True Stories of Good People

True Stories of Good People episodes:

• 12.28.2023

  Look What Help Can Do: Sara and Edgar of Nixta Taqueria

  Sara and Edgar are the married co-owners behind Nixta Taqueria—a beloved restaurant located in East Austin, Texas. Dedicated to their community, they've gone above and beyond to ensure their community is always fed, regardless of life's circumstances. When the couple...

  
• 10.30.2023

  Making Sure Kids Have School Lunch: DeJuan Strickland

  DeJuan Strickland knows what it’s like to not be able to afford school lunch. After learning about how many other kids have experienced the same situation, he decided to do something about it. With the help of his mom, Sharron,...

  
• 06.27.2023

  Meet Kauai's Only Farm Animal Rescue: Christy Wong

  For Christy Wong and her family, animals have always been a big part of their lives—however, they never imagined that they would someday be operating an entire rescue farm. By creating a safe home for animals and a welcoming space...

  
• 05.23.2023

  Sensory-Friendly Haircuts for Kids: Jelly Robinson

  Jelly Robinson is a hairstylist with a special gift for helping children feel safe and confident while getting their hair cut. With her mobile salon, Peace & Love Studios, Jelly is on a mission to make sure children with autism...

  
• 11.28.2022

  Feeding Their Community, One PB&J at a Time: Ayaan Vaswani & Josh Isaac

  Inspired by their mothers' efforts to feed their local San Jose community, Ayaan and Josh are making a difference for those experiencing homelessness with simple peanut butter and jelly sandwiches—and they're inspiring other young people to get involved, too.

  
• 10.14.2022

  Paying it Forward One Pedal at a Time: Hassan Abdus-Sabur

  For the past three years, Hassan Abdus-Sabur has concluded a multi-hundred mile scholarship fundraising bike ride by riding onto the Howard University campus, exhausted and proud. In these moments when Hassan is surrounded by congratulations and applause, he can’t help...

  
• 09.15.2022

  Grupo Folklorico Izcalli: Annel Alvarez and Stacey Valdez

  After Annel Alvarez had her son Adrian, she was going through a pretty dark time in her life, feeling a sense of losing her identity. She knew she needed to do something to pull her out of it, but also...

  
• 08.25.2022

  Joy, Flowers and Community: Shanice Fleming

  When Shanice Fleming left her career as a chef in New York City to start her own business as a farmer, her path seemed straight and clear. But with the help of mentors, community, and a beautiful epiphany, Shanice found...

  
• 08.11.2022

  Ice Cream and Neighborly Love: The Watson Family

  The Watson family is committed to feeding their neighbors in their small town of Frazeysburg, Ohio. What started as a community food pantry has grown into an ice cream truck that delivers free hot meals—and of course, ice cream.

  
• 07.21.2022

  The Photographer Preserving WWII History: Jeff Rease

  Photographer Jeff Rease is dedicated to honoring the stories of WWII veterans through portraiture. What started with one photograph in Alabama has grown into an international project featuring more than 290 veterans, and he has no plans of slowing down...

  
• 06.30.2022

  The Nerdettes: An All-Girls Robotics Team Inspiring their Community

  When a high school all-girls robotics team from Huntsville, Alabama landed a seat at the Tech Challenge World Championships, they weren’t sure they would be able to afford to compete. Lucky for them, their local community came to the rescue....

  
• 06.16.2022

  The Violin That's Making History: Anne Harris & Amanda Ewing

  When a chance encounter on the internet brought together Anne, a Black female professional fiddle player, and Amanda, the only Black female violin maker in the United States, the serendipity wasn't lost on them. They immediately knew that with the...

  
• 06.02.2022

  Creating Connection for LGBTQ+ Youth: Laurenzo

  As a non-binary content creator, Laurenzo knows first-hand the struggles that LGBTQ+ youth face and how important it is to have a place where everyone can feel like they belong. That’s why they started the Laurenzo Community, a space for...

  
• 05.19.2022

  The Power of Stories: Joseph Gutierrez

  When Joseph Gutierrez moved to Nashville in 2017, he started to ask himself some honest questions about his new city. He wasn’t sure what the city meant to him, and vice versa. To explore these questions further, he started to...

  
• 05.05.2022

  Creating Community Through Food: Alex Hanesakda

  While in a refugee camp as a child, Chef Alex Hanesakda watched his father cook meals for friends, family, and even strangers. It was in those moments when he learned how food could break down barriers and bring communities together....

  
• 04.21.2022

  The Landless Farmer Feeding Her Community: Chloe Moore

  In communities that lack access to fresh food, healthy eating options are limited. To Chloe Moore, the solution runs just as deep as the roots of the problem. She works at Southside Community Farm, a small urban food space that...

