Tri States Public Radio, based in Macomb and with a newsroom in Galesburg, was selected this year as one of four public radio stations nationwide to join StoryCorps’ One Small Step initiative, supported through a grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. The project pairs community members with differing political views for guided, nonpolitical conversations.
KGNU in Boulder, Colo.; WKU Public Radio in Bowling Green, Ky.; and WYSO in Yellow Springs, Ohio, were also chosen for the 2025 cohort. As a designated hub, TSPR received training, production support and professional recording equipment to record and share the conversations.
The station has already hosted several local sessions, including an early conversation between State Rep. Dan Swanson and State Sen. Mike Halpin. A handful of Galesburg-area conversations followed, and TSPR plans to schedule additional sessions as the year winds down.
“I was excited about bringing One Small Step to our community because it offers a chance for people to talk not only about beliefs that may differ, but also the ones they share,” said Heather Norman, general manager of Tri States Public Radio. She said the format also helps participants move beyond “social media echo chambers” and learn more about their neighbors.
Launched nationally in 2024, One Small Step brings strangers together for a 50-minute conversation that focuses on personal background rather than political argument. More than 7,000 people nationwide have taken part since the program began in 2018, with interviews archived at the Library of Congress.
StoryCorps, founded in 2003 with early support from CPB, has collaborated with 33 public media stations on the project since 2018.
Residents interested in participating can complete TSPR’s online application at onesmallstep.storycorps.org/collect/2025-hub-tspr-form/. More information and previous interviews are available at takeonesmallstep.org.
