Five Things invites some of today’s most talented and successful producers, artists, writers and thinkers to share five things – audio, visuals, books, objects or something else entirely – that have shaped their creative practice over time. Or that inform how they approach their work now. Or, simply enough, that they dig, and want to share with you. Five Things is an ongoing series at the Podcast Garage hosted by Radiotopia's Julie Shapiro. We're joined this month by Al Letson, host of the award-winning podcast Reveal.
Soul-stirring, interdisciplinary work has garnered Al Letson national recognition and devoted fans. In 2008 Letson created, hosted, and executive produced State of the Re:Union (SOTRU). Every episode SOTRU examined America through the lens of community. The program aired on more than 300 NPR stations, receiving critical acclaim, and numerous awards, including a Peabody Award (2014), three consecutive National Edward R. Murrow Awards (2012, 2013, 2014). In 2015 SOTRU ended production and Letson joined the Center for Investigative Reporting to help launch and host public radio's first hour-long investigative journalism show, Reveal. Reveal’s first pilot, The VA’s Opiate Overload, won a Peabody Award (2013). Since that time Reveal has gained a large audience and is heard on over 400 public radio stations and over 1 million downloads a month. In 2016 Letson launched his own podcast, showcasing a little bit of errthang. Errthang is just that, everything: storytelling, radio drama, pop culture reviews, and interviews. Letson is basically taking all the things that are floating in his head and turning it into a mixtape of delight for listeners. Image: [Reveal News](https://www.revealnews.org/author/al-letson "Reveal News")
Julie Shapiro is the executive producer of Radiotopia from PRX and Ear Hustle. From 2014-15, Julie was the executive producer of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation / Radio National's (RN) Creative Audio Unit. In 2000 she co-founded the Third Coast International Audio Festival, where as artistic director she shaped the Festival's creative trajectory and nurtured a robust international listening culture. Julie has taught radio to university students, presented at conferences all over the globe, and produced stories for the airwaves in the US and beyond. Image: [Radiotopia](https://www.radiotopia.fm/about "Radiotopia")