Ted Audio Collective.

You're listening to TED Talks Daily, where we bring you new ideas to spark your curiosity every day.

I'm your host, Elise Hugh.

Today, something a little different than our usual Sunday programming.

This is a very special episode with Dave Iisei, the founder and president of StoryCorps.

For the past 20 years, StoryCorps has been traveling the country gathering the stories and

wisdom of ordinary Americans and archiving them at the Library of Congress.

Today we're going to hear about StoryCorps new project to help reduce toxic polarization

in the United States one conversation at a time. But first a little background.

Dave has been part of the Ted family for nearly a decade.

In 2015, he was awarded the Ted Prize and gave a pretty popular talk on the Ted stage.

Here's an excerpt. Tonight I'm going to try to make the case that inviting a loved one, a friend or even a stranger to record a meaningful interview with you,

just might turn out to be one of the most important moments in that person's life

and in yours.

When I was 22 years old, I was lucky enough to find my calling

when I fell into making radio stories.

Recording these interviews, I saw how the microphone gave me the license to go places I otherwise never would have gone

and talked to people I might not otherwise ever have spoken to.

And it changed my life.

Over and over again, I'd see how the simple act of being interviewed could mean so much to people, particularly those who've been told

that their stories didn't matter.

Traditionally, broadcast documentary has been about recording interviews

...