My Family, Foreclosed.

America’s poor economy is something that everyone knows about but no one wants to discuss—a taboo of sorts. In “My Family, Foreclosed,” Makele White shares the story of her experience with the economy and reveals a life that many teens can’t imagine. The dynamic of the piece is quite interesting: narration by Makele but also interview clips with her parents. This format allows for multiple opinions and unique lenses through which listeners can experience her story. To really perfect this format, record the narration in a sound setting similar to that in which the interview was recorded, thus easing the transitions between the noticeably different portions. Aside from this, the style was great. The narration was quite informative; however, the emotions evoked from the story are melancholic, sad, and pensive, and the narration doesn’t quite reflect that. Slowing it down just a bit and really contemplating what is being said would drastically improve the narration. When her mom begins crying, the emotional curtain has been lifted, and listeners can now truly connect and empathize with the tragedies discussed in the piece. As far as the music goes, it was all appropriate and really quite interesting. Her dad’s song was a cool intro and outro, and the song in the middle matched the vibe of the piece. The storm sounds were so cool! As someone who has been to Oregon a lot, I know about the weather, and that totally set the scene for that segment. Additional sound bytes—when appropriate—would really fill out the piece. Overall, it’s a gripping, intriguing take on today’s economy that left me appreciating what I have and contemplating what families across America are experiencing today.