Real individuals, organizations, and communities making a real difference through the humanities. Tune in for hopeful and inspiring interviews with professionals and volunteers who are using the humanities to empower veterans to heal, boost childhood literacy and family bonding, improve the lives of people experiencing incarceration, turn teens into civic leaders, bring communities together through conversation, celebrate local history, and so much more. Humanities = is a production of the Federation of State Humanities Councils. There are 56 state and jurisdictional humanities councils in the US, one for every state, territory, and DC. These nonpartisan nonprofits were established in 1971 by Congress to make outstanding public humanities programming accessible to everyday Americans. Learn more and find your humanities council at statehumanities.org.
Access to local journalism has been declining for years now. Newspapers are closing, journalists are being laid off, and media outlets have reduced or eliminated local coverage. HumanitiesDC’s Community Journalism Program addresses this pressing need by training Washington, D.C., residents in the discipline of journalism so they can tell the stories that matter most to them and their neighbors. In this episode, hear from the program’s coordinator, one of the professional journalist trainers, and a recent program graduate about how the program works and why it's needed now more than ever. Show notes and transcript available at statehumanities.org/podcast (https://www.statehumanities.org/podcast/).
4 Feb 2026
Supporting HBCU Scholarship
Virginia Humanities has been working to connect the academic and public sides of the humanities for decades through their fellowship programs. Their newest fellowship supports faculty and alumni of HBCUs—historically Black colleges and universities. The focus at these schools is often on teaching, which means opportunities for humanities research can be limited. The HBCU Scholars Fellowship gives these humanities scholars time to focus on research projects, projects that in turn enrich the public. In this episode, we speak with current HBCU Scholars Fellow Dr. Monika Rhue and Virginia Humanities’ Yosef Medina, who runs the program. Show notes and transcript available at statehumanities.org/podcast (https://www.statehumanities.org/podcast/).
16 Dec 2025
Higher Education for All
Illinois Humanities believes education is liberatory and should be accessible to all. That belief led them, 25 years ago, to partner with The Clemente Course in the Humanities to offer free college courses to low-income adults in the Chicago area through a program called the Odyssey Project or Proyecto Odisea. In this episode, learn more about this program and how it changes lives. Our guests are Dulce Maria Diaz (Odyssey Project alumnus), Dr. Rebecca Amato (Director of Teaching and Learning, Illinois Humanities), and Dr. Aaron Rosen (Executive Director, The Clemente Course in the Humanities). Transcript and show notes available at statehumanities.org/podcast (http://www.statehumanities.org/podcast).
10 Dec 2025
Poetry in the Great Outdoors
Does reading poetry make the world a better place? Are poetry readings better in the great outdoors? Every summer, Vermont Humanities hold a series of poetry readings in Vermont state parks called Words in the Woods, which connects participants with the state’s natural resources and its living literary legacy. Dive into the relevance of poetry in our modern world, the relationship between nature and poetry, and the importance of supporting living poets in this conversation featuring Jacob Pelletier, Community Programs Officer at Vermont Humanities, and Bianca Stone, Vermont Poet Laureate (and past Words in the Woods speaker). Transcripts, photos, and related content available at statehumanities.org/podcast (https://www.statehumanities.org/podcast/).
22 Oct 2025
Empowering Teen Leaders
It’s true that youth are the future, but we have to give them the tools and skills to make it a good one. In this episode, we’re taking a closer look at two programs using the humanities and public libraries to inspire and empower teens to speak up and play an active role in their communities. In Montana, the Democracy Project from Humanities Montana brings teens together via their local library to learn about civics and design a project to meet a need in their community. In Pennsylvania, PA Humanities’ Youth Led Humanities provides funding and support to libraries for humanities clubs and projects that let teens take the lead. Both these programs aim to give teens opportunities to lead, find their voice, and understand how much power they have to tackle problems and make positive change in their schools and communities. Transcripts, photos, and related content available at statehumanities.org/podcast (https://www.statehumanities.org/podcast/).
3 Sept 2025
Families That Read Together
Empowering and equipping families to read aloud at home is a powerful way to boost childhood literacy and help families bond. In this episode, we take a closer look at two family reading programs: Humanities Nebraska (https://humanitiesnebraska.org/)’s Prime Time Family Reading and Colorado Humanities (https://coloradohumanities.org/)’ Motheread/Fatheread. We’ll dig into how critical early reading is for academic achievement, the incredible benefits kids and families get from reading aloud at home, and how these two programs are giving parents the tools to make reading together a regular family activity. Humanities = is a production of the Federation of State Humanities Councils. Transcripts, photos, and related content available at statehumanities.org/podcast (https://www.statehumanities.org/podcast/).
3 Sept 2025
Veterans and the Power of Conversation
How can reflective conversations help veterans open up and share their experiences? In this episode, two conversation programs are creating spaces where veterans can reflect on their service and find connection through dialogue. Humanities Texas (https://www.humanitiestexas.org/programs/veterans-voices#:~:text=Veterans)’ Veterans' Voices program brings veterans and members of the public together to read and discuss literary excerpts related to war and service. Michigan Humanities (https://www.michiganhumanities.org/community-conversations/)’ Same Mission. Many Stories. program used WWII museum objects to spark conversation among women veterans. Humanities = is a production of the Federation of State Humanities Councils. Transcripts, photos, and related content available at statehumanities.org/podcast (https://www.statehumanities.org/podcast/).
3 Sept 2025
Healing through Prison Programs
Two stories about how the humanities can provide healing for people during and after incarceration. The Mississippi Humanities Council (https://www.mshumanities.org/program/prison-education/)’s prison book club program provides intellectual stimulation and community for men and women at 16 Mississippi prisons. And in New Jersey, a theatrical program called Ritual4Return (https://ritual4return.org/) gives returning citizens the opportunity to create and perform their own rite of passage to mark their return to families and communities after incarceration. Humanities = is a production of the Federation of State Humanities Councils. Transcripts, photos, and related content available at statehumanities.org/podcast (https://www.statehumanities.org/podcast/).
26 Aug 2025
Trailer: Humanities =
Listen to clips from the first three episodes of Humanities =, a podcast about real individuals, organizations, and communities making a real difference through the humanities. This show is a production of the Federation of State Humanities Councils. Find episode transcripts and additional podcast content at statehumanities.org/podcast (https://www.statehumanities.org/podcast/).
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