Homegoings: Three Vermont teens on power, history and hope

By Myra Flynn

Published March 3, 2022 at 3:25 PM EST

Press "play" to watch this artist snapshot, which is hosted by VPR's Myra Flynn and features a video performance of the song "Listen Up"

**Naomi Fitzpatrick, Faith Awotho and Don Kiputa speak to Brave Little State about being young and Black in Vermont in 2022, and answer listener questions.**

Note: Our show is produced for the ear. We recommend listening to the audio above if you can! But we also provide a written transcript of the episode here.

This is the sixth installment of "Homegoings," a special series from Brave Little State that features conversations about BIPOC art and experience in Vermont. Follow the series here.

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The cast of "Listen Up," an original musical based on hundreds of interviews with teenagers across Vermont.

Featured artists:

Naomi Fitzpatrick, 14, is from Dorset.

Don Kiputa, 19, is from Winooski.

Faith Awotho, 18, is from Essex.

What is The Listen Up Project?

The Listen Up Project is an original musical based on eight months of interviews, workshops, conversations and listening sessions with more than 800 teens across Vermont. In August 2021, the show toured across the state.

For more information, including how to stream the film version of the show, go to listenupvt.org.

Bonus audio: A conversation with Bess O'Brien

The directing producer of "The Listen Up Project" speaks with VPR's Myra Flynn about the making of the show, and shares the stories behind several songs.

a picture of two pages side by side with black musical notes — Original sheet music of "The Listen Up Song," written by youth of color for the original musical, the Listen Up Project.

Credits:

If you have recommendations for future interviews in our "Homegoings" series, get in touch with our team by emailing hello@bravelittlestate.org.

"Homegoings" is a production of Vermont Public Radio, created by the Brave Little State team: Josh Crane, Angela Evancie and Myra Flynn, with help from Elodie Reed, Marlon Hyde and Peter Engisch. Myra Flynn produced and mixed this episode, and composed the theme music. Other music by Blue Dot Sessions. Thanks to Bess O'Brien & Kingdom County Productions, and also to our video production team: David Littlefield, Kianna Haskin, Mike Dunn and Kyle Ambusk.

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Brave Little State is a production of Vermont Public Radio.