Dear John,

KQED reporters’ voices are everywhere: coming to you on the radio, the web and TV as well as through digital videos and our podcasts. Our journalists are the cornerstone of our mission to inform, inspire and involve our community. They also have something in common with you: a dedication to public media.

To celebrate our mutual love for KQED and the community, we asked several KQED reporters to share their "origin stories": the diverse experiences that laid the foundation for their work in public media. Their responses range from delightful to deeply touching, and remind us that journalism and public media are about connection – whether through making friends, honoring the memories of loved ones or amplifying the voices of underserved communities.
 
These are our journalists' #KQEDOriginStories, which we'll continue to share with you over the coming weeks. We hope these illustrations inspire you to share your own KQED origin story with us, too. How did you discover public media? What role does KQED play in your life? Post to social media using the hashtag #KQEDOriginStories, or submit your story through our online form by February 25 and our team might choose to transform your submission into a comic.  

You can find the full collection of Origin Stories comics and videos at kqed.org/originstories.