Towards a Better World

Towards a Better World

Author: Third Coast International Audio Festival February 22, 2021 Duration: 56:50

In this episode, we meet extraordinary people who are fighting the system, working to make transformative change and seeking a better world, for themselves and for others. 


"Towards a Better World" is one of four episodes of Best of the Best (2020), a nationally broadcast radio special produced each year by Third Coast. Each of episode of the series features winning stories from the 20th annual Third Coast / Richard H. Driehaus Foundation Competition.


The Work of Closing a Notorious Jail [excerpt], reported by Carolina Hidalgo and edited by Jen Chien for 70 Million.

Winner of the 2020 Directors’ Choice Award

Five years after Michael Brown’s murder galvanized criminal justice reform activists in St. Louis, Missouri, these folks are gaining serious momentum to shut down the city's notorious Workhouse jail — and we’re brought along to hear how they’ve managed to do it.


Somebody [full episode], narrated by Shapearl Wells, produced by Alison Flowers and Bill Healy, and edited by Sarah Geis for Invisible Institute, Topic Studios, The Intercept and iHeart Radio, in association with TenderfootTV. Mixed by Michael Raphael with sound design by Bart Warshaw and Carl Scott.

Winner of the 2020 Best Serialized Story Award

When Shapearl Wells's son Courtney is found outside a Chicago police station with a fatal bullet wound, Shapearl immediately distrusts the official narrative. So she launches her own investigation into her son’s murder — and teams up with journalists to confront the cops and find out the truth about what happened to her child.


Crosses in the Desert / Cruces en el desierto [short excerpt], written by Catalina May and Dennis Maxwell, edited by Catalina May, sound designed by Martín Cruz and produced by Dennis Maxwell for  Las Raras. Scored by Andrés Nusser.

Winner of the 2020 Best Documentary in a Non-English Language Award

Alvaro Enciso, a retired Tucson resident, spends his time methodically placing crosses in the exact places where dead migrant bodies have been found in the Sonoran desert. A story by a talented new artist concerning mental illness, toxic workplace environments, Egyptian Rat Screw, and the nature of infinity.


This episode of Best of the Best was produced by Isabel Vázquez.


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Curated by the Third Coast International Audio Festival, Re:sound is a curated collection of the world's most engaging audio storytelling. This podcast bypasses algorithms and top charts to bring you a handpicked selection of documentaries, narratives, and features that represent the breadth and artistry of the medium. Each episode is a deep dive into human experience, whether it's a personal journal from across the globe, an insightful piece of cultural analysis, or an innovative work of sonic art. You'll hear profiles of the producers behind the stories and discover more experimental pieces that push the boundaries of what audio can do. Updated twice a month, the archive offers a rich and ever-growing library of sound, showcasing compelling work from established masters and emerging voices alike. Tuning in means connecting with a global community of listeners who value depth, craft, and narrative truth. It’s an invitation to experience the power of recorded sound, carefully selected for those who listen closely.
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