This episode of Us & Them first aired in 2023, and we’re sharing it again in the wake of the Sept. 10, 2025 assassination of Charlie Kirk, founder of Turning Point USA. President Donald Trump has credited Kirk’s organization with turning out young conservative voters in the 2024 election. Host Trey Kay talks with journalist Kyle Spencer about her book Raising Them Right and the decades-long conservative strategy to organize young voters, and with Abby Kiesa of Tufts University’s CIRCLE about what drives youth turnout. The conversation examines how campus organizing and money shape youth politics and where the system still falls short.

It’s time to reconsider what we know about America’s Revolutionary War. The history many of us learn presents a patriotic list of “greatest hits,” but the reality was a brutal civil war with global stakes. Ahead of Ken Burns’ PBS series, Us & Them hosts leading historians at Shepherd University to revisit 1776 with fresh eyes — and ask what it means as America nears its 250th.

America’s deep social divides are colliding with a crisis of trust in the justice system. Stanford legal scholar David Sklansky tells Us & Them how practical reforms — and even the humble jury trial — can retrain us in the habits a pluralistic democracy needs. How fixing justice could help fix us.

By 2040, America’s 85+ population will more than double. Our latest Us & Them episode explores how West Virginia — already at nearly 21% over 65 — will shoulder the caregiving load, with voices from a live forum and clips from PBS’s Caregiving. If Medicaid gets squeezed, who catches us when we fall?

Every week, more than two newspapers close in the United States, leaving whole communities without local coverage. In West Virginia, 43 of 55 counties have just one news source — or none at all. In the next Us & Them, Trey Kay visits communities on the verge of becoming news deserts to see how they’re fighting to keep their stories alive, from the long-standing Hurricane Breeze to a new startup in Greenbrier County.

Perceptions of crime in America are deeply divided — most Republicans say it’s rising, most Democrats say it’s falling. In response, states across the country are passing sweeping “tough on crime” laws. In this Us & Them episode, host Trey Kay examines the Safer Kentucky Act and the return of measures like Three Strikes policies that once filled prisons and strained state budgets.

Across the nation, there are more and more local news deserts; communities with no local newspaper, television or radio station to cover what’s going on. 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 because no one is there to watch over things. When local news sources vanish, a community can also lose its sense of cohesion and identity. This story was supported by the Pulitzer Center. This story was also honored with a regional Edward R. Murrow Award for Best News Documentary and by the Virginias Associated Press Broadcasters for Best Documentary.

A U.S. Supreme Court ruling upholding Tennessee’s ban on gender-affirming care for minors is fueling efforts by conservative lawmakers to regulate transgender rights. On this episode of Us & Them, host Trey Kay explores the fallout in West Virginia, where trans people, allies and opponents navigate one of today’s most charged cultural battles.

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. This Us & Them episode was recently honored by the Virginias Associated Press Broadcasters as Best Podcast of 2024.

President Trump’s first 100 days were packed with bold moves—mass deportations, federal workforce cuts, and global tariff fights. At an Us & Them Dinner Party, guests from across the political spectrum dig into a potluck and unpack the early days of a presidency already shaking things up.

Us & Them host Trey Kay marks the show’s 10th anniversary in a late-night gathering of members of Marshall University’s Dead Podcasters Society — a student club dedicated to appreciating podcasting and audio storytelling. Kay shares lessons from a decade of audio journalism and is inducted into the society with the tap of a sword and a vow to “seize the sound.”

DEI programs aimed to expand opportunity—now they’re facing pushback. On the latest Us & Them, host Trey Kay examines the political and cultural forces challenging diversity, equity and inclusion efforts—and why more than 30 states have considered rolling them back.

Daniel Johnston’s unpolished cassette recordings—raw vocals and all—captivated indie music fans in the ’80s and caught the attention of Kurt Cobain, Sonic Youth, Beck and Wilco. Now, the late “outsider artist” is headed into the West Virginia Music Hall of Fame. On the next Us & Them, host Trey Kay explores Johnston’s life, art, and enduring legacy.

For many grappling with substance use disorder, homelessness, and the justice system, the struggle has never been more intense. New tough-on-crime laws—like Kentucky’s “Safer Kentucky Act”—are ramping up penalties on many crime categories that include a banon public camping, deepening the crisis. On this episode of Us & Them, host Trey Kay returns to Kentucky to explore the real-world consequences: urban areas face severe housing shortages and persistent substance use challenges, while small-town Appalachia remains even more isolated from essential support networks.

Many assume the U.S. Constitution guarantees equal rights for all, but its authors didn’t seem to envision women as part of “We the people.” On the next episode of Us & Them, host Trey Kay speaks with law professor Jill Hasday, whose new book We the Men argues that women are systematically forgotten in America’s founding stories—and that exclusion has powerful symbolic and emotional consequences.

