StoryCorps Oklahoma

Meeting a stranger can be difficult for some people. Meeting a stranger with opposing beliefs can be even more difficult. But this year, Oklahomans have signed up to do it — to talk to someone they know ahead of time thinks differently than they do. The goal for One Small Step conversations is to get to know one another - learn about the stories and people that influenced them and their beliefs, in an effort to try to understand someone you might not have a chance to meet otherwise.

Take a listen to what we've heard people say on why they wanted to do this, what lessons they've learned from people in their lives, and what they hope for in their future discussions about politics.

Meeting a stranger can be difficult for some people. Meeting a stranger with opposing beliefs can be even more difficult. But this year, Oklahomans have signed up to do it — to talk to someone they know ahead of time thinks differently than they do. The goal for One Small Step conversations is to get to know one another - learn about the stories and people that influenced them and their beliefs, in an effort to try to understand someone you might not have a chance to meet otherwise.

So far, KOSU has been able to host 20 One Small Step Conversations. KOSU facilitators Kateleigh Mills and Matthew Viriyapah have paired nearly 40 Oklahomans with differing viewpoints for a personal, 50-minute conversation.

"My observations from a facilitator's standpoint is that people want to work together," Mills said. "We've been told by several participants how happy they've been to participate in a project like this, that they've felt they did something meaningful towards healing the divisions within our society — even if it is just a small step."

Nearly 35 years ago, a contract welder dropped his torch in a jet maintenance facility at Tinker Air Force Base, sparking one of the largest fires in Air Force history. The fire became a case study for fire prevention processes and building codes for the Air Force. Garry Souders was the chief of safety at the base in 1984. He came to the StoryCorps Mobile Booth in Oklahoma City to tell his son John about that eerie day.

This story was produced for KOSU by Rachel Hubbard and Dustin Drew, with interviews recorded at the StoryCorps mobile booth in Oklahoma City in early 2018. Locally recorded stories air Wednesdays during Morning Edition and All Things Considered on KOSU.

Thank you to Phillips Murrah law firm for sponsoring StoryCorps' visit to Oklahoma City.

Ariana Ude and her mom, Kelli Ude have an honest relationship and that includes how they became family. They came to the StoryCorps mobile booth to reflect on their relationship and Ariana’s adoption.

This story was produced for KOSU by Rachel Hubbard and Dustin Drew, with interviews recorded at the StoryCorps mobile booth in Oklahoma City in early 2018. Locally recorded stories air Wednesdays during Morning Edition and All Things Considered on KOSU.

Thank you to Phillips Murrah law firm for sponsoring StoryCorps' visit to Oklahoma City.

New relationships are often awkward, and that could have been exceptionally true for Jessica Wedel and Zac Fowler. They faced an unthinkable challenge just as they started dating but ultimately were able to give each other the gifts of a relationship that had already withstood the tests of time.

This story was produced for KOSU by Rachel Hubbard and Dustin Drew, with interviews recorded at the StoryCorps mobile booth in Oklahoma City in early 2018. Locally recorded stories air Wednesdays during Morning Edition and All Things Considered on KOSU.

Thank you to Phillips Murrah law firm for sponsoring StoryCorps' visit to Oklahoma City.

The holidays are often a time of family togetherness and thankfulness. The gift of love is something Larry and Linda Sanders and their daughter Laura Holcomb reflected on when they visited the StoryCorps mobile booth in Oklahoma City earlier this year.

This story was produced for KOSU by Rachel Hubbard and Dustin Drew, with interviews recorded at the StoryCorps mobile booth in Oklahoma City in early 2018. Locally recorded stories air Wednesdays during Morning Edition and All Things Considered on KOSU.

Thank you to Phillips Murrah law firm for sponsoring StoryCorps' visit to Oklahoma City.

The Lebanese Civil War started in 1975 and lasted for 15 years. 120,000 people died and nearly one million people fled the country. Among them was Afeef Hamra, who brought his family to Oklahoma City. His daughter Lauren brought him to the StoryCorps mobile booth to talk about that time and what he wants her to remember about Lebanese culture.

This story was produced for KOSU by Rachel Hubbard and Dustin Drew, with interviews recorded at the StoryCorps mobile booth in Oklahoma City in early 2018. Locally recorded stories air Wednesdays during Morning Edition and All Things Considered on KOSU.

Thank you to Phillips Murrah law firm for sponsoring StoryCorps' visit to Oklahoma City.

When 96-year-old Annabelle Miller was young, she had to make a decision: go to college or choose another path. She joined a very strict order of nuns, but in her 40s, decided it wasn’t the best path for her and left. Annabelle came to the StoryCorps mobile booth in Oklahoma City to talk to her friend Troy Jones about that decision and the ways that her life has changed.

This story was produced for KOSU by Rachel Hubbard and Dustin Drew, with interviews recorded at the StoryCorps mobile booth in Oklahoma City in early 2018. Locally recorded stories air Wednesdays during Morning Edition and All Things Considered on KOSU.

Thank you to Phillips Murrah law firm for sponsoring StoryCorps' visit to Oklahoma City.

Linda Schaffel changed many things about her life when her daughter Lisa was born with a disability. They came to the StoryCorps mobile booth in Oklahoma City to talk about the ways Lisa has surprised her along the way.

This story was produced for KOSU by Rachel Hubbard and Dustin Drew, with interviews recorded at the StoryCorps mobile booth in Oklahoma City in early 2018. Locally recorded stories air Wednesdays during Morning Edition and All Things Considered on KOSU.

Thank you to Phillips Murrah law firm for sponsoring StoryCorps' visit to Oklahoma City.

Tommy Parrish received a debilitating injury at a young age, but he doesn’t see himself as disabled. He and his daughter Kathryn Thomas came to the StoryCorps mobile booth to talk about the lessons they have both learned from Tommy’s injury.

This story was produced for KOSU by Rachel Hubbard and Dustin Drew, with interviews recorded at the StoryCorps mobile booth in Oklahoma City in early 2018. Locally recorded stories air Wednesdays during Morning Edition and All Things Considered on KOSU.

Thank you to Phillips Murrah law firm for sponsoring StoryCorps' visit to Oklahoma City.