E3: Learning from Past Lives

Brandon Murlock, 28, turned a personal tragedy into a 26,000 sq ft. community hub for makers, creatives, incarcerated individuals in Portland, Oregon.

I recently started volunteering again at KBOO Community Radio here in Portland, Oregon where I live. KBOO has served Portlanders for decades producing and hosting a massive variety of shows, broadcasts, and interviews all hosted by citizen journalists. The station also provided me with training and equipment to record a collection of audio stories. Volunteering at KBOO has been a great way to learn about hidden stories unfolding in my own backyard.

So, this past week I grabbed a mic and visited a huge new maker space that has emerged in a warehouse in Southeast Portland, a few blocks from the Ross Island Bridge. I spoke with the organization’s Director of Marketing and Events, Ryan McBrey, and its founder, Brandon Murlock about how they are determined to amplify the voices of Oregon’s 20,000 + incarcerated adults.

Brandon’s story inspired and challenged me to reflect on what more I can do to elevate the voices and talents of the thousands of incarcerated adults serving time in our state.

Here’s the story I recorded for KBOO that was broadcast on 11-8-22.