WHY ARE YOU YOU?
WHY ARE YOU YOU? started as a feature documentary that explores the history of the Young Religious Unitarian Universalists (YRUU) community where adolescents discovered their true selves and were empowered to make positive change in the world. Forty years after the program's inception, those former participants reflect on how being a part of the program shaped them and still informs their lives. YRUU, established in 1983, grew out of the Unitarian Universalists’ rich tradition of religious youth education. It was disbanded in 2008.
Now WHY ARE YOU YOU? is a documentary, a published Mugbook, a host to many community gatherings and a podcast.
The documentary-making process involves trimming a lot of content from interviews. Our aim was transparency, so every recorded interview will be aired as an episode along with new voices.
Hosted by: Lindsay Caddle LaPointe, Dawn MacKechnie and Naomi Kooker
The content of this oral history interview is personal, experiential, and interpretive. It relies on the memories and perceptions of the narrator and should not be understood as statements of fact. If you would like to clairify something that you heard please reach out to us and we will pass your message along to the narrator.
Episodes
8 hours ago
8 hours ago
35 min
This episode we will hear from Joseph Santos Lyons. When we went to the Unitarian Universalists General Assembly in Portland, OR we weren’t expecting to bump into him. He lives in the Philippines so we jumped on the chance to chat. While standing in the Exhibition Hall Lindsay asked him if he would like to be interviewed. We were always so honored to get to talk to so many amazing folx. Joseph is for sure one of them.
www.whyareyouyou.org
Oct 28, 2026
Oct 28, 2026
54 min
This episode features Mara Schoney. Lindsay met Mara at George Mason University during her solo trip to the DC area. Mara is an associate professor at the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution. One of our favorite stories about eggs is featured that we tried a few times to sneak into the documentary. Enjoy Mara!
www.whyareyouyou.org
Oct 21, 2026
Oct 21, 2026
1 hr 6 min
Lindsay recently caught up with Genevieve Baldwin after meeting each other at one of the film's screenings. This is another "current" youth perspective as well as someone who is really interesting in UU youth history.
www.whyareyouyou.org
Oct 14, 2026
Oct 14, 2026
1 hr 28 min
Lindsay and Naomi met Bart Frost at his home in New Orleans just as his wife Amelia was headed off to the local UU church service.
Bart had a lot to tell us. But before we do a note that this episode has mention of sexual assault. The exact timestamp is from 39:00 - 50:00. Listeners are invited to take care of themselves.
www.whyareyouyou.org
Oct 7, 2026
Oct 7, 2026
1 hr 36 min
This episode features Elizabeth Carrier-Ladd or Elka. Lindsay met them at the First Parish Church of Dorchester, MA to talk about the many family layers they have in connection to youth ministry. Please note that the topic of sexual assault is discussed around the 23 minute mark.
www.whyareyouyou.org
Sep 30, 2026
Sep 30, 2026
1 hr 4 min
We are back and starting with a strong force - Jen Devine!
What a treat to have been invited into Jen’s communal home in the Bay Area. The walls are covered like art galleries.
The bathroom itself was covered in pin buttons from floor to ceiling.
We were given a garden tour, listened to funny questions about sex from Jen’s students, and then landed in the kitchen where we conducted the interview.
Jen has many mic drop moments and we really put forward her words when applying for grants through a work sample even though many grant readers didn’t always understand the idea of talking about youth, sex and religion all in one sentence. I know you all will enjoy it, understand it or at least be curious about it.
Sep 2, 2026
Sep 2, 2026
16 min
We are getting the full podcasts ready for season 2. The first episode drops on Sept 30th. While you all wait we thought you might like to hear this conversation between Ayanna and their partner Chris. This is just one of many YRUU couples conversations that we had the privilege of recording. Enjoy!
www.whyareyouyou.org
Jul 15, 2026
Jul 15, 2026
1 hr 17 min
We have made it to the end of season 1 of this podcast. And what better person to end on than Ayanna Kafi Lobe. We visited them at their home in Atlanta, GA with their partner Chris.
Following the interview we had a YRUU dinner where folx came to chat, share food and there may have been a little singing.
We also wrote affirmations on taped pieces of paper on each other's backs–a practice that the youth did during YRUU conferences.
Interviewing Ayanna was so refreshing. They brought in the perspective of someone who really focused on their local and district youth group. A great example that having strong national youth support can trickle down to the local communities seamlessly.
www.whyareyouyou.org
Jul 8, 2026
Jul 8, 2026
1 hr 8 min
Lindsay recently caught up with Meg Riley who reflected on her time working at the UUA and much more!
www.whyareyouyou.org
Jul 1, 2026
Jul 1, 2026
58 min
Caelan Schrama we met while visiting the YES conference on Star Island. YES is an acronym for Youth Empowerment and Spirituality.
Kerri Bell-Delgado came up to our booth at the Unitarian Universalists General Assembly in Portland, OR in 2022. We loved the idea of getting a current young person's take on being a Unitarian Universalist.
Atticus Fisher is the child of Ginger Young Fisher whose interview you will hear in a separate episode. Atticus at the time was highly involved in YRUUP. a youth-run organization dedicated to providing fun, safe, and spiritual programs for UU youth in the Pacific Western Region of the United States.
This trio of voices lifts up the youths voices of today. YRUU may have ended nationally but the work and enthusiasm has remained in many parts of the country still.
www.whyareyouyou.org