We’re re-releasing a conversation from 2021 that remains strikingly relevant today. In this episode, we speak with Pierce Freelon– musician, filmmaker, social entrepreneur, and former Durham, North Carolina City Councilman– whose work sits at the crossroads of art, activism, and storytelling. From his Emmy Award-winning Beat Making Lab to his Grammy-nominated albums AnceStars and Black to the Future, Pierce shows how storytelling, rooted in family and community, can drive real social change.
To learn more, visit our website at fost.org.
To get your copy of Charlie’s book, The Future of Storytelling, visit thefutureofstorytelling.com/home.
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© 2026 Future of StoryTelling, Corp.
Produced by Future of StoryTelling, Corp.
124 West 13th Street
New York, NY 10011
Founder and CEO, Charles Melcher
Director, Carolyn Merriman
Assistant Producer, Tsuki Carlson
in collaboration with Charts & Leisure
Founder, Jason Oberholtzer
Producer, Meghal Janardan
Editor, Garrett Crowe
Mix and Music, Michael Simonelli
With special thanks to Pierce Freelon, Luke Gernert, Madison Brown, Lor Simpson, David Gray, Bonnie Eldon, and Megan Worman.
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