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Us & Them

Trey Kay and WVPB

We tell stories from the fault lines that separate Americans. Peabody Award-winning public radio producer Trey Kay listens to people on both sides of the divide.

We tell stories from the fault lines that separate Americans. Peabody Award-winning public radio producer Trey Kay listens to people on both sides of the divide.

152hr 7min
Thumbnail for "Us & Them Encore: Re-Entry".
Thumbnail for "Us & Them: Post-Election Politics Can Be A Bit Tough To Swallow".
Thumbnail for "Us & Them: Childhood Vaccines — Parental Rights vs. Public Health in West Virginia".
Thumbnail for "Us & Them: Bridging Divides After A Brutal Election".
Thumbnail for "Us & Them: Next Generation Voters".
Thumbnail for "Us & Them: Is The Playing Field Fair?".
Thumbnail for "Us & Them: Pre-Election Politics & Food For Thought".
Thumbnail for "Us & Them: Three People - Three Stories - One Community".
Thumbnail for "Us & Them: In The Beginning, There Was Very Little Mention Of The Right To Vote ".
Thumbnail for "Us & Them: Can Former Prisoners Help Fill Our Workforce Gaps?".
Thumbnail for "Us & Them Encore: Mental Health Crisis Behind Bars In West Virginia".
Thumbnail for "Us & Them Remembrance — 50 Years Ago Today: Reflecting on a Pivotal Kanawha County Board of Education Meeting".
Thumbnail for "Revisiting The Great Textbook War".
Thumbnail for "Us & Them Encore: SNAP — Do The Hungry Get More Policy Than Nutrition?".
Thumbnail for "Us & Them Encore: Can Childhood Trauma Limit The Future?".
Thumbnail for "Us & Them Encore: Compassion Fatigue".
Homelessness is not just an issue for big cities like San Francisco or New York City. Across America, communities large and small are struggling to provide shelter to people without housing. In Charleston, West Virginia, government and community approaches to help the unhoused have created more debate on an issue that is already divisive. Earlier this year, this episode received a second place award from the Virginias AP Broadcasters for Best Podcast.
Thumbnail for "Us & Them: Our Foster Care Crisis".
Across the nation, more than 390-thousand children rely on foster care. However, a shortage of licensed foster homes is creating a national crisis. While official foster care cases are carefully tracked, many informal examples of kinship care aren’t part of the data. For this Us & Them episode, we hear the experiences of those who’ve been part of the foster care system.
Thumbnail for "Us & Them: Locked Out Of Voting?".
Millions of people in the U.S. cannot vote because they’ve been convicted of a felony. A majority of those are not currently in prison, but on probation or parole. In this episode, we look at the nation’s patchwork of voting rights laws and the confusion they can create.
Thumbnail for "Us & Them: Another Small Town Paper Down".
Across the nation, there are a growing number of local news deserts. Communities with no local newspaper, television or radio station to cover what’s going on. For generations, it’s been the local paper that kept track of things. When a small town paper, like The Welch News in McDowell County, WV, can’t compete and shuts down, losing those local eyes and ears can affect accountability. No one is there to watch over things. Local news also provides a sense of cohesion and identity for a community. What happens when it’s gone?
Thumbnail for "Us & Them Encore: Dicamba Woes".
In February, a federal judge in Arizona halted the spraying of the herbicide dicamba, but the Environmental Protection Agency says farmers are allowed to use it for this coming growing season. In this installment of Us & Them, we listen back to a story from our archives, exploring the heated conflict unraveling in agricultural communities.
Thumbnail for "Us & Them: Navigating Post-Pandemic Medicaid".
Medicaid is undergoing a major review to determine the eligibility of millions, but not everyone is getting the notice. For this Us & Them, we look at changes to a health care safety net program that serves more than 90 million low income Americans.
Thumbnail for "Us & Them: The Geography of Abortion".
State borders are now all important in determining access to abortion. Since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022, West Virginia’s only abortion clinic has moved across the border to Maryland to continue providing abortions.
Thumbnail for "Us & Them: Expungement — Between Hope and Danger".
For the hundreds of thousands of West Virginians with a criminal record, it’s tough to find a second chance. New state laws make some crimes eligible for expungement and can seal a person’s criminal record. But some say giving a clean slate to someone with a record is dangerous.
Thumbnail for "Us & Them: Caught Between Two Worlds".
Our nation’s capital can make and break careers. In a very short period, Cassidy Hutchinson went from a complete outsider to traveling on Air Force One with the President of the United States. She tells Trey Kay about life on either side of the political divide.
Thumbnail for "Us & Them: 2023 Had Some Serious Trust Issues".
