Join the On Record team as we discuss literature that sparks conversation– covering topics like mental health, violence, queer literature, and race/racial identity.

In Episode 3 of On Record––Madeleine, Caitlin, Maddie, and Celia discuss Real Life, by Brandon Taylor, a novel about a gay, Black doctoral student in a predominantly White, Midwestern PhD program as he navigates life over the course of a weekend.

On Record: Real Life

From the Ashes is a podcast where we have conversations with everyday people about grief and loss. In this episode, host Tina Intarapanont chats with Tevy Oum about how she cut off her best friend from high school.

From The Ashes: He Was My Best Friend

Welcome to Midwest Uprising, where Cheyann Neades and Fatima Calderon Ceron chat with artists of color about their journeys in a region that is often overlooked. This episode, Cheyann Neades and Fatima Calderon Ceron chat with illustrator D Guzman. From Des Moines, IA to Minneapolis, MN, Guzman has done art full-time since graduating from Minneapolis College of Art and Design in 2020.

Midwest Uprising: D Guzman | Episode Two

Join Caitlin, Maddie, Celia, and Madeleine as they discuss Lowboy, a novel by John Wray telling the story of Will, a 16-year-old schizophrenic in the middle of a psychotic episode. Hear their thoughts on mental health in literature and how it’s often stereotypical depiction in the media can lead to miseducation.

On Record: Lowboy

Welcome to Midwest Uprising, where Cheyann Neades and Fatima Calderon Ceron chat with artists of color about their journeys in a region that is often overlooked. This episode, Cheyann Neades and Fatima Calderon Ceron chat with singer and actress Reality Hendrix. From Texas to Des Moines, Iowa, Reality has made her way to stages across the country, including the iconic Eugene O'Neill Theater Center through the National Theater Institute.

Midwest Uprising: Reality Hendrix | Episode One

Join the On Record team as we discuss literature that sparks conversation—covering topics like mental health, violence, queer literature, and race/racial identity.

In Episode 5 of On Record––Madeleine, Caitlin, Maddie, and Celia discuss Habibi, a graphic novel by Graig Thompson. Set in a fictional Islamic land, Habibi shows the relationship between Dodola and Zam, two escaped child slaves and their journey through life, while also including stories from the Quran and Bible.

On Record: Habibi

Des Moines struggled to attract a wide array of artists. For big-name acts that had outgrown bar gigs but couldn’t sell out stadiums, Iowa just wasn’t on their touring radar. But a development in the mid-2000s helped to change that: festivals!

Dead Moines: Where We're Going

As the pandemic wore on, many music venues in Des Moines stayed closed. But other spaces opened their doors after our new world started to mimic the one we left behind. And the most active venue in Des Moines – which, given the sparse booking options and reduced capacity, is kind of like being the tallest dwarf – is Woolys.

Urban Plains