Midwesternish listeners, we have a new podcast for you! KCUR's Suzanne Hogan brings you tales of the everyday heroes, renegades and visionaries who shaped Kansas City and the region. If these stories aren't told, they're in danger of fading into the past. The first episode drops February 6. Apple Podcasts | Spotify

Minnesota wants to rebrand itself as "The North," because apparently they think they're different from the rest of the Midwest. So, is it time to break up? Subscribe on Apple Podcasts , Google Play and Stitcher .

The Midwest has a reputation for being a bland, neutral, accent-free place. But experts say that simply is not true. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts , Google Play and Stitcher .

We produce a lot of food in this part of the country, and some of it ends up as school lunch. But with every cafeteria tray comes a large helping of economics and politics. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts , Google Play and Stitcher .

Singer Vanessa Thomas credits her idyllic childhood in a cozy Kansas town for her international success. But she ended up in that town through a set of dark circumstances. And her path forward hasn't always been a straight shot. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts , Google Play and Stitcher .

Midwesterners are used to seeing squirrels all over the place - in the woods, in cuisine (really) and in their front yards. But some species are leaving the Midwest for the west coast and abroad. And they're not making friends easily. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts , Google Play and Stitcher .

What's it like to be an icon in the Midwest? The tap-dancing McFadden Brothers tell the story of their coming up, and how they're carrying on a legacy for African American arts in the Midwest.

People have been intentionally destroying cars in demolition derbies for generations. It's like the Midwest's Colosseum. But the old school demo derby is running out of gas. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts , Google Play and Stitcher .

When we talk about being from the Midwest, it usually comes with some familiar words. "Quaint" and "old fashioned" or worse, "close-minded" and "too slow." So are they true? Well - it's complicated. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts , Google Play and Stitcher .

Ever been to a squirrel cook-off? How about the demo derby? Well ... that's ok. Here in the Midwest we eat all kinds of food, play all kinds of sports and maybe aren't exactly what you thought — particularly if you identify as a Midwesterner yourself. Midwesternish is a podcast that explores (and sometimes explodes) what it means to be Midwestern. Stories of triumph, identity and casseroles.

Reporter Laura Ziegler reflects on what bringing her family and her father under one roof really meant. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts , Google Play and Stitcher . Music: " Feathered ," " Silent Flock ," and " On Belay " by Blue Dot Sessions; all have been edited for length.