Staff Picks: Sherpa’s Favorite StoryCorps Episodes

Christine LaBarbera, Customer Experience Specialist

Favorite episode: Keepers of the temple

“This includes stories from people who lived in the public library and as a former librarian, it brought tears to my eyes.”

Shannon Miller, Product Lead

Favorite episode: A love that defied a cancer diagnosis

“This is a story about a couple who fell in love as one of them was diagnosed with a rare cancer. It was beautiful how they leaned into love, knowing what the outcome was going to be, because the love was worth it. We may not have long with the people we love — some of us know it now and some of us don’t — but I took away how wonderful and encompassing love is.”

Francisco Fisher, Director of Marketing

Favorite episode: It all starts with a song

“This episode tells stories about the women behind iconic songs and albums. There’s a moment where Motown songwriter and producer Sylvia Moy is in the recording studio with Stevie Wonder, who is blind. They didn’t have any braille sheet music, so Moy is singing the lines to Wonder through his headphones, staying one bar ahead. It was a kind of Ginger Rogers/Fred Astaire moment that I had never heard of before, and I thought it was just amazing.”

Maggie Gravier, Training Operations Manager

Favorite episode: Forensic artist Sharon Long, 74, talks to her colleague Steve Sutter, 57

“There are a few reasons why this story resonated so deeply with me. One is simply that it was documented on my birthday – I always find connection with happenings on my birthday.

Another is that for a long time I was an artist who didn’t believe in myself, and it took an even longer time to change that belief. It wouldn’t have changed if it hadn’t been for the people around me who love and support me in all things.

The biggest and deepest reason is that she started with a feeling and a want to just help people and tell their stories, to help them find closure through showing their face from just a skull (over 80!).

Helping people matters, and she found a way to do that through her special talent. She may have felt like an imposter or not good enough, but everyone else knew she was.”

Brandy Taylor, Customer Success Database Specialist

Favorite episode: To grandmother’s house we (sorta) go

“This episode made me cry; it hit very close to home in my heart, listening to Olivia and Kenneth remember his grandmother (Olivia’s mother), whom they called Lola.  

Lola lived with Olivia and Kenneth, and throughout his childhood, Lola regaled Kenneth with many stories. Kenneth described a valuable lesson he learned from Lola – that there’s a difference between your job and your work. Your job is something you leave behind at the end of a day, but your work is everything you leave behind at the end of a lifetime.

My nana shares a similar history with Lola, and she was actively involved in my childhood. As I got older and moved away, it became longer periods of time between my visits. She passed away suddenly, and I did not get to see her and was not with her. I thought I had more time.

Looking back on this difficult time, I am so thankful that she showed me how much she loved me in everything she did for me and my family. This is what carries me through each day and gives me strength. Her life’s ‘work’ made me the woman I am today. As I support seniors within our industry, I dedicate their legacies to her memory, and I pay forward care and support to them and their families, like the way she did with me and mine.”