Brave Little State

In honor of the show’s 5th birthday, we revisit our inaugural episode — about the past, present and future of the Vermont accent. Thanks to Erin Creley for being our first-ever question-asker, and to Alex Keefe for helping us launch the show back in 2016. To find more audio recordings that demonstrate the features of the Vermont accent, and learn about some recent research on the “glottal stop,” c...

A question from Bobby Arnell of Winooski about the complex, controversial decision to base fighter jets in Vermont's most populous county. Check out bonus content, including video by VPR's news fellow Marlon Hyde, at bravelittlestate.org . As always, our journalism is better when you're a part of it! Ask a question about Vermont Sign up for our free BLS newsletter Make a gift to support people-pow...

We get comfortable — or uncomfortable — and talk about living in Vermont with, or as, a Black kid. See photos of the families we heard from in this episode, some adorable pix of producer Myra Flynn as a Vermont kid, and archival photos of Randolph Union High School's "Galloping Ghost" mascot, here . As always, our journalism is better when you're a part of it! Ask a question about Vermont Sign up...

What factors go into placing those yellow road signs? A question from Jocelyn Hebert gets to the heart of a tension between the natural world and human infrastructure. Check out photos of "Moose Alley" and data visualizations here . As always, our journalism is better when you're a part of it! Ask a question about Vermont Sign up for our free BLS newsletter Make a gift to support people-powered jo...

A conversation with DonnCherie about compassion, artistic authenticity and taking Blackness back. (Warning: Profanity) This is the fourth and final installment (for now) of Homegoings , a special series from Brave Little State that features conversations with musicians of color who live in Vermont. Check out the lyrics to DonnCherrie’s “For Keeps,” see the original art for this episode here . Expl...

A conversation with Rivan Calderin about BIPOC exhaustion, safety and music as a platform for consciousness. Check out the original art for this series and read the lyrics to "Mayday to Pilot" here . This is the third installment of Homegoings , a special series from Brave Little State that features conversations with musicians of color who live in Vermont. Follow the series here as we release new...

(Warning: Profanity) A conversation with Senayit Tomlinson about Black trauma, music and getting through. See a photo of Senayit, read the lyrics to "Hard Reign" and watch the music video here . This is the second installment of Homegoings , a special series from Brave Little State that features conversations with musicians of color who live in Vermont. Follow the series here as we release new epi...

A conversation with Bobby Hackney Jr. about Black grief, resilience and music. This is the first installment of Homegoings , a special series from Brave Little State that features conversations with musicians of color who live in Vermont. Follow the series here as we release new episodes weekly through June 15. bravelittlestate.org

(Warning: Profanity) Vermont's underfunded pension system has forced an awkward question: If the state makes a promise to its workers, does it have to keep its word? And just how urgent is the problem, anyway? Jon Cherico, of Waterbury asked us to look into Vermont's pension tensions. As always, our journalism is better when you're a part of it! Ask a question about Vermont Sign up for our free BL...

Normally you hear a mixture of VPR reporters on this show, and that’s not gonna change -- but you’ll also be hearing a lot from our new producers, Myra Flynn and Josh Crane. We journalists like to show, not tell. So today, Myra and Josh are gonna introduce one another to all of you, so you can hear for yourselves how excellent they are, and get excited for what’s to come here on Brave Little State...

What if you had to choose between working full time and keeping your benefits? We take on a question from Matthew LeFluer of Alburgh about the conundrum facing some Vermonters with disabilities who rely on federal benefits. As always, our journalism is better when you're a part of it! Ask a question about Vermont Sign up for our free BLS newsletter Make a gift to support people-powered journalism

It's an aspect of Vermont history that some say is overlooked. We return to an episode from May 2018, which explored your questions about Anglicized names and discrimination. As always, our journalism is better when you're a part of it! Ask a question about Vermont Sign up for our free BLS newsletter Make a gift to support people-powered journalism

More than 200 Vermonters have died from COVID-19 since the pandemic began. How did they live? VPR reporter Liam Elder-Connors spoke with their loved ones and recorded their memories. Hear more memories, and see photos, on VPR's digital COVID memory wall . As always, Brave Little State's journalism is better when you're a part of it: Ask a question about Vermont Sign up for our free BLS newsletter...

