One of the things we love most about working in radio is meeting new people and hearing their stories. There aren't too many other jobs where you can meet a stranger in one moment and in the next they're telling you some of the most intimate parts of their life. It's pretty weird when you think about it but the fact that people trust us with things so personal is pretty special.

WFPL has partnered with IDEAS xLab to bring you Tough and Universal: Stories of Grit, first-person accounts from people in the community who’ve overcome significant challenges and thrived despite the odds. WFPL News Director Erica Peterson and Theo Edmonds from IDEAS xLab join us today to talk about the partnership, and we'll hear excerpts from each of the stories.