Week 8 Blog — Compiling and Drafting

Hi everyone and welcome to my week 8 blog! This week, I dove into drafting and refining the first main episode of my podcast series, focusing on the questions ‘who are the Muwekma’ and ‘what is federal recognition’ weaving in Bernadette Quiroz’s audio pieces on the political hurdles and practical challenges the tribe faces, along with recounts of the Trail of Truth. As the week progressed, I layered in quotes from Joey Iyolopixtli, the culture bearer, to underscore the cultural and spiritual importance of federal recognition and sovereignty, ensuring the narrative balanced both the policy and the people at its heart. I also shared my draft with my external advisor.

Midweek, I shifted focus to the historical overview in the ‘who are the Muwekma?’ section. I looked to see if I could include Chairwoman Charlene Nijmeh’s words from last summer to anchor the story in the Muwekma’s lived experience, and I identified places where Dr. Leventhal’s detailed narrative could enrich the episode. Since I didn’t receive response from any elected officials, I reached out to Chief of Staff Matt Ricchiazzi to see if he had documentation on Rep. Lofgren’s previous responses to the tribe, which I’ll fold in once I receive it.

After a check-in with my internal advisor, Mr. Betcher, I realized I needed a clearer roadmap for each episode. I created a reverse outline, mapping out my episode goals and comparing them to what I’d already drafted. This exercise gave me a concrete plan for discovering and filling any blanks in my story, which includes many aspects. I also began sketching the final episode outline, which will hopefully guide listeners on practical steps they can take as constituents to support the Muwekma’s recognition efforts.

I am also asking for Charlene Nijmeh’s permission to use her voice in the podcast, following up with Matt on the documents, and cutting audio clips from episodes and videos for timing and flow to fit into the episodes. I recorded new narration segments to bridge the voices and quotes, tightening the episode scripts to fit the format. Overall, this week was about transforming raw interviews into a coherent, compelling series.