How well do you know the rich history of your neighborhood? What are the untold stories of the people on your own block? Could that quiet, elderly woman who walks down the street to the mailbox each afternoon be brimming with stories of Norfolk’s past?
These are the questions asked by “Truth Be Told,” a new podcast that sheds light on the stories of Norfolk’s historically black neighborhoods. Produced by Hannah Sobol of Heard Productions and Virginia Delegate Jackie Glass, the series serves up bite-sized stories of the known and the unknown residents who’ve shaped the city’s personality over the years.
Covering topics from Jim Crow laws to life in the projects – and even featuring a candid profile of Norfolk Mayor Kenny Alexander – the stories aim to share “perspectives from those whose lives have been shaped by experiences in this community.”
Glass and Sobol are a study in contrasts, with the former having fought her way into public office after 11 years of service in the United States Navy, and the latter an artist and educator who has built up a solid resume of acclaimed audio productions, including time with nonprofit production collective The Moth. Together, they make for the perfect podcasting duo, each bringing their own perspective to this storytelling project.
Before Covid, Glass hosted “Your Neighbor’s ‘Hood,” a podcast where uncomfortable conversations about race, politics and society took center stage. It turned out to be a valuable proving ground for “Truth Be Told,” which is sponsored by the Virginia African American Cultural Center via a grant from Virginia Tourism Corporation (VTC).
Of the pairing, Sobol says, “I was looking for people who were making audio, so I found ‘Your Neighbor’s ‘Hood.’ I loved the concept, loved the hosts.”
When Glass’s original partner moved out of the area, Sobol stepped in. She says she and Glass each sat in their respective closets recording conversations on big topics like the George Floyd, the pandemic and general civil unrest.
“We were having a lot of conversations on huge things.”
When the grant for “Truth Be Told” was approved, Glass and Sobol turned their attention locally, knowing the region’s neighborhoods were populated by people whose stories had yet to be told.
Glass says, “I came to the project wanting the black population of the area to see themselves on a spectrum. It’s not all struggle and joy. We listen to everything from Dr. Dre to Coldplay. In Norfolk, the lived experience of black people is so vast and we all need to give each other grace and space.”
The Stories
“Truth Be Told” encompasses four seasons, each focusing on a different city in Hampton Roads. For this spring’s season one, the stories of Virginia Beach are told. Season two, released in Aug. 2024, turned its attention to the residents of Norfolk. Over the course of six episodes, Sobol, Glass and narrator Nichole Hill meet a male nurse who is initially reluctant to take the job, a mother who keeps her son safe in a difficult neighborhood, an aspiring entrepreneur who delivers pizzas in places chain restaurants wouldn’t set foot, a young boy from Berkley who eventually grows up to be mayor and several others with amazing stories to tell.
Each story is roughly 10 minutes long, meaning a listener could enjoy an entire season while strolling around Norfolk and exploring some of the sites mentioned.
Asked which stories resonated with them the most, Glass and Sobol are initially reluctant to pick a favorite, but pointed to a pair of episodes that stand out.
“The story that tugs at me most on an emotional level is ‘The Nomad in Norfolk,’” Glass says. “I cry every time I hear that one.”
‘Nomad’ tells the story of a young woman growing up in the projects who overcame impossible odds to carve out a life of her own. Listen to it here.
Sobol points to ‘The Candy Lady in Norview,’ because it “made me think about who I am as a mother and what role I can take, and how (the lady in the story) so gracefully stepped into claiming her power in that space.”
‘Candy Lady’ is the tale of a protective mother and her ambitious son and the disputes that end up shaping him as a man. Listen to it here.
A Ripple Effect
Glass says the podcast’s job is to tell “contemporary history” and to “trouble the narrative.” Asked what “troubling the narrative” entails, Sobol says, “sometimes we’re unaware of the biases we hold and carry, and until the story gets interrupted by somebody who lives a totally different existence than what we thought.”
As a result, both Glass and Sobol have a better understanding of their own neighborhoods. They hope listeners will have a similar experience.
“You don’t really know your neighbor until you’re in their hood,” Glass says. “Being in people’s neighborhoods changes our perspective.”
Sobol agrees.
“It has rippled so many positive effects just in my neighborhood from some of the stories,” she says. “I hope on a larger scale people listen to these and understand the lived experiences of people in their city they might not have ever crossed paths with.”
Seasons three and four will cover Portsmouth and Newport News and will be released prior to the end of 2024. Listen to all the podcasts at simplecast.com and learn more about Heard Productions here.