The Trump administration’s proposed spending cuts could jeopardize Medicaid funding—a lifeline for many West Virginians who face the nation’s highest overdose rate. On this episode of Us & Them, host Trey Kay explores how Medicaid dollars support recovery organizations and the unique challenges confronting Black West Virginians with substance use disorder.

In West Virginia, homeownership is a paradox. While the state boasts the nation’s highest homeownership rate, low incomes mean many homes are aging and in disrepair. In one county, 67% of houses are over 80 years old. Across Appalachia by one measure, there are 500,000 people living in substandard conditions. This is the hidden crisis at the heart of Appalachia’s housing landscape.

New legislative agendas at the state level aim to chip away at reproductive rights, even in states that recently passed constitutional protections for abortion. On this episode of Us & Them, Host Trey Kay examines how conservative state supreme courts might limit voter-approved amendments — and how abortion-friendly states are pushing back. Meanwhile, President Trump’s new administration could override all state laws through certain executive actions, including one involving a 19th century anti-vice law. Now that the election’s over, what’s next for abortion?

As 2025 begins, some states are poised to pass tighter abortion restrictions, building on more than 40 bans enacted since Roe v. Wade was overturned. On the next episode of “Us & Them,” host Trey Kay revisits the fight for reproductive care, talking with a retired Episcopal priest who recalls how liberal clergy helped women navigate the barriers of the pre-Roe era. Now, some of those same clergy are pulling that playbook off the shelf as anti-abortion supporters push for new federal limits.

In this year end episode of “Us & Them,” Host Trey Kay dives into the complex challenges that have defined 2024. He sets out to understand those who celebrate recent victories and those who fear what lies ahead. In a world divided, listening becomes a bridge to clarity and connection.

What happens when sleeping in public becomes a crime? The Safer Kentucky Act bans public sleeping in some places, with repeat offenses potentially leading to prison time under a three-strikes rule. Critics argue the law unfairly targets the homeless, raising the question: Are we addressing the root of the issue or simply punishing the most vulnerable?

Tensions run high and emotions are raw as host Trey Kay gathers his Us & Them dinner party guests for a post-election potluck. Just days after President-elect Donald Trump’s victory, the table becomes a space where relief and hope collide with frustration and fear — and Kay’s guests reveal their deep political and social divides as never before.

A recent effort to loosen West Virginia’s ‘gold standard’ vaccination requirements for school children by exempting homeschoolers and private schools passed the legislature, but was vetoed by Gov. Jim Justice. In this episode, Trey Kay delves into this latest chapter of West Virginia’s vaccine history.

In this special post-election episode, Us & Them host Trey Kay reflects on America’s deepening divisions, marked by unprecedented events and President-elect Donald Trump’s “us versus them” rhetoric. Kay explores what Trump’s victory means for unity and how Us & Them’s mission of fostering empathy might evolve in this new era.

For this episode of Us & Them, host Trey Kay heads to Marshall University to hear from Generation Z voters. In the final weeks of the 2024 Presidential election, young voters share their thoughts on the challenges of political divisions, campaign tactics, and frustrations of whether or not their perspectives are being heard.

Sports in America often sit at the crossroads of social, cultural, and racial debates. From controversial referee calls to athletes taking a knee during the national anthem, the conversation extends from little league to the pros. In this episode, we explore how sports and race intersect in a Kanawha County youth football league.

It’s election season, and Us & Them is back at the dinner party table for a potluck gathering. With just weeks until the election, our guests have a lot on their minds as they consider their votes. The group discusses some of the year’s biggest stories shaping this campaign—the candidate debates, recent assassination attempts, trust in elections, campus carry laws, gun rights, and what West Virginia might look like without U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin.

In Charleston, West Virginia, there’s a live storytelling event that invites three highly visible members of the community to talk about their careers. They tell the audience about their First, Favorite and Future. It gives the audience a glimpse into the lives of people they may think they already know.

The right to vote in free and fair elections gives us a way to change our leadership — peacefully. But it wasn’t front and center for the nation’s Founding Fathers. As we work through unprecedented times looking toward the November election, Us & Them looks back at our right to vote, to offer some historical context.

There’s a serious labor shortage in West Virginia. Some believe the 50,00 people released from jails and prisons each year could help. For this episode, Us & Them focuses on second-chance employment.

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. This episode was honored with a national first place documentary award from the Public Media Journalists Association. It was also part of a series of episodes that were honored with a first place award in public service through journalism from Virginia’s AP Broadcasters.

Hundreds of thousands of people with mental illnesses are caught up in a criminal justice system that was never intended to treat them. This encore Us & Them episode was part of a series that was honored with a first place award from Virginia’s Associated Press Broadcasters for “Public Service Through Journalism.” In this report, we hear what it’s like to live with mental illness behind bars in the Mountain State.

