Life Stories Interviews

Acclaimed author Betty Rollin looks back on her extraordinary life in this poignant episode of The Thread. In the last interview she gave before making the decision to die by assisted suicide at the age of 87, Rollin vividly recalls stories from her award-winning career in acting, journalism, broadcasting, and then as the author of First, You Cry, her groundbreaking book on her personal battles with breast cancer which later became a made-for-television movie starring Mary Tyler Moore. Despite its many tragedies, Rollins describes a joyous life that was always sustained by humor. She is often quoted as saying "cancer improved my taste in men." To the end, Betty Rollin was a role model for how to live life on your own terms.

Jason Alexander is best known for his portrayal of the culturally iconic character of George Costanza on television’s Seinfeld. In this episode of The Thread you’ll meet the real Jason Alexander, a thoughtful, articulate man who couldn't be more different than the insecure, muddle-headed Costanza. The one trait they share is the ability to make us laugh about life’s all-too frequent absurdities. However, unlike the fictional Costanza, Jason Alexander is intentionally funny. He has a deep understanding of the importance of humor as a crucial tool for surviving, and even thriving, in the face of those absurdities – something he traces back to his Jewish heritage. Alexander has a gift for storytelling; without the need of a script he speaks wisely from both his head and his heart.

Katie Couric’s unique combination of warmth, intelligence and empathy earned her the title of “America’s Sweetheart.” In this episode of “The Thread,” the trailblazing journalist -- the first woman to ever anchor a nightly network newscast – reflects on the life lessons that have anchored her during her five-decade career in broadcasting. She poignantly describes how the heartbreaking loss of her husband to colon cancer led her to become a champion for early detection of the disease. By unashamedly sharing her own procedure on national television, Katie Couric was the first public figure to address the stigma surrounding colonoscopies – almost certainly saving many thousands of lives by sharing her painful and deeply personal story.

Darren Walker’s journey from his birth in a Louisiana charity hospital to becoming president of the nation’s fourth largest private philanthropy, the Ford Foundation, is a profoundly inspirational story that could not have been written even a generation ago. In this episode of The Thread, he takes us along on his life’s extraordinary path which he modestly describes as “lucky.” Walker describes how he earned a law degree before entering the private sector and rising quickly in the ranks of investment banking. But after less than a decade in corporate finance, he walked away from his high-paying position to volunteer at a school in Harlem. It was there he discovered the calling that would define his life from that point forward: philanthropy. Walker believes his work has a moral responsibility to provide “dignity and justice.” And on a very personal level, he emotionally talks about the death of his husband and how he learned to deal with grief.

Tony “The Birdman” Hawk defies both gravity and time. In this episode of The Thread, skateboarding’s living legend describes his early years as a teen who was called “too small” to ever compete successfully. Through sheer determination and fearlessness, not only did he dramatically prove his critics wrong, he went on to become an international representative of skateboarding as a sport. Hawk played a crucial role in paving the way for what was once dismissed as a “passing fad” into an Olympic competition. Tony Hawk’s extraordinary story is about transforming a childhood dream into a hugely successful lifetime career. He’s proof that you can combine passion with profession into an exuberant enjoyment of life – that you can love what you do and still do what you love.

Reginald Dwayne Betts’ story is a testament to the power of the human spirit to survive – and even thrive – through extraordinary adversity. In this deeply compelling episode of The Thread, Betts displays the quiet eloquence that makes him one of the nation’s most acclaimed poets. Arrested at 16 in inner city Baltimore for the first crime he ever committed, a carjacking where no one was physically injured, this honor student was sentenced to nine years in prison. Rather than let the worst day of his life define him, Betts drew on an inner strength becoming a prolific poet in prison, earning a law degree from Yale and becoming a national advocate for the rights of the incarcerated. Reginald Dwayne Betts’ story of hope in the face of despair is one that you will not soon forget.

Cecile Richards, daughter of the legendary former governor of Texas Ann Richards, had some big shoes to fill from an early age. In this episode of The Thread, she opens-up about forging her own path and how, with her mother’s crucial encouragement, she made the life-changing decision to become president of Planned Parenthood at a critical time in the organization’s history. Cecile Richards’s life is about empowering women; her story a powerful lesson in leading by example.

In this episode of “The Thread,” Life Stories sits down with Senator Mitt Romney who thoughtfully reflects on family and faith, the twin pillars that have guided him throughout his storied career. He also looks back at both his presidential run in 2012 and his vote for impeachment, while sharing what he sees as the biggest challenges for the U.S. in the coming years.   Subscribe for access to interviews, series, films, and educational materials that address issues of social justice, history, politics, the arts, and culture by spotlighting relatable human stories of purpose and meaning. Learn about our work and how to support our mission here: https://www.lifestories.org/. For extended versions of these interviews and more, visit: https://www.youtube.com/@lifestoriesinterviewarchive To teach using this episode go to: https://www.lifestories.org/learning/the-thread-2024

In this episode of The Thread we sit down with Reverend Dr. Jacqui Lewis, the first black and female senior minister at the multicultural Collegiate Church in Manhattan. Her entry into the world of activism has since informed her life’s work and led to her calling as a minister, a best-selling author and one of the nation’s most prominent progressive pastors. Subscribe for access to interviews, series, films, and educational materials that address issues of social justice, history, politics, the arts, and culture by spotlighting relatable human stories of purpose and meaning. Learn about our work and how to support our mission here: https://www.lifestories.org/. For extended versions of these interviews and more, visit: https://www.youtube.com/@lifestoriesinterviewarchive To teach using this episode go to: https://www.lifestories.org/learning/the-thread-2024

Kurt "Big Boy" Alexander, a national radio star for more than thirty years, reveals some hard-learned lessons in this episode of The Thread. He shares the poignant revelation that at only ten years old, his mother and seven siblings were a family of homeless nomads moving from motel to motel. Alexander’s compelling story is one of overcoming struggles with massive weight (“I was a size 8x”), drug dealing and the underlying events that fueled those behaviors. His story, while unique, is eminently relatable to anyone who has ever struggled with adversity. He shares his journey with thoughtful candor and warmth. Kurt Alexander’s deeply personal experiences affirm the importance of prioritizing health and family throughout your life.