Brave Little State Vermont Public

Vermont’s pastoral, small town charm didn’t just happen out of thin air. It’s been legislated. And it’s especially baked into one really important Vermont law — Act 250. But as Vermont changes, there’s an increasing push for Act 250 to change with it. That’s why Danielle Laberge of Wells submitted this winning question to Brave Little State: “What's the deal with Act 250, Vermont's signature land-use law? Why is it important and what's changing?”Reporter Sabine Poux digs into the story of Act 250, from its origins in the 1960s to a present-day battle over how it should be implemented. This isn’t just a story about a law. It’s a story about our shared values, and how we want our state to change — or not — over the next 50 years and beyond. Find the web version of this episode here.Sabine Poux reported this episode. Editing and additional production from Josh Crane and Burgess Brown. Angela Evancie is our Executive Producer. Our theme music is by Ty Gibbons; other music by Blue Dot Sessions.Special thanks to Sophie Stephens, Pete Hirschfeld, Bruce Post, Mikaela Osler, Marjorie Strong, Prudence Doherty, Katherine Sims, Peter Gregory, Caleb Elder, Todd Heyman, Christine and Mark Hughes, Brian Shupe, Mary Kasamatsu and Mimi Aoun.As always, our journalism is better when you’re a part of it:Ask a question about VermontVote on the question you want us to tackle nextSign up for the BLS newsletterSay hi on Instagram and Reddit @bravestatevtDrop us an email: hello@bravelittlestate.orgCall our BLS hotline: 802-552-4880Make a gift to support people-powered journalismLeave us a rating/review in your favorite podcast appTell your friends about the show!Brave Little State is a production of Vermont Public and a proud member of the NPR Network.

In recent years, Winooski, Montpelier and Burlington made it possible for all legal residents to vote — including asylum seekers, refugees and green card holders like our winning question-asker, Charlotte Blend. Charlotte has been excited to vote on local issues and she’s curious about the impact of the rule changes in the towns where it’s now legal. Reporter Mikaela Lefrak talks to new Vermont voters — and a lot of city clerks — about how the at-times controversial changes in local election policy have affected three Vermont cities, from their councils and school boards to their residents.  Find the web version of this story here.This episode was reported by Mikaela Lefrak and produced by Sabine Poux. Editing and additional production from the rest of the Brave Little State team: Josh Crane and Burgess Brown. Digital support from Sophie Stephens. Angela Evancie is Brave Little State’s Executive producer. Theme music is by Ty Gibbons; other music by Blue Dot Sessions.Special thanks to Martin Austermuhle, Elaine Wang, Liz Edsell, Tracy Dolan and Anna Tadio.As always, our journalism is better when you’re a part of it:Ask a question about VermontVote on the question you want us to tackle nextSign up for the BLS newsletterSay hi on Instagram and Reddit @bravestatevtDrop us an email: hello@bravelittlestate.orgCall our BLS hotline: 802-552-4880Make a gift to support people-powered journalismLeave us a rating/review in your favorite podcast appTell your friends about the show!Brave Little State is a production of Vermont Public and a proud member of the NPR Network.

We met Sweeney Grabin at a Brave Little State mixer last year, right after she moved to South Burlington with her husband and her baby, Maya. She wants to know how other parents with biracial kids are maintaining their heritage in one of the country’s whitest states.Myra Flynn turns to old friends and her own experiences to answer Sweeney’s question.You can find a full transcript of this episode here. Also, check out Myra’s show, Homegoings, for more deep dives into race and identity.Myra Flynn reported this episode. The Brave Little State team is Josh Crane and Sabine Poux, with additional support from Sophie Stephens. Angela Evancie is Brave Little State’s Executive Producer. Our theme music is by Ty Gibbons; other music in this episode by Blue Dot Sessions, Jay Green and Myra Flynn.Special thanks to Corey Dockser, Marlon Hyde and Erin Baker.Ask a question about VermontVote on the question you want us to tackle nextSign up for the BLS newsletterSay hi on Instagram and Reddit @bravestatevtDrop us an email: hello@bravelittlestate.orgCall our BLS hotline: 802-552-4880Make a gift to support people-powered journalismLeave us a rating/review in your favorite podcast appTell your friends about the show!Brave Little State is a production of Vermont Public and a proud member of the NPR Network.