Fifty years ago this month, the Kanawha County School Board approved new multicultural textbooks. Violent protests followed when some parents said the books undermined their beliefs. During a summer of unrest, boycotts shut down businesses. And in the fall, thousands of families kept their children home from school. The textbook war made national headlines, created a launching pad for the new right political movement and placed school boards at the heart of the culture wars.

Hunger and poverty are universal challenges, but in the U.S. for more than 50 years, support programs like SNAP, the 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.

Early trauma affects our psychological and physical health and nearly half the children in the U.S. under 18 have experienced trauma. Research continues to help us learn more about the impact of childhood neglect and abuse. In fact, when a child experiences a traumatic event, the consequences can last a lifetime. Childhood trauma can create poor health outcomes later in life.

Homelessness is not just an issue for big cities. 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 renewed debate on an issue that is already divisive. Earlier this year, this episode of Us & Them received a second place award from the Virginias AP Broadcasters for Best Podcast.

Across the nation, more than 390,000 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.

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.

Across the nation, there are more and more local news deserts; communities with no local newspaper, television or radio station to cover what’s going on. 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? This story was supported by the Pulitzer Center.

In February, a federal judge in Arizona halted the spraying of the herbicide dicamba, but the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 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.

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.

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.

More than a quarter of the adults in West Virginia have a criminal record. That includes cases of all types, some with arrests that never progress to a conviction or jail time. Yet the records can show up years later in a background check and make someone ineligible for a job or a place to live. On this Us & Them episode, host Trey Kay looks at the road toward a second chance. Nearly every state now has some sort of process to seal or expunge a record depending on the crime. But some say giving a clean slate to someone with a record is dangerous.

Our nation’s capital can make and break careers. In a very short period, Cassidy Hutchinson went from being a complete political outsider to traveling on Air Force One with the President of the United States. She tells Us & Them host Trey Kay about life on either side of the political divide.

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?

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.

Science and research can lead to important breakthroughs, but in a divided America, not everyone trusts the results. In this Us & Them, host Trey Kay speaks with three expert guests before an audience full of curious people at Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia and asks: How shaken is our confidence in scientists and the scientific process?

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.

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.

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.

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.

In this episode of Us & Them, host Trey Kay hears from residents who face daunting challenges. Some say government agencies are doing their best at ongoing cleanup, while others say delays and inconsistent information leave them uncertain about their safety and unclear about whether they can go home. 

There are new laws in more than 20 states — including West Virginia — that ban transgender girls and women from competing on girls and women’s teams. Transgender athletes say they want to play a sport they love. Some who support 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.

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.

In West Virginia and many other states, there’s a court of second chances; 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 explores how treatment courts work for adults and juveniles. This episode was first released in December 2022, and since then has received a regional Edward R. Murrow award from the Radio Television Digital News Association for best podcast.

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 West Virginians — a retiree, a mom and a lawmaker — who all say that nutritional support has made a difference in their lives.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 — rural families have to make hard decisions about how and where to get care.

According to recent health rankings, West Virginia tops the charts for the rates of obesity and diabetes. More than a decade ago, Huntington, West Virginia made headlines as “the nation’s fattest city.” Since then, some things have changed.

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.

At least 95 percent of people behind bars will be released. Some say a formerly incarcerated person’s successful re-entry 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.

Nothing divides Americans like politics. At the same time, young people are showing up to vote. Recent voting trends also show the number of young people engaging in conservative politics is on the rise.

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.

For hundreds of thousands of young Americans, international adoption creates a complex cultural legacy. For this Us & Them episode, host Trey Kay speaks with his long-time producer Laurie Stern about her family’s experience in adopting a son from Guatemala.

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?” Featured in this program are author and historian David Greenberg, law professor Lisa Pruitt and Henry Cisneros, who served in President Bill Clinton’s cabinet as the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.

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 speaks with West Virginia Circuit Court Judges Joanna Tabit and Gregory Howard and Sheila Vakharia, deputy director of the Department of Research and Academic Engagement at the Drug Policy Alliance. He asks: How do these treatment courts work for adults and juveniles?

For this episode, the Us & Them team and USC's Civic Imagination Project head to the economically challenged Upper Kanawha Valley to hear people from diverse backgrounds consider what their future could look like.

The landscape of abortion law is changing. On this episode of Us & Them, we consider what will happen in West Virginia in a post-Roe world?

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-19 social distance, the crew gathered like a family around one table, breaking bread, talking politics and trying to understand their differences.

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?

