StoryCorps

StoryCorps founder Dave Isay joined KALW’s Hana Baba live by phone to revisit some memories recorded in San Francisco.

StoryCorps is a national project that records of conversations between loved ones. Parents and their children, siblings, spouses and friends sit in a sound studio booth and record and interview with each other. StoryCorps is the brainchild of Dave Isay, an award winning documentary producer, and author of the book, Mom. Since he has inspired others to interview each other, we thought it would be nice to interview him. Isay sat down with KALW's Holly Kernan.

Melanie Rowen was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in her late twenties. She remembers the first symptoms, such as bad vision and physical numbness, and her unsuccessful attempts to diagnose herself. As an attorney, normal tasks like writing briefs and remembering what was said at meetings suddenly became much more difficult.

The cost to treat the disease is over $700 a month. Rowen describes in detail how she deals with these financial burdens while trying to forge a new identity for herself.

Darwin Farrar lived his childhood in a violent area of 1960s Pasadena, CA. Where he lived, the neighborhood paperboy Wilbert had an abusive mother named Bonnie. Bonnie was known to be violent. One day she brought that violence into Darwin’s home, but his mom would not have it.

As a musician, you have to know how to deal with different types of crowds. Sometimes people aren't paying much attention to you, and they even talk while you're on stage. But other times, they give you standing ovations and beg for more.