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 this episode, hear from the program’s coordinator, one of the professional journalist trainers, and a recent program graduate about how the program works and why it's needed now more than ever. Show notes and transcript available at statehumanities.org/podcast.

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 these humanities scholars time to focus on research projects, projects that in turn enrich the public. In this episode, we speak with current HBCU Scholars Fellow Dr. Monika Rhue and Virginia Humanities’ Yosef Medina, who runs the program. Show notes and transcript available at statehumanities.org/podcast.

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 Dulce Maria Diaz (Odyssey Project alumnus), Dr. Rebecca Amato (Director of Teaching and Learning, Illinois Humanities), and Dr. Aaron Rosen (Executive Director, The Clemente Course in the Humanities). Transcript and show notes available at statehumanities.org/podcast.