U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin may frustrate some in his own party, but his positions get him votes at home from registered Republicans. However, some say he’s not conservative enough to win re-election to his Senate seat in 2024. Manchin represents one of the most powerful factions in American politics — the middle. How far can that take him?

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?

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. This Us & Them episode was honored with an award from The Virginias Associated Press Broadcasters.

"Those Who Lack Good Oral Health Face Far More Than A Toothless Hillbilly Stereotype" — this episode was recently honored with a regional award from the Associated Press of the Virginias. The first place honor was for best documentary.

There are new laws in more than a dozen states — including West Virginia — that ban transgender girls and women from competing on girls and womens teams. Transgender athletes say they want to play a sport they love. Some who support 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.

This episode about a Black Lives Matter march in the tiny town of Kingwood was recently honored with a 2022 Regional Edward R. Murrow Award for excellence in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. The Kingwood BLM Rally set up a flash point. Black protestors and their allies faced off with heavily-armed white people who say Kingwood has no race problem. The event exposed the raw seam of rage that’s come to define racism in this country. In this episode, host Trey Kay speaks with West Virginia Del. Danielle Walker, who is pushing back at the fear and outrage of racial hatred in America.

This Us & Them episode offers an update on global COVID vaccination efforts. Nearly 67 percent of U.S. 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 10 percent. Now that vaccine supply is more plentiful, some look to the future and ways that we can learn from this experience.

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. For this Us & Them episode, host Trey Kay speaks with medical professionals who are using social media to enhance their approach to COVID care.

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.

A weedkiller called dicamba has caused a split in otherwise tight-knit farm communities. In Arkansas, where initially there had been tight restrictions over its use, some farmers successfully pushed to expand its use. Yet others claim that the weedkiller may be damaging the habitat of the “Natural State.”

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.

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.” Some parents in communities across the country are calling for some books to be banned from public schools.

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.

Born from an era of segregated educational opportunities when Black students were not welcome at predominantly white schools, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) have been focused on surrounding students with Black excellence. Today, HBCUs are no longer…

The public health campaign to sell people on COVID-19 vaccinations is more than a year old, but its success is limited. The latest strain of the virus shows that unvaccinated people are significantly more likely to contract the omicron variant, resulting in higher rates of hos…

We can document almost everything around us with devices of all kinds, but in 1970, there were few cameras around when police opened fire on crowds in Augusta, Georgia. A protest-turned-riot over the brutal murder of a Black teenager left six Black men dead from police …

A social movement has been gaining steam in the past decade as we’ve learned more about the way trauma can affect our physical and psychological health. A study more than twenty years ago, first came up with a way to assess the impact of childhood neglect, abuse and f…

The coronavirus pandemic continues to prove just how interconnected the world is. Now, a new COVID strain called “omicron,” shows the potential downside of our global vaccination approach. As people in the U.S and Europe line up for booster shots, low vaccination ra…

Masks and vaccines continue to trigger Us & Them divides across the nation. As statewide public health mandates have dwindled, public health choices increasingly fall to local government officials – city, county and school board leaders. Many say the mask and…

Travel is an activity some people use as a classroom. Leaving the familiar lets us learn about culture, history, the environment and many other topics. Recently, a small group spent six days traveling America’s southern states to learn about the country’s racial past and the…

It’s another Thanksgiving with COVID-19, but this time, vaccinations allow many Americans to gather together and share a hug and a meal. Us & Them host Trey Kay invites his ‘virtual dinner party’ guests back for an anniversary. It’s a tradition we began last…

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. Hershel Woodrow “Woody” Williams grew up as a farm kid in the Mountain State and enlisted in the Marine Cor…

West Virginia is now the 42nd state to introduce public charter schools as an educational choice for parents and students. A new state law allows for the creation of 10 charter schools over the next three years. That can include two virtual charter schools. A state authorizing…

America is seen as a land of opportunities and education for all, but a group of young refugees in Pennsylvania had to challenge the local school district to access their schooling.Lancaster, Pennsylvania, school officials first said the six refugees, aged 17 to 21, wer…

Every year West Virginia children are taken into state custody. Sometimes, a case involves parental neglect or drug abuse. Other times, kids commit crimes and are placed in juvenile residential facilities. The juvenile justice programs and agencies have been under a spo…

One hundred years ago, West Virginia was home to our nation’s most violent labor uprising.For some, the Battle of Blair Mountain was a watershed moment when coal workers decided their rights were worth fighting and even dying for. The armed insurrection pitted 10,000 …

WVPB’s Us & Them introduces us to an unusual cultural divide, one that exists within families. It’s a generation split that comes when chemical addiction prevents parents from raising their children. Millions of U.S. households have become “grandfamilies,” a new ki…

Our cultural divides start early in America – some even in childhood.As kids, we learn where we come from and where we belong. Those divisions can really run deep. When Us & Them host Trey Kay was a kid at George Washington High School in Charleston, West Vir…

