Community Connection, from Indiana Public Radio

This podcast has come to an end, but you can listen to more at IndianaPublicRadio.org! 

J.R. Jamison is joined by Drs. Ziwei Qi and Lori E. Kniffin, editors of Facing Relationship-Based Violence, to discuss their book’s collection of nineteen first-person stories from people in rural Kansas whose lives have been impacted by the harm that occurs when relationships have been shaped by fear and control instead of love and trust, and the three explore how survivor stories serve as a resource to increase awareness and encourage conversations. 

Chapters
[00:00] Introduction. 
[01:07] Interview with Dr. Ziwei Qi and Dr. Lori Kniffin. 
[03:53] Why this form of storytelling was the chosen vehicle for understanding. 
[09:07] Learning from the process of collecting people's stories. 
[11:27] Misconceptions about relationship-based violence. 
[14:55] "From Betrayal to Becoming" - an anonymous story. 
[21:39] "Not That Simple" - Cia's story. 
[27:19] "You Can’t Get Rid of Glitter" - an anonymous story. 
[31:56] "A Glimmer of Jana" - Christie Brungardt's story. 
[42:50] Interview with psychologist Dr. Sherry Hamby. 
[44:52] Recent understandings of connecting with the natural world and psychology. 
[48:21] Learning from and moving forward from relationship based violence. 

Original air date: Sep. 26, 2026

J.R. Jamison shares the stories of three women from rural Kentucky whose lives have changed forever due to addiction: one from a sister who fights each day to win back her brother; another from a pharmacist on the front lines of the opioid epidemic; and one from a young mother who abused pain pills after the death of her child.

Later in the show, J.R. is joined by Kyle Brewer, the Peer Specialist Program Manager for NAADAC—the Association for Addiction Professionals.

Photo – The Facing Project at Union College in Barbourville, Kentucky

Stories included in this episode –
• Denial Is Over: Robin’s story, as told to Missy Reid from Facing Addiction in Knox County, Kentucky. Performed by Melinda.
• Abuse Is No Secret: Susan’s story, as told to Sarah Wilder from Facing Addiction in Knox County, Kentucky.Performed by Amanda Hummer.
• Love Is Greater Than Anger: Debbie’s story, as told to Melinda Hornback from Facing Addiction in Knox County, Kentucky. Performed by Tiffany Erk.    

Music used in this episode –
• "Like Life" by Hello Keller. Released under an Attribution 3.0 United States (CC BY 3.0 US) License. From the Free Music Archive.
• "A Moment" by Scott Gratton. Released under an Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0) License. From the Free Music Archive.

Chapters –
[00:00] Introduction. 
[01:25] "Denial is Over." Robin's story. 
[07:44] "Abuse Is No Secret." Susan’s story. 
[11:32] "Love Is Greater Than Anger." Debbie’s story. 
[16:32] Interview with Kyle Brewer. 
[19:33] The waves of the opioid epidemic and its impact on governmental reform. 
[23:44] The impact on rural communities and what is being done to help. 

Original air date: Jun. 25, 2022

We’ve all seen and read the stories of those with disabilities portrayed as secondary characters, there in the background to support the able-bodied lead in their quest for love, adventure, and success. But what if the script were flipped, and those with a disability were the main characters finding their own love, adventure, and success?

Join J.R. Jamison as he shares the story a polio survivor who loves to dance; a former runner with an auto-immune disorder who is finding a new path; and a college student with autism who asks us to pay attention. Later in the show, J.R. is joined by global disability influencer Monica Engle Thomas who has reclaimed her own narrative and uses it to inspire others.

Photo – Provided by Monica Engle Thomas.

Stories included in this episode –
• Carry: Sandy Penrod’s story as told to Jennifer Stanley from Facing Disabilities in East Central Indiana. Performed by Beth Nahre.
• Finding My Way: Antonio Kioko’s story as told to Deirdre Lane from Beyond Face Value: A Facing Project from Principal Financial in Des Moines, Iowa. Performed by Carl Frost.
• Pay Attention: Carter Tharp’s story as told to Jamie Reece from Facing Autism in Muncie, Indiana. Performed by Charley Isaacs. 