  
• 04.07.2022

  The Confident Girl Project: Taylor McCowan

  Taylor McCowan always knew that confidence is key, but one day while she was volunteering in her community, that phrase took on a new meaning. Taylor identified a surprising need in her local unhoused community—a lack of access to menstrual...

  
• 03.24.2022

  How to Use Your Birthday for Good: Kai Martin

  Not many kids get exactly what they want for their birthday for ten years in a row. But since Kai Martin was five years old, that’s exactly what’s happened. However, he never asks for what a typical kid his age...

  
• 03.10.2022

  #PatrioticKenny: Kenny Jary and Amanda Kline

  US Navy Veteran Kenny Jary – or “Patriotic Kenny” as he’s come to be called in his community – knows what it’s like to rely on a mobility scooter for even the most simple of freedoms. So when his own...

  
• 10.29.2021

  A Bookstore on Wheels: Latanya DeVaughn

  Latanya DeVaughn believes that every neighborhood deserves a bookstore—even if it's just for one day. 

  
• 09.30.2021

  Rollin From the Heart: John Barry and Alison Brown

  When John Barry and Alison Brown unexpectedly lost their 22-year-old son Ian in a tragic accident, their hearts were shattered. They knew how much he meant to them, but only when over 600 people showed up to his memorial did...

  
• 08.31.2021

  Rescuing Food in Jersey City: Claudia Wheeler and Yawa Endara

  Claudia Wheeler is a full-time mother, as well as an elementary school teacher based in Jersey City, NJ. On top of all of her other responsibilities in life, Claudia also manages to drive across the entire city, 7 days a...

  
• 06.29.2021

  A Love Letter to Black Queer Men: Kemar Jewel

  After he was kicked out of his family home at 15 for being gay, Kemar Jewel found his chosen family through the underground Philadelphia dance scene. There, he leaned into his passion for movement and truly understood how Black queer...

  
• 05.03.2021

  New York State of Kind: Ben Wei

  When the COVID-19 pandemic first hit the US, it shook New York City especially hard. In a matter of weeks, hospitals around the city reached capacity and quickly ran out of personal protective equipment (PPE).  At a time when so...

  
• 04.08.2021

  Fruits, Vegetables and Community: Ashley Webb

  When Ashley Webb moved her family from Los Angeles to New Orleans in 2017, it was a huge culture shock. Not only was the city very different, but the neighborhood they moved into was considered a food desert, meaning there...

  
• 03.16.2021

  will.i.am: The American Dream Fund

  Most people know will.i.am as the founding member of The Black Eyed Peas, one of the most popular hip hop groups of all time. Aside from music, however, Will actually has another passion: education. Since founding the “i.am.angel foundation” in...

  
• 03.11.2021

  Bay Area Freedom Collective: Simon Liu, Jessica McKellar & Tenzin Kyizom

  For formerly incarcerated individuals, safe, stable and affordable housing is the foundation of a smooth reentry into society. Unfortunately, it’s often the most difficult resource for them to obtain. Recognizing this need, one San Francisco Bay Area collective—run by and...

  
• 03.05.2021

  Every Kid Deserves a Bike: Katie Blomquist

  When Katie Blomquist was in her mid-20s, she left her career in marketing and PR to pursue something more personally fulfilling: teaching. After landing a job at a school in Charleston, South Carolina, Katie quickly fell in love with her...

  
• 02.11.2021

  Purpose 4 Pets: Meet Kid Hero Genevieve

  Eleven-year-old Genevieve may be young, but she has big dreams. After going through the application process to foster a kitten, she was inspired to start her own nonprofit organization to improve the foster matching system in her local area. While...

  
• 02.05.2021

  Cookies4Cures: Dana Perella

  When 5-year-old Dana Perella was at a speech therapy session she met another young girl named Mila, and they became fast friends. Over the years, Dana’s speech challenges went away while Mila’s got worse. Other health issues started coming up...

  
• 01.28.2021

  Dream Center of Englewood: Dion Dawson

  Dion Dawson is a fighter in more ways than one. As a veteran, he served in the Navy as an award-winning member of his department’s communications division. As a civilian, Dion is the founder and leader of Dion’s Chicago Dream,...

  
• 01.22.2021

  Saving Mila: Julia Vitarello

  When Julia Vitarello's precious daughter Mila was diagnosed with Batten disease at the age of seven, she was terrified and heartbroken. Determined to save Mila by any means possible, Julia set out to raise enough money to fund an experimental...

  
• 01.14.2021

  Let’s Make Masks & Cards: Nanette & Krystal Amihere

  When high school students and sisters Nanette and Krystal Amihere noticed that there were not many youth advocacy programs in their town, they decided to start their own in an effort to strengthen the community. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit,...

