FITCHBURG SPEAKS: Stories About What Made Us Who We Are (Community Read, Part 1 of 2)

Recorded in front of a live audience at Fitchburg State University on April 6th, 2023, Fitchburg Speaks: Stories about What Made Us Who We Are showcases true stories from the complex and rich lives led by members of the greater Fitchburg community. 

Sixteen storytellers took to the mic to generously share their stories about what made them who they are.  

Today, we feature five of those stories about formative experiences living alone in the wilderness, the search for balance, overcoming adversity, finding comfort in being one's true self, and a love story spanning 57 years, a peace corps deployment, and three strikes. 

• Dr. Steven Edwards, Fitchburg State Professor (2:54)
• Yer Yang, Communications Media / Graphic Design (8:08)
• Nadia Turovskiy, Rhythmic Gymnast, Dual Enrollment, Bolton MA (13:06)
• Elliot Zopatti, Communications Media / Technical Theater (17:18)
• Arthur E. Young, Peace Corps 1961 (21:34) 

Fitchburg Speaks was the culminating event from a year of programming inspired by the 2022-23 Fitchburg Community Read book, Trevor Noah's memoir Born a Crime.  This event was organized and sponsored by the Fitchburg Community Read Committee and its members.   

Host: Elliot Zopatti
Recording engineers: Matt Baier and Adam Fournier

Episode transcript available here.

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Perspectives is an ongoing series of Perseverantia -- featuring the voices and stories of the campus community, including alumni interviews; conversations with students, faculty, and staff; and features events.  The goal of Perspectives is to allow for in-depth exploration of the experiences and issues on the minds of those teaching, learning, and working at Fitchburg State University.

Click here to learn more about Perseverantia. Join us for programming updates on Instagram. Or reach out with ideas or suggestions at podcasts@fitchburgstate.edu.