Music used in this episode –
• "HOEDOWN" by Jason Shaw. Released under an Attribution 3.0 United States (CC BY 3.0 US) License. From the Free Music Archive.
• "The Woods (Remastered)" by Axletree. Released under an Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) License. From the Free Music Archive.
• "Gourd Hunting" by Jesse Spillane. Released under an Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) License. From the Free Music Archive.

Chapters –
[00:00] Introduction. 
[01:51] "Carry." Sandy Penrod’s story. 
[07:58] "Finding My Way." Antonio Kioko’s story. 
[10:50] "Pay Attention." Carter Tharp's story. 
[16:12] Interview with Monica Engle Thomas. 
[17:30] Getting started as a social media influencer and seeing its impact in the world. 
[23:10] The work of reclaiming the narrative around disabilities. 

Original air date: Apr. 30, 2022

Host J.R. Jamison sits down with FRONTLINE filmmaker, producer, and journalist Ursula Liang to talk about her latest film Two Strikes, a documentary short that follows the two strikes law in Florida that put a former West Point cadet struggling with PTSD and alcoholism in prison for life without the possibility of parole. The two also explore how to tell authentic stories through print and film.

Photo Credit – Ursula Liang, photo provided.

Chapters –
[00:00] Introduction. 
[03:05] Interview with Ursula Liang. 
[06:32] Making the transition from written storytelling to film. 
[10:38] The decision making process of visual storytelling and navigating complex narratives. 
[17:24] Handling the delicate balance of investigative interviews, and consequences that impact more than just individuals. 
[26:38] Building a storytelling experience while balancing the control of the narrative. 
[30:07] Storytelling that connects the audience and the creator to the story's culture. 
[41:14] Advice for filmmakers and storytellers. 
[49:03] How do we create a more empathetic world? 

Original air date: Jul. 27, 2024

Genetics, brain chemistry, personality, and life events—all contributing factors to the more than 40 million adults in the U.S. who suffer from anxiety or depression. Yet, with nearly 12% of the overall population battling these illnesses, mental health is still stigmatized and misunderstood.

Join J.R. Jamison as he shares the story of a missionary who battled depression 4,000 miles from home, and another from a college student with a “broken brain” who says the best way to help is to listen. Later in the show, J.R. is joined by that former college student who is now a high school English teacher at a virtual public school in Washington state.

Photo – Via Flickr Creative Commons by Seth Jackson: https://flic.kr/p/TrtEhh.

Stories included in this episode –
• It’s Not the Common Cold: Bailie Sage’s story as told to Jon Toronto from Facing Depression in Cache Valley, Utah. Performed by Amy Leffingwell.
• It’s Not My Fault My Brain is Broken. Kiah Penfield’s story as told to Chris Bavender from Facing Depression in Muncie, Indiana. Performed by Melinda.

Music used in this episode –
• "spring_thaw" by The Green Kingdom. Released under an Attribution 3.0 United States (CC BY 3.0 US) license. From the Free Music Archive.
• "There Is Always A Reason" by Borrtex. Released under an Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0) license. From the Free Music Archive.

Chapters –
[00:00] Introduction.
[00:56] "It’s Not the Common Cold" - Bailie Sage’s story. 
[09:24] "It’s Not My Fault My Brain is Broken" - Kiah Penfield’s story. 
[16:10] Interview with Kiah Penfield.
[18:27] Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation.
[22:00] Relations between depression and identity.
[24:11] Depression and anxiety with young people and navigating it as a teacher.

Original air date: Mar. 26, 2022

Teachers and educators are facing challenges like never before, including battling misinformation, burned-out kids, parents, and of course—COVID.

Join J.R. Jamison as he explores these challenges and shares the story of a man who stays in teaching despite external pressures; another from a woman who uses empathy to teach multicultural education; and one from a teacher who decided to make her own kind of change—at the Statehouse.

Photo – Via Flickr Creative Commons by Phil Roeder: https://flic.kr/p/2kf6XeR.

Stories included in this episode – 

• This Is Why I Teach: An anonymous story as told to Suzanne Clem from Facing Teaching.
• Mrs. Miller, You Set Us Up!: Barbara Miller’s story as told to Clarissa Cheslyn from Facing Teaching.
• Votes for My Students: Melanie Wright’s story as told to Susan Volbrecht from Facing Teaching. 

Music used in this episode –
• "GREEN LEAVES" by Jason Shaw. Released under an Attribution 3.0 United States (CC BY 3.0 US) license. From the Free Music Archive.

