NextGenRadio

Finding, coaching and training public media’s next generation.

“In the time of COVID-19”

is a set of audio and digital stories highlighting the experiences of people whose lives have changed dramatically during the pandemic. This Next Generation Radio project was produced in November-December of 2020 and in partnership with the NPR-Texas Newsroom Collaborative and conducted virtually.

This South Houston farmer made it her mission to nourish a community

Ivy Walls delivers free fruits and vegetables in a neighborhood that lacks healthy food options. After COVID-19 hit, she realized her deliveries were even more important.

By Faith Castle

Faith and compassion drive McAllen man who escorts the dead

Juan Lopez picks up bodies for a living. Since the pandemic hit, he gets calls nearly every 20 minutes — and says it’s an honor to do the job.

By Colleen DeGuzman

When eviction court moved to Zoom, this attorney kept fighting for renters’ rights

During the pandemic, lawyer Jon-Ross Treviño has been on the frontlines of Houston’s eviction crisis, trying to to keep residents from going homeless.

By Daisy Espinoza

Two women, one startup and the struggles of Black hair in a pandemic

After COVID-19, two college students had to rethink their startup, Remane, and how to best help clients reclaim their natural hair.

By Rolando Hernandez

How the delayed Olympic Games became a “blessing” for one taekwondo athlete

Victoria Stambaugh, a taekwondo Olympic qualifier for Puerto Rico, is taking the time to learn a “new normal” during the postponement of the Tokyo Games.

By Patricia Lim

She founded a shelter for LGBTQ+ youth after learning life can change in an instant

Sandra Whitley felt alone growing up, so she made it her mission to provide community for others. And even during the pandemic, she refuses to close the door.

By Solomon Wilson