Crossing the Divide

Crossing the Divide: The Official Podcast counters a media culture fixated on urbanism as a voice for the Intermountain West, a region consisting of predominantly rural communities and defined by open space, sweeping vistas, big skies and natural wonder. As your guide over the Divide, Gretchen Reist elevates Western voices of the past, present and future who are dedicated to overcoming the unique challenges of life in this boundless stretch of continental In-Between. This project is part of a grassroots, multimedia collaboration between Roaring Judy Pictures; Rocky Mountain PBS; Mesa County Libraries; and The Daily Sentinel.

S1 E1 - Social Media and Moral Outrage
CMU Instructor of Mass Communications Elaine Venter sits in for a discussion of how and why social media encourages expression of moral outrage and how this reality propelled the #MeToo movement into a legitimate force of change.
S1 E2 - #MeToo and Social Media
Part 2 of our conversation with CMU Mass Communications Instructor Elaine Venter about #MeToo and the social media impact on the fight to end sexual harassment. Here we examine how to utilize social media technology to create social movements and what, if any, continued role online media will play in the ongoing evolution of the struggle for women's rights.
S1 E3 - Much Too Sweet: Sugar in the American Diet
An examination of the health impacts of excessive sugar in the American diet inspired by Colorado's history with the sugar beet industry as portrayed in the Colorado Experience documentary "White Gold."
S1 E4 - The Foundation for Strong Public Schools
A sit-down with D51 Foundation Executive Director Angela Christensen, who updates us on progress made since the passage of the 2017 bond measure and mill levy; provides some perspective on the recent controversy over the school district reorganization implemented under former Superintendent Ken Haptonstall; and educates us on the Foundation's mission to support teacher development and student success.
S1 E5 - All the Write Moves
An interview with local author Heather Portenier sheds light on a writer's life in Western Colorado and the exciting opportunities - and daunting challenges - presented by emerging platforms for self-published works. Exploring the creative process through the eyes of a homegrown writer, this podcast edition contributed local flavor the 2018 launch of the PBS series "The Great Amercan Read," a nationwide search for America's most beloved novel.
S1 E6 - Coates Creek School
Historical perspective on Coates Creek School, the last remaining example of a one-room, log cabin schoolhouse in the United States and the center of life for ranching families on Colorado's Western Slope throughout much of the 20th century. Featuring Gateway Canyons' "Curator of Curiosity," Zebulon Miracle, and members of the Roehm family, former Glade Park ranchers whose personal recollections of life in Glade Park are documented here.