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The initiative brings strangers with different political beliefs together for a conversation — not to debate politics — but to simply get to know each other as people. WYSO and StoryCorps are inviting the southwest Ohio community to join the nearly 6,000 people in 50 U.S. states who have participated in a One Small Step conversation.

In collaboration with StoryCorps and other community organizations throughout southwest Ohio, we invite you to meet someone new—a fellow resident with different perspectives from you, who you might never talk to otherwise—for a meaningful 50-minute conversation.

WYSO is one of just four stations selected nationally to host One Small Step in 2025.

With participant permission, these conversations will be preserved for future generations at the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress.

We’re teaming up with civic organizations, churches, and other community groups and leaders to spread the word and connect southwest Ohio residents from all backgrounds who are ready to take One Small Step. Do you want to get your group or organization involved in the effort? Contact Ryann Beaschler for more details.

We’ll be matching participants and hosting recorded conversations throughout 2025.

Matching Partners & Preparing:

• ​For people interested in getting matched for a conversation, the first step is to fill out the One Small Step Questionnaire
• Your responses will help us find the best conversation partner for you. Remember: People are complex and rarely, if ever, “exact opposites.” We’ll read your answers carefully to pair you with someone with a perspective different from your own. Thoughtful  matching takes time, so thank you in advance for your patience.
• If we find a match for you, we’ll reach out to hear more about your goals. When we schedule the One Small Step conversation, we share materials to help you prepare.
• The One Small Step conversation takes place virtually or in person
• Requirements for virtual participants: reliable internet connection and a computer with a video camera and a microphone.
• A day or two before the virtual recording appointment, the facilitator will do a short “tech check” with you to make sure the StoryCorps virtual recording platform works on your device. If the recording appointment is in person, the facilitator will contact you to confirm appointment details, and  recording location.

The One Small Step Experience:

• At your One Small Step appointment, you meet your conversation partner, and a facilitator provides an orientation, ground rules, and suggested questions.
• When ready, the facilitator starts the recording and helps you begin the conversation by prompting four kick-off questions. After that, participants drive the conversation by choosing more questions and listening with an open mind.
• The conversation lasts about 50 minutes, and the whole process takes 75-90 minutes (including time for addressing tech issues, the orientation, and a post-conversation debrief and paperwork).

Participant Agency and Privacy:

• Your comfort level and consent in this process is our first priority.
• You drive the conversation. You choose what questions to discuss, and you can decide to conclude the conversation at any time. The facilitator’s chief role is to ensure you and your partner both feel comfortable, respected and in control during the discussion. They may suggest follow-up questions, but all questions are optional.
• After the recording ends: you decide whether you want to share it with our station, StoryCorps and the Library of Congress. There is no obligation to share. You can keep the conversation private if you wish. You can also share the conversation, but keep your name/identity anonymous. 
• Regardless of your decision, you and your conversation partner receive a digital copy of the recording.
• The recording can be preserved in the StoryCorps collection at the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C.—only if both participants agree to share it.

How WYSO Works with These Recordings:

• A few conversations, with participants’ permission, will be edited for brevity and broadcast on the radio.
• If your conversation is selected for editing/broadcast by the station, we will notify you, and preview the edited clip for you to ensure you’re comfortable with it before it’s broadcast.