How did Vermont end up with so many small, one-room schools? And why don’t we use them anymore? That's what Chelsea Smiley of Monkton wants to know. To see archival photographs from Vermont's one-room schoolhouse heyday, check out our web feature here . As always, o ur journalism is better when you're a part of it! Ask a question about Vermont Sign up for our free BLS newsletter Make a gift to sup...

This one goes out to our future neighbors. With your help, we answer a question from soon-to-be Vermonter Samantha Spano, of South Florida. See photos of Samantha, Wylene and Tul, and find some bonus advice from our Twitter community, here . We mention several episodes from our archive in this listen. They are: A Vermont Town & City Pronunciation Guide What Are The Pros And Cons Of Heating Wit...

Not sure how to say Calais, or Topsham, or Beebe Plain? With your help, we've built a guide for all those tricky names on the Vermont map. If you've lived here a long time, you might think you don't need this guide. But trust us: You'll learn something. Explore an interactive version of the guide, and check out a map of Abenaki place names, at bravelittlestate.org . Thanks to Samantha Spano of Flo...

The Senate impeachment trial of former president Donald Trump is set to begin on Feb. 9. And Vermont’s own Sen. Patrick Leahy will preside. How did Leahy land this role? And, given his recent health scare, what will happen if he’s not up to the task? Our colleague Bob Kinzel answers these Qs and more. Plus: We need your help! We're creating an audio guide for Vermont's hard-to-pronounce towns and...

The small town of Fletcher did notably well during the 1918 flu pandemic. How did they manage that, and how are they managing COVID? That's what Chris Crawford of Exeter, N.H. and Holland, Vt. wants to know. To see photos of Fletcher, and find a transcript of the episode, head to our web feature. Our journalism is better when you're a part of it! Ask a question about Vermont Sign up for our free B...

A listener question with some local implications. We pass the mic to our friends at New Hampshire Public Radio's Outside/In. Find more from Outside/In here. Our journalism is better when you're a part of it! Ask a question about Vermont Sign up for our free BLS newsletter Make a gift to support people-powered journalism bravelittlestate.org

A question about blatant stereotypes, and the Green Mountain lingo we use for them. Today's question comes from Ryan McLiverty, of Woodstock. Our journalism is better when you're a part of it! Ask a question about Vermont Sign up for our free BLS newsletter Make a gift to support people-powered journalism bravelittlestate.org

Bonus episode! Who are Vermont's three Electoral College members, and how were they chosen? Let us know what you think of this super-short format. Drop us a line at hello@bravelittlestate.org. Our journalism is better when you're a part of it: Ask a question about Vermont Sign up for our free BLS newsletter Make a gift to support people-powered journalism bravelittlestate.org

Gabrielle Coburn of Kingston, Ontario, asked us to examine this cross-border quandary. See the photos accompanying this episode, and view a transcript, here . Our journalism is better when you're a part of it! Ask a question about Vermont Sign up for our free BLS newsletter Make a gift to support people-powered journalism bravelittlestate.org

The pandemic has shifted even more of our lives online. So what's being done to address Vermont's internet inequities? That's what Maggie Eppstein of Hinesburg wants to know. See a photo of Maggie, and access a transcript of this episode, here . Our journalism is better when you're a part of it! Ask a question about Vermont Sign up for our free BLS newsletter Make a gift to support people-powered...

Burned out on election news? We've got you. Revisit our 2019 episode about the fuel that warms you twice. Explore our web feature here: What Are The Pros And Cons Of Heating With Wood? Find the current wood heat rebates and incentives for Vermonters here . Our journalism is better when you're a part of it! Ask a question about Vermont Sign up for our free BLS newsletter Make a gift to support peop...

Is our population growing because of the pandemic? And what impact are COVID transplants having on their new communities? Today’s question comes from Mike Leonard, of Montpelier. Find the web version here , and explore related coverage from VPR: City Buyers Eye Vermont Property As COVID Sanctuary Chester Changes Marketing Message To Reach COVID Refugees How Do We Build A Welcoming Vermont? Love ou...