Skip to main content
Donate

PBS SoCal Announces Inaugural Awardees of the Community Storyteller Initiative

Five local storytellers awarded grants to document Los Angeles’s 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games; second round of submissions Open June 1.
June 1, 2026

Press Contact

Chelsea Grosbeck
cgrosbeck@pbssocal.org
747.201.5202

Community Storyteller Initiative
(Image courtesy of PBS SoCal)

pbssocal.org/community-storyteller-initiative

Select programming will also be available to stream on PBS.org and the free PBS App. Members of PBS SoCal get extended access through PBS Passport.

Los Angeles, Calif. – June 1, 2026 – PBS SoCal, Southern California’s flagship PBS organization, announced today the first five awardees from the first round of submissions from the Community Storyteller Initiative. The grant program commissions short-form videos that capture Southern California’s history, neighborhoods and cultural legacy as the region prepares to host the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Launched in anticipation of LA’s historic third Games, the Initiative invites local storytellers to document the communities, venues and cultural moments shaping the Games. Selected stories center on these connections, weaving together archival materials, original footage and interviews to explore themes of heritage, identity, legacy and change.

“Our goal is to capture the spirit of Los Angeles and what makes our region so unique and special,” said Chief Content Officer Tamara Gould. “As we watch our city transform to welcome the world for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games, the Community Storyteller Initiative gives a voice to our diverse Southern California communities at this historic moment and allows us to celebrate our creative talent which is such a special part of our region.”

The following five storytellers were selected from a competitive pool of applicants, bringing strong visual perspectives and community connections to each project:

  • Jason Chu – this story explores the complex history of the Pasadena Rose Bowl Aquatics Center and its significance to the Asian American community.
  • Aaron Lemle – this piece looks at Southern California's legendary surf spot, Lower Trestles, and its journey to become the official stage for Olympic surfing.
  • K. Nicole Mills – this story follows Jeanette Bolden-Pickens, Olympic athlete and South LA small business owner, while exploring the transformation of South LA over the years.
  • Taylor Nicole Price – this content celebrates the iconic Forum in Inglewood and its storied legacy within LA’s Black community.
  • Audrey Shuppert – this story uncovers the history of female athletes and their fight for inclusion in the Games in Downtown LA.

Each selected storyteller will receive a grant to produce one short video (5–8 minutes) and a 60-second video for social media. Selected videos will premiere on PBS SoCal’s digital platforms and may be featured at community screenings. The next round of the Community Storyteller Initiative opens for submissions on June 1, 2026. Storytellers and creatives based in Southern California are strongly encouraged to share their perspectives. For full requirements and to apply, visit: pbssocal.org/community-storyteller-initiative.

For more information, follow us on social at @pbssocal

About PBS SoCal

PBS SoCal uses the power of public media for good, strengthening the civic fabric of Southern California and providing our community with an essential connection to a wider world. As a local, donor/member-supported non-profit organization, PBS SoCal is available to stream on the PBS app and the PBS Kids App and reaches nearly 22M viewers across 7 Broadcast channels — including 2 primary channels, PBS SoCal and PBS SoCal Plus and 5 digital subchannels. With a commitment to make content available anytime and anywhere for free, PBS SoCal offers programming that reflects the diversity of Southern California and showcases the full schedule of beloved and trusted PBS content spanning Education, News, Environment and Arts & Culture. PBS SoCal also sparks the sharing of ideas at in-person cultural events and community conversations as well as prepares children for kindergarten and beyond by bringing bilingual, hands-on learning experiences to the community for free.

Support Provided By