As we close out 2023, we look ahead to a new year with a landscape partially defined by fear and mistrust. Many Americans say their confidence is shaken. They feel like every institution — from the government, to the banking system, to corporations, to religion, to the news media — are corrupt. What to do when so many of us can’t trust the institutions that hold our society together?
Thumbnail for "Us & Them: Bidding Farewell To My Unlikely Friend, Alice Moore".
Sometimes friendships show up when we don’t expect them. That was true of Us & Them host Trey Kay’s friendship with Alice Moore — a conservative Christian county school board member, who sparked a turbulent textbook controversy in Kay’s home county back in the 1970s. Kay and Moore saw education, religion, homosexuality and Trump very differently, but were still dear friends.
Thumbnail for "Us & Them: Diminished Trust In Science".
Science and research can lead to important breakthroughs. But in a divided America, not everyone trusts the results. On the next Us & Them, Trey Kay speaks with three expert guests before an audience full of curious people at Marshall University in Huntington, WV and asks: How shaken is our confidence in scientists and the scientific process?
Thumbnail for "Us & Them: Potluck & Politics".
For the past four years, Trey Kay has gathered a group of West Virginians — four from the political right and four from the left — for the “Us & Them Dinner Party.” The discussion at this year’s gathering focused on former President Trump’s indictments, abortion laws, diminishing public trust and more.
Thumbnail for "Us & Them: Diminished Trust In The News Media".
We used to trust the news but now some polls and surveys show that our confidence has eroded. Recently, the Us & Them team partnered with West Virginia University’s Reed College of Media for a conversation on diminished trust in journalism. Host Trey Kay spoke with Raney Aronson-Rath, editor-in-chief and executive producer of PBS Frontline, and June Cross, director of the documentary journalism program at the Columbia Journalism School.
Thumbnail for "To Friend or Unfriend? That Is The Question".
Over the past few years, some people have severed their digital lifeline with friends and family because of political differences. With the click of a single button the social media connection is gone. Click - buh-bye! The decision can mean you're out of touch and cut off from that person’s life. But two childhood friends from Gallipolis, OH — who vote very differently — have committed to doing just the opposite.
Thumbnail for "Mental Health Crisis Behind Bars In West Virginia".
America stopped institutionalizing people with mental illness decades ago. But now, many are caught up in a system not meant for them. On this episode of Us & Them, we’ll hear what it’s like to live with mental illness behind bars in the Mountain State.
Thumbnail for "Trust: East Palestinians Not On The Same Track".
After a disaster, people look for help and answers. In East Palestine, Ohio some residents just want to go home. In this Us & Them episode, host Trey Kay hears from residents who still face daunting challenges.
Thumbnail for "Us & Them Encore: The Right To Compete".
New laws in more than twenty states ban transgender girls and women from competing on girls and womens teams. Transgender athletes say they want to play a sport they love. Those supporting the new bans, say the laws are not anti-trans. Instead, they say the goal is to protect girls and women from competing against the biological advantages they believe transgender girls and women have.
Thumbnail for "Us & Them Encore: Leaving The White Bubble".
Travel is one way to learn —Us & Them host Trey Kay followed a tour group traveling through southern U.S. states to learn some very Black and white lessons.
Thumbnail for "Us & Them Encore: Court of Second Chances?".
In West Virginia and many other states, there’s a court of second chances. It’s a court-monitored drug treatment program designed to help people stay clean and out of jail. In this episode of Us & Them, host Trey Kay asks: How do these treatment courts work for adults and juveniles?
Thumbnail for "Us & Them: SNAP — Do The Hungry Get More Policy Than Nutrician?".
Hunger and poverty are universal challenges, but in the U.S. for more than 50 years, support programs like SNAP or Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program have provided help to those in need. On this Us & Them, host Trey Kay talks with three people — a retiree, a mom and a lawmaker — who all say that nutritional support has made a difference in their lives.
Thumbnail for "Us & Them: Who Gets Stuck Behind Bars In West Virginia?".
West VIrginia’s state prisons and jails are overcrowded and understaffed. About half of those incarcerated are there because they can’t make their bail. Many are poor and a disproportionate number are Black.
Thumbnail for "Us & Them: Larry Bellorín’s Unwritten Song".
Larry Bellorín is a musician from Venezuela, who is seeking asylum in the U.S. He thought his musical career was in the past until he met Joe Troop, a GRAMMY-nominated musician and North Carolina native who introduced Larry to the folk music and traditions of Appalachia, which seemed quite similar to the joropo he played in Venezuela. Their duo, Larry & Joe, is the realization of a dream for both musicians. It’s also a reminder for Larry of what — and who — he had to leave behind.
