SP/FS Launch press release (09/05/2025)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Christopher Wurst

New Podcast “SoftPower/FulStories” Debuts September 5 — Showcasing Stories from the Human Side of U.S. Soft Power

September 5, 2025 — A powerful new audio podcast, SoftPower/FulStories, officially launches today, bringing listeners inside the untold personal stories at the heart of U.S. foreign assistance and cultural diplomacy.

Created and hosted by former U.S. diplomat Christopher Wurst, the weekly series explores how programs like the Peace Corps, USAID, and Fulbright shape lives, communities, and global perceptions — one person at a time. Far from dry policy debates or abstract statistics, SoftPower/FulStories gives the microphone to people whose life-changing work across continents has impacted them and those they met in unexpected and unforgettable ways.

“These are stories of human connection,” says Wurst, “whether on a grand scale or simply between two people. They challenge assumptions about foreign aid and reveal complex relationships that drive real change — for both the giver and the receiver.”

The premiere season will feature 40 episodes, released weekly, featuring a range of stories from foreign aid experts, ambassadors, Peace Corps volunteers, NGO leaders, health care professionals, businesspeople, novelists, scientists, travel influencers, farmers, and more.

SP/FS places a premium on storytelling. “You can present people with facts and date,” continues Wurst, “and they forget them in days or weeks. But compelling stories may stay with them throughout their lives.”

The launch date features the release of the first four episodes. Carl Henn, a former USAID health worker, looks back on a decades-long career of life and death events in every corner of Africa. Elizabeth Gore, the founder and CEO of the fintech Hello Alice, looks back on the impact that the Peace Corps had on her life. Glenn Blumhorst explains how he became Don Glenn de las luces in a tiny Guatemalan village. Finally, Pamela White traces a career that led from the Peace Corps and USAID to becoming a two-time U.S. ambassador.

Listeners can subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever they get their podcasts.

To learn more, visit www.softpowerfulstories.org or follow @softpowerfulstories on Instagram.

About SoftPower/FulStories

SoftPower/FulStories is an independent, listener-supported podcast showcasing the personal stories behind U.S. soft power — from foreign assistance to cultural exchange. Through narrative-driven stories and intimate interviews, it highlights the importance of constructive engagement in the world, and why everybody needs friends—even powerful nations.

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