New can't-miss podcasts from public media

Spring is a time of renewal. If you're looking to give your podcast listening a refresh, the NPR One team has gathered a few returning favorites as well as some new shows from across public media to check out.

City of Tents: Veterans Row

In one of LA's fanciest neighborhoods, homeless military veterans built a big tent city and refused to leave. City of Tents: Veterans Row from KCRW tells the story of the men who built the camp as a protest, and how it became both a refuge and a battlefield.

Start with episode 1, "Welcome to the Neighborhood."

Buried Truths: Race & Rage in Terrible Terrell

The latest season of WABE's Buried Truths tells the story of James Brazier — a young Black father killed by white police Terrell County, Georgia, in 1958 for daring to purchase a new Chevrolet Impala.

Listen to episode 1, "Life in Terrible Terrell."

Bear Brook: A True Crime Story

Jason Carroll is serving life in prison for a murder he says he didn't commit. The only evidence against him? His own taped confession. NHPR's Bear Brook documents how those involved grapple with the idea that the prevailing story about who killed Sharon Johnson could be a lie. More than 30 years later, is it possible to get to the truth — and who gets to tell it?

Start with "Episode 1: Extraordinary."

The Modern West: Mending the Hoop

You may have noticed a lot of big news coming out of Indigenous America, from protests at Standing Rock to the return of wild bison to efforts to bring home ancestral remains and artifacts. But when you talk to the movers and shakers, the conversation often comes back around to a bitter history — the Plains Indian Wars. Wyoming Public Media's The Modern West hears the story from the point of view of the Plains tribes themselves.

Dive in with part 1, "The Witness Trees."

California Love: K-Pop Dreaming

LAist's California Love: K-Pop Dreaming is about the rise and history of K-pop in the United States, as told from the point-of-view of the Korean diaspora in Los Angeles.

In episode 1, host Vivian Yoon shares how a hidden love for K-pop propelled her to explore the connections between the music and her hometown.

When Magic Happens

When the tea is hot, where do you spill it? If your answer is the group chat, then look no further, because the group chat just added three new members. On When Magic Happens from WBEZ, intergenerational convos of love and laughter collide. Three Black women — Cheryle, Jennifer, and Taylor. Three generations. No filters.

Start with this episode about "weaponized ambition" and finding motivation at different phases in life.

Every Voice with Terrance McKnight

WQXR's Every Voice with Terrance McKnight spotlights the vibrant stories and perspectives that reflect the whole of the American musical experience.

In episode 1, meet some of the people lifting the mask behind opera's representation of marginalized voices.

The Connection with Marty Moss-Coane

It's easy to feel as if the world is falling apart. WHYY's The Connection with Marty Moss-Coane features wide-ranging conversations about the bonds that hold us together, the forces that drive us apart, the conflicts that keep us from exploring life's possibilities and the qualities that make us unique and human.

This episode tackles the question: How do we get people to face the ugly truths of the American story?

Echoes of Indiana Avenue

This March marks the 100th anniversary of the birth of Wes Montgomery — a legendary jazz guitarist and one of the most beloved Indianapolis musicians. To celebrate, WFYI's Echoes of Indiana Avenue has a new series documenting the evolution of Montgomery's sound.

Start listening with part 1, which explores Montgomery's early recordings with the Lionel Hampton Orchestra.

NPR's Jack Mitchell curated and produced this piece.