A STORYCORPS STUDIOS SPECIAL COLLECTION
In celebration of their 200th anniversary, the City of Decatur partnered with StoryCorps Studios to record and uplift stories of community, purpose, and belonging as told in conversation between members of the Decatur community. Browse the collection of recordings below.
Featured City of Decatur, Georgia Interviews
Mary Ellen Pendergrast, Anne Topple, and Genia Duchon
Sisters Mary Ellen Pendergrast (76), Anne Topple (78), and Genia Duchon (70) share a conversation about their parents and the decision to preserve their childhood home as public green space known as Woodlands Garden.
Han Pham and Lila Ratcliff-Pham
Han Pham (43) and her daughter Lila Ratcliff-Pham (9) share stories about their lives in Decatur, GA. They talk about the Lunar New Year festival that Han helped organize and about the farm they have in their home.
![Maya [No Name Given] and Margaret [No Name Given]](https://archive.storycorps.org/uploads/2023/01/63f4e1d2207a1__dda003144_g1-450x450.jpg)
Maya [No Name Given] and Margaret [No Name Given]
Maya [No Name Given] (43) interviews her mother, Margaret [No Name Given] (77), about her upbringing and about their life in Georgia. Margaret reflects on her family’s history and her experiences raising Maya.
All City of Decatur, Georgia Interviews
Gregory White (61) speaks to new acquaintance and conversation partner Kevin Alarcon (25) about working in Decatur, Georgia as the Director of Decatur Parks and Recreation and how he has seen the Decatur community change over the years.
Coworkers Elizabeth Elango (46) and Crispin Ilombe Wilondja [no age given] share their stories about coming to Decatur, Georgia and speak about their work with Global Village Project, a school focused on educating refugee girls.
Tim Moore (37) and his friend John Hudson (40) share stories about their lives and friendship while living in Decatur, GA.
Angie Macon [no age given] speaks with new acquaintance and conversation partner Kevin Alarcon (25) about her experience living in Decatur, Georgia and working as the executive director of Decatur Arts Alliance.
John H. Weitnauer, Jr., 97 years old; Walk Drake, 79; longtime Decatur friends. Walt interviews John about his family's arrival in Atlanta and Decatur and John's experience growing up in Decatur, attending Decatur schools, and providing leadership in the Decatur...
Douglas "Doug" Cumming (71) talks with his daughter Sarah Cumming (32) about her experience with cancer. She shares how he has influenced her, and they talk about creativity as part of the healing journey.
Joseph E. Reed (43) and his wife, Christine Reed (33), share how they met and how they came to be married. Joseph talks about being a musician in Decatur, GA and Christine talks about the community work she has done...
Colleagues Catherine "Cathy" Vogel [no age given], Catherine Carter (79), and Sarah Zingarelli (68) discuss their work with Friends Of Decatur Cemetery.
Franchesca Peña [no age given] interviews new acquaintance and conversation partner Kate McAlpin (40) about her work as the executive director at the Woodlands Garden in Decatur, Georgia.
Cassie Gibson (28) speaks with new acquaintance and conversation partner Kevin Alarcon (25) about their music career and their move from their hometown in Binghamton, New York to Decatur, Georgia.
Franchesca Peña (27) interviews her conversation partner Linda Clair Snyder [no age given] about her life in Decatur.
Colleagues Maureen Haley (57) and Chris Goode (56) talk about their work with Decatur Makers, which is a maker space they helped create in Decatur, GA.
Husband and wife, David Morris (59) and Elisa Morris (58), speak with their daughter Anna Morris (26) about living in Decatur, Georgia and deciding to open a small, family-run business in the city called Guild and Journeyman.
Sisters Mary Ellen Pendergrast (76), Anne Topple (78), and Genia Duchon (70) share a conversation about their parents and the decision to preserve their childhood home as public green space known as Woodlands Garden.
Friends and Coworkers, Kalia Morrison (39) and Lew Lefton (62), speak about the nonprofit Decatur Makers: its founding, its community, and their hopes for the organization moving forward.
Aileen de la Torre (50) interviews her friend Paula Wrenn (50) about Decatur during the time she lived and worked there.
Spouses Lisa Hamilton-Rajaram (33) and Krishna Rajaram (33) speak about how they met, their careers, their marriage, and what it means to be living and starting a family in Decatur, Georgia.
Paula Wrenn (50) interviews Aileen de la Torre (50) about life, death, and Decatur.
Sisters Lynn Hood (67), Patty Primrose (66), and Amy Plankenhorn (59) came together to remember their father, Andy Plankenhorn, and his impact on the Decatur community.
Tom Ramsey (78) interviews his friend Adele Dieckmann McKee (94) about her life and the history of Decatur, GA.