America has faced a pandemic, a polarizing election and racial equity battles in the past year. But there’s been another crisis continuing to fester — the opioid epidemic. Deaths are up with more than 1,200 West Virginians dying from overdoses last year. The fight for sobr…

Fifty years ago, a band of Black musicians stood up to racism and now they’ve been honored for that action. Bass player John Smith is the surviving member of “The In Crowd,” a Charleston, West Virginia band that played popular tunes in the 1960s. One night at the …

We’re an aging nation. Today 16 percent of Americans are over age 65. In the next few decades that will double as the youngest Baby Boomers move into old age, but in West Virginia, that future is now. It’s the third oldest state in the nation and more than 20 percen…

Many West Virginians have trouble with their teeth. In fact, there’s a big gap between folks who can reliably access an affordable dentist and those who can’t. That’s no surprise when half the state’s counties have fewer than six dentists. A recent national ranking sho…

There are so many young people in the U.S. who are not in school, working, or training for work, that there’s a name for it. They are disconnected youth and West Virginia has one of the highest rates in the nation — 17 percent. It’s a tough group to track down bec…

West Virginia has trouble keeping people. In the past decade the state has lost more than three percent of its population. There were more deaths in the state than births, and more people left the state than moved in. It leaves a lot of people wondering what the future of the …

Our country is seeing a new flavor of partisanship. We practice a tribalism that’s so intense and personal, it defines much of our life. Who we call friends. Which family members we relate to. Even, how we cast our vote. What drives the divisions between us? …

The pandemic has taught us the value of the internet; for work, school, even to order the essentials of life. The past year has also exposed the brutal realities of the digital divide. Access to reliable, fast internet is essential for city and country dwellers. In this episod…

It’s been a year since the coronavirus started a global pandemic. A third of Americans now know someone who has died from COVID-19. The virus has forced daily decisions to stay healthy and safe. We’ve accepted a level of isolation into our lives – distancing from people an…

The COVID-19 vaccine continues to roll out but there’s no obvious fix for other long term medical consequences of the pandemic. A recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows the deadliest year ever for overdose …

COVID-19 numbers show the pandemic has hit Black and Brown people hard. 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. The reasons for this disparity are as …

Older people are the most vulnerable to COVID-19. That’s a challenge when people in their 60s, 70s and 80s are full time caretakers for grandkids. The opioid epidemic has made more than 2.5 million children nationally part of a ‘Grandfamiliy,’ a household headed b…

Us & Them host Trey Kay was invited by The Story Collider podcast to reflect on his “Year in COVID” and what’s helped him get clarity on the whole experience.

The coronavirus has changed everything. People around the globe have spent nearly a year sheltering at home, adhering to restrictions and requirements to avoid the contagious COVID-19. Imagine what that experience is like for someone who’s homeless. If your only optio…

2020 presented new levels of outrage over police killings of Black and Brown people in this nation. Police killed George Floyd and Breonna Taylor which prompted protests, marches and rallies to denounce racially motivated police brutality. A Black Lives Matter march in Kingwood,…

2020 has required a lot from us all. It’s been a year of challenge and adaptation. Us & Them host Trey Kay recalls the line in a holiday classic “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” that says, “we’ll have to muddle through somehow.” None of us had an…

This year has tested us in many ways. Restrictions and stay-at-home orders prevent people from sharing familiar traditions and worshiping together. Some say the coronavirus has tested their faith and beliefs. Not only do they mourn those who’ve died, they miss gatheri…

2021 will offer us all some new beginnings. Political leaders take office with the prospect of a COVID vaccine on the horizon.However, millions of people are reeling from the economic consequences of the pandemic. Millions more are angry over the election outcome. How d…

This is a season when many people turn to family, friends and food. As we enter the end-of-the-year holidays, group celebrations are discouraged to reduce COVID-19 infections. We are in uncertain times, dealing with many things that are out of our control. A contentious…

The coronavirus has divided the world’s workforce into some new categories. White collar workers are remote employees who can do their jobs from home. Blue collar workers are often essential, front-line workers who must show up on the job to keep the supply chain and service…

The 2020 presidential election has offered a host of unexpected twists and turns. The candidate’s varied approaches to campaigning during a pandemic. The president’s own COVID diagnosis. The death of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and a fast confirmation process…

Keep politics away from the dinner table! This year’s contentious campaign season offers fresh reasons for that advice. But Us & Them host Trey Kay decided to host a virtual dinner party with guests whose politics reach across the divides. They came to the …

The 2020 political campaigns are in high gear and the elections are just weeks away. This year, one West Virginia man watches from the sidelines, knowing what it’s like to put on a statewide campaign. Four years ago, Bo Copley was an unemployed miner who got the chanc…

