State of the Re:Union

In the last episode of State of the Re:Union, the team brings you a collection of our favorite stories from the road. Host Al Letson reflects on six years of SOTRU and says goodbye to the show. VIEW PHOTOS AND MORE

The San Gabriel Valley is just like any other suburb in America. Life revolves around family and school; the social fabric is woven over cheap eats at the mall. But unlike most suburbs in America, the San Gabriel Valley is home to the largest Chinese diaspora in the country. In fact, eight of the region’s cities are majority Asian. That makes the “SGV” one of the few places where being Asian American is the norm – but where there is no normal version of being Asian American. VIEW PHOTOS AND MORE

Poetry isn’t just words on a page. Instead it’s a form that lets people express themselves in a way that’s often far more deep, emotional, and complex than other forms of communication. In this year’s National Poetry Month Special, SOTRU explores how people are finding ways to use poetry in surprising ways.VIEW PHOTOS AND MORE

The climate is going haywire, and politicians are bickering over what to do about it, or whether to do anything at all. But that’s only part of the story. Around the country, communities are taking matters into their own hands, publicly pledging to shrink their carbon footprints, then setting out to make good on their promises.VIEW PHOTOS AND MORE

When someone decides to transition from one gender to another, it’s obviously a big deal in their life. But what’s it like for their spouse?VIEW PHOTOS AND MORE

This year, State of the Re:Union recognizes Black History Month through the lens of African-American art, the role it has played in social movements and everyday life, and why it matters both to the black community and the United States as a whole.VIEW PHOTOS AND MORE

When a city’s murder rate goes up and stays high for years, what do community activists working against violence do? How do they keep from losing hope? Back in 2010, State of the Re:Union visited New Orleans, Louisiana, and reported on community responses to urban violence. Among the places SOTRU visited was St. Anna’s Episcopal Church in the Treme neighborhood, which had come up with a novel way of documenting the city’s violence: something they called the Murder Board. This year, we sent reporter Nina Feldman back to St. Anna’s to see how the project is maintaining, these years later.VIEW PHOTOS AND MORE

In every community, there are certain characters that are familiar to everybody. They’re not actually famous– they’re just recognizable folks about town because of some quirk or personal characteristic. Producer Gabe Grabin brings us the story of one particular character in his hometown who polarized his community.VIEW PHOTOS AND MORE

The SOTRU team brings you a collection of stories from the road. Host Al Letson reflects on the show and plays some of his favorite stories mixed with unheard interviews. We’ll also hear a story about a road trip that completely shifted Al’s life.VIEW PHOTOS AND MORE

In our globalized world, it only takes a click to buy something from China and have it delivered right to your doorstep. But that product sailed across the ocean on a cargo ship before it got to you. Over 90 percent of global trade travels across the ocean by ship. In this episode, we’ll step on board some of these ships and meet the sailors who work there. What’s it like to live for months at sea, isolated with only your co-workers? And when a ship stops in the USA, how do sailors spend the few precious hours they have on shore? Tune in to this hour with guest producer Allison Swaim to find out.VIEW PHOTOS AND MORE