For Omar Naré, mariachi is in his blood. His grandfather, a Mexican farm laborer, brought the music with him to California’s Central Valley, where he settled his family. Omar grew up hearing mariachi at family get-togethers and had a childhood career as a mariachi singer. After a hiatus and period of disillusionment with the music of his childhood, Omar returned to mariachi. He realized, to make mariachi that felt honest to his experience, he had to break the rules. But if you break the rules...

As the van drives over the Golden Gate Bridge, Rachel says goodbye in her last Crossing the Divide podcast. Music credit: "Jettisoned" by Podington Bear and "Home, Home at Last" by Blue Dot Sessions.

As the fellowship wraps up, Rachel shared part of an interview from Minneapolis that didn't make it into the reporting project for Minnesota. Music credit: "Jettisoned" by Podington Bear and "Town Market" by Blue Dot Sessions.

Brittany and Qainat shared why they're going to Fresno, CA, this weekend. It involves some awesome mariachi music and flamenco dancing. Music credit: "Jettisoned" by Podington Bear and "Querida" by Omar Nare.

With one week left in the fellowship, Rachel turned in a draft of her radio script for the reporting in California. Part of the team headed north of San Francisco to a small beach town. Music credit: "Jettisoned" by Podington Bear and "Sylvester" by Blue Dot Sessions.

At age 20, percussionist George Lernis sought to travel halfway around the world from Cyprus, to follow in the footsteps of the American jazz masters. He navigated a series of obstacles, and once his student visa expired, he faced an even more difficult challenge: qualifying for an O-1 visa — a special designation for “extraordinary artists.” It’s no easy feat to prove that you can make an extraordinary contribution to music in America. Explore photos and more

In an interview last night, Reverend Amos Brown discussed the role of black churches in America, and how evil in the form of racism threatens to tear apart this country. Music credit: "Jettisoned" by Podington Bear, "Just Below the Surface" and "Plate Synthesis" by Blue Dot Sessions.

Rachel's radio story about the tension surrounding wildfires and forest management in Montana aired on MTPR. Music credit: "Jettisoned" by Podington Bear.

The team attended a Sunday service at the historic Third Baptist Church. Rachel interviewed Rev. James Smith, an organist and the Artistic Director of the Charles Tindley Academy of Music. Music credit: "Jettisoned" by Podington Bear.

On the way to a noodle shop, Brittany shared her struggle with street photography and a looming deadline. Music credit: "Jettisoned" and "Massive" by Podington Bear.

Rachel, Mahlia and Brittany met a beauty salon owner in the Fillmore District who is struggling to make ends meet. She reflects an issue many small business owners are facing in this historically black neighborhood where rent, property taxes, and changing demographics are pushing out long-time residents. Music credit: "Jettisoned" by Podington Bear.

At a public rally and press conference at the Fillmore Heritage Center in San Francisco, Rachel met a well-known jazz artist, Dr. David Hardiman Sr. Music credit: "Jettisoned" by Podington Bear.

In preparation for the team's reporting project in San Francisco, Rachel explored the Fillmore District and recorded some ambient sound. Music credit: "Jettisoned" and "Evenhanded" by Podington Bear.

After getting good 'tape' from interviewees and writing an editor-approved script, the home stretch for a radio journalist is recording their own voice before 'mixing' all the audio together. That should be the easy part, right? Well ... Rachel received some voice coaching from the GroundTruth Project's Rachel Rohr and Qainat Kahn. Music credit: "Jettisoned" by Podington Bear and "When We Set Out" by Blue Dot Sessions.

In the spirit of Halloween, Brittany shared her mishap on a mountain in Montana. Music credit: "Jettisoned" by Podington Bear, "Plate Synthesis" and "Flutterbee" by Blue Dot Sessions.

The team left Missoula, MT, for Reno, NV, on Friday. Rachel wrapped up the script edit for her Montana reporting and went for a hike with Ben near Tahoe. Music credit: "Jettisoned" by Podington Bear and "City Limits" by Blue Dot Session.

On the drive into Missoula today, Qainat and Rachel discussed what they wish they had left behind and what they wish they had brought with them on this cross-country journey. Qainat shared what she's been learning from "The Unwinding: An Inner History of the New America," a book that unravels America's history over the last 35 years. Music credit: "Jettisoned" by Podington Bear and "City Limits" by Blue Dot Sessions.

Our field producers Ben and Qainat talked about their story scouting and reporting in western Montana. At Two Eagle River High School, Qainat, Ben and Rachel learned more about the students in the journalism class and left with the best high school newspaper anyone had seen. Music credit: "Jettisoned" by Podington Bear.

With the first draft deadline for the Montana reporting looming near, Rachel went for a run to get some inspiration. Music credit: "Jettisoned" by Podington Bear.

While U.S. politics have become increasingly polarized, Zack Porter with the Montana Wilderness Association would argue the reality on the ground is much more collaborative. Music credit: "Jettisoned" and "Drone Pine" by Blue Dot Sessions.

As Rachel rushed off to find another cafe with internet in downtown Missoula, she reflected on the difficulty of squeezing six hours of interviews into six minutes for radio. Music credit: "Jettisoned" by Podington Bear and "City Limits" by Blue Dot Sessions.

After the team's first official day of reporting in Montana, Rachel and Mahlia discussed a field trip with the Southwestern Crown Collaborative in which they visited some burn sites near Seeley Lake. Music credit: "Jettisoned" by Podington Bear.

The reporters joined a group of students from Two Eagle River High School on the Flathead Reservation in Montana for a Narrative 4 story exchange. Brittany, Rachel and Qainat reflect on that experience. Music credit: "Jettisoned" by Podington Bear and "A Palace of Cedar" by Blue Dot Sessions.

HMI stands for Haitian Music Industry, but its artists and fans are spread around the globe. Vladimir Mead immigrated to Boston 10 years ago at age 16. Since then, he’s built up a music career under the name Masterbrain — largely through YouTube and Facebook. His Creole freestyles and music videos have accumulated tens of thousands of hits, but he’s never returned to Haiti. We follow him as he prepares for his first trip back to Haiti, where he dreams of being a star. Explore photos and more