Formative

Latest Episodes:

Edwidge and Alyson: Let the Soul Rest Jun 07, 2022

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Most of us will spend our whole lives in pursuit of ourselves: our passions, our identities, our voices. How is that experience changed by economic hardship, by physical displacement, by the languages we hear and speak? In this episode of Formative, celebrated Haitian-American novelist Edwidge Danticat talks with young artist Alyson about resilience through community, story, and documenting our inner worlds.

Pops and Lili: First-Rate Version of Yourself May 31, 2022

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Over his long career as an artist and writer, Pops Peterson has explored many forms of self-expression—but his most impactful effort has been the re-expression of another artist’s work. His series “Rockwell Revisited,” in which Peterson reimagines Norman Rockwell’s work for the modern age, is the longest-running solo exhibition in the history of the Norman Rockwell Museum. On this episode of Formative, Pops joins student co-host Lili in a wide-ranging conversation about art, civil rights, show business, and always being true to yourself.

Emily and Kevin: The Show Must Go On May 24, 2022

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If all the world’s a stage, what would it be like to be the understudy in your own life? To watch the play unfold from the wings? Award-winning playwright Emily Mann has no idea—when she was told women couldn’t write or direct theater, she boldly took back the narrative, shining a spotlight on the stories of women and people of color. On this episode of Formative, young Kevin—a student of history—asks about how her illustrious career was shaped by feminism, family, and the struggle for civil rights in America.

Brian and Jake: Do No Harm May 17, 2022

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It’s tough to be a physician, and tougher still to be a physician for people who make a career out of testing their bodies: athletes. So how tough is it to be the physician to nearly half a million student athletes? Ambitious young student co-host Jake talks to Dr. Brain Hainline, Chief Medical Officer of the NCAA, about writing books, work-life balance, understanding traumatic injury, and how being a doctor is (kind of) like being Indiana Jones.

Devon and Josh: Jamaican Cool May 03, 2022

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Before he joined the Jamaican bobsled team whose 1988 Winter Olympics bid inspired the Disney film “Cool Runnings,” Devon Harris was a track and field runner and an officer in the Jamaican army. In his conversation with Josh, a fellow Jamaican, Devon shares some lessons from a dynamic lifetime as an athlete, a soldier, a public speaker, a dad, and a guy who had a movie made about him once.

Matt and Lili: Building Community Apr 26, 2022

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At first blush, commercial real estate might not be the easiest or most compelling concept for an 11-year-old. But precocious sixth-grader Lili has plenty of questions for Matt Petrula, Senior Group Manager at M&T Bank, who explains why his job lets him draw on their shared interests in math, science, and—most importantly—community.

Jesse and Orlando: Story Magic Apr 19, 2022

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Being a children’s book author may not be quite as exciting as being a Ninja Turtle, but it still lets you have as many adventures as you can imagine! And the more experiences you have, the better you get at thinking up adventures. Writer Jesse Byrd collaborated with a group of New York Edge students to write and publish their very own book, and now he has advice for young Orlando about the value—and the fun!—of trying everything.

Charlie and Jake: Rise Over Run Apr 12, 2022

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There’s perspective, and then there’s *perspective*. Future game developer Jake gets the 220-mile view from Dr. Charles Camarda, a retired NASA astronaut who flew the first Space Shuttle mission after the Columbia explosion. Dr. Camarda offers some valuable advice about failure, perseverance, and finding the slope of a line.

Tom and Josh: The Numbers Game Apr 05, 2022

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Seventh-grader Josh has a lot of questions for Tom Cornish, the Chief Operating Officer for BankUnited: how did dropping out of school affect his career path? As a kid, what hobbies kept him happy in tough times? And, perhaps most importantly: what is Tom’s position on playing Monopoly?

Kaitlin and Kevin: Raising Your Voice Mar 29, 2022

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On the premiere episode of Formative, seventh-grader Kevin interviews Kaitlin McGaw, a musician, civil rights activist, and co-founder of the hip-hop children’s music collective Alphabet Rockers, who just received their third Grammy nomination! Kevin and Kaitlin have a candid, joyful conversation about music, Harvard, justice, and the power of the human voice.

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