Who gets to decide who is Abenaki? Vermont’s four state-recognized tribes — and the state recognition law — have different definitions and criteria for what it means to be Indigenous than many Indigenous Nations. In this episode, we look at this disconnect, and lay out what’s at stake, including power, money and authority.  This is Chapter Three of “Recognized,” a special series from Brave Little State. Chapters One and Two are available right now in this podcast feed. Find a transcript of the series here.And to learn more about our approach to this story, you can read our editor's note, here.***“Recognized” was reported by Elodie Reed. Sabine Poux is our producer. The senior producer and managing editor is Josh Crane. Additional editing from our executive producer, Angela Evancie, as well as Tristan Ahtone, Brittany Patterson, Myra Flynn and Julia Furukawa. Julia Furukawa, Corey Dockser and David Savoie contributed reporting to this episode. Extra support from Mark Davis and Sophie Stephens. Theme music is by Ty Gibbons; other music by Blue Dot Sessions.There are lots of other people who contributed to this series along the way — too many to name everyone here. You can find a full list on our website..As always, our show is better when you’re a part of it:Ask a question about VermontVote on the question you want us to tackle nextSign up for the BLS newsletterSay hi on Instagram and Reddit @bravestatevtDrop us an email: hello@bravelittlestate.orgCall our BLS hotline: 802-552-4880Make a gift to support people-powered journalismLeave us a rating/review in your favorite podcast appTell your friends about the showBrave Little State is a production of Vermont Public and a proud member of the NPR Network.

After the original group of self-proclaimed Vermont Abenaki failed to gain federal recognition, Vermont lawmakers created a state recognition process of their own. One theory in particular informed the state’s consideration: that Abenaki peoples hid in Vermont to avoid persecution, including statewide eugenics policies. In this episode, we look at recent evidence, as well as older reports, that cast doubt on this narrative.This is Chapter Two of “Recognized,” a special series from Brave Little State. Chapters One and Three are available right now in this podcast feed. Find a transcript of the series here. And to learn more about our approach to this story, you can read our editor's note, here.***“Recognized” was reported by Elodie Reed. Sabine Poux is our producer. The senior producer and managing editor is Josh Crane. Additional editing from our executive producer, Angela Evancie, as well as Tristan Ahtone, Brittany Patterson, Myra Flynn and Julia Furukawa. Julia also contributed reporting to this episode. Extra support from Mark Davis and Sophie Stephens. Theme music is by Ty Gibbons; other music by Blue Dot Sessions.There are lots of other people who contributed to this series along the way — too many to name everyone here. You can find a full list on our website..As always, our show is better when you’re a part of it:Ask a question about VermontVote on the question you want us to tackle nextSign up for the BLS newsletterSay hi on Instagram and Reddit @bravestatevtDrop us an email: hello@bravelittlestate.orgCall our BLS hotline: 802-552-4880Make a gift to support people-powered journalismLeave us a rating/review in your favorite podcast appTell your friends about the showBrave Little State is a production of Vermont Public and a proud member of the NPR Network.P.S. A previous version of this story described Gordon Day as a historian. We have updated the audio to describe him as an anthropologist.

Two Abenaki First Nations in Canada contest the legitimacy of the four groups recognized by the state of Vermont as Abenaki tribes. This is a dispute that goes back at least two decades, and has gained more prominence in recent years. In this episode, we trace Abenaki history up to 2003, when Odanak First Nation first denounced Vermont groups claiming to be Abenaki.This is Chapter One of “Recognized,” a special series from Brave Little State. Chapters Two and Three are available right now in this podcast feed. Find a transcript of the series here. And to learn more about our approach to this story, you can read our editor's note, here.***“Recognized” was reported by Elodie Reed. Sabine Poux is our producer. The senior producer and managing editor is Josh Crane. Additional editing from our executive producer, Angela Evancie, as well as Tristan Ahtone, Brittany Patterson, Myra Flynn and Julia Furukawa. Julia Furukawa and David Savoie contributed reporting to this episode. Extra support from Mark Davis and Sophie Stephens. Theme music is by Ty Gibbons; other music by Blue Dot Sessions.There are lots of other people who contributed to this series along the way — too many to name everyone here. You can find a full list on our website..As always, our show is better when you’re a part of it:Ask a question about VermontVote on the question you want us to tackle nextSign up for the BLS newsletterSay hi on Instagram and Reddit @bravestatevtDrop us an email: hello@bravelittlestate.orgCall our BLS hotline: 802-552-4880Make a gift to support people-powered journalismLeave us a rating/review in your favorite podcast appTell your friends about the showBrave Little State is a production of Vermont Public and a proud member of the NPR Network.P.S. A previous version of this story described Gordon Day as a historian. We have updated the audio to describe him as an anthropologist.