The Facing Project

In 2019, a gunman opened fire in Dayton’s Oregon District, killing nine people and injuring 27. It was the 233rd mass shooting of 2019 . . . and one of 107 in the Midwest.

Join J.R. Jamison and Kelsey Timmerman as they hear from three survivors from that night, and sit down with Dayton Mayor Nan Whaley to discuss A Shooting in the Heartland.

Stories

Music Used in this Episode

As a special treat for the holidays, we're proud to bring you IPR's production of This American Carol, a new radio drama broadcast on Friday, Dec. 17, live from Sursa Performance Hall.

This American Carol is a contemporary comedy mashup of A Christmas Carol and The Office, as told in the style of NPR’s This American Life.  The new production is written for IPR by award-winning playwright, screenwriter and professor of theatre at Ball State University, Dr. Jennifer Blackmer.

The main character is Carol, a successful branch manager who has a misguided idea of what celebrating the holidays at work actually means.  Carol, who wants things done in a very specific way, won’t listen to anyone’s input and, after a fit of epic proportions (her staff literally fear for their jobs), she decides to cancel the party. The next day, three mysterious meetings pop up on Carol’s Outlook calendar (ghosts) who come along to teach Carol that respecting your coworkers and listening to them not only makes for a good team, but they can also become the family you need but never had.

Think about your community . . . What’s changed? Was your parents’ childhood different from your own?

And then ask yourself . . . What do you imagine your community will be like in another generation?

On this episode, a man wonders what the future will hold for his small Colorado community; and we sit down with James Fallows, a correspondent from The Atlantic and co-author of Our Towns: A 100,000 Mile Journey into the Heart of America.

Join J.R. and Kelsey as they discuss Big Changes in Small Towns.

This episode originally broadcast on April 25th, 2020.

Stories

• The Evolution of a Small Agricultural Town: An anonymous story as told to Adam Swanson from Facing Change in Northern Colorado.  Performed by Carl Frost.

Music Used in This Episode

In the span of a life, you’ll interact with thousands of people but only a handful of those will impact you in such a way that changes your perspectives and ideologies forever.

On this episode, a young chaplain from a conservative, anti-LGBTQ background provides spiritual care to a dying woman whose wife sits at her bedside.

We also sit down with the storyteller to learn where he is now.

Join J.R. and Kelsey as they discuss Faith, Identity, and Life-Changing Chance Encounters.

Stories

• 20 Minutes Changed My Life: Will Grinstead’s story as told to Tom Steiner from Facing LGBTQ+ Pride in Muncie, Indiana. Performed by Jay Moorman. 

Music Used in This Episode
• "Run Hound" by Cellophane Sam. Released under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) License. From the Free Music Archive.
• "Hymn for the 81%" by Daniel Deitrich. Used by special permission from the artist. 

Stay tuned for the next episode of The Facing Project coming very soon, but until then, here is a special holiday gift from our home station.

Indiana Public Radio aired a live re-enactment of Orson Welles' famous "War of the Worlds" broadcast on the show's 70th anniversary in 2008. The IPR radio drama has since become an annual holiday tradition at Ball State University, growing over the years as a unique collaboration among community members, Ball State faculty, and Ball State students. "Comfort and Joy, An IPR Radio Drama Retrospective" reveals the process of creating this local holiday tradition and explores why storytelling in this format - "theater of the mind" - has found such an enthusiastic audience in today's fast-paced world.

The American Dream . . . Fact or fiction? For those who come to the U.S. undocumented as children, the future can seem uncertain. We share the story of Daniel, a DACA recipient whose family fled drug cartels and NAFTA trade wars in search of a better life in Oregon. And we also sit down with Janet Arias-Martinez from the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute in Washington, D.C.  Join J.R. and Kelsey as they discuss Dreaming in America.

This episode originally broadcast on October 26, 2019.

Stories

Music Used in this Episode

Think about your community . . . What’s changed? Was your parents’ childhood different from your own?

And then ask yourself . . . What do you imagine your community will be like in another generation?

On this episode, a man wonders what the future will hold for his small Colorado community; and we sit down with James Fallows, a correspondent from The Atlantic and co-author of Our Towns: A 100,000 Mile Journey into the Heart of America.

Join J.R. and Kelsey as they discuss Big Changes in Small Towns.

Stories
• The Evolution of a Small Agricultural Town: An anonymous story as told to Adam Swanson from Facing Change in Northern Colorado. Performed by Carl Frost.

Music Used in This Episode
• "Beat Poets" by Snake Oil Salesmen. Released under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0) License. From the Free Music Archive.

Mr. Rogers said, “Even though no human being is perfect, we always have the chance to bring what’s unique about us to life . . . in a redeeming way.” But for some that’s easier said than done.

On this show, a woman’s search for perfectionism leads to a battle with anorexia; and we sit down with Claire Mysko, the CEO of the National Eating Disorders Association and author of You're Amazing!: A No-Pressure Guide to Being Your Best Self.

Join J.R. and Kelsey as they discuss Dying to be Perfect.

Stories
• More Than a Vase: ReNae’s story as told to Alyssa Witbeck from Facing Depression in Cache Valley, Utah. Performed by Melinda.

Music Used in This Episode
• "Smiles Throughout the Sky" by Kai Engel. Released under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0) License. From the Free Music Archive.

In the span of a life, you’ll interact with thousands of people but only a handful of those will impact you in such a way that changes your perspectives and ideologies forever.

On this episode, a young chaplain from a conservative, anti-LGBTQ background provides spiritual care to a dying woman whose wife sits at her bedside.

We also sit down with the storyteller to learn where he is now.

Join J.R. and Kelsey as they discuss Faith, Identity, and Life-Changing Chance Encounters.

Stories

• 20 Minutes Changed My Life: Will Grinstead’s story as told to Tom Steiner from Facing LGBTQ+ Pride in Muncie, Indiana. Performed by Jay Moorman.

Music Used in This Episode
• "Run Hound" by Cellophane Sam. Released under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) License. From the Free Music Archive.
• "Hymn for the 81%" by Daniel Deitrich. Used by special permission from the artist.

Imagine that you have a sudden illness and your entire life changes. What would happen with your job? 

On this episode, we hear a story mash up from Des Moines, Iowa: one told from the perspective of an employee whose son was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis, and the other from her supervisor who became one of her biggest supporters. 

We also sit down with Miriam Lewis, the chief diversity and inclusion officer for Principal Financial. 

Join J.R. and Kelsey as they discuss Living to Work and Working to Live.   

Stories
• This Disease Will Not Define Us: Jaci Strube’s story as told to Brandy Sexton from Beyond Face Value: A Facing Project by Principal Financial. Performed by Chandra Ford.
• Showing My Support: Sean Dowling’s story as told to Allie Windergerst from Beyond Face Value: A Facing Project by Principal Financial. Performed by Larry Beck.

Music Used in This Episode
• "Split Even" by Drake Stafford. Released under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) License. From the Free Music Archive.