Crossing The Divide

As the van drives over the Golden Gate Bridge, Rachel says goodbye in her last Crossing the Divide podcast. Music credit: "Jettisoned" by Podington Bear and "Home, Home at Last" by Blue Dot Sessions.

Rachel shared several of her favorite soundscapes from the road trip across America. Music credit: "Jettisoned" by Podington Bear.

As the fellowship wraps up, Rachel shared part of an interview from Minneapolis that didn't make it into the reporting project for Minnesota. Music credit: "Jettisoned" by Podington Bear and "Town Market" by Blue Dot Sessions.

Brittany and Qainat shared why they're going to Fresno, CA, this weekend. It involves some awesome mariachi music and flamenco dancing. Music credit: "Jettisoned" by Podington Bear and "Querida" by Omar Nare.

With one week left in the fellowship, Rachel turned in a draft of her radio script for the reporting in California. Part of the team headed north of San Francisco to a small beach town. Music credit: "Jettisoned" by Podington Bear and "Sylvester" by Blue Dot Sessions.

In an interview last night, Reverend Amos Brown discussed the role of black churches in America, and how evil in the form of racism threatens to tear apart this country. Music credit: "Jettisoned" by Podington Bear, "Just Below the Surface" and "Plate Synthesis" by Blue Dot Sessions.

Rachel's radio story about the tension surrounding wildfires and forest management in Montana aired on MTPR. Music credit: "Jettisoned" by Podington Bear.

The team attended a Sunday service at the historic Third Baptist Church. Rachel interviewed Rev. James Smith, an organist and the Artistic Director of the Charles Tindley Academy of Music. Music credit: "Jettisoned" by Podington Bear.

On the way to a noodle shop, Brittany shared her struggle with street photography and a looming deadline. Music credit: "Jettisoned" and "Massive" by Podington Bear.

Rachel, Mahlia and Brittany met a beauty salon owner in the Fillmore District who is struggling to make ends meet. She reflects an issue many small business owners are facing in this historically black neighborhood where rent, property taxes, and changing demographics are pushing out long-time residents. Music credit: "Jettisoned" by Podington Bear.

At a public rally and press conference at the Fillmore Heritage Center in San Francisco, Rachel met a well-known jazz artist, Dr. David Hardiman Sr. Music credit: "Jettisoned" by Podington Bear.

In preparation for the team's reporting project in San Francisco, Rachel explored the Fillmore District and recorded some ambient sound. Music credit: "Jettisoned" and "Evenhanded" by Podington Bear.

After getting good 'tape' from interviewees and writing an editor-approved script, the home stretch for a radio journalist is recording their own voice before 'mixing' all the audio together. That should be the easy part, right? Well ... Rachel received some voice coaching from the GroundTruth Project's Rachel Rohr and Qainat Kahn. Music credit: "Jettisoned" by Podington Bear and "When We Set Out" by Blue Dot Sessions.

In the spirit of Halloween, Brittany shared her mishap on a mountain in Montana. Music credit: "Jettisoned" by Podington Bear, "Plate Synthesis" and "Flutterbee" by Blue Dot Sessions.

The team left Missoula, MT, for Reno, NV, on Friday. Rachel wrapped up the script edit for her Montana reporting and went for a hike with Ben near Tahoe. Music credit: "Jettisoned" by Podington Bear and "City Limits" by Blue Dot Session.

On the drive into Missoula today, Qainat and Rachel discussed what they wish they had left behind and what they wish they had brought with them on this cross-country journey. Qainat shared what she's been learning from "The Unwinding: An Inner History of the New America," a book that unravels America's history over the last 35 years. Music credit: "Jettisoned" by Podington Bear and "City Limits" by Blue Dot Sessions.

Our field producers Ben and Qainat talked about their story scouting and reporting in western Montana. At Two Eagle River High School, Qainat, Ben and Rachel learned more about the students in the journalism class and left with the best high school newspaper anyone had seen. Music credit: "Jettisoned" by Podington Bear.

With the first draft deadline for the Montana reporting looming near, Rachel went for a run to get some inspiration. Music credit: "Jettisoned" by Podington Bear.

While U.S. politics have become increasingly polarized, Zack Porter with the Montana Wilderness Association would argue the reality on the ground is much more collaborative. Music credit: "Jettisoned" and "Drone Pine" by Blue Dot Sessions.

As Rachel rushed off to find another cafe with internet in downtown Missoula, she reflected on the difficulty of squeezing six hours of interviews into six minutes for radio. Music credit: "Jettisoned" by Podington Bear and "City Limits" by Blue Dot Sessions.

After the team's first official day of reporting in Montana, Rachel and Mahlia discussed a field trip with the Southwestern Crown Collaborative in which they visited some burn sites near Seeley Lake. Music credit: "Jettisoned" by Podington Bear.

The reporters joined a group of students from Two Eagle River High School on the Flathead Reservation in Montana for a Narrative 4 story exchange. Brittany, Rachel and Qainat reflect on that experience. Music credit: "Jettisoned" by Podington Bear and "A Palace of Cedar" by Blue Dot Sessions.

After getting dinner and picking up groceries in Missoula, Montana, Qainat and Rachel discussed what it's like to be in Rachel's old stomping grounds. Music credit: "Jettisoned" by Podington Bear.

To break up the drive between Minneapolis and Billings, Montana, the team stopped at the Theodore Roosevelt National Park overlook in North Dakota. Music credit: "Jettisoned" and "Flutterbee" by Podington Bear.

While Brittany and Mahlia were wrapping things up in the field, the rest of the reporters made a brief appearance on Almanac, a weekly public affairs program produced by Twin Cities Public Television in St. Paul, Minnesota. Music credit: "Jettisoned" by Podington Bear.