Chapters –
[00:00] Introduction. 
[04:42] This Is Why I Teach. 
[11:59] Mrs. Miller, You Set Us Up!
[18:01] Votes for My Student. 
[23:15] Aloha Shirt Man Thanks the Students Who Made His School Psychology Career a Gift. 

Original air date: Feb. 26, 2022

J.R. Jamison is joined by journalist Ann Larson to discuss her new book, Cleanup on Aisle Five, a deep dive informed by her time behind the register that examines supermarkets and how they operate from the inside out with low-wage workers stocking shelves, to the customers who roam the aisles at night, to the communities these stores serve and the larger capitalist forces and corporate interests at play that control how we shop for food.

Chapters
[00:00] Introduction.
[01:26] Interview with Ann Larson.
[05:58] Surprising aspects of every day grocery store work.
[13:14] The grocery store as a reflection of class relations in America.
[23:27] The history and context of grocery stores and franchising.
[31:47] Grocery stores are only one part of a larger food supply and poverty system.
[40:29] The links between education and financial stability.
[46:52] Learning from the experience of working in a grocery store and living through people's stories.

Original air date: Aug. 29, 2026

J.R. Jamison is joined by former co-host Kelsey Timmerman to discuss his latest book, Regenerating Earth: Farmers Working with Nature to Feed Our Future, and later Kelsey sits down with Indiana farmer Chris Baggot to explore how he’s working to build a local food system while healing the land through regenerative farming practices. 

Music in this episode -
"I Leaned My Back Against an Oak (after The Water is Wide)" by Axletree
Licensed under an Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) License.
From the Free Music Archive.

Chapters -
[00:00] Introduction.
[01:15] Interview with Kelsey Timmerman.
[05:11] The various definitions of regenerative agriculture.
[14:14] The returning generation of agrarian people.
[22:51] Regenerative agriculture in urban environments.
[26:36] Expanding regenerative agricultural into conventional farming.
[36:04] Staying in a place and learning to care for it as a community.
[41:58] Interview with Chris Baggot.
[44:20] What farmland can be like before regenerative farming practices.
[47:42] The rising cost of farmland ownership.
[52:45] The upcoming transition of significant amounts of farmland to the next generation.
[57:58] The role of consumers in motivating the supply of regenerative farming.
[01:01:58] Differences in experiencing regenerative and conventional farming.

Original air date: Jun 28, 2025

Each year, more than half a million people are released from state and federal prisons, some of them after years of incarceration. But with an unemployment rate of over 27% for the formerly incarcerated, what does life on the outside look like for them?   

Join J.R. Jamison as he explores this question, and shares the story of a woman with a felony who is working on a new life with her kids, and another from a retired prison doctor who works on re-entry program reform.  

Later in the show, J.R. is joined by Dr. Jacquelyn B. Frank, Professor of Aging Studies and Human Services at Eastern Illinois University, whose research and community engagement work focuses on long-term incarceration and life after prison. 

The co-host this time around is 15-year-old Charlie Isaacs who is a fan of the show and hopes to someday go into radio.  

Photo – Via Flickr Creative Commons by Michael Scott at Felons Get Hired.

Stories included in this episode –
• You Can Only Go So Far with Optimism: An anonymous story as told to Rodrigo M. Jr. and Allison W. from Behind the Faces of Criminal Justice in Chippewa Valley, Wisconsin. Performed by Tiffany Erk.
• Ken’s Story: Ken Adler’s story as told to Rachel E. and Nicole B. from Behind the Faces of Criminal Justice in Chippewa Valley, Wisconsin. Performed by Larry Beck.

Music used in this episode –
• "The Collector" by Broke For Free. Released under an Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported (CC BY-NC 3.0)license. From the Free Music Archive.
• "I Will Wait For You" by Scott Gratton. Released under an Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0) license. From the Free Music Archive.

Chapters –
[00:00] Introduction. 
[02:40] “You Can Only Go So Far with Optimism.” 
[07:22] Ken Adler's story. 
[11:36] Interview with Dr. Jacquelyn B. Frank, Professor of Aging Studies and Human Services. 
[14:01] What can be done to reduce the unemployment rate for the formerly incarcerated. 
[18:22] Success stories of ex-prisoners. 
[24:13] Interview with Charlie Isaacs, self-professed “radio nerd.” 

Original air date: Dec. 18, 2021