This is the show teens hope adults hear too
Teens have something to say and they don’t just want their peers to hear it — they want adults to as well. Mic Drop is providing the perfect space for that.
Mic Drop is a CBC original podcast and new to TRAX from PRX. The show features first-person stories by tweens and teens sharing their mood-swinging, dream-chasing, rule-breaking dramas, adventures, and experiences — with no adult interruptions. Parents to teenagers themselves, producers Carrie Haber and Shari Okeke know first-hand the importance of assuring young people that their experiences and perspectives matter.
Check out their Q&A below to learn how they gain trust with the teens and their parents to create an open, honest, and healthy space for communication.
Creator: Shari Okeke
Senior Producer: Carrie Haber
What’s the origin story of Mic Drop?
S.O. I love interviewing young people because they always have so much to say and powerful stories to tell. Then I noticed something while recording tweens and teens for several of my feature segments on CBC Montreal’s morning program, Daybreak. Despite having compelling stories to share, the tweens and teens would often be surprised anyone wanted to hear them. They’d say, “You want to interview me?” and then light up once they realized the answer was ABSOLUTELY YES. Many of them didn’t realize their voices and their experiences matter. Why? Well, they are not who we usually hear on radio or in podcasts. So I decided it was time to pitch a podcast just for them.
Who is Mic Drop made for? What can listeners expect to hear?
S.O. Initially Mic Drop was intended for youth only. But interview after interview, when I would turn off my recorder the teen in front of me would say “I hope adults hear this too!” So this podcast is mainly for tweens and teens but the adults in their lives have permission to listen in. You’ll hear young people opening up about something deeply personal — in their own words, from their perspectives. No adult perspectives. Teens who’ve listened to Mic Drop tell me it feels like they’re just hanging out with the Mic Drop teen, even though they’re listening to a podcast. This is about young people having their say, uninterrupted, and knowing people are listening.
How do you find your Mic Drop storytellers?
Shari interviewing Tristan, who we will hear from in episode 11.
S.O. For Season 1 we reached out to our networks and we put the call out publicly, asking teens “do you have something to say?” We made it clear to any adults we contacted that we were looking for young people to share their experiences, from their perspectives, without judgment. Those adults often asked what topics we wanted teens to discuss. We explained that it’s up to the teens. Many teens got in touch with us directly, eager to have their say.
C.H. We put out calls on radio, social media, reached out to teachers, parents, and youth workers to cast a really wide net. We published an online form that teens could fill out themselves. We wanted to provide a space for people to get in touch to talk about what was on their minds, and discuss problems they were trying to solve. It was important to us that the stories came from them. We’re both parents of teens, so tapping our own teen networks for recommendations was also a big help.
Your guests cover a variety of personal topics. How do you get them to be so honest and vulnerable?
C.H. Establishing trust is at the core of our process. We pre-interviewed every participant in the series. We came up with a Telling Your Story with Mic Drop document that outlined the goals and expectations of the experience, and used it as an agreement between us, the storyteller, and their parents. We let them know that this is their space to tell their story and that we’d only share with their parents things that they told us that might be of concern for their safety. We checked in with them a lot during the interview to make sure they were OK sharing certain details, and mirroring what they’d told us so they could affirm that’s what they meant to say. A lot of what teens shared tapped universal experiences, and we were careful to reassure storytellers that while their story is special and unique, a lot of people share the underlying emotions and that it’s important to listeners to share in those as well.
S.O. First, we make it very clear we want to hear the story they want to share. Their parents consent to the interview but, in most cases, are not present during the interview. It’s hard to relax with an audience, especially one that disciplines you! We also record them in their comfort zone - a space that works best for the teen. Mic Drop sticks to first names only and, if necessary, a pseudonym. For example, if a teen wanted to discuss a bullying situation, we would use a pseudonym to protect that teen from any possible reprisals. By doing this, and avoiding details about the neighbourhood or school, we also protect the identities of other people in the teen’s story, which is important because we are not including those perspectives. We also recognized that teens won’t necessarily want their current situation to follow them forever online. Using first names only means that years from now, an online search of their full names will not lead people back to their Mic Drop story. This allows the teens to speak without fear, and share how they truly feel about their experiences.
Storytellers are accompanied by videos and images and tells a story, too. How do the visuals work alongside the stories shared?
S.O. We only include videos and images of tweens and teens whose identities we are not protecting with pseudonyms. In these cases we can give you more of a glimpse into who they are beyond the story they’re sharing in the podcast. It’s an opportunity for the storytellers to express more of themselves and for the audience to connect with them in a different way.
Hear Evans’ story in episode one!
What’s your favorite story from the process of recording?
S.O. It’s impossible for me to pick one! The process itself has been quite straightforward. Prior to the pandemic, I would simply use a Sony recorder with a hand-held microphone and it was a smooth process. During the pandemic we’re recording remotely, primarily getting storytellers to record using a voice memo app while we ask them questions over another device. My favorite moments are always about the revelations. When the storyteller suddenly realizes something about themselves while talking to me. Or when sensitive topics come up and I’ve had to delicately mention it to a parent (so they’re not shocked when they hear the podcast) and that parent says “he never talks about that.” That’s what Evans’ mom said when I told her about a traumatic moment he shared. She was surprised but then gave consent for us to include it because “it’s part of his story.” Those are the moments I know the stories are deeply personal.
What are some challenges you faced while creating Mic Drop?
S.O Interviewing minors comes with added responsibilities. We take extra time to make sure they are not making an impulsive decision about sharing a personal story. Often I would do several pre-interviews before deciding to go ahead and record a teen, whereas with adults I typically do one pre-interview. For our younger participants, it is extremely important to establish a trust relationship with parents too. They need to provide consent. One principle of Mic Drop is that parents will not learn shocking information about their child when they hear the podcast. That is comforting to parents, but then we need to reassure the teens that they can speak freely. When Eve from Season 1 told me why she is not comfortable staying at her father’s apartment, I gently told her I would need to share that information with her mom. Eve agreed but didn’t want to be present when I told her mom, who still gave consent for us to proceed. These conversations take extra time and care and are essential to doing this podcast respectfully and responsibly.
What makes Mic Drop different from other podcasts you’ve worked on?
C.H. Hostless documentary storytelling is a tricky art and requires a lot more work to produce but it was important that the voice of the show genuinely offered a ‘safe space’ and was not interrupted by adult voices.
Why do you think audio is a good vehicle to tell these stories?
C.H. These are personal stories about dealing with life’s challenges during really important developmental years. Visual storytelling is a tactile, one-way communication– it presents a particular set of images to the viewer. Audio asks more of us, it opens up the imagination in the listener, allowing listeners to create relatable images of their own and they become participants in the story. Mic Drop features intimate stories that are to be shared in, not consumed. Our hope is that these episodes will be a space for young people to work through some of their own stuff while conjuring their own pictures to these stories.
S.O. Audio is intimate. With headphones or earbuds, you can close your eyes and dive into the story. It’s one-on-one, giving each Mic Drop tween or teen the listener’s full attention.
What makes TRAX a good network for Mic Drop?
S.O. I originally pitched Mic Drop to CBC Montreal because I sensed, from my work in the field, that young people are not being heard and need a space to call their own. It’s so exciting to see an entire network created specifically to address that need and to now be part of this fabulous team that is as passionate about inclusion and diversity as Mic Drop.
C.H. Mic Drop is about inclusion, diversity and giving voice to underrepresented youth. Many of the shows we’re seeing on TRAX echo these values. TRAX offers a bold, forward-thinking roster of youth programming and we’re thrilled to be contributing voices to this fresh and innovative platform.