  
• 01.08.2021

  Teen Child Abuse Activist: Elijah Lee

  When Elijah Lee was in the first grade, he learned that one of his classmates was experiencing child abuse. He assisted her in getting help, but the experience left him with a heavy heart. Today, Elijah is 13-years-old and is...

  
• 12.17.2020

  The Pandemic Pup Relief Tour: Brian Taylor

  When the coronavirus swept through New York City this past spring, Brian Taylor had no choice but to close his dog grooming business to the public. But while in lockdown, his heart hurt for his community members and their pets....

  
• 12.10.2020

  Heroic Flags for Frontline Workers: Lorenzo Liberti

  Last year, 14-year-old Lorenzo Liberti discovered a passion to honor and help veterans in his community who were in need. Using his artistic talents, he carved beautiful, 3-foot long American flags by hand to benefit a local charity. When the...

  
• 12.04.2020

  The Power of Vulnerability: Ra Ra Rollins

  Ra Ra Rollins is a full-time student at New York University and is going for his master’s degree in Counseling for Mental Health and Wellness, with a focus on LGBTQ+ communities. However, Ra Ra’s journey to this path was not...

  
• 11.27.2020

  Frontline Workers Counseling Project: Dr. Ania Wertz & Dr. Elizabeth Rawson

  Since the COVID-19 pandemic hit, frontline workers have been risking their lives every day to keep vital services going for those who need it. Many of them need support themselves but don’t have the time or energy to seek it...

  
• 11.19.2020

  So Much More Than a Shower: Mark Lytal

  Mark Lytal isn’t one to take a hot shower for granted. He never forgot his 20 years in the US Air Force, when deployment would often mean long stretches of time without running water and nothing but baby wipes to...

  
• 11.12.2020

  Madi & Vashti Wilson: Joy in a Crayon Box

  When 8-year-old Madi Wilson noticed that there weren’t any crayons at school that matched her skin color, she told her mom she felt sad. Motivated to help all kids feel seen and represented, she launched a project to help deliver...

  
• 11.06.2020

  #WeWalkWithShawn: Shawn Dromgoole

  Shawn Dromgoole's family has lived in the same Nashville neighborhood for over 50 years, and he has lived there for his entire life. After hearing about the deaths of George Floyd and Ahmaud Arbery, Shawn became fearful of walking alone...

  
• 10.29.2020

  Empowering Cuts: Josh Santiago

  Josh Santiago knew he wanted to be a barber from a young age. What he couldn’t have imagined is that he’d end up taking his skills to the streets and offering haircuts to those most in need—completely free of charge....

  
• 10.22.2020

  Love for Seniors During COVID: Hita Gupta

  Shortly after the COVID-19 pandemic hit the United States, 15-year-old Hita Gupta received a disappointing phone call. The local nursing home where she regularly volunteered was letting her know that she wouldn’t be able to visit again anytime soon due...

  
• 10.16.2020

  Cool and Dope: Kid Hero Cavanaugh Bell (and Mom, Llacey)

  When 7-year-old Cavanaugh Bell was bullied, he said he felt a darkness inside him. He didn’t want other kids to feel the same way, so he asked his mom if she could help him spread some positivity in the world....

  
• 10.09.2020

  Hugs Around the World: David Sylvester

  In the aftermath of 9/11, David Sylvester, like so many other Americans, was feeling immense pain and anguish. He really wanted to do something to help, but didn’t know where to start. Then, he discovered one very simple but powerful...

  
• 10.02.2020

  Brown Girls Doc Mafia: Iyabo Boyd

  Iyabo Boyd is the founder of Brown Girls Doc Mafia, an initiative advocating for over 4,000 women and non-binary people of color working in the documentary film industry from around the world. COVID-19 has impacted the filmmaking community hard, and...

  
• 09.25.2020

  Every Body Farms: Jenny Hernandez and Jessica Nelson

  Common Roots Farm in Santa Cruz, California is a very special place. Not only do they produce delicious fruits and vegetables, they are also a non-profit, volunteer-based farm whose mission is rooted in creating a space that fosters full inclusion...

  
• 09.18.2020

  Where Are They Now? with Khloe Thompson

  When Khloe Thompson was 9 years old, she started asking her mother questions about people experiencing homelessness. After learning more, she knew she wanted to help. What started out as a simple idea to give someone a care bag with...

  
• 09.11.2020

  Paying It Forward: Alx Uttermann & Brad Keimach

  When Brad Kaimack received a tax refund that he wasn’t expecting, he knew he wanted to use it to do something kind for someone else. After hearing a story about the CEO of Chobani Yogurt paying off lunch debt for...

  
• 09.03.2020

  I Am My Ancestors' Wildest Dreams: Brianna Meeks

  Brianna Meeks has an offbeat but clear-headed dream to win back something that’s incredibly meaningful to her family. And after thirteen long years of wishing, she finally has the chance to make it come true. This is a story about...