The coronavirus has created an economic nightmare.About a million jobs have disappeared in six months and more layoffs are likely this fall. In West Virginia, the pandemic doubled the state’s unemployment rate. That means 75,000 West Virginians are looking …

Black and Brown people in America continue to die at the hands of police officers and that’s created a season of hate. George Floyd’s killing ignited a sense of racial outrage that has spread around the world. U.S. cities continue to see protests against police brutality and…

The coronavirus confronts every aspect of our society — with our health care systems front and center in the crosshairs. When hospitals canceled nonessential medical procedures at the beginning of the pandemic, it created an economic free fall.  U.S. hospitals have lost…

The race is on to develop a vaccination that can bring an end to the coronavirus pandemic. Researchers around the world are working on an immunization to slow or stop the outbreak. As that effort ramps up, there’s clear evidence that childhood vaccination rates for existing …

At the peak of the opioid crisis, drug companies sent 12 million hydrocodone pills to Kermit, W.Va., a town of about 350 people. Cars would line up at the one pharmacy with people waiting to pick up pain pills. The so-called pain clinics of a decade ago are gone. In their plac…

COVID-19 forces big changes in our society and for our medical systems. When patients with mental health conditions are forced to stay at home isolated,…

COVID-19 has forced millions to stay at home for months. Isolation can feed anxiety and depression and now tens of millions of Americans say that potent combination threatens their mental health. …

Much of the recent work of our Us & Them team has focused on our day-to-day experience as we live through a global pandemic. But we need to shine our light on the deadly consequences of police brutality. Racial inequality is America’s most toxic “us and them” issue….

The coronavirus highlights many of our vulnerabilities, including the system we use to get food from the farm to the table.  Lately, the pandemic has forced U.S. farmers to face the unthinkable. They plowed under perfectly good vegetables when schools and restaurants shut…

It’s been about 10 weeks since the coronavirus pandemic shut down much of the country, including West Virginia. While state officials are now reopening businesses, the pandemic is far from over. Seventy-eight West Virginians have died due to COVID-19. Unemployment claims hav…

West Virginia’s 2020 school year, from kindergarten through college, is wrapping up unlike any other.  In recent years, Mountain State communities have been devastated by man-made crises and natural disasters, but nothing has affected the state’s education system like…

Ten years ago, the Upper Big Branch Mine exploded in West Virginia. Twenty-nine men died and an investigation uncovered that a legacy of overlooked safety measures contributed to the disaster. A new play called “Coal Country” focuses on the stories of the men and thei…

The coronavirus pandemic prompts many reactions from people. Some people can be overwhelmed with fear and anxiety. Others step up to help where they can. Us & Them host Trey Kay splits his time livi…

A global public health crisis in the form of an invisible virus, now officially divides us from each other. We’ve learned to call it ‘social distancing.’ But the coronavirus is creating or reopening many layers between us and them. There are divides between worker…

In many cities and towns, there are people in charge, and there are people who get things done. Joe Slack is an instigator for community change in West Virginia’s Upper Kanawha Valley. He sees the needs in his region, one that’s been hit hard by one economic disappointment…

Appalachia is a unique region of the country. Its namesake mountain range boasts a tangle of thick forests where the economy has relied on forestry, manufacturing and mining for jobs. The Kanawha River winds through West Virginia upstream from Charleston and was once a hotbed …

Trey Kay, host of WVPB’s program Us & Them, was a part of Marshall University’s 2nd annual TEDxMarshallU event on Saturday, March 14.  The theme of the ev…

Homelessness is one of the things that divides us in America. It’s an Us & Them issue that can spring from, and inform our views on other social topics. The number of homeless people nationally has dropped in the past decade, but there was an increase between 2017 and 2018…

Chemical addictions and the opioid crisis have divided millions of U.S. families. An addicted parent can abandon responsibilities to their children. When a grandparent steps in to help, it creates a new kind of family structure. Some call it a grandfamily. Addictions can creat…

There are now more students of color at some universities and colleges in the U.S. In the past decade at Western Illinois University, the non-white student population nearly tripled to one-third of the enrollment. The change helped fill classrooms and satisfy the school’s mi…

When we learn our history, we see things that reflect our past. Paintings of famous battles and statues of men who were heroes to some. But how we interpret our legacy changes. Time can warp our notion of a once righteous cause. There are examples around the world of ways we hav…

North America’s early experiences with Us & Them come from our history with indigenous people. In the 19th century, a nascent U.S. government used treaties with Native tribes and nations to take land and resources. Those treaties relocated Native people to reservations. …

Music can entertain and inspire and serve as a way to share another person’s truth. This episode, Us & Them talks with two musicians, each with roots in Appalachia, whose work offers their view of the world. …

