Three more stories from the LGBTQ+ community in Western Colorado. Megan, a trans woman, shares her journey of self-discovery and acceptance through her love for 1950s-style dresses. Megan's fashion choices become a powerful symbol of her authenticity and a gateway to her career as a stand-up comedian. Lehua tells the story of coming out as her true self with the people who should understand her best — and their surprising reactions. Xavi offers a story about community, the support of his family and performing drag. Recorded May 2023 at Lithic Bookstore in Fruita.

Thanks to CPR News’ Stina Seig for helping us connect with storytellers. Thanks also to Lithic Press, which has been publishing books of poetry from creators on the Western Slope of Colorado since 2007.

We’re always looking for people interested in sharing their stories onstage, and communities whose experiences and perspectives deserve more attention. Reach out to us: [email protected]

Subscribe to get email updates about storytelling events, opportunities to learn and new projects from our Community Audio team at cpr.org/communityaudio.

My Story So Far is a Community Audio project of Colorado Public Radio’s Audio Innovations Studio — part of the NPR Network.

Host and producer: Luis Antonio Perez

Members of the LGBTQ+ community in Western rural Colorado came together recently to share stories about the complexities of gender identity and their personal journeys toward self-acceptance. Lexi shares a story about grappling with societal expectations, the emotional toll it can take, and the first few steps toward finding community. Caleb shares a story of a bonfire that marked a moment of joy, discovery, and connection for him as a rural queer teenager. Recorded May 2023 at Lithic Bookstore in Fruita.

We’re always looking for people interested in sharing their stories onstage, and communities whose experiences and perspectives deserve more attention. Reach out to us: [email protected]

Subscribe to get email updates about storytelling events, opportunities to learn and new projects from our Community Audio team at cpr.org/communityaudio.

My Story So Far is a Community Audio project of Colorado Public Radio’s Audio Innovations Studio — part of the NPR Network.

Host and producer: Luis Antonio Perez

Restaurant and food industry workers face unique challenges. A small group of local chefs, servers, managers and entrepreneurs came together for a story slam in Denver to share about their careers and experiences in the industry. We hear from Mario, a Memphis native who found himself abandoned and homeless in the streets of Denver but is now pursuing a dream to bring the magic of Memphis style BBQ to the people of Colorado. Then, a longtime food industry worker named Socks talks about how struggling with stress and addiction led her to rethink how she can continue to be part of the industry she loves. CHOW (Culinary Hospitality Outreach and Wellness), a nonprofit that offers mental health services to food industry workers, helped coordinate this episode. Recorded February 2023 at Rag + Bale in Denver.

In our second episode featuring residents affected by the Marshall Fire, we hear two live stories about life after the disaster. Paul tells us an emotional story of mending a broken family, and his favorite and least-favorite questions he’s encountered as a victim of a wildfire. Later, Missy shares how she found herself grieving and adjusting in unusual ways in the year since the wildfire. Paul’s story was recorded at a Superior Community Center event on Dec. 30, 2022, marking the one-year anniversary of the fire. Missy’s story comes from a story slam organized by Colorado Public Radio at Louisville Underground in January 2023.

The Marshall Fire in December 2021 became the most destructive wildfire in Colorado history. This is part one of two episodes focusing on the personal narratives from Boulder County residents affected by the tragedy. It looks back at the quiet emotional journeys that happen in the aftermath of a wildfire. We hear from Meghan, a former rodeo queen who saved a dozen horses on the day of the Marshall Fire; Paul, Deputy Fire Chief who responded to the crisis; and Mike and Jessi, who lost their family home in the fire but discovered something surprising in the ashes.

Thanks to Jenn Kaaoush at Superior Rising, Cheryl Gordon with Unincorporated Boulder County and Reina Pomeroy at Marshall Together helping us connect with storytellers. Recorded January 2023 at Louisville Underground.

The students and educators from YEBO – Youth Empowerment Broadcasting Organization – make podcasts and other media as a form of self-empowerment. Godwin, Bella, Salem, and Cristina share four stories about crushes, Christmas dinners, favorite meals from grandma, and the quiet moments we share with family.

YEBO, a Denver nonprofit focused on empowering young people through podcasts and storytelling, hosted and helped coordinate this episode. Recorded December 2022 at Empower Community High School in Aurora.

We’re looking for people interested in sharing their stories onstage, and communities whose experiences and perspectives deserve more attention. Reach out to us: [email protected]

Returning to society after prison is hard. David and Ashley, two formerly incarcerated people navigating reentry, share stories about self-worth and redemption. David tells the story of how he learned to be a positive influence to those around him during his 34-year incarceration. And Ashley shares a story about the power of choosing what clothes you wear, before and after prison. Remerg, a Denver nonprofit focused on helping people navigate reentry, helped coordinate this episode. Our debut episode was recorded June 2022 at the Tattered Cover Bookstore in Denver.

My Story So Far is a new podcast from Colorado Public Radio that collects stories from different communities around the state and presents them at unique, intimate story slams.