Brave New Workers Stories of people adapting to a changing U.S. economy
Special Series

Brave New Workers

Safety driver Jeff Runions with one of Starsky Robotics' autonomous testing trucks. Alexi Horowitz-Ghazi/NPR hide caption

toggle caption
Alexi Horowitz-Ghazi/NPR

A Career Trucker Helps To Steer The Path For Self-Driving Trucks

  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/587413925/600703108" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Ajmal Faqiri, third from left, interpreting for former Secretary of Defense Robert Gates. Courtesy of No One Left Behind hide caption

toggle caption
Courtesy of No One Left Behind

An Afghan Military Interpreter Finds Footing In The U.S. Gig Economy

  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/598256725/598695847" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Sunita Williams conducts routine maintenance during a stint aboard the International Space Station. Nowadays, the astronaut helps Boeing and SpaceX develop private spacecraft. NASA hide caption

toggle caption
NASA

A NASA Astronaut Stays In Orbit With SpaceX And Boeing

  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/596208439/596880513" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Celina Raddatz and her mother, Guadalupe Pena Villegas, at home in California. Xavier Vasquez/NPR hide caption

toggle caption
Xavier Vasquez/NPR

More Than A Job: Home Care For A Mom With Alzheimer's Disease

  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/593976096/594786431" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Former schoolteacher Liz Stepansky at her new job as a speech pathologist at a hospital in Washington, D.C. Mette Lutzhoft/Mette Lutzhoft hide caption

toggle caption
Mette Lutzhoft/Mette Lutzhoft

How One Teacher Tweaked Her Lesson Plan For A New Career

  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/592113447/592766485" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Tony Zimlich, a former military pilot, helps to train and manage a new generation of drone pilots. Alexi Horowitz-Ghazi/NPR hide caption

toggle caption
Alexi Horowitz-Ghazi/NPR

From Cockpit To Controller: Former Pilot Finds A New Way To Fly

  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/567051908/590745519" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Adult film performer Alana Evans and vice president of the Adult Performers Actors Guild. Courtesy Alana Evans/Courtesy Alana Evans hide caption

toggle caption
Courtesy Alana Evans/Courtesy Alana Evans

Porn Star Plays New Role As Advocate For Industry Workers

  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/526038437/526298050" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

After David Wiley was laid off from the grueling day to day of the coal mining industry, he found a new livelihood working for STAT EMS in Pineville, W.V. Alexi Horowitz-Ghazi/NPR hide caption

toggle caption
Alexi Horowitz-Ghazi/NPR

From Risking His Life To Saving Lives, Ex-Coal Miner Is Happy To Take The Paycut

  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/524911504/525339940" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Cat groomer Alex Perry clips the nails of a cat. Rachel Valadez/Artis Photography hide caption

toggle caption
Rachel Valadez/Artis Photography

'Brave New Workers': Ex-Construction Worker Builds A New Life Grooming Cats

  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/523927864/524242268" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript
Courtesy of Lanny Copeland

'Brave New Workers': A Texas Cowboy Finds Fortune In The Wind

  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/523141153/523203760" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Malcolm Mirage and sister Nina Parks operate the cannabis business Mirage Medicinal in San Francisco. Marissa Ortega-Welch/NPR hide caption

toggle caption
Marissa Ortega-Welch/NPR

'Brave New Workers': A Burning Desire To Get A Medicinal Marijuana License

  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/522236358/522394992" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript