Futuro Media Group has chosen six participants for a new program that will train people of color with no formal experience in public media in developing podcasts.
The participants, all based in Boston, will complete a 15-week paid program at the PRX Podcast Garage in Boston. They will turn their ideas into stories that will be distributed as podcasts and on other platforms.
The trainees range in age from 23 to 70, and all are women. Among the ideas for podcasts, participant Imani Williams wants to examine African-American Muslims whose parents and grandparents converted to the Nation of Islam. Vilma Uribe plans to focus on queer and transgender people who migrated from Latin America to the U.S.
Futuro will also host at least five listening parties in communities throughout Boston, according to Executive Director Erika Dilday. “We want people throughout the city to hear these stories,” Dilday said. Futuro will also share the pieces on its SoundCloud account and through WBUR’s and PRX’s websites.
“Depending on the story, we may air it or promote it on a national program,” Dilday said. “However, we will consider it success if these stories become part of the record of Boston experiences and history.”
Futuro is partnering on the initiative with WBUR and MassCreative, a Massachusetts arts advocacy group. WBUR provided funding for the program and will host a graduation event for the participants. MassCreative helped Futuro connect with community arts partners and assisted with candidate outreach and interviews, Dilday said.
Futuro hopes to expand the project to other cities to provide “the necessary access, skills, and tools to empower a new and diverse journalistic talent that can speak their truths and share their stories,” Dilday said in an August announcement.