John O'Brien
Senior Producer, All Things Considered
About
John O’Brien is KUOW's All Things Considered Senior Producer. He spends his days setting up interviews with newsmakers on subjects from politics and public health to arts and culture. John learned to make radio starting in 2006 as an intern on KUOW’s The Conversation with Ross Reynolds.
Location: Seattle
Languages: English
Pronouns: he/him
Stories
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Health
‘Weep. Scream. Hate. Disbelieve. Go numb. Breathe.’ Hard-earned lessons about loss and grief
‘A Little Book of Self-Care for Those Who Grieve began as notes scratched out over many midnights; thoughts formed as I lay sleepless, or in the aftermath of painful dreams.’
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Government
Chinks in the armor: An investigative call to reform the Secret Service
‘The agents say they’ll put themselves between a bullet and the president. They’ll take a bullet for the president. Well, they felt like more and more they were just dodging a bullet.’
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Law & Courts
Lies, the First Amendment, and the limits of free speech
‘If people hear something that’s false, and they’re immediately told it’s false, then they will remember it in some sense or in some part of their mind as true for the long-term. That’s insidious!’
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Politics
Afghan NGO remains dedicated to nation's youth amid uncertain future
Tamim says: ‘This is not going to fall. We are not going to stop. We are going to raise these children.’
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Government
A Seattle-area Afghan American reacts to ‘stolen hope’
‘Every time I think about it, I get super emotional, because I remember the time when my mom got off the plane. It was the first time that she had been back since she left, and she kissed the ground.’
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Arts & Life
Pack your weekend with events celebrating Pride, Renaissance magic, and young musicians
‘One of my favorite events is a movie screening of the film But I'm a Cheerleader.’
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Government
Mayor Woodards on how Tacoma's guaranteed income pilot gives new meaning to 'grit'
‘You’ve got to take the first step to get to the goal. I think this is our first step. Helping 100 families at $500 a month sounds small in a city that has 215,000-plus residents, but it's a step.’
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Environment
Another heat wave is on the way, what’s your action plan?
‘This is reaching out to people who are more vulnerable, making sure that they are taking care of themselves, staying hydrated, wearing lighter clothing, finding cooler places. It's reaching out within your communities.’
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Law & Courts
Sasha Issenberg tells the surprising story of how marriage equality was won
It has been just over six years since the Obergefell v. Hodges ruling. In his new, exhaustively researched book The Engagement: America’s Quarter-Century Struggle Over Same-Sex Marriage, author Sasha Issenberg shares many of the stories and successful strategies that led to marriage equality.
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Environment
Ecologist Suzanne Simard’s life work is highlighted in ‘The Mother Tree’
‘Nothing should be lost. Everything has a purpose. Everything is in need of care.’