American Tributaries

The American Tributaries podcast will explore the vast and various currents of people in the United States of America, like a modern-day Lewis & Clark journey, talking with...learning from...and being amazed by...people of all stripes from all places doing all sorts of things. Although a broad mission, the podcast will focus on a particular and very important niche: cultivating hope in – and celebration of – America.

Last refreshed: July 22nd, 2025 at 1:51 AM ⓘ

Follow this podcast in the Metacast mobile app to refresh it and see new episodes.

Follow on

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

RSS

Podcasts are better in Metacast mobile app

Don't just listen to podcasts. Learn from them with transcripts, summaries, and chapters for every episode. Skim, search, and bookmark insights. Learn more

Episodes

Episode 6 - James Roberson of New York talks Religious Ministry

James Roberson lives in Brooklyn, NY, where he is the lead pastor of Bridge Church , which he founded in 2014. James and Michael first met in the fall of 2021 when their children played on the same neighborhood soccer team. Learn how the child of an avowed atheist grew to the cusp of professional football before being called to faith and, eventually, founding a Brooklyn church for people who don’t go to church (as he describes it). James talks about the importance of compassion in coping with th...

Mar 31, 2022•1 hr 2 min•Season 1Ep. 6

Episode 5 - David Goldsmith of New York talks Auto Repair

David Goldsmith has owned Urban Classics Auto Repair , located in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn, since its founding in 1990. Host Michael Whidden took his first family car to Urban Classics in 2006 and has never gone anyplace else since. Get an expert’s thoughts on which car manufacturers are trustworthy and how to evaluate the quality of an auto repair shop. David talks about the automotive radio show he co-hosted, AutoLab , and his winding path to becoming...what we’d describ...

Mar 24, 2022•1 hr 10 min•Season 1Ep. 5

Episode 4 - Josh Himes of Florida talks Navy Life

Captain Joshua Himes is stationed in Norfolk, Virginia, where he is the Information Warfare Commander at Carrier Strike Group TWELVE, a U.S. Navy force that includes approximately 7,000 sailors, 5 vessels and 100 aircraft, among other assets. Josh and host Michael Whidden first met as fellow Penn ROTC midshipmen in 1989. Josh discusses his current responsibilities and, more generally, life at sea, including how he ran a marathon with his wife from thousands of miles away. He then explains the ch...

Mar 17, 2022•55 min•Season 1Ep. 4

Episode 3 - Frank Vito of New Jersey talks Teaching High School

Frank Vito lives in Union County, New Jersey and is a teacher of U.S. History at Cranford High School. Frank and host Michael Whidden have been friends since their high school days. Frank shares thoughts about the contemporary high school experience compared to his own in the '80s and his mindset for staying current. He pulls back the curtain a bit on how a teacher goes about their usual day. Frank discusses his winding, fascinating path to becoming an educator, which included job recruiting, a ...

Mar 09, 2022•1 hr 5 min•Season 1Ep. 3

Episode 2 - Deborah Bass of California talks Extraterrestrial Geology

Dr. Deborah Bass lives in the Los Angeles area and is currently the Psyche Mission Manager at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory , where she started as a research scientist more than two decades ago. Deborah and host Michael Whidden know each other through Michael’s wife Christie. Deborah discusses her inspiring path from high school to university geology major to extraterrestrial geology specialization and the inspiration she drew, early on, from seeing a fellow woman in the field. She shares det...

Mar 09, 2022•1 hr 4 min•Season 1Ep. 2

Episode 1 - Eric Ireland of South Carolina talks SC Upcountry

Eric Ireland lives in the Upcountry of South Carolina, near the Blue Ridge Mountains, where he works at Michelin's North American headquarters. Eric and host Michael Whidden (who lives in Brooklyn, NY) became friends through an organization, Braver Angels , which is building bridges across the political spectrum throughout the country. Eric discusses his life, which has long been based in the Palmetto State but included more than a decade in Ohio. He further shares enthusiasm for his hometown’s ...

Mar 09, 2022•1 hr 3 min•Season 1Ep. 1

Episode 0 - Introduction from Michael Whidden

The American Tributaries podcast will explore the various currents of people in the United States of America, like a modern-day Lewis & Clark journey, talking with...learning from...and being amazed by...people of all stripes from all places doing all sorts of things. Although a broad mission, the podcast will focus on a particular and very important niche: cultivating hope in – and celebration of – America. Host Michael Whidden (Brooklyn, NY), in this origin episode, expands upon these them...

Mar 06, 2022•13 min0

← Prev

Hosted on Buzzsprout

For the best experience, listen in Metacast app for iOS or Android