How can podcasting strengthen democracy? In this collaborative panel from The Democracy Group and PBS Student Reporting Labs, student podcasters and journalists discuss civic storytelling, democratic discourse, youth media, and why podcasting creates a powerful space for nuanced political conversation. Hear from student creators producing podcasts about democracy, political identity, art, community, Puerto Rican activism, youth journalism, and the everyday ways democracy shows up in our lives. The panel explores how podcasting lowers barriers to civic engagement, amplifies overlooked voices, and helps young people develop the confidence and skills to participate in public life. Check out the student podcasts: Student episodes from The Democracy Group will publish from May 18th-27th on our network feed. Current and past seasons of On Our Minds. Topics Covered 00:24 – Welcome & introduction to the Democracy Group / PBS Student Reporting Labs collaboration 01:29 – The Democracy Group Podcast Fellowship: mentoring student civic storytellers 02:46 – Meet the student fellows and their podcast projects: Valerie — democracy’s origins and political history Savannah — democracy, art, and theater Dawn — politics, social interactions, and political identity 05:18 – PBS Student Reporting Labs’ On Our Minds podcast and youth-produced community storytelling 06:45 – Student reporting projects on: Community art spaces in Indiana Public sculpture and identity in New Jersey Puerto Rico, neighborhood change, and displacement 09:32 – Why podcasting matters for democratic discourse today 10:19 – The unique power of audio storytelling and listening beyond appearances 11:37 – How journalism projects changed students’ relationships with their communities 14:29 – Youth voices missing from mainstream storytelling 15:32 – Telling overlooked stories through podcasting 16:25 – Puerto Rico, gentrification, activism, and reporting stories from the inside 17:56 – Lessons learned from interviewing, audio storytelling, and creative journalism 19:20 – Democracy, art, rhetoric, and misinformation 20:07 – Theater as civic engagement and democratic participation 22:02 – Why people disengage from democracy — and how podcasting lowers the barrier to entry 24:38 – Puerto Rico, political identity, generational change, and democratic participation 27:24 – Why youth voices deserve deliberate space in civic media 28:43 – The stories student creators still want to tell Audience Q&A 30:14 – How to engage young people who aren't already interested in politics or democracy 31:27 – Creating environments where youth feel heard, safe, and welcome to speak 33:54 – How to inspire college students to engage with politics and civic issues 34:47 – Making political topics more relatable, digestible, and human 36:27 – Advice for students interested in podcasting and civic storytelling 37:22 – What surprised student creators during the production process 37:47 – Interviewing lessons: letting conversations evolve naturally 38:55 – Learning that people want to be listened to 39:56 – Measuring podcast success beyond analytics and downloads 41:08 – How producing podcasts changes the way students think about media 42:14 – Educational impact, career development, and long-term success in youth podcasting 43:42 – Why creating platforms for youth voices matters 45:36 – Podcasting as portfolio-building, networking, and personal development 46:36 – Closing reflections and where to find student episodes Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
