Recurrent Podcast Season Two: Examining Cultural Heritage

 I wanted to share something for your listening queue, because it feels like exactly the kind of storytelling we all need right now - the kind that preserves diverse cultural stories. ReCurrent does exactly that.

The podcast, just beginning its second season, is produced by the Getty Museum. In my experience, museums do an amazing job in podcasting. For example, The Metropolitan Museum of Art produced two seasons of Immaterial, a podcast that examined the materials of art and what they can reveal about history and humanity. Each episode looks at a single material, exploring the qualities and meanings that are often overlooked.

The reason museums are so adept at podcasting is that they have this keen sense of how culture expresses itself through art and science. For most of us, strolling about the world bombarded with delineations in culture that we are told can be either woke or non-woke, we miss the touchstones that define us.

The beauty of  ReCurrent is that the show reminds us of who we were, who we are, and who we should strive to be. 

Cultural heritage doesn't keep itself alive, it's carried on by people who refuse to let it fade. In season two,  host Jaime Roque explores how culture builds community—how a camera passed from mentor to student, a long-lost record, or a familiar icon screen printed onto a jersey can bind people across time. Made in the wild—in the streets, archives, and neighborhoods where Getty stories are also found—ReCurrent shows how cultural heritage keeps us close while making room for who we’re becoming.

My favorite part is how clearly you can hear Jaime's appreciation for these stories, and he's endlessly eager to learn from them. It makes him the perfect host and keeps me coming back to every episode. I don't Jaime, but I get the sense he's loving this gig. It's more than a job to this host. 

Before we discuss season two, I want to point readers to the August 15th show -- Stories From the Chair -- where Jaime Roque uncovers how these spaces function as cultural hubs, preserving traditions and fostering deep community bonds. The episode not only explores the history of StylesVille but also reflects on the host's own experiences with barbershops, from his high school years to adulthood, emphasizing their role as sanctuaries of history, culture, and personal connection.

In the African American community, the barbershop has long been the hub of communal interaction. In both examples, despite the best efforts of the current administration to divide us, we instinctively reach out to others for comfort and solidarity. 

The first episode of the season followed the life of a familiar image across LA, beginning with the 2001 backlash to Alma López’s digital artwork Our Lady. When Alma López’s digital Our Lady reimagined the Virgin of Guadalupe, it reignited an old question: who owns the sacred icon: church, artists, or the people who carry her? From Tepeyac to L.A. murals, this episode traces how faith, art, and identity keep Guadalupe alive in roses, spray paint, and pixels. 

In episode two, photographer George Rodríguez moved between two L.A.s—red carpets by day, the Chicano movement by night. From Hollywood sets to East L.A. protests, his lens captured both glamour and struggle. This episode explores how his archive, now at the Getty, keeps a people’s history in focus.

In each episode, Jaime delves into the collaborations, memories, and reimagining’s that shape who we are. He shows how something as simple as a photograph, a song, or a familiar icon can unlock a world of connection and meaning. Join Jaime as he uncovers the profound impact of keeping the past alive in the present—and discover what it opens for our future. 

“Made in the wild—in the streets, archives, and neighborhoods where Getty stories are also found—ReCurrent shows how cultural heritage keeps us close while making room for who we’re becoming,” says host, Jaime Roque.

As I mentioned earlier, podcasts produced by museums are superbly conceived and executed. ReCurrent is no exception. The soundscape is rich and luscious with a person on the street vibe. The host breathes life into every story with an enthusiasm and sense of wonder that propels you along in the narrative.

If you’re new to ReCurrent, check out Season One to discover the origins of the series—where host Jaime Roque first began uncovering the ways people and places carry history forward. Then dive into Season Two for fresh stories, new voices, and even deeper reflections on what we keep, share, and reimagine.