A new podcast series from LAist Studios, titled "L.A. Made: The Other Moonshot," features first-hand accounts of the little-known black aerospace engineers of Southern California who factored greatly into NASA's Apollo program despite the rampant discrimination of the era — and we’ve got the debut trailer to share.
The fresh season of "L.A. Made" launches on Jan. 29 with a wealth of never-before-told tales showcasing the lives of three forgotten Los Angeles heroes in the global contest to reach the moon. Produced in partnership with Reasonable Volume, "L.A. Made: The Other Moonshot" tells the poignant story of the talented persons of color whose vital aerospace work has largely been ignored by history.
Podcast host Joanne Higgins grew up hearing about the contributions of these black aerospace pioneers because her godfather, Charlie Cheathem, was a member of that vital group that labored on the Apollo 11 moon mission. Her determination now brings that glossed-over truth to light.
Here's the official synopsis from LAist, which is part of Southern California Public Radio:
"Higgins tells this story through first-hand accounts from her godfather, as well as his colleagues Nathaniel LeVert and Shelby Jacobs. Now in their 90s, all three men are speaking to the media for the first time about their crucial contributions to the early days of the race to the moon that have been overlooked or taken credit for by others.
"Hired by North American Aviation for their skills and talent, Cheathem, LeVert and Jacobs were thrust into the uncertain and chaotic early Apollo missions, part of a team expected to solve the hardest engineering problems in human history. And as black men, they faced an additional gauntlet of racism: They had their work stolen. They were insulted and excluded regularly. And they had little support from their higher-ups. Each had to learn how to deal with the daily discrimination in his own way. Yet they stayed the course and were ultimately triumphant, driven by their love of engineering and passion for space travel."
Related: The Apollo Program: How NASA sent astronauts to the moon
"In developing the first season of our 'LA Made' podcast, 'Blood, Sweat & Rockets,' we learned about the previously untold experiences of the subjects of 'The Other Moonshot,'" said Shana Naomi Krochmal, LAist's vice president of podcasting.
"We also fell in love with host Joanne Higgins' voice and tenacity in bringing this story to an audience," Krochmal added. "The twin challenges at the center of 'The Other Moonshot' — to achieve an audacious and unprecedented scientific accomplishment while pushing workplaces to take a great leap forward — are as relevant and complex to consider now as they were then."
All episodes of this new four-part podcast will be available Thursday, Jan. 29. Listeners can subscribe and hear the trailer on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
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