Thumbnail for "Us & Them: The ‘Toxic Stew’ Of School Discipline".
In schools across the nation, when students of color misbehave, they are disciplined at twice the rate of white students. That means Black and brown students are more likely to face suspension or expulsion. West Virginia lawmakers worry students are not facing the right consequences for their misbehavior. A new state law is designed to make schools safer. In this episode, Us & Them host Trey Kay looks at new approaches to school discipline.
Thumbnail for "A Fiddler Contemplates The Fate of the Mountain State".
West Virginia-born fiddler Phillip Bowen writes songs that reflect love for the place he calls home. His descriptions of the people and places from his childhood touch the ear and heart like a sentimental postcard. But he’s also willing to share songs that remember those who’ve been marginalized or forgotten.
Thumbnail for "Us & Them Encore: The Gun Divide".
At a time when an alarming number of mass shootings continue to happen all over America, the Us & Them team was recently honored with a first place award for best documentary from Virginias Associated Press Broadcasters. In this report, we explore the foundations of the Second Amendment and the cultural and historical beliefs and myths that contribute to our very American divide over guns.
Thumbnail for "Diminishing OB Care In Rural America".
For struggling rural hospitals, obstetric and prenatal services tend to be some of the first on the chopping block. Over the past decade, 89 rural hospitals across the country closed their obstetric units. And when medical options shrink — families have to make hard decisions about how and where to get care.
Thumbnail for "Changing A State's Mind About Health".
According to recent health rankings, West Virginia tops the charts for the rates of obesity and diabetes. More than a decade ago, West Virginia made headlines with the nation’s fattest city. Since then, some things have changed.
Thumbnail for "Compassion Fatigue".
From coast to coast, communities large and small are struggling to provide shelter to people without housing. In Charleston, WV, approaches to address homelessness have created “us and them” divisions within divisions.
Thumbnail for "Us & Them: Re-Entry".
At least 95% of people behind bars will be released. Some say a formerly incarcerated person’s successful reentry into society requires more focus on rebuilding an individual and less on punishment. Criminal justice reform efforts also address a victim-centered approach, but some believe that fundamental change might require addressing past trauma of victims as well as the perpetrators of crimes.
Thumbnail for "The Fight For The Youth Vote".
For this episode, Us & Them host Trey Kay talks with author Kyle Spencer about her book “Raising Them Right: The Untold Story of America's Ultra-conservative Youth Movement and Its Plot for Power.” Spencer paints the story of a decades-long conservative organizing strategy to engage and mobilize young people. Trey also speaks with Abby Kiesa from the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement at Tufts University.
Thumbnail for "The Housing Struggle".
America’s housing shortage has some people worried about where they’ll call home. For this Us & Them episode, we look at the housing struggle in urban West Philadelphia and rural West Virginia. Affordable housing is tough for some Americans now that pandemic relief programs are gone and eviction and foreclosure moratoriums have expired.
Thumbnail for "Finding Your Family".
For hundreds of thousands of young Americans, international adoption creates a complex cultural legacy. For this Us & Them episode...we look at one family’s experience.
Thumbnail for "2023: Where Do We Go From Here?".
On this episode of Us & Them, we’re taking stock of where the nation stands. In the waning days of 2022 — a year with lots of big political news and some very disturbing events — Us & Them host Trey Kay has been asking people “How’s America doing?”
Thumbnail for "Court of Second Chances?".
In West Virginia and many other states, there’s a court of second chances. It’s a court-monitored drug treatment program designed to help people stay clean and out of jail. In this episode of Us & Them, host Trey Kay asks: How do these treatment courts work for adults and juveniles?
Thumbnail for "Reimagining A Region".
There are many ways to map the future: learning from the past, asking questions and identifying priorities. All of these things help develop a civic imagination. For this episode, we head to West Virginia’s economically challenged Upper Kanawha Valley to hear people from diverse backgrounds consider what their future could look like.
Thumbnail for "Us & Them: Post-Roe Mountain State".
The landscape of abortion law is changing. On this episode of Us & Them, we consider: what comes next in this post-Roe world?
Thumbnail for "Please Pass The Politics".
In the run-up to the 2022 Midterm Elections, the Us & Them dinner party crew finally met face to face! They disagree on many things, including the 2020 Election and January 6. It’s not a surprise that there was plenty of conversation about the Supreme Court’s ruling over abortion access. After 2 years of COVID social distance, the crew gathered like a family around one table, breaking bread, talking politics and trying to understand their differences.
Thumbnail for "Manchin Is Us & Them".
For decades, Joe Manchin has defined and redefined politics in West Virginia. For this episode, Us & Them host Trey Kay asks West Virginia progressives: How is Joe Manchin’s reputation shaping his future and the country’s?
