Your Fellow Americans is an online documentary series co-produced by KCPT's Hale Center for Journalism and Brainroot Light & Sound. It discusses race, immigration and the American Dream with average Americans. By "average Americans," we mean we avoided talking with journalists, professors or media producers. We focused on talking with people who are not paid to think about these issues everyday because we want to learn if these issues actually have an impact on the normal, day-to-day lives of average Americans.
The series is about encouraging conversation. Our hypothesis for the project was that viewers will find their assumptions about other groups of Americans to be inaccurate or incomplete. The hope is you will discover that you have more similarities than differences with your fellow Americans. We want you to feel encouraged to discuss the sensitive subjects of racism, prejudice and immigration in calm conversation. The series encourages audience participation by allowing viewers to engage topics which they find most compelling. By participating, we hope that you will be continually faced with this question, “Who are your fellow Americans?”
You can view all of the videos youtube.com/yfamericans. Everyone is invited to join the conversation and share their feedback on the videos and their own American experience.
Meet the people who made the series possible.
Explore by family
The Repass Family
Jeanna, Johnice and Ariel, all African-Americans, reflect on what it's like to be a black woman in the U.S. and how that affects their attainability of the American Dream.
The Crouser Family
As Lakota Indians, the Crouser family has experienced life in the U.S. differently than many people. They share their experiences with religion, racism and the American Dream.
The Shafé Family
Kian Shafé came to the United States in 1955 on a student visa from Iran. Discussions with Kian and his family focus on their experiences as immigrants in the United States.
The Caudillo Family
The Caudillo family reflects on their experiences as Mexican-Americans in the U.S. and the challenges that come with balancing the two different identities.
Producers' Perspectives
Producer's Perspective: The Crouser Family
Producer Nathaniel Bozarth offers a background look at what it was like to work with the Crouser family for Your Fellow Americans.
Producer's Perspective: The Shafé Family
Nathaniel Bozarth reflects on conversations with the Shafé family.
Diamond Cuts Conversations
Producer Christopher Cook visits a barbershop on Troost, commonly seen as the dividing line of race in Kansas City, to explore race from a different angle.
On Television
PBS Video
Little White Lie | Growing Up White
In this excerpt from the Independent Lens documentary Little White Lie, filmmaker Lacey Schwartz looks back at her birth and childhood, through family photos and home movies.
PBS video
American Denial
This film weaves a narrative that exposes some of the potential underlying causes of racial biases still rooted in America’s systems and institutions today.
Pbs video
America By The Numbers with Maria Hinojosa
See how a successful ad agency is addressing multicultural millennials.
Recommended online:
On Medium: A Biracial Woman’s Letter to Her White FatherTwo interactive documentaries about race: The N Word from The Washington Post, “The Whiteness Project” from PBS
Parable of the Polygons
Run Toward the Stereotypes. With Respect.