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THE WEEKLY REVEAL

Saturday, March 1, 2025

Hello! In this issue:
Al Letson, a Black man with long braids and glasses, holds a microphone and wears headphones while reporting. Another man, a white man with glasses and a mask pulled down under his mouth, stands behind him holding a file folder.

It's been 10 years since Reveal became a public radio show and podcast. In that time, we've talked to thousands of people all around the world to bring you stories that inspire, that enrage, that enlighten. We do it to try to give you, and me, a better understanding of the world we live in. 

Today, I am proud to say we are launching a second show and sharing our 10th anniversary special. We celebrate the staff, the people we’ve talked to, and the stories that have made Reveal what it is. And we celebrate you—our readers, listeners, and supporters. Thank you. 

To the next 10 years,

Al Letson
Reveal is only getting started. Support the next decade of impactful investigative journalism on the air.
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THIS WEEK’S PODCAST

A Decade of Reveal
Reveal host Al Letson. Credit: Illustration by Molly Mendoza

More than a decade ago, we had a big investigation into how the Department of Veterans Affairs was worsening the opioid overdose crisis, and we had an idea: We could take the impactful work The Center of Investigative Reporting was already doing and turn it into a weekly radio show with the potential to change laws and change lives. 

“We weren’t sure if any public radio stations would even air it,” said Al Letson, who back then was the new hire asked to host this brand-new investigative radio show. 

You’ve probably got a sense of what happened next: Reveal’s VA investigation sparked outrage. Radio stations did want to run our work. And today, our award-winning show is celebrating its 10th anniversary on more than 500 stations nationwide. 

This week on Reveal, join us as we look back at how we got here, from investigations into water shortages in drought-prone California to labor abuses in the Dominican Republic, and hear from the journalists behind our first decade of impactful reporting.  
Listen to the episode
🎧 Other places to listen: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, Pandora, or wherever you get your podcasts.

 
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COMING SOON

More To The Story With Al Letson is coming March 5
A logo with royal blue text and white letters that reads, Reveal presents More to the Story With Al Letson.

The team here at Reveal is excited to announce that More To The Story With Al Letson hits the ground running March 5. You can listen to the trailer right now.

We know you’re bombarded by information, so let Al be your guide as he helps us try to make sense of it all. Whether he's sounding the alarm about the future of democracy, grappling with the shifting dynamics of political power, or debating big cultural moments, Al always brings his unfiltered curiosity to topics and perspectives that go too often ignored. 

Conversations with the people at the heart of our changing world, every Wednesday. You’ll find More To The Story in the same place you already get Reveal: by following Reveal on your favorite podcast app.

 

Apple Podcasts | Spotify | iHeartRadio | Pandora

A Quote to Remember
“I feel unbelievable that people are talking about reparations…I know the ridicule my dad took for years of talking about this, and for people to be actually talking about this–that it’s something that might happen–it really hits me right in my heart.”
As the fight for reparations for slavery gains traction in cities and states across America, Rico Jenkins remembers his father, Ray Jenkins. He was an early advocate for government reparations who was so fervent, he became known as “Reparations Ray.”
Listen: 40 Acres and a Lie Part 3

In Case You Missed It
In an open field alongside train tracks and a line of trees, a woman in a white shirt and a flowing skirt stands alongside a makeshift memorial.
🎧 After the Crash
A nighttime image of a dark motel with a neon light atop that has a rainbow and the word "MOTEL".
🎧 Immigrants on the Line
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An advertisement of a book called Unforgivable with a red cover and the author Kevin Lewis O'Neill. Text reads: The first book to expose how the Catholic Church systematically covers up scandals by moving abusers across borders. A logo on the bottom corner says University of California Press.
This issue of The Weekly Reveal was written by Kate Howard and edited by Nikki Frick. If you enjoyed this issue, forward it to a friend. Have some thoughts? Drop us a line with feedback or ideas!
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