Thumbnail for "Manchin In The Middle ".
U.S. Senator Joe Manchin represents one of the most powerful factions in American politics — the middle. How far can that take him?
Thumbnail for "Do We Have A Hearing Problem?".
The January 6th Hearings offer a continuing look into the 2021 riot at the U.S. Capitol. But plenty of people are just not interested. On this episode of Us & Them — who’s watching the hearings, who’s not and why?
Thumbnail for "Us & Them Encore: Blair Mountain".
The battle of Blair Mountain in 1921 might be West Virginia's ultimate ‘us and them’ story — labor versus absentee landowners; working class versus ruling class; West Virginia versus the world.
Thumbnail for "Us & Them Encore: The Dental Gap ".
Those Who Lack Good Oral Health Face Far More Than A Toothless Hillbilly Stereotype.
Thumbnail for "The Right To Compete".
New laws in more than a dozen states ban transgender girls and women from competing on girls and womens teams. Transgender athletes say they want to play a sport they love. Those supporting the new bans, say the laws are not anti-trans. Instead, they say the goal is to protect girls and women from competing against the biological advantages they believe transgender girls and women have.
Thumbnail for "Us & Them Encore: Kingwood March Exposed a Raw Seam of Rage".
A Black Lives Matter march in the tiny town of Kingwood, West Virginia exposed the raw seam of rage that has come to define racism in this country. In this episode, host Trey Kay speaks with a woman pushing back at the fear and outrage of racial hatred in America.
Thumbnail for "Vaccines: Now For Us, Later for Them".
This Us & Them episode offers an update on global COVID vaccination efforts. Nearly 67% of US citizens are fully vaccinated. Now, the effort shifts to providing vaccine to the world — even in places where logistics are complex. There are still more than a dozen countries with COVID vaccination rates at less than ten percent. Now that vaccine supply is more plentiful, some look to the future and ways that we can learn from this experience.
Thumbnail for "Doctors Hit Socials To Cure Disinformation".
Some doctors and nurses are taking their COVID care beyond the bedside. They’re using social media to share medical information and to push back against rumors and fear.
Thumbnail for "The Gun Divide".
We explore the foundations of the Second Amendment and the cultural and historical beliefs and myths that contribute to our very American divide over guns.
Thumbnail for "Dicamba: Things Have Gotten A Bit Ugly".
A lot of people in the agriculture industry see themselves as an “us“ and that they are the only ones who have standing to talk about this matter. But there’s evidence that the use of the herbicide “Dicamba” impacts all the rest of “us.”
Thumbnail for "Us & Them: Who Can We Trust?".
There’s a broad spectrum of trust when it comes to information about COVID and vaccinations. Some say they want an honest conversation about risks and rewards, but aren’t hearing it. Healthcare experts say the pandemic has presented a range of moving targets. They recognize the challenge people face looking for information. For this episode, host Trey Kay speaks to people at different stations on the broad range of the trust continuum.
Thumbnail for "Us & Them: Books Under Fire".
The debate over curriculum choices and classroom materials has emerged again across the nation as a major topic of division. Some say educators should decide what’s appropriate for students, while others advocate for more “parental choice.” There are also parents who call for some books to be banned from public schools.
Thumbnail for "Us & Them: Critical Race Theory".
The story of who we are as a nation is being challenged. Examining America’s racial history is not easy and not welcomed by everyone.
Thumbnail for "Historically Black Currently Adapting".
Surrounding Students With Black Excellence While Aiming For A Global Experience
Thumbnail for "Moving the Needle".
For more than a year, a public health campaign has tried to sell a simple message - get a shot and save a life. The goal - to convince people to get a COVID-19 vaccination. But in an era when public trust is at a low, West Virginia’s vaccination campaign hasn’t produced the uptick in vaccinations many had hoped for. Us & Them host Trey Kay asks public health and marketing experts: What will work to sell people on the vaccine?
Thumbnail for "Remembering The Augusta Riot".
Today, we can document much of our world with devices and cameras. But few lenses were pointed at a 1970 riot in Augusta, Georgia. We’ll learn why so few people remember this turbulent Civil Rights protest.
Thumbnail for "Can Childhood Trauma Limit The Future?".
A 1998 study on Adverse Childhood Experiences (also known as “ACEs”) concluded that traumas early in life can lead to poor health outcomes later on. Today, the findings of the study are considered ground-breaking and have sparked a world-wide social healing movement. But some say using such a rubric to assess a person’s traumatic experiences won’t work for everyone and may simply label and limit their future potential.
Thumbnail for "Vaccine Inequities Have Consequences".
