Chris and Rachel Myers grew up in very different parts of the country, but shared a fondness for public broadcasting from an early age.
Rachel was raised in Connecticut, listening to NPR. “The first time I donated to public media was in college. I’d listened for years with my dad, so it seemed natural to support it,” Rachel says. “I’ve always valued storytelling and interesting perspectives – the types of stories that people like Terry Gross and Ira Glass provide. When I moved to Mississippi in 2008, it was wonderful to hear unique stories and personalities in a Southern accent on MPB!”
Chris grew up in Batesville in “the middle of the country,” as he describes it. “My first memory of MPB is watching Simon and Garfunkel in Central Park. I watched it again just last month! MPB provided a window to the world outside of Mississippi for me. In sixth grade, our teacher would tune in to WMAV, and we’d listen to classical music. So I began listening to it at home. From there, I discovered all the other MPB programs I enjoyed through high school, listened to while studying in college and enjoy now with our son, Eli.”
One of their earliest dates was attending a Thacker Mountain Radio performance in Canton. “It was great to see so many people dancing and enjoying music together that night!” Rachel remembers. “Chris and I had just begun dating, and it was one of my first times in a true Mississippi ‘square.’ MPB was a window to the world outside of this state for Chris. For me, MPB has been a window into Mississippi.”
Chris and Rachel (and Eli) live in the Fondren neighborhood of Jackson and are sustaining members of the MPB Foundation. We appreciate their support!
