"We should not let our fears hold us back from pursuing our hopes."
- John F. Kennedy
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"We should not let our fears hold us back from pursuing our hopes." - John F. Kennedy
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Get Involved
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August 29, 2008 | |||||||
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 GoodThings on Public Radio May 2, 2002 We want to hear from you. What's the best public radio story or show you heard this past week? Share. If you want to listen, you'll need RealPlayer on your computer. (If you don't already have it, it's a FREE download.) Visit Real Networks. FRIDAY, April 26 | "Remedy for Our Wounds" When Peruvian folksinger Susana Baca planned to record her new album in New York City, she had no idea how truly significant the scheduled first day in the studio would become. It was September 11. Faced with the very real possibility of cancelling the session to join in the worldwide grieving process, Baca and her band -- which included renowned guitarists John Medeski and Marc Ribot -- chose to confront their sadness through music. For Baca, the experience of walking through the stunned, silent, helpless streets reminded her of the aftermath of the rash of terrorist attacks that had paralyzed her native Peru in the 1980s and early 1990s. She believes the result of this recording experience -- the album Espiritu Vivo -- represents the profound healing power of music. [The World] Listen (8:10). :: Buy a copy of Susana Baca's latest album Espiritu Vivo. SATURDAY, April 27 | Ambassador of Joy If singer Susana Baca confronted her grief through music, Bob Jamerson -- laid off from his job as a flight attendant after September 11 -- has learned to deal with his by marching. Looking for something to make himself and those around him feel better, Jamerson has harkened back to his high school days as a drum major and has taken to the streets near his home in central-west St. Louis. Local media have dubbed the baton-carrying, whistle-blowing Jamerson the city's "Ambassador of Joy." He's also confronted hate and intolerance from the few who have viewed his marching with disdain. His daily performances have surprised and delighted most of his neighbors and, much to his amazement, even the local police precinct. [Weekend Edition Saturday] Listen (5:04). :: Learn more about St. Louis' Ambassador of Joy. SUNDAY, April 28 | Shooting for the Moon The new Global Fund on AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria has just awarded a $300 million grant to the tiny African nation of Malawi. And while it's nowhere near what many believe will be needed to adequately address Malawi's public health crisis over the long-term, it's far more than much larger nations like South Africa received from the Fund. Why? Some think it's because of Malawi's bold and aggressive strategy to offer treatment to all infected with the disease and because Malawi may be small enough to effectively manage its approach. A full one-fifth of Malawi's adults are HIV-positive. HIV/AIDS have applauded Malawi's determination to "aim high." [Weekend All Things Considered] Listen (4:15). :: Learn more about the new Global Fund on AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria. MONDAY, April 29 | "The Futility of Violence" Author Ann Patchett and opera singer Renee Fleming recently held a forum at New York's Lincoln Center to discuss the capacity of music to foster social transformation. The forum coincides with the release of Patchett's award-winning book Bel Canto in paperback. Inspired by the singing of Fleming and by a hostage crisis in Peru six years ago, Patchett's book explores the uncommon ties that bind hostages of Japanese descent to their Spanish-speaking captors. Among the captors is an opera singer who was performing at a celebration the night of the siege and continues to perform for hostages and captors alike each day throughout the four-month crisis. Written long before the events of September 11, Bel Canto has been lauded for showing how things of essence -- music, food, love -- can connect people where ideology separates them. [Morning Edition] Listen (5:30). :: Buy a copy of Ann Patchett's book Bel Canto. :: Buy a collection of the inspiring opera singing of Renee Fleming. TUESDAY, April 30 | Taking Ownership for Community Swanville, Minnesota, is like so many declining rural communities through the US and the world. As businesses close their doors or as people move away, they often aren't replaced. Such was the fear among a group of townspeople when Swanville's only cafe/restaurant burned down in 2000, so instead of falling victim to the loss, they decided to gauge interest in opening a new restaurant owned by the community-at-large. Hoping to attract 30 Swanville residents willing to invest $5000 each in the effort, they found 67! Investors aren't expecting huge returns, just the satisfaction that they may be part of something that will survive and continue to add value for future generations. Their co-op -- known as Granny's Cafe -- has just opened and has already become an important community gathering place. [All Things Considered] Listen (3:30). WEDNESDAY, May 1 | Igor Has Re-Entered the Building When a California condor known simply as AC-9 was captured in 1987, he was the last known member of his species still alive in the wild. He joined 26 others condors in captivity as part of a last-resort effort to rescue the species from extinction. Now 15 years later, AC-9 -- known more affectionately these days as Igor -- has been returned to the mountains of his former home in southern California, a triumphant symbol of an exhaustive conservation effort. Watching Igor's astonishing nine-and-a-half-foot wingspan take shape on the wind again has been a joy shared by all of those who have dedicated themselves to his survival and to that of his species. [All Things Considered] Listen (4:00). :: Learn more about the release of Igor, the condor. [more] THURSDAY, May 2 | The Grueling College Try Commentator Carly Jacobs considers her younger brother's current process to find a college that he not only loves but will also accept him. Jacobs' perspective is guardedly light-hearted, as she describes her bewilderment that a brother who is third in his class, a musician, a volunteer, and a university research assistant could possibly be deemed "not well-rounded enough" by a college admissions committee. But as college begins increasingly competitive -- and increasingly expensive -- Jacobs realizes the tough road her brother has ahead. [Morning Edition] Listen (3:41). [ : previous week : ] WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU. Did we miss a good public radio story this week? Want to recommend one for next week? Share it with us! 
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