This story is about the premature birth of Black babies in the context of rising Black maternal mortality in the United States. The segment is able to accomplish its goal of raising awareness by focusing on a very specific event that happened to specific, identifiable people. The recording includes not just one, but two interviewees who are familiar with each other and are able to provide a balance of voice while talking about a shared experience in a casual setting. The slow pacing of the recording helps to strengthen the empathy for the trauma these mothers describe. For example, long pauses help to convey the depression, hurt, and confusion the subjects explicitly discuss. Finally, this story was produced using high quality sound. The voices are clear, crisp, and even intentionally captures a baby murmur to contribute to the ambiance and the relationship that was established early in the interview.
This particular story included a more detailed introduction to develop the context of the story being told by “Cas” Torres. Cas Torres details how he ended up with a criminal record and came to care for New York City’s Hart Island. This story is narrow in scope but the subject matter extends to a large audience with many interconnected elements (i.e. the justice department, the criminal justice system as an institution, poor children and families, Cas’ own family and life circumstances). I think that it is interesting that this story does not include any intro music, although it has outro music. I think this is a good choice to match the tone and topic of death, being forgotten, and memorial discussed in the episode. Furthermore, the outro music is solemn in tone and encourages further reflection about the story told. I also think that limited sound effects, draws attention to the quality of Cas’ voice and therefore his identity, who is just as likely to be forgotten or abused, as the people in the story he shares. Although, a little body movement can be heard in the background towards the end, this recorded story successfully humanizes Cas Torres and the many people buried in Hart Island.