Dispatches from the Divide

She Was Afraid to Speak Her Mind. Then She Got in an RV With Seven Strangers. | 8

Two days earlier, Laryssa Bishop had no idea this trip existed. Now she's climbing into an RV with seven strangers to spend a day talking about one of the most divisive i

She Wanted to Report the News Differently. Then a Story In Her Own Backyard Put That to the Test. | 6

Helene Biandudi Hofer walked away from the kind of journalism she feared was making people more divided. Now she has to find out whether her alternative actually works.

She Came to America Expecting Freedom of Speech. Instead, She Went Silent. | 7

Laryssa Bishop left Brazil for college in America believing she'd finally found a place where she could speak her mind. Instead, she slowly became afraid to say what she

He Tried to Get Her Kicked Out of Office. Then He Knocked on Her Door. | 4

Bob Hathcock helped launch a campaign to remove Julie Spilsbury from office. Now he's walking into her home—and neither of them knows how this conversation will end. In E

She Got into Journalism to Help People. Was She Actually Making Things Worse? | 5

Veteran journalist Helene Biandudi Hofer is sitting at home scripting her weekly news show when she suddenly puts down her laptop and starts to cry. She became a reporter

His Church Was Attacked. Then He Did the Unthinkable.

A tweet on a quiet Sunday morning stops Dave Butler cold: a shooting at a Latter-day Saint church in Grand Blanc, Michigan. He doesn't know a single victim — but he’s a m

They Called Him a Monster for Helping the Wrong Family. | 2

The fundraiser exploded overnight — and so did the backlash. As Dave Butler's small act of compassion turns into a national story, a nagging doubt creeps in: what if he's

She Won by a Landslide. Then Her Own Neighbors Tried to Remove Her From Office. | 3

Julie Spilsbury was known around Mesa, Arizona, for two things: her city council seat and her cinnamon rolls. Then one public decision turned people she'd known for twent

TRAILER: Dispatches from the Divide

Four stories. Four ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances . . . that take some surprising turns. In this limited series, Monica Guzman follows individuals into m

BIG NEWS from Top of Mind

A personal note from Julie with a bittersweet announcement and some exciting changes coming to the Top of Mind feed in the coming weeks.  Watch for Dispatches from the Di

BONUS: The Credit Card Debt Conversation - A Closer Look at the Role of Credit Counseling

In this special bonus episode of Top of Mind, Julie Rose revisits the challenge of credit card debt - a topic that hits home for many of us – by sitting down with Thomas

Bonus Episode: When the People Decide - Putting Money and Power in People’s Hands

We’re in between episodes this week on Top of Mind. In the meantime, we’ve got a story for you from a podcast we think you’re really going to like. It’s called When the P

BONUS: All the Best Advice from Guests on Top of Mind Season 3

As a final bonus to finish Top of Mind Season 3 “Finding Fairness” we’ve compiled the best insight from guests throughout the season on how to be a better citizen, kinder

News from Top of Mind

We're hard at work on a new season of Top of Mind and won't have a new episode on the podcast feed for a few weeks. So, it's a great time to listen back to episodes you m

BONUS: Holiday Thanks and Some Episode Recommendations

Top of Mind launched its weekly format early in 2022 and we’re so gratified by your response. One listener wrote “I feel like I am becoming a better, more educated person

HALLOWEEN BONUS: Family-Friendly Audio Drama feat. Top of Mind's Julie Rose

This week only on the Top of Mind podcast, a special Halloween treat. It’s an old-fashioned, family-friendly audio drama from storytelling podcast The Apple Seed about a

Bonus: How to Support Someone Who's Grieving

A major side effect of being such a grief-averse culture is the sheer panic many of us feel when confronted with someone who’s suffered a devastating loss. What can you p

ARCHIVE BONUS: What Synesthesia Can Teach Us About Disagreeing

People with synesthesia perceive the world very differently from the rest of us. Their senses merge so that sounds might also have tastes. The days of the week may be dif

ARCHIVE BONUS: How to Navigate the Journey from Loved One to Caregiver

Caregiving for a loved one can be difficult and confusing. Julie and her siblings are among the more than 20 million Americans who currently care for an aging parent- so

ARCHIVE BONUS: She Believed She Was White. At Age 27, She Learned the Truth About Her Race.

Sarah Valentine grew up believing she was the white daughter of her white parents. As an adult she learned her parents had been lying to her. She’s actually half Black. T