Summer Youth Podcast Academy
The Summer Youth Podcast Academy is an immersive beginner podcasting workshop for New York City public school students, hosted by The Bell. The stories published here were reported, written, recorded, and mixed by our students in just three weeks.
Better Life for a Taxi Driver
What does a “better life” mean to my father, an NYC taxi driver who immigrated to the U.S. from Egypt?
The Last Name Comes First
I, like many immigrant children, have struggled with familial expectations my whole life.
Away From Home
As the daughter of an immigrant, I have always wondered what my father’s experience was like immigrating from Kenya to America.
Unheard Voices With Monica Chestnut
My grandmother takes me on a journey through her childhood recollections, old tapes, demos and personal stories.
The Butterfly Project
Let's take a trip to The Butterfly Project: an immigrant artist's public art installation that traces back to her roots in Medellín, Colombia.
The People's Grocery
What do we, as humans, owe to each other? What do each of us humans deserve? Laila examines these big questions through the vacuum of her local socialist haven: The Park Slope Food Co-Op.
City Likes Citi Bikes?
Although Citi Bikes have become commonplace in our city, they had a rocky road to get there. Listen to here the story of my building and their road to acceptance.
Reaching Out to an Outreach
At a time when tension is high between the homeless population and NYC officials. One outreach worker explains her part in securing shelter for these unhoused individuals.
Harlem Stories: Sharing Culture Between Generations
Blake Riley has grown up a part of Harlem’s rich culture his whole life. Yet as Harlem gentrifies, their collection of stories is all that’s left to connect to previous generations. Blake sits down with his next door neighbor James, a lifelong Harlemite, in search of the history of their neighborhood games, family tension through New York's 70s and the comparison of James' past to Blake's present.
Calling All Cats - How Fatiha Washington Navigates Through A World of Misogyny
Teenage girls Ishya and her sister Fatiha are certainly not new to catcalling. But what goes through a girl's mind when some random guy on the street refuses to give up?
The Media's Hoax
School should be a safe haven for children that not only fosters the development of education but growth too. It's close to impossible to maintain this standard when having to battle the media's negative input. Kids of color are allowed to make mistakes, we shouldn't have to fear being judged by the public because of it. That's the lesson the kids of Urban assembly school for Law and Justice and many others have had to learn the hard way.
The Most Famous Bar You've Never Heard Of
This episode is an exploration of the most historic and oldest tavern in New York City, Neirs Tavern. Queens, Woodhaven a tight knit community is home to Neirs for over 190 years and throughout this episode you’ll get to hear the story of how this historic jewel was saved from closing — one of its defining moment that demonstrates the power in community.
The Story of Melvin Jackson
Mia has been exposed to many mysteries, but this one was the kicker. Join Mia on her ancestry discovery, where she is told the story of the man that everyone once called “Melvin Jackson.”
A Journeyman's Journey
In this episode, Jayden speaks with Octavio—an electrician from Curacao—who takes us on his journey from suffering uncompensated injuries as a non-union worker, to leading a movement to unionize his workplace.
Living With Autism
Koudjedji and her mom love Koudjedji’s little sister, Maryam. But taking care of a child with severe autism poses many challenges.
Freedom Swimmers
After discovering that his grandfather was a “freedom swimmer”—one of thousands who fled from China to Hong Kong in the mid 20th Century—Edward decided to uncover the full story.
Dancing Through Covid-19
Mental health should never be disregarded. It took a pandemic, a botched virtual showcase, and a single brave voice for Danielle’s dance class to realize this.
What Feels Like a Prison
In New York City, metal detectors are established on campuses with predominantly Black and Brown student populations. In this episode, Ana and her friend Lucki describe how it feels to pass through these scanners every day at school.
My Activism Journey
If you want to be an activist, you have to be prepared to “do the internal work,” and “have confidence in yourself and what you’re advocating for.” In this episode, Cheyenne and her friend Firdaws reflect on their activism experiences and share their most important tips.