A new COVID variant shows the result of global vaccination inequities. On this Us & Them episode, host Trey Kay examines the consequences of an ‘America First’ focus, as millions of people around the globe still wait for their FIRST COVID vaccination.
Thumbnail for "Vax Scapegoat?".
New variants of the COVID virus continue to challenge public health officials. But as local leaders make recommendations on masks and vaccinations, they become targets.
Thumbnail for "Leaving The White Bubble".
Travel is one way to learn - this fall, a tour group traveled southern U.S. states to learn some very Black and white lessons.
Thumbnail for "A Platefull of Politics".
For Thanksgiving, host Trey Kay gathers the Us & Them dinner party around the table to chew over some of the contentious issues of the day.
Thumbnail for "Last Man Honored".
Us & Them host Trey Kay honors Veterans Day with a remarkable conversation with the last surviving World War ll U.S. Marine recipient of the Medal of Honor.
Thumbnail for "West Virginia's Charter School Era Begins".
West Virginia is now joining the other 42 states that offer public charter schools as an education choice for parents and students. The charter movement got its start in Minnesota three decades ago and created an ‘us and them’ divide that’s lasted ever since.
Thumbnail for "Fighting to Learn".
A look at a key civil rights battle that immigrant children fought to ensure equal access to education within a xenophobic nation.
Thumbnail for "Juvie: Why are so many young West Virginians incarcerated and at what cost?".
While the rest of the country is experiencing sharp declines in youth confined to correctional and residential facilities, West Virginia confines a higher share of its youth than almost any state in the nation. Why is this?
Thumbnail for "Blair Mountain".
The battle of Blair Mountain in 1921 might be West Virginia's ultimate ‘us and them’ story — labor versus absentee landowners; working class versus ruling class; West Virginia versus the world.
Thumbnail for "Grandfamilies of the Opioid Crisis".
This Us & Them episode, which was recently honored with a 2012 National Edward R. Murrow award, examines: How can society support grandparents who are raising the children of their drug-addicted children?
Thumbnail for "Hillers & Creekers".
Americans tend to sort themselves into tribes that share similar culture, ideas and values. Us & Them host Trey Kay recalls kids at his West Virginia high school sorting themselves into different camps and how one dressed was often a defining factor, right down to the shoes.
Thumbnail for "The Stigma of Sobriety".
The fight for sobriety comes in many forms. For some, abstinence works. For others, it takes medication to kick addiction. But that creates its own battle.
Thumbnail for "A Band On The Right Side Of History".
In 1968, a Charleston, West Virginia band did something brave. It wasn't the easy thing, but it put them on the right side of history.
Thumbnail for "Who's Gonna Take Care Of Maw Maw?".
Is America ready to care for a growing number of senior citizens?
Thumbnail for "The Dental Gap ".
Those Who Lack Good Oral Health Face Far More Than A Toothless Hillbilly Stereotype
Thumbnail for "Disconnected Youth: No Job, No School, No Plan".
There are so many young people in the U.S. who are not in school, or working, or training for work, that there’s a name for it. They are ‘disconnected youth.’
Thumbnail for "Stay or Go? ".
West Virginia Struggles To Reinvent Itself As A Start-Up State To Attract, And Retain Young Professionals.
Thumbnail for "When Will We Trust Again?".
After a year of extraordinary social, racial, political and economic upheaval, some people say they’ve lost trust in one another, our institutions and our government. What do we risk if we’re unwilling to trust in our fellow Americans?
Thumbnail for "Pocahontas County Contradiction — Sure, They Can Hear Mars, But Dependable Broadband Seems Like A Galaxy Away".
A year of working remotely during a global pandemic has shown us that having access to reliable, fast internet is neither a luxury nor just for city dwellers. In this episode of Us & Them, we’ll hear about the internet challenges from residents of rural Pocahontas County, West Virginia.
Thumbnail for "We've Lost & We've Learned In The Year of COVID-19".
We look in the rearview mirror at changes from a year defined by COVID-19.
Thumbnail for "Fatal Overdoses: Pandemic is Especially Deadly for West Virginians Battling Addictions".
The CDC says the year of COVID-19 has been deadly for people living with a substance addiction. Isolation, anxiety and boredom, three triggers for drug abuse, have created a so-called mental health ‘shadow pandemic.’
Thumbnail for "COVID-19 Exposes Racial Inequities".
COVID-19 exposes an "us and them" divide in healthcare. The coronavirus is about three times more likely to put African-American and Latino people in the hospital and they are twice as likely than whites to die from COVID.
Thumbnail for "Grandfamilies and the Pandemic".
Older people are the most vulnerable to COVID-19 and many of them care for their grandkids full time.