After another day with some reporting roadblocks, Rachel sat down to write the story that was there all along. Music credit: "Jettisoned" by Podington Bear.

As the reporting deadline for Minnesota ticks closer, Rachel waits for her leads to return her calls and e-mails. Music credit: "Jettisoned" and "Steps" by Podington Bear.

Rachel asked Qainat for some guidance on her reporting in Minnesota. Music credit: "Jettisoned" and "Flutterbee" by Podington Bear.

To continue Rachel's reporting on agricultural support programs for Somali Americans in MN, she followed a lead about a specific farmers' market in St. Paul, and Brittany tagged along to take photos. They didn't find what they needed for this reporting project, but the morning was a win for good food. Music credit: "Jettisoned" and "Flutterbee" by Podington Bear.

As the team transitioned to reporting in Minnesota, West Virginia Public Radio aired Rachel's industrial hemp story from eastern Kentucky. Music credit: "Jettisoned" by Podington Bear.

After the Narrative 4 Story Exchange at South High School in Minneapolis, MN, two of the student reporters showed Rachel the murals in the All Nations hallway and discussed their meaning. Music credit: "Jettisoned" by Podington Bear.

The team leaves La Crosse, WI, for the Twin Cities where the focus of the reporting will be on internal and external divides with the Somali American community. Music credit: "Jettisoned" by Podington Bear.

During Rachel's quest to find a quiet spot for recording, she visits the ornate St. Louis Public Library. Music credit: "Jettisoned" and "Going Forward, Looking Back" by Podington Bear.

The XtheDivide team left Pikeville, Kentucky, and made a pit stop at Mammoth Cave National Park. Turns out the world's longest cave was made into a national park due to the Kentucky Cave Wars. Music credit: "Jettisoned" by Podington Bear.

Rachel wanted some audio of children laughing and playing for one of her soundscape projects. But she struggled to find the right setting in which she did not feel intrusive. When should a reporter be bold, and when should she respect someone's privacy? Music credit: "Jettisoned" by Podington Bear. To learn more about our cross-country reporting trip, visit xthedivide.org.

As our reporting in Kentucky wraps up, XtheDivide's Brittany Greeson discusses the emotional drain of photojournalism with photographer and field producer Ben Brody. Music credit: "Jettisoned" by Podington Bear and "Drone Thistle" by Blue Dot Sessions.

After hours of interviews, the XtheDivide team is racing to meet the Friday deadline for the final reporting pieces in eastern Kentucky. Music credit: "Jettisoned" by Podington Bear.

The XtheDivide team hits the first deadline for their Kentucky reporting. Music credit: "Jettisoned" by Podington Bear.

Fountains, horses, and pie - Lexington is one classy city. Music credit: "Jettisoned" by Podington Bear.

Emma Jones, a defense attorney in Pikeville, KY, said people in this region feel like they've been left behind "because they have been." Jones shared what makes eastern Kentucky a great place to live, and what she believes is needed to make it better. Music credit: "Jettisoned" by Podington Bear and "Drone Thistle" by Blue Dot Sessions.

Rachel's Crossing the Divide radio piece on educational divides in Massachusetts aired during New England Public Radio's Morning Edition. Music credit: "Jettisoned" by Podington Bear.

Today was a full-on day of reporting for our projects covering healthcare, hemp and limited internet access in eastern Kentucky. Music credit: "Jettisoned" and "Massive" by Podington Bear.

As a farmer, a food writer and the president of the Pikeville Farmers' Market in eastern Kentucky, Joyce Pinson explained what makes the region's agricultural heritage so unique. Music Credit: "Jettisoned" by Podington Bear and "Turning on the Lights" by Blue Dot Sessions.

At the Pikeville Farmers' Market last night, we met Charles and Joyce Pinson, two vendors from eastern Kentucky. Charles's family has lived in these mountains for 10 generations, and agriculture has played an important role in shaping the culture and food traditions here. With specialty crops and more infrastructure, such as high tunnels and greenhouses, Charles says agriculture could boost livelihoods and draw in tourists.

Lauren Hamby, a sophomore at Floyd Central High School, shared what she hopes for her future and the future of this region she is proud to call home. The music is "Jettisoned" and "Springtime" by Podington Bear.

Some of the reporters and producers hiked in the nearby Breaks Interstate Park. It's approximately 4,500 acres of greenwood lands and mountain scenery shared by Kentucky and Virginia. The field trip involved references to Lord of the Rings and ended with ice cream from a diner in Regina, KY. For more information about our cross-country reporting trip, visit xthedivide.org.

The Crossing the Divide team arrives in Pikeville, Kentucky and attends a high school football game. Warning: you may hear some crackling and overmodulation due crowd enthusiasm. To learn more about our cross-country reporting trip, visit xthedivide.org.

Traveling can be exciting. But sometimes it's long, difficult and boring. On our way to West Virginia, we ended up getting stuck on an interstate in Maryland when a vehicle ahead of us caught fire.

On the night before leaving for Appalachia, the reporters thank the High School of Commerce in Springfield, MA for their openness and generosity. A big shout-out to Mr. Danboise and his journalism class! For more information about our cross-country reporting trip, visit xthedivide.org. 

At an event with journalism students at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, Crossing the Divide photojournalist Brittany Greeson shared how she selects photos to convey mood and continuity. For more information about our cross-country reporting trip, visit xthedivide.org.

Today was the first deadline for my radio script draft on education divisions in Massachusetts. For more information on our cross-country reporting trip, visit xthedivide.org.