Stories from a Changing Midwest
the Show
Mid-Americana: Stories from a Changing Midwest explores the history and identity of the Greater Midwest through the lives and stories of individual people. Our debut season, Homecoming, features eight native Iowans who left the Midwest then came back to stay. We ask what pulled them away, what drew them back, and what they contribute now to a changing Midwest. Possible themes for future seasons of Mid-Americana include agriculture, immigration, climate change, education, energy, religion, and many more. Let us know if you have ideas for a future episode or season.
The Team
Producers
Brian Campbell is Executive Director of the Iowa Environmental Council. His academic training, teaching, and research have focused on the history and culture of American environmentalism, especially the values and stories that motivate grassroots engagement.
Joshua Doležal is the author of the memoir Down from the Mountaintop: From Belief to Belonging (University of Iowa Press, 2014), which was shortlisted for the 2016 William Saroyan Prize. He also serves as an Associate Fellow for the Center for Great Plains Studies at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
Sound Engineer
Brad Linder is an award-winning journalist and audio producer with two decades of experience in radio and podcasting. He is co-producer of The Loving Project, a podcast about mixed-race marriage in the United States, and editor for My American Meltingpot, a podcast about the intersection of race and real life.
Art
Mathew Kelly is Associate Professor of Art at Central College. Kelly’s specialties are in drawing, printmaking and book arts, with his work exhibited throughout the United States. Examples can be seen on his website.
Music
Adam Bruce is a Des Moines-based Prairie Soul singer and songwriter, often appearing as a duo alongside his wife April Lynn. Adam also performs with groups Bruce & Parks as well as the alt-country band the New Bodies. Listen to his music and follow his concert schedule on his website.
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Thanks to our Sponsors
This program is supported by Humanities Iowa and the National Endowment for the Humanities. The views and opinions expressed by this program do not necessarily reflect those of Humanities Iowa or the National Endowment for the Humanities.