Thumbnail for "Clarity on COVID-19".
Us & Them host Trey Kay reflects on his “Year in COVID” and what’s helped him get clarity on the whole experience.
Thumbnail for "Us & Them: Shelter From The Virus".
People around the world have spent nearly a year sheltering at home to avoid a global pandemic. For those who are homeless, the challenge of COVID-19 isn’t even on their list. What’s on their mind is: “Am I gonna eat?”
Thumbnail for "Kingwood March Exposed a Raw Seam of Rage".
A Black Lives Matter march in the tiny town of Kingwood, West Virginia exposed the raw seam of rage that has come to define racism in this country. In this episode, host Trey Kay speaks with a woman pushing back at the fear and outrage of racial hatred in America.
Thumbnail for "Sink or Swim".
2020 was a tragic year that we "muddled through somehow." It was a series of adaptations that presented a choice: sink or swim.
Thumbnail for "Forced Apart: Faith Tested".
Faith practices in the time of COVID-19 look and feel different, but how has the virus changed our spirituality?
Thumbnail for "Dessert & Dialogue".
The Us & Them virtual dinner party is back — this time, for a post-election discussion over dessert. Host Trey Kay’s guests hail from across the political divide and talk about how honest, open conversation might help bring the country together.
Thumbnail for "Forced Apart: Cornucopia of Change".
As we enter the end-of-the-year holidays, group celebrations are discouraged to reduce COVID-19 infections. On this episode of Us & Them, a look at how people across the country seek to connect with others by adopting new food traditions.
Thumbnail for "Forced Apart: Can Our Economy Rebound Without Reliable, Safe Child Care?".
There’s a group of workers on which some argue our very economy relies on: child-care providers. 
Thumbnail for "Us & Them: Let Us 'Bind Up The Nation's Wounds'".
As votes are counted and winners declared, it’s possible that some Americans will dispute the outcome — clear evidence of the “Us & Them” all around us. So how do we move forward? 
Thumbnail for "Breaking Bread, Talking Politics".
Us & Them Dinner Guests Show That Political Differences Don't Have To Be Painful or Polarizing.
Thumbnail for "Us & Them: Working Man vs. The Political Machine".
Bo Copley was an unemployed miner who got the chance to ask then-candidate Hillary Clinton a question that resonated with many people. In 2018, Copley waged a political campaign for the U.S. Senate. A new documentary shadows Copley’s unsuccessful run for office and the things he learned from the experience.
Thumbnail for "Forced Apart: An Ailing Economy -- Is Workforce Training The Cure?".
COVID has shuttered businesses. It’s forced people of all ages out of work. On this episode of Us & Them, we look at what kind of training and education will pay off? Business leaders say they are hiring. How do we match workers with jobs?
Thumbnail for "Can a White Supremacist Alter Her DNA of Hate?".
We hear the story of a woman who walked away from her life as a white supremacist. 
Thumbnail for "Forced Apart: The 'Delicate and Crazy Dance' of American Health Care".
Just how healthy is our health care system and which institutions will survive to help redefine the future of medicine?
Thumbnail for "The Vaccination Divide".
How are people likely to respond to a COVID vaccination when it’s finally developed?
Thumbnail for "Recovery and Resiliency in Kermit".
How has Kermit, WV recovered a decade after millions of prescription opioid pills were sent to their tiny town?
Thumbnail for "Forced Apart: Quarantine and the Danger of Eating Disorders".
When the pandemic hit in March, an eating disorder center had to scramble to change its approach to treatment to address the isolated nature of sheltering in place and social distancing.
Thumbnail for "Us & Them: Abortion Divides".
Is it possible to have a civil conversation about abortion across the divide?
Thumbnail for "Forced Apart: Shadow Pandemic".
Social distancing and shut downs related to COVID 19 have significantly impacted mental health treatment.
Thumbnail for "The Black Talk".
In the days after the killing of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Rayshard Brooks, Us & Them thinks it's the right time to review "The Black Talk.""
Thumbnail for "COVID-19 Takes A Toll On Our Food Supply".
Trey speaks with American farmers about the challenges of producing food in the age of COVID-19.
Thumbnail for "Coronavirus Czar Says Pandemic is a Stress Test for WV Health Care".
Trey speaks Trey speaks with WV’s “COVID-19 Czar,” who sees the pandemic as an opportunity to fix the parts of the state's healthcare system that fail some West Virginians.
Thumbnail for "Forced Apart: Same Pandemic, Unequal Education".
During the pandemic, West Virginia teachers and families have been resourceful in making sure that education continues successfully. But during this challenging time, one unfortunate lesson learned is that all students aren’t equal.
