible to all. That belief led them, 25 years ago, to partner with The Clemente Course in the Humanities to offer free college courses to low-income adults in the Chicago area through a program called the Odyssey Project or Proyecto Odisea. In this episode, learn more about this program and how it changes lives. Our guests are...

Does reading poetry make the world a better place? Are poetry readings better in the great outdoors? Every summer, Vermont Humanities hold a series of poetry readings in Vermont state parks called Words in the Woods, which connects participants with the state’s natural resources and its living literary legacy. Dive into the relevance of poetry in our modern world, the relationship between nature a...

It’s true that youth are the future, but we have to give them the tools and skills to make it a good one. In this episode, we’re taking a closer look at two programs using the humanities and public libraries to inspire and empower teens to speak up and play an active role in their communities. In Montana, the Democracy Project from Humanities Montana brings teens together via their local library t...

Empowering and equipping families to read aloud at home is a powerful way to boost childhood literacy and help families bond. In this episode, we take a closer look at two family reading programs: Humanities Nebraska ’s Prime Time Family Reading and Colorado Humanities ’ Motheread/Fatheread. We’ll dig into how critical early reading is for academic achievement, the incredible benefits kids and fam...

How can reflective conversations help veterans open up and share their experiences? In this episode, two conversation programs are creating spaces where veterans can reflect on their service and find connection through dialogue. Humanities Texas ’ Veterans' Voices program brings veterans and members of the public together to read and discuss literary excerpts related to war and service. Michigan H...

Two stories about how the humanities can provide healing for people during and after incarceration. The Mississippi Humanities Council ’s prison book club program provides intellectual stimulation and community for men and women at 16 Mississippi prisons. And in New Jersey, a theatrical program called Ritual4Return gives returning citizens the opportunity to create and perform their own rite of pa...

Listen to clips from the first three episodes of Humanities =, a podcast about real individuals, organizations, and communities making a real difference through the humanities. This show is a production of the Federation of State Humanities Councils. Find episode transcripts and additional podcast content at statehumanities.org/podcast .