…and “The Site” That Did It First.

A decade after World War II, President Dwight D. Eisenhower launched Sister Cities International, hoping that backyard cookouts and bonsai diplomacy could succeed where bombs had failed.

By 1985, the State of Oklahoma had paired with Kyoto Prefecture, and Stillwater was matched with Kameoka. For almost 40 years, the towns have exchanged students, mayors, garden stones, obasans, ocarinas, and awkward cultural performances — all wrapped in the slow-burn logic of “citizen diplomacy.”

And eventually — someone remembered to write it down.

ABOUT THIS PODCAST

Amplified Oklahoma, the OSU Library’s house-brand podcast, released an episode called Sister Cities. Hosted by Noah Brisendine (who, regardless of wardrobe choices or eyeliner calibration), delivered a serviceable summary of the Stillwater–Kameoka relationship and even managed to close the episode with a sliver of truth:

Interviews with Sylvia Duncan, Larry and Kayo Jones, and Cindy Petree were conducted by Brandon Neal Jones …

Hell. Froze. Over.

“THE SITE” RESPONDS:

Those who can, do.
Those who can’t … podcast about it.

While OSU and its underpaid podcast interns were busy catching up to stories they ignored in real time, “The Site” — powered by LOUCHE.art — was already decades deep into recording, transcribing, preserving, and publishing the actual oral histories. Without a university budget. Without a sound studio. Without the blessing of America’s Most Disgusting Orange. #AMDO

So. You’re welcome.

THE ORIGINAL INTERVIEWS

These interviews — originally conducted, transcribed, and produced in full — are now preserved at LOUCHE.art.
OSU got there eventually.
But, “The Site” was already done.

• Sylvia Duncan – Oral History
• Larry & Kayo Jones – Oral History
• Cindy Petree – Oral History

Produced by:
“The Site” powered by LOUCHE.art, who somehow got it done without a podcast microphone dangling from a grant-funded ring light.