Between Us: The Communication Project

Travis Souders
  • 0.0 (0)
  • Documentary

Communication shapes everything: our relationships, politics, media, workplaces, and our sense of self. Between Us embraces the ongoing curiosity behind why and how humans communicate the way we do. Hosted by Travis Souders, MA, this show shares the eye-opening work of communication experts and how it can help us make sense of the powerful yet delicate task of connecting with each other. Because everything says something. And figuring it out together is all part of the great human communication project.

Episodes

  1. 26/11/2025

    When Understanding Breaks Down

    Every day, we speak with the belief that our meaning is obvious — that the words we choose will land the way we intend. But meaning doesn’t travel intact. It’s built in real time, shaped by emotion, history, uncertainty, and the tiny slivers of information people actually receive. And when understanding breaks down, the consequences aren’t just confusion — they’re mistrust, fear, and the sense that institutions or individuals “aren’t being clear,” even when everyone is trying their best. On this episode of Between Us, we explore why misunderstanding is so common, why clarity is so fragile, and how people and organizations can rebuild alignment when messages drift. In This EpisodeWhy two people can hear the same message and walk away with entirely different interpretationsHow uncertainty, fear, and cognitive load shape the way families and communities “fill in the gaps”Why information alone isn’t enough — and why communication must be relational, not transactionalWhat sensemaking looks like inside school systems and public agenciesThe role of repair in communication: how to rebuild trust after misalignmentJoy’s practical insights from working in districts where clarity is essential, and misunderstanding has real stakesThis Episode’s GuestJoy Moyers is a Public Information Officer based in Orange County, California. She works in K–12 public education, helping districts navigate complex communication challenges — from everyday updates to high-stakes moments involving safety, policy changes, and family concerns. Joy holds an M.S. in Public Relations, Innovation, Strategy & Management from the University of Southern California (USC). Her work draws on systems theory, relational communication, and sensemaking to help organizations understand how messages land, how interpretations form, and how to rebuild clarity when breakdowns occur. She believes communication is not merely the transmission of information, but a social process that shapes trust, culture, and community alignment. Resources & LinksRecommended reading on systems theory, sensemaking, and organizational communication (curated at thecommproject.com)Follow Between Us wherever you listen to podcasts Host / Producer: Travis Souders Guest: Joy Moyers © 2025 The Comm Project

    57 min

  2. 08/11/2025

    Who Gets to Sound "Proper?"

    Every voice carries power. But not every voice gets heard the same way. In classrooms and workplaces, we still measure “credibility” by how closely someone matches an invisible standard — a voice that sounds educated, confident, and, often, white. On this episode of Between Us, we explore how power and culture shape whose voices get heard. In This EpisodeHow “proper” and “professional” speech became cultural normsThe hidden power structures inside “best practices” for public speakingbell hooks and Teaching to Transgress as a foundation for critical pedagogyWhat linguistic supremacy means — and how it shows up in classroomsRe-imagining education as an act of freedom, not conformityThis Episode's GuestDr. Sergio Fernando Juárez is an Assistant Professor of Communication Studies at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. His research focuses on critical pedagogy, language, and equity in education, particularly how institutions reinforce or challenge systems of power through communication. His recent paper, Transgressing Linguistic Supremacy, examines how public-speaking instruction can both include and exclude diverse voices. Resources & LinksRead Transgressing Linguistic Supremacy and related research — thecommproject.comStudy Guide (for the nerds!): bell hooks’ Teaching to TransgressFollow Between Us wherever you listen to podcasts Host / Producer: Travis Souders Guest: Dr. Sergio Fernando Juárez © 2025 The Comm Project

    54 min
  • 2 Episodes

About

Communication shapes everything: our relationships, politics, media, workplaces, and our sense of self. Between Us embraces the ongoing curiosity behind why and how humans communicate the way we do. Hosted by Travis Souders, MA, this show shares the eye-opening work of communication experts and how it can help us make sense of the powerful yet delicate task of connecting with each other. Because everything says something. And figuring it out together is all part of the great human communication project.

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