Democracy may need a reboot, or a kickstart. Pick your favorite term, but the fact is, our system of government requires our participation. When we lose trust, it suffers. “We the Purple” is a campa…

Do you disagree with any of your close friends or family members about abortion? When’s the last time you actually talked about it? For many of us, the abortion debate defines Us & Them and sometimes, we feel it better to avoid the subject altogether.Recently, sev…

Paying taxes is one of those things we just can’t avoid… except for the local tax measures we get to vote on. One of the best examples is school spending. When local school officials ask for additional money for new academic programs or school buildings, taxpayers must app…

For decades, coal was king in West Virginia. It paid good wages, paid the bills for many local services through taxes, and kept small towns alive. But more of our nation’s electricity is starting to come from other sources like wind and solar power. Coal is losing out….

We’re in the midst of the 2019 hurricane season, and people in the Bahamas are still digging out from Hurricane Dorian. In 2018 hurricane Florence hit the coast of North Carolina, which left 51 people dead and caused $24 billion in damage in the state. Dis…

Science and faith can offer a different perspective of the world… of life… and of what we believe. When you mix in a third ingredient – politics – the dynamic can become toxic. Whether you consider evolution versus creationism or the causes of climate change, there are peo…

The Us & Them team has tracked the case of James Means – a 15-year-old boy who William Pulliam shot and killed in Charleston, W.Va., in November 2016. The case got national attention partly because Pulliam is white and Means was black. It was one of a number of shootings t…

According to the National Center for Health Statistics, in the last two years, 2 million people in the United States misused prescription opioids for the first time. “Steve,” a curious kid from New Hampshire, found his mom’s oxycodone pills in the medicine cabinet and li…

Last week, William Pulliam — a 65-year-old Charleston, West Virginia man — agreed to plead guilty to second degree murder. He was originally charged with first degree murder for killing an African-American teenager named James Means. On Tuesday, the judge received a letter f…

MAD Magazine, once the touchstone of American satire and snark, is winding down its publication after 67 years. Trey says, as a kid, MAD’s adolescent-focused, subversive content helped him connect with his inner “wise ass.” It made him feel smarter and stupider at the same …

For nearly three years, the Us & Them team has followed the James Means’ case – a 15-year-old boy who was shot and killed  in Charleston, WV, by William Pulliam, who was 62 years old at the time. The case got national attention partly because Pulliam is white and Me…

Two men, one a British citizen of Pakistani heritage, and the other a former housing police officer in the Boston area, were unlikely to meet, until the terror attacks of September 11th, 2001. But after the Bush Administration launched the War on Terror, Moazzam Begg was det…

U.S. immigration policies are very much in the spotlight recently with reports on conditions at some of the southern border detention camps and fresh…

It’s Gay Pride month across the country and a celebration of increasing tolerance and rights for the LGBTQ community. Attitudes have changed in many places, including the Mountain State – where more than 50 percent of residents believe the Bible is the word of God. Trey produc…

Two college freshman spend a night together. There’s inexperience, miscommunication and things go wrong — really wrong.One of them calls what happened sexual assault, the other calls it rape. But together, they’ve found a remarkable way to recover, heal and learn. …

America’s trade war with China is fueling a long-running battle over weedkillers in American farm fields. It’s a tough time to be an American farmer — especially if you grow soybean. They are a $40 billion business in the U.S., but the price of soybeans plummeted last year bec…

For the past two and a half years, a first-degree murder case has worked its way through the courts in Charleston. A 15-year-old boy, James Means, was shot and killed in the city’s East End back in 2016.An older white man named William Pulliam is charged with the…

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 anoth…

Measles cases have spiked in the first quarter of 2019 with outbreaks in ten states. Vaccinations prevent many communicable diseases, but measles is back. Epidemiologists believe it’s because some parents do not immunize their children. As a result, the so called “herd prote…

In the winter of 2016, we told the story of Anne Kelly Skinner, a Charleston, WV lawyer, who was transitioning from male to female.  As Anne’s body became less dude-like and more womanly, she was pleased. However, she worried her voice wouldn’t match her new body. There ar…

As a West Virginia teenager, Amber Miller dropped out of school, took drugs and robbed homes. She wound up on the wrong side of the law and served time for a felony. In a youth correction center, she turned her life around, but after her release, had trouble finding a job to support her two sons.

