Vermont Public has released two original audio series by local content creators as part of its Made Here Fund, which was created to support Vermont media makers.
'The Afghan Women of Brattleboro'
'The Afghan Women of Brattleboro’ profiles the lives of refugees living in Brattleboro. After the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan in the fall of 2021, the U.S. evacuated tens of thousands of Afghans whose lives were in danger. About 100 of them ended up as refugees in Brattleboro.
Among them was a group of women who share their stories in a new podcast series. Their arrival brought change — not just for the women themselves but for the local residents who helped them settle in, and also for Brattleboro as a whole.
The podcast was produced by Elissa Pine and Jennifer Sutton of Two Daughters Productions.
“We are constantly in awe of the Afghan women who resettled in Brattleboro,” Pine said. “They escaped life-threatening danger and oppression from the Taliban, traveled halfway around the world not knowing what their future would be, and rebuilt their lives from scratch in a strange, new place. They're working hard, taking care of their families, and trying to succeed—like all Vermonters.”
'The Afghan Women of Brattleboro' is available now at vermontpublic.org and in Vermont Public Docs, our podcast feed for longform audio journalism. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen.
“Vermont Public's Made Here Fund provided financial and distribution support that allowed us to collaborate with some of these women and create a platform where their stories can be heard,” Pine said. “Vermont Public's commitment demonstrates not only the power of the stories themselves, but also the value of sharing them with listeners across the state.”
“The Arts That Shape Us”
‘The Arts that Shape Us’ is a two-part podcast from the nonprofit Vermont Folklife that explores the state’s cultural heritage and what different local artforms say about the past and present of Vermont. Vermont Folklife’s Director of Education and Media, Mary Wesley, hosts the show.
In this first installment, she takes us to Barre. As Mary explains, the city had a booming granite industry, and this industrial tradition birthed an artistic one. Then, in part two, we meet a Tibetan musician and dancer who has infused his cultural heritage into Vermont's.
“We’re grateful for the support we received from the Made Here Fund for this audio series,” Wesley said. “Traditional arts both shape and reflect communities across our state in unique ways. We feel the social role of traditional arts has never been more important and we're excited for this opportunity to shine a light on the creativity and contributions of Vermont’s artists."
'The Arts That Shape Us’ is available now at vermontpublic.org and in Vermont Edition’s podcast feed. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen.
Vermont Public launched the Made Here Fund in 2022 to broaden and diversify Vermont storytelling. Makers from across the state were invited to apply for special funding to produce pieces such as short documentary and animated films, digital pieces and audio series.
Ten projects by content creators representing six Vermont counties were awarded a total of $100,000 to produce projects including short documentary and animated films, digital shorts and audio series.Previously released projects include ‘Seven Years in Vermont,’ a love letter to Vermont and its natural setting; a series of short films about Vermont businesses, ‘Love of the Land,’ a short animated documentary about Vermont farmer Romaine Tenney, ‘I Have Something To Get Off My Chest,’ which centers on a trans man recovering from gender affirming surgery, and The Balloonist, a documentary film about the life and legacy of Brian Boland, folk artist and hot air balloonist from Thetford, Vermont.
The remaining projects will be released in the coming year.
