California Humanities is proud to celebrate When We All Get to Heaven, a recipient of the 2024 California Documentary Project grant, on its recognition with a 2026 Peabody Award—one of the nation’s most respected honors in storytelling and broadcast media.
Presented by Slate Magazine & Podcasts and produced by Eureka Street Productions, the documentary explores how a San Francisco church community navigated faith, illness, loss, and connection during the AIDS crisis of the 1980s.
Drawing from an archive of more than 1,200 cassette tapes recorded during that era, the project brings forward deeply personal stories from clergy members, caregivers, activists, and community members grappling with uncertainty and profound grief during a defining moment in American history.
Through oral histories, sermons, interviews, and archival recordings, When We All Get to Heaven illuminates the complicated and deeply human ways people searched for meaning, care, and belonging in the face of crisis.
In recognizing the project, the Peabody Awards praised the documentary “for diving into the messy, human complexities of the past and recognizing the ways that faith can heal as well as hurt.”
For California Humanities, the recognition reflects the enduring importance of storytelling that preserves lived experience and expands public understanding.
“These stories remind us that history is not abstract—it is deeply human,” said Rick Noguchi, President and CEO of California Humanities. “Projects like When We All Get to Heaven help create space for empathy, reflection, and a fuller understanding of how communities endure, care for one another, and make meaning during difficult times.”
The documentary also demonstrates the power of archival storytelling and oral history to illuminate perspectives that are often overlooked in broader historical narratives.
Through the California Documentary Project, California Humanities supports documentary films, audio storytelling, and digital media projects that deepen understanding of California’s cultures, communities, and histories. When We All Get to Heaven reflects that mission through its thoughtful exploration of memory, identity, faith, and community resilience.
We celebrate the creators, producers, and community members behind When We All Get to Heaven on this well-deserved national recognition.