Thumbnail for "The Legacy of the Upper Big Branch Disaster".
Ten years ago, 29 men were killed in the Upper Big Branch Mine disaster. A new play called “Coal Country” shines a light on the prejudice against America’s rural working class.
Thumbnail for "Nurse Eva Travels to a COVID-19 Front Line".
New Yorkers helping a West Virginian traveling nurse willing to help New Yorkers feels like an “Us and Them” moment.
Thumbnail for "Forced Apart: A Virus Creates New Divides".
Just when you thought the world couldn't stand more division, the novel coronavirus divides us (and them) even more.
Thumbnail for "The Connector".
A man instigates community change in rural Appalachia from the bottom up.
Thumbnail for "Upriver Battle: Two Mayors Join Forces to Revive Their Rural Small Towns Against All Odds".
Two Appalachian mayors of former coal towns fight to keep their communities from becoming ghost towns.
Thumbnail for "Without A Home Can You Be A Good Neighbor? ".
There’s a West Virginia homeless encampment that gives people a legal place to stay. Life outside is rough, but life together can be safer. On this Us & Them...the people in the camp, the man trying to help - and the neighbors who worry about the future.
Thumbnail for "Grandfamilies of the Opioid Crisis".
How can society support grandparents who are raising the children of their drug-addicted children?
Thumbnail for "Diversity Divide".
How diversity divided one college town and forced its first African-American president out of the job.
Thumbnail for "Should History Be Set In Stone?".
Does pressure to remove controversial memorials sanitize our history or help us reflect the values of who we are as citizens today?
Thumbnail for "Indian Country Relocation: A One-way Ticket to Poverty".
From the early 1950s through the early 1970s, the U.S. government had a program to move Native Americans from reservations to cities. One U.S. official described the initiative as a “one way ticket from rural to urban poverty.”
Thumbnail for "Music with a Message".
Music as confronter, truth teller, the thread that mends the tear and the balm that heals the soul.
Thumbnail for "We The Purple".
Trey Kay speaks with “On The Media” host Bob Garfield about The Purple Project for Democracy.
Thumbnail for "Us & Them: Abortion Divides".
Is it possible to have a civil conversation about abortion across the divide?
Thumbnail for "The Bond Buster Says ‘No’ to Public Schools".
A man's life mission is to cut funding for public schools.
Thumbnail for "Three Tales of Coal".
This Us & Them episode brings us three tales of coal and its future in Appalachia.
Thumbnail for "Losing It All: Natural Disasters and America’s Immigrant Worker".
The impact that natural disasters, like hurricane Dorian, can have on immigrant workers.
Thumbnail for "Us & Them Update: A Surprising Ending to Justice for James Means ".
A sad unexpected conclusion to the story of the murder of James Means, a 15-year-old African American boy.
Thumbnail for "Faith in Science".
Trey speaks with Dr. Katharine Hayhoe, a respected climate scientist, as well as a devoted evangelical Christian – two descriptions that some Americans don’t think naturally go together.
Thumbnail for "Update: Killer of James Means Changes His Mind…Again.".
The man who killed James Means changes his mind…again.
Thumbnail for "Update: Farm Wars".
This episode is an update on "Farm Wars"
Thumbnail for "Update: Killer of James Means Seeks to Revoke Plea".
The man who plead guilty to the 2nd Degree Murder of James Means seeks to revoke plea
Thumbnail for "What, Us Worry?: Life After MAD".
Trey is trying to reconcile an Us & Them world without MAD Magazine.
Thumbnail for "Update: Justice for James Means".
A surprise ending in the case of the man who shot and killed James Means
Thumbnail for "My Friend From Camp".
A former Guantanamo detainee and his American prison guard from a deep friendship across the Us & Them divide.
Thumbnail for "Immigrant ‘Concentration Camps’ on the Southern Border?".
What do you call these places where U.S. authorities hold people who illegally cross the southern border? Detention centers? Detainment areas? Concentration camps?
Thumbnail for "Pride in the Mountain State".
Things have changed in major ways for LGBTQ people living in Red States, but things aren’t settled -- not by a long shot.
Thumbnail for "Reckoning with Sexual Assault: Righting a Wrong".
A night in a college dorm room goes seriously wrong. Do you call it sexual assault or rape? A sexual assault survivor and her perpetrator use whatever definition that helps get the healing done.
Thumbnail for "Farm Wars".
Arkansas farmers face a dilemma battling superweeds-- it’s a choice between doing what’s good for business or being a good neighbor.
Thumbnail for "Still Waiting For Justice".
An African-American family is frustrated with the multiple delays in the prosecution of the older white man, who shot, killed and maligned the memory of James Means, a teenage boy.
