Welcome to the next in the Podcast Showcase series, where we share podcasts with you in the words of the podcasters themselves. This time, we talk to The Underground Writing Podcast.
Sum up your podcast in three sentences
Focused on underrepresented students via student writing and student voice amplification. Secondarily, we highlight writing, reading, teaching, and people working in spaces that have a connection to the work we’re doing. All of this evidences our interest and continuing learning about the spaces in which literature, advocacy, and transformation meet.
Who is your ideal listener? Who loves your show?
Our ideal listener is someone who cares about our students and their writing, is interested in the work we as an organization are doing, and spreads the word about our podcast and programs.
Who loves our show? My hunch would be something along the lines of people who are passionate about reading, writing, storytelling, social engagement, and—ideally—the interconnectedness of all these items.
What made you start this podcast?
We’d been around for a couple years when a former colleague said one day, “We should do a podcast.” Simple as that.
In thinking about it, I began to see it as a great way to bridge our local community with the wider world (as far as audience). Also, we have always considered it a publishing platform to amplify student voices.
My colleague had the technical skills to do the audio / editing work so we started up a rigorous schedule of writing and recording and proceeded from there.
What have you learned about your subject thanks to this podcast?
It has been an experience I wouldn’t trade for anything. I’ve learned a great deal—writing to a deadline, how to write and leave room for the needed unscripted moments, how to mess up well (i.e. stop, think nothing of it, back up, start again), how to interview, how to listen, how to think enough about how you sound (sound checks, editing, doing a final listen) and how to avoid overthinking (e.g., listen to it once for the final check and then move on).
Overall, though, I think the things I’ve learned the most connect with the power of our students’ words, their stories and storytelling, the beauty of their humanity, and their willingness to share their lives through writing. Also, how our students’ writing process has helped to assist them in their resuscitation of hope, their movement forward in life, and their steps toward transformation.
What has your experience of podcasting been? What do you love / hate about the process?
Other than creating a writing/recording schedule that was unsustainable long-term, I think I can honestly say that I’ve enjoyed the entire process. It’s been fun and it’s turned out to be such a great tool for us in how we amplify student voices and get the word out about the work being done.
If someone wants to start listening to your podcast, which episode would you recommend they start with? Why?
That’s a tough one. Can I suggest three?
- Long Way Down (Ep. 14) – Gives you a good feel for our work
- KITE 7 – KITE’s a serial within the podcast stream. It’s an audio zine of student writing
- Icarus Moment (Ep. 38) – Gives a good feel for how literature impacts our students
Also, please note: We’re currently on a Covid-era extended break. We plan to return with new episodes later this year. In the meantime, we have a backlog of over forty episodes and nine issues of KITE.
Which other podcasts do you love listening to?
A few come quickly to mind… Ear Hustle. On Being. Poetry Off the Shelf. Mind/Shift. Poetry Unbound. The Allusionist. The Moth. The PEN pod. The Slowdown.
If people want to find you online, where can they do so?
- website: www.undergroundwriting.org
- facebook | @UndergroundWriting
- instagram | @_undergroundwriting
- twitter | @UndergroundinWA
- Our podcast is available via our website, or via most podcast providers.
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