People know that drugs are dangerous, but people do them for the emotional high first, and the addiction comes later

Subject B talks about her experience with losing a past friend who she had graduated high school with. Rhian: “So who is it in relation to you that you’ve lost to drugs?” Subject B: “Um it was like, he was...

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49:48
Nick Rocca and Cheyenne Jenvey

One Small Step conversation partners Nick Rocca (34) and Cheyenne Jenvey (45) talk about the loss of their fathers, their childhoods, their faith, and their political views.

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01:01:51
Alexis McClean and Krista Marzewski

One Small Step conversation partners Alexis McClean (68) and Krista Marzewski (53) talk about addiction & recovery; better care for veterans; and how to come together in the midst of an ongoing pandemic.

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48:54
Gayle Bell and Joey Paulos

One Small Step participants Gayle Bell (63) and Joey Paulos (50) share their experiences with loss, addiction, recovery, and their views on politics.

Andrey MacCracken & Harold "Bear" Cubbage

Andrey's mother died in childbirth and his father died on his way to the hospital. Andrey and his brother went to live their grandparents. At 8 y-o, Andreys grandparents could no longer afford to care for both boys and Andrey...

mby020952
34:06
Teresa Suganski and Mary Claire Whelan

Teresa Suganski (61) and her daughter, Mary Claire Whelan (25), share a conversation remembering Mary Claire’s father.

“It just didn’t feel right to me so I just wanted to start a new leaf”

(Shane) Hello my name is Shane Wilborn. I️ AM a 19-year-old college student. Today is November 10th and I️ am interviewing my uncle Ricky in reference to a recovering drug addict for my story corps project. We are recording this...

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37:56
Keri Matherne and Luke Young

Significant others Luke Young (42) and Keri Matherne (32) talk about their journeys with addiction and recovery, and how their shared history has impacted their relationship for the better. Note: This interview has mentions of addiction.

Common Ground Tacony Oral History Project: Rich

Rich, a longtime resident, of Tacony is now caretaker an abandoned and overgrown citygarden in Keystone Park. Working his whole life as a contractor and 22 years in recovery, Rich talks about his experiences living through addiction to then building...

Suzanne Sculley & Jill Souza

Suzanne talks about her work as a substance use counselor and what drew her to the work she does at Queen of the Valley Medical Center in Napa California. How she was able to let go of judgement and find...

“It’s a domino affect, you have to help each other out in a family”

MYA: Who misused drugs in your family? MOM: My dad, your grandfather. MYA: How did their addiction begin? MOM: Being a little girl he played baseball and he joined a clubhouse. Every weekend they would have baseball games and we...

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27:36
Olayinka Lawal and Kay Lawal-Muhammad

Olayinka Lawal (38) talks to her mother, Kay W. Lawal-Muhammad (60), about living with bipolar disorder, suicidal thoughts, and how she copes with them. They also talk about the ways in which their relationship and respect for each other has...

Addiction Interview #2

KP: This morning I’m with my friend’s sister, speaking a bit with her about her heroin addiction. I’d actually like to ask you about what you think the hardest thing about addiction is? NA: Well, when I relapsed after getting...

“It was hard to watch, it was somebody that you love and care about abuse their body like he was.”

Me: Okay, who was the person in your family that was using drugs? Joe: That would be my father, he was using alcohol, abusing alcohol. Me: Okay, did they ever lie or try to hide the truth about their addiction?...

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33:54
Cynthia Rose and Taylor West

Taylor West (24) interviews Cynthia Rose (58) about her role as the mother of the community and how she is learning to give that same love and care to herself in this next phase of her life.

My dad, you couldn’t even tell he was a functioning addict.

The following story is about Mrs. Callahan and her father who was addicted to heroin. My name is Ryan Washington and I am conducting the interview. The interview is 5 minutes and 21 seconds. Ryan: Can you please start off...

Her Disappearances Led to Her Overdose!

Carson: Hi Im Carson Shultz doing my uh storycorps project. Im talking to Brendan Burns about his cousin. Who is it in relation to you that you've lost to drugs? Brendan: Uh it was my cousin Marissa. Carson: Was it...

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01:00:44
Erin Treece and Susan Pauley

One Small Step participants Erin Treece [no age given] and Susan Pauley [no age given] discuss their upbringing, moments they have experienced great kindness, how alcoholism has affected them and their families, and what brings them joy.

Joe Houston & Scott Acord

Joe shares the story his rise from humble beginnings in DC. He was primarily raised by his sister before getting lured into a lifestyle that led to him being incarcerated at 16 to turning his life around and is now...

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38:01
Heber Tello and Hannah Baltz-Smith

Herbe "Philip" Tello (42) tells his friend, Hannah Balts-Smith (31), about his early conflicts with self-identity, a decade of struggling through addiction recovery, and his plans to become a nurse.