Thumbnail for "Waiting for Justice".
In Charleston, WV back in November 2016, William Pulliam, a 62-year-old white man, shot and killed James Means, a 15-year-old African-American boy. The case made national headlines. Reports say during his confession, Pulliam told police, “The way I look at it, that’s another piece of trash off of the street.”
Thumbnail for "Opioid Recovery in Appalachia's Ground Zero".
Trey Kay speaks with reporter Caitlin Esch about opioid addication in Appalachia
Thumbnail for "States Look to Appalachia for Vaccination Laws".
Vaccination laws in West Virginia and Mississippi are the model for the nation.
Thumbnail for "Reconnecting With Femme Voice ".
We reconnect with Anne Kelly Skinner, a transgender woman working to find her "femme voice".
Thumbnail for "Scarlet Letters and Second Chances".
Trey speaks with West Virginia politicians about the state’s plans for helping felons get back into the workforce.
Thumbnail for "Black Talk".
An examination of the talk many black families have with their teenage sons about interacting with police.
Thumbnail for "Cave Men, The Patriarchy & Fairytales".
A dive into the patriarchy, and its consequences, with help from John Biewen & Celeste Headlee.
Thumbnail for "My Friend From Camp".
The story of an unlikely friendship between a Guantanamo Bay detainee and his prison guard.
Thumbnail for "War on Christmas…Really? 2018".
Christmas traditionalists feel there is an attack being waged on the holiday, while secularists are bothered by its privileged place in a country known for its separation of church and state.
Thumbnail for "Culture Clash: Back to the Border".
A Latino comedy troupe revives a 20-year-old stage show about the Mexican border because it's more pertinent than ever.
Thumbnail for "EXTRA: Red State Blue State, Ep.10 -- Origins of the Epidemic".
Addressing the opioid epidemic is one thing the Left and the Right have come together on. But the Red State and Blue State experiences are very different.
Thumbnail for "The Great Textbook War".
An historic look at the divisive controversy over multi-cultural textbooks in Kanawha County West Virginia in 1974.
Thumbnail for "EXTRA: Red State Blue State, Ep.9 -- Make applebutter, not war".
Some jars of preserves help preserve the peace at one family gathering.
Thumbnail for "EXTRA: Red State Blue State, Ep.8 -- The Media".
Newsrooms have seen threats, suspicious packages, even shootings. Can they win back trust?
Thumbnail for "EXTRA: Red State Blue State, Ep.7 -- Two Views".
What's the message from the midterm results?
Thumbnail for "Reading Wars".
Do kids learn to read the same way they learn to talk?
Thumbnail for "EXTRA: Red State Blue State, Ep.6 -- Deana & Linda".
A red-state voter and a blue-state voter talk it out.
Thumbnail for "EXTRA: Red State Blue State, Ep.5 -- Immigration".
Immigration pushes different political buttons in West Virginia and California.
Thumbnail for ""Steve"".
Us & Them follows the story of a young man from New Hampshire who gets hooked on heroin.
Thumbnail for "EXTRA: Red State Blue State, Ep.4 -- Coal: Hero or Villain?".
Coal mining means vastly different things to Californians and West Virginians
Thumbnail for "EXTRA: Red State Blue State, Ep.3 -- Why is Joe Manchin a Democrat?".
Joe Manchin is an "old-school West Virginia Democrat." That means sort of red and sort of blue.
Thumbnail for "Rural Voters: You Can't Ignore Us".
Can a political party lead America without connecting to Rural America?
Thumbnail for "EXTRA: Red State Blue State, Ep.2 -- The future of the Supreme Court".
With all turmoil surrounding Brett Kavanaugh’s Supreme Court nomination, red and blue state voters are taking the long view.
Thumbnail for "EXTRA: Red State Blue State, Ep.1".
What do West Virginia and California have to say to each other?
Thumbnail for "And Now... on the Radio!".
Us & Them premieres on the radio with 4 selections from some of our favorite shows
Thumbnail for "‘Us’ Music: a Conversation with Stephan Said".
A modern day Woody Guthrie uses music to help people in crisis heal.
Thumbnail for "Shack!".
Love it or hate it, it’s football season. And it looks like we’re in for another year of the nation focusing as much as what happens before the kickoff, as on the field.
Thumbnail for "Hillers and Creekers".
For these West Virginia high school kids, it's all about the shoes.
Thumbnail for "The Church Lady".
Religion has been a part of America’s classrooms ever since there were public schools, so why do some people think schools are hostile to religion?
Thumbnail for "Gentrification (or that Kumbaya moment)".
Gentrification - evolution(?) of Brooklyn, Chicago, New Orleans