Welcome to the My World My Time podcast, where we go back in time to interview people from history about how they made a difference in the world.
The year is 1899 and we’re in Brooklyn, New York to interview Louis “Kid Blink” Baletti, one of the leaders of the newsboys strike. How did a bunch of kids take on the some of the most powerful men and America, and why was it so important? Listen to this interview and find out!
(The interview is a work of fiction, written by Kathryn Moss. Wherever possible, Kid Blink’s own words and ideas have been used, as recorded in the 1899 editions of the New York Sun, Times and Tribune.)
Did you like this episode? Consider leaving a tip!
NEVER MISS AN EPISODE! SUBSCRIBE TO THE MY WORLD MY TIME PODCAST ON YOUR FAVORITE PODCAST PLAYER:
TALK ABOUT IT!
- Kid Blink says it’s what’s on the inside that counts. What kind of person are you on the inside? What other characteristics do you want to develop?
- If muscles aren’t the only kind of strength and money isn’t the only kind of power, what other kinds of power are there?
- How can you be a powerful force for good even if you don’t have lots of money or a government position?
***To find out more about “Kid Blink” and the Newsboys’ Strike, check out some of our favorite resources:
- Kids On Strike! by Susan Campbell Bartoletti (book for ages 10+)
- Kids At Work by Russell Freedman (photography of Lewis Hine)
- Kid Blink Beats The World by Don Brown (Picture Book ages 5+)
- Newsies: The Broadway Musical (2017 live recording, starring Jeremy Jordan)
- Newsies (1992 film, starring Christian Bale)
- City Hall Park 1899 (Transcripts from the newspapers reporting on the Newsboys Strike)
MEET THE ACTORS!
Joseph Paul Branca is an actor and singer based out of Salt Lake City, Utah. Some of his recent performances include: Saturday’s Voyeur (Elder Mortenson), and the regional premiere of both Pete the Cat (Jimmy Biddle), and Diary of a Worm (Ant), with Salt Lake Acting Company; Man of La Mancha (José u/s The Padre), with Utah Opera directed by Paul Curran; Mary Poppins (Robertson Ay), Matilda (Big Kid), and A Christmas Carol (Dick Wilkins/Eben/Octet), with Hale Centre Theatre; Newsies (Crutchie), Peter Pan (Michael Darling), Winnie-the-Pooh (Tigger), Joseph… Dreamcoat (Benjamin), Annie (Ensemble/Rooster), and the world premiere of The Velveteen Rabbit (The Narrator), with Hale Center Theater Orem; as a main stage performer at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios Japan in Osaka; and as a featured guest artist for the Westminster Opera Studio in A Little Night Music. Recent film appearances include: Dog Valley, Being Charlie, and Brigsby Bear. Joseph received the BroadwayWorld Award for Best Actor in a Musical for his portrayal of Crutchie in Newsies, two Westminster Theatre Society Awards for Best Actor for his performances in Post-it’s: Notes on a Marriage, and the one-man show I Am Not Batman, and the Utah Film Award for Best Ensemble Cast for his starring role as Rudi Wobbe in the Emmy Award Winning feature film Resistance Movement.
JOSEPH PAUL BRANCA (LOUIS “KID BLINK” BALETTI) is an actor and singer based out of Salt Lake City, Utah. Some of his recent performances include: Saturday’s Voyeur (Elder Mortenson), and the regional premiere of both Pete the Cat (Jimmy Biddle), and Diary of a Worm (Ant), with Salt Lake Acting Company; Man of La Mancha (José u/s The Padre), with Utah Opera directed by Paul Curran; Mary Poppins (Robertson Ay), Matilda (Big Kid), and A Christmas Carol (Dick Wilkins/Eben/Octet), with Hale Centre Theatre; Newsies (Crutchie), Peter Pan (Michael Darling), Winnie-thePooh (Tigger), Joseph…Dreamcoat (Benjamin), Annie (Ensemble/Rooster), and the world premiere of The Velveteen Rabbit (The Narrator), with Hale Center Theater Orem; as a main stage performer at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios Japan in Osaka; and as a featured guest artist for the Westminster Opera Studio in A Little Night Music. Recent film appearances include: Dog Valley, Being Charlie, and Brigsby Bear. Joseph received the BroadwayWorld Award for Best Actor in a Musical for his portrayal of Crutchie in Newsies, two Westminster Theatre Society Awards for Best Actor for his performances in Post-it’s: Notes on a Marriage, and the one-man show I Am Not Batman, and the Utah Film Award for Best Ensemble Cast for his starring role as Rudi Wobbe in the Emmy Award Winning feature film Resistance Movement.
@josephbranca | www.josephbranca.com
KATHRYN MOSS (WRITER/INTERVIEWER) is the founder of My World My Time, and an EMMY-nominated writer & director. Her feature film, Resistance Movement, and her award-winning documentary, “A Time for Resistance”, tell the incredible true story of the Hübener Group, three teens who had the courage to stand against Hitler.
In 2016 Kathryn founded the group My World My Time, to help inspire one another in the fight for a better world.
As a speaker she has been invited to speak at film festivals, churches, prisons, schools and conferences around the world, including an International Conference on Religion & Film in Italy.
Kathryn earned a Masters degree in Directing from the University of London, and has a 1st degree black belt in TaeKwonDo. She lives in West Jordan, Utah with her husband and three daughters.
