News and Public Affairs

Life In The Heart Land

“Life In The Heart Land” dives deep into the heart of America to meet the neighbors and organizations that are creating unique solutions to rural America’s toughest challenges. These collaborators are breaking down divides and roadblocks to build new pathways to meaningful, positive outcomes that have the power to inspire empathy and action and to transform other communities across the nation.

Veterans

26m 35s

More than a half million Virginians have served in the military, but many veterans report difficulty adjusting to civilian life after their service. They often struggle to make ends meet in their day-to-day life, but nonprofits work to provide them with food, community and supportive relationships with fellow veterans and assistance working through trauma.

Episodes

  • Veterans: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Veterans

    S2 E6 - 26m 35s

    More than a half million Virginians have served in the military, but many veterans report difficulty adjusting to civilian life after their service. They often struggle to make ends meet in their day-to-day life, but nonprofits work to provide them with food, community and supportive relationships with fellow veterans and assistance working through trauma.

  • Migrant Workers: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Migrant Workers

    S2 E5 - 25m 35s

    With many Americans unwilling to take agricultural work, farmers today rely on migrant labor from Mexico and Central America. The hard work and isolation can make life difficult for many migrant workers. In Nelson County, Vanessa Hale works with a bilingual staff to build relationships with the “invisible population” of migrant workers in the orchards and vineyards.

  • Recovery: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Recovery

    S2 E4 - 26m 46s

    Virginia has seen a spike in opioid-related deaths in the past several years. Counseling and other support centers struggle to meet the demand. We hear the stories of individuals in recovery in twelve-step and other programs as we explore the question of why addiction is such a hard problem to eradicate, by asking the people who have been through it themselves.

  • Trees: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Trees

    S2 E3 - 26m 48s

    Explore the balance of cultivating healthy forests and using trees for timber. Ecologist Hank Shugart observes that foresters are beginning to consider the role they can play in mitigating climate change. We visit lumber companies across that provide jobs that rely on the business of trees. Queen City Silviculture share their approach to helping trees thrive alongside their human neighbors safely.

  • Aging: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Aging

    S2 E2 - 26m 50s

    Social disconnection adds some $7 billion to annual health care costs in our
    country. As our society has grown more mobile, the elderly are especially at risk for isolation, depression or abuse at nursing homes when their adult children are not present to care for them. We take a look at a variety of existing programs meant to provide the elderly with more fulfilling lives in their later years.

  • Journalism: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Journalism

    S2 E1 - 26m 19s

    Today, many rural communities no longer have any local news coverage reported by people they know and trust. 20% of community newspapers have gone out of business since 2005. When local news reporting dries up, it has a ripple effect on other aspects of civic engagement, such as voter registration. In this episode, we visit small local newspapers that have managed to survive.

Extras + Features

  • Life In The Heart Land Theme: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Life In The Heart Land Theme

    S2 - 4m 9s

    Music video featuring Robin and Linda Williams performing the theme song of Life in the Heart Land with footage from actual episodes.

  • Season 2 Trailer: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Season 2 Trailer

    S2 - 1m 30s

    Life in the Heart Land is a docuseries that presents rural America in a fresh light: as the source of innovative solutions and change. Season 2 takes a deep dive into the rural problems and potential solutions regarding the topics of Community Journalism, Aging, Trees, Recovery, Migrant Workers and Veterans.

WETA Passport

Stream tens of thousands of hours of your PBS and local favorites with WETA Passport whenever and wherever you want. Catch up on a single episode or binge-watch full seasons before they air on TV.

Similar Shows