“I am a facilitator with Storycorps and we travel the country and record stories in 10 cities a year. I love oral history, so this is a dream job for me. The work is so rewarding even though it often has very little to do with me. I get to experience other people’s intimacy and it is nice and uplifting to see them share their love for each other, their stories and their connection. You grow so much by sharing people’s lives and hardships. People are inspiring and I have only left one interview totally devastated. I got to record an interview and be on the other side in Providence, Rhode Island, where I went college. The interview was with the father Of a child I tutored for four years in college. We talked about how he came to the U.S. from the Congo and how he met his wife — he met her when she was singing in the church choir and loved her voice. Their kids listened to the recording of the interview and learned more about their African heritage. There is no interview where people don’t come out knowing more about their loved one, even a married couple who have been together for 57 years. You never know the impact of the recording going forward. It radiates out. We do research and outreach in each city we go to because we want ethnic diversity that represents the population. We work with local groups to spread the word that we want the stories of everyone. It’s not the same experience if we just have people who come to us who know about us through NPR. It has been interesting to be in the deep south and coastal culture. We were here during Mardi Gras and got caught in a lot of parades and went to a few of the balls. I had heard of Mardi Gras and just thought it was in New Orleans and didn’t realize how long it lasts. I have loved exploring the history of Mobile. Before we leave we want to go back to Fairhope. We are here through March 10 and then go to Lexington, Kentucky.”