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO THE MOST UPDATED VERSION OF THE BLACK TALK. How old were you when you first learned that police may think of you as a threat? You’ve never been told that? C…

Throughout history, men have been seen as the dominant gender. Why is this? Some assume the model goes all the way back to the primitive cave man. Others believe the gender pecking order was commanded by God.In this episode, Trey speaks with John Biewen and Celeste Head…

Moazzam Begg, a British citizen of Pakistani heritage, and Albert Melise, a former housing police officer in the Boston area, were unlikely to have their life stories intersect and become friends; but then September 11 happened. …

It’s that time of year again when Trey’s Twitter and Facebook feed flare up with posts about a “War on Christmas.” Every year there’s hubbub over how saying “Happy Holidays” instead of “Merry Christmas” is TOO politically correct, or that a nativity scene doe…

Back in the 1990s, Trey got into Culture Clash, a trio of Latino comedians who do social satire. He loved that they skewered public figures and poke sacred cows. Culture Clash enjoys making the audience…

Last year, 72,000 Americans died from drug overdoses.  A lot of those deaths — about three-fourths — were caused by opioid medication prescribed by doctors or substances like heroin obtained on the street. …

In 1974, a fierce controversy erupted over some newly adopted school textbooks in Kanawha County, West Virginia. School buildings were hit by dynamite and Molotov cocktails, buses were riddled with bullets, journalists were beaten and surrounding coal mines were shut down by prot…

Election season’s over, but we sure haven’t put politics behind us. Not with the holidays approaching. Some families avoid talking politics over the turkey, but other family gatherings descend into …

Political debate in this country has become anything but civil. Who’s to blame? Nearly a third of Americans surveyed by NPR said: “the media.” Ca…

Researchers say science makes it clear that there’s a direct, systematic way we should be teaching kids to read. But lots of people discount the science of reading.

When we cast a ballot, it’s personal. About as personal as it gets. That’s easy to forget when we talk about big blocks of voters — congressional districts or entire states. …

The migrant caravan moving through Mexico is nowhere near the U.S. border, yet it’s smack dab in the middle of the nation’s politics. But immigration pushes different political buttons in West Virgini…

West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin voted to confirm Brett Kavanaugh, President Trump’s pick for the U.S. Supreme Court. Manchin was the only Democrat in the Senate to cross party lines, and he did it in a very public way. Manchin’s vote didn’t surpri…

Why did rural Americans love Donald Trump so much in 2016? Some say they’ve felt left out of the economic recovery. Others say the culture is changing in ways that makes rural people feel uncomfortabl…

With all turmoil surrounding Brett Kavanaugh’s Supreme Court nomination, red and blue state voters are taking the long view. This is the second episode of “Red State Blue State,”  WVPB’s collaboration with KCRW in California. There have been times …

If you really listen, we sound like two different countries: Red America and Blue America. Then again, most of us are not listening. Heading into the midterms KCRW and WVPB are teaming up to try to change that. …

Stephan Said takes his fiddle and guitar to refugee camps and war zones. He’s on a quest to make music that speaks across boundaries. He’s been to battle-torn cities in Iraq, refugee camps in the Medite…

If it seems football has, perhaps unwillingly, become a platform for civil rights issues, well, keep it mind that didn’t start with Colin Kapernick but with James “Shack” Harris, the first African American to be named in a starting quarterback in th…

On this week’s episode of the “Us & Them” podcast: the legacy of class division in Kanawha County, West Virginia, between the Hillers and Creekers.

Are America’s schools hostile to religion? There’s been a tussle over this issue since the early 60s, when the Supreme Court ruled that prayer and school-sponsored Bible reading were unconstitutional.

Things have changed in the old neighborhood. There are cool little restaurants and cafes, funky little shops and a vibrant art and music scene. On one side, you have the newcomers— people who came here to open new businesses and live in this trendy neig…

Hey, it’s Independence Day – the official birth of our nation! Watching fireworks on July 4th may be as close as some of us get to expressing a shared love of country with fellow citizens. As you very well know, there is a great deal of polarization in …

Places like Lake Tahoe, Nantucket and Colorado ski country are playgrounds for the wealthy. To make the playground run smoothly, there’s a dire need for people to cook food, bus tables, clean rooms, mow lawns, manicure golf courses and operate ski lifts.

Trey Kay has observed how things have changed significantly for LGBTQ people where he lives in New York. But he’s not sure if anything’s changed in a more conservative place like West Virginia, where he grew up. A recent Pew survey shows that more tha…

America and Iran used to be close allies, but since the Iranian Revolution began in 1979, the relationship has been akin to a bad divorce. After President Trump’s announcement to pull the U.S. out of the Iran Nuclear Deal, cable news has been abuzz with…

In today’s culturally polarized society, discussing whether the planet is warming and if humans have an impact on the climate is a topic that’s often avoided. Why? Because speaking about it can be akin to touching the “third rail” of religion and …

As the United States works through what the American Medical Association describes as “the worst drug addiction epidemic in its history,” we revisit the story of Dimitri. This former junkie was delivered from a 27-year heroin addiction by a controvers…