We Can Be podcast - The Heinz Endowments
Society & Culture
Jeffrey Brown, PBS NewsHour chief correspondent for arts, culture and society, joins “We Can Be” host Janet Sarbaugh, The Heinz Endowments’ vice president of Creativity, as they tackle one of the creative realm’s big questions: Are the arts essential?
“Art matters because it shows us a bit of the world we might not otherwise see,” Jeffrey says. “It takes us places we might not go because it makes us think, because it makes us know other people, because it makes us laugh and cry.”
In his more than 20 years with PBS NewsHour, Jeffrey has reported on a wide range of national and international arts- and culture-related issues. He created PBS NewsHour's online "Art Beat” segments and its monthly book club, "Now Read This," a collaboration with The New York Times.
An Emmy and Peabody award-winner, Jeffrey is a talented creative in his own right, too. He wrote the well-received poetry collection “The News” and contributed to a newly released collection of essays titled “Are the Arts Essential?”
From the impressive security detail of an interview with Angelina Jolie and the eloquent warmth of Patti Smith to being moved by the Dallas Street Choir, whose members are without permanent homes, Jeffrey shares meaningful behind-the-scenes moments in his storied career. Those moments have cemented his dedication not only to tell stories of art and culture, but also to consider our individual roles in critical societal issues.
“Reporting on the arts in a global community matters,” he says. “It matters because it offers a truer and fuller version of the world.”
This episode of “We Can Be” is hosted by Heinz Endowments Vice President of Creativity Janet Sarbaugh, and produced by the Endowments, Josh Franzos and Tim Murray. Theme music by Josh Slifkin. Guest inquiries can be made to Scott Roller at sroller@heinz.org.
Artist & cultural agitator D.S. Kinsel protests w/art & leads w/heart (SE0309)
The radical imagination of PolicyLink founder Angela Glover Blackwell is building a more equitable world (S03EP08)
The fight against climate racism w/ NAACP Environmental Justice program dir. Jacqueline Patterson (S03EP07)
Election safety & equity in algorithms w/ cybersecurity expert David Hickton (S03EP06)
Justice, poetry, race & activism in education w/ Dr. Valerie Kinloch (WeCanBeS03EP05)
Why tackling climate change is absolutely doable w/ Jonathan Foley, Ex. Dir. Project Drawdown (S0EP04)
How Indigenous wisdom can help heal inequities w/ Decolonizing Wealth author Edgar Villanueva (S03EP3)
Columnist Tony Norman & the "revolution in attitudes" fueling social change (S03EP02)
Artist Mikael Owunna reveals inherent beauty, power & dignity of Black & LGBTQ+ bodies (S03EP01)
Truth in science advocate Dr. Todd Woylnn on a COVID-19 vaccine & what it unveils about our society (Stronger than This series EP8)
Emmai Alaquiva on using art to expose truths in historically trying times (Stronger than This series EP7)
What COVID-19 reveals about food insecurity w/ 412 Food Rescue’s Leah Lizarondo (Stronger than This series #6)
Air quality & COVID-19 w/ Clean Air Task Force’s John Graham (Stronger than This series EP5)
Kids & COVID-19 w/ Patrick Dowd, Exec. Dir. Allies for Children (Stronger than This series EP4)
Redirecting anger into action w/ Monica Ruiz, ED of Latino advocacy entity Casa San Jose (Stronger than This series EP3)
The moral lessons of COVID-19 w/ Dr. Andre Perry, Brookings Institution scholar & Know Your Price author. (Stronger than This series EP2)
Art in times of crisis w/ 1Hood Media Co-Founder/CEO Jasiri X (Stronger than This series EP1)
Civil rights activist DeRay Mckesson: “Protest is speaking the truth out loud.” S02EP20
Andre Perry’s genius blend of information & inspiration is helping individuals realize their value & worth. S02EP19
Outdoor Afro founder Rue Mapp: "Nature is a refuge from all the '-isms'" S02EP18
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