StoryCorps is coming to Buffalo again. StoryCorps is a program that sets up in neighborhoods to get the real life stories from people like you and me. From September 8 to October 7, StoryCorps is teaming up with NPR station WBFO-FM 88.7 to bring StoryCorps’ MobileBooth to Canalside. During that time period, people will be invited to step inside to tell their stories. Since this nationwide initiative was first launched in 2003, 65,000 recordings have been captured, via interviews conducted in all 50 states. StoryCorps has amassed some incredible accounts from people who have led very different lives.
“It is an honor and a privilege for Canalside to be a part of the historic StoryCorps project,” said Robert Gioia, chairman, Erie Canal Harbor Development Corporation. “The people visiting Canalside often feel inspired to tell personal stories of Buffalo’s past, making the waterfront a perfect location for gathering the unique stories of our region.”
In StoryCorps’ MobileBooth, two people are able to record a meaningful conversation with one another about who they are, what they’ve learned in life, and how they want to be remembered.
The stories that are collected and archived are meant to represent people living in the here and now.WBFO-FM 88.7 radio listeners will be able to tune into these stories. Plus listeners in the future will also be able to access the archived sessions.
“Our partnership with StoryCorps on this exciting regional visit helps our station further its service to the Western New York community and provide the opportunity for our region’s stories to be archived and heard on-air,” said President and CEO of WNED | WBFO, Don Boswell. “The mission of WNED | WBFO is to educate, entertain and inspire its audience. The local stories collected by StoryCorps will help us further these efforts and allow people in this community to become a part of the story.”
StoryCorps’ mission is to preserve and share humanity’s stories in order to build connections between people and create a more just and compassionate world.
Click here to listen to some of the stories. You can also click here to make a StoryCorps reservation.
StoryCorps’ MobileBooth (an Airstream trailer outfitted with a recording studio) will be parked at Canalside for the duration of the visit. Reservations are open to the public and can be made beginning at 10 a.m. on Aug. 25. Make your appointment by calling StoryCorps’ 24-hour toll-free reservation line at 1-800-850-4406 or by visiting storycorps.org. For more information, go to WBFO’s website at wbfo.org and see a site map of the Canalside location, find tips about “what to expect,” and even receive a comprehensive list of “great questions” to use at your interview.