StoryCorps, the Groundbreaking Oral History Project, to Preserve Stories of Albuquerque Residents During Visit
March 31, 2023 - StoryCorps, the national nonprofit organization dedicated to recording, preserving, and sharing the stories of people from all backgrounds and beliefs, comes to Albuquerque from March 31 to April 21 to record interviews, in-person and virtually, as part of its Mobile Tour.
Now in its 19th year, the StoryCorps Mobile Tour has facilitated thousands of meaningful conversations between people who know and care about one another. StoryCorps is committed to creating a safe recording environment and has introduced several measures to its recording process in Albuquerque, where participants have the option of recording in-person or via StoryCorps’ Virtual Recording Booth, a video-conferencing platform that can be accessed remotely using an internet-connected device. Participants can learn more about safety precautions for in-person recording at https://storycorps.org/.
Reservations for recording slots will be made available on April 2 at 10 a.m. MST. Due to high demand and a limited number of appointments, StoryCorps asks you to please limit bookings to one reservation per person/household at https://storycorps.org/stops/mobile-stop-taos-and-albuquerque-nm/
There will be a press event/walk-through of the recording space on Friday, March 31 outside the Albuquerque Museum from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Speakers include Teriyana Morton from StoryCorps, Richard Towne from KUNM, and Dr. Shelle Sanchez, director of the City’s Department of Arts & Culture.
Friday, March 31– Friday, April 21
Recording Sessions in-person at the Albuquerque Museum are every Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. The recording sessions for the first two weeks are completely booked, but people who are interested can sign up for more recording sessions starting on April 2 at https://storycorps.org/mobile-tour/ .
In a StoryCorps interview, two people 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.
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 organization’s 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 Albuquerque, StoryCorps will partner with NPR affiliate KUNM. KUNM 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.
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 CPB
The Corporation for Public Broadcasting, 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 managed 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 email updates.