February 2023

• As Amplified prepares for its return from a short hiatus (ok… maybe not that short). We would like to take some time and fill you in on some changes coming our way for the Amplified Nation. We know life has many unexpected things pop up, things pile up and we just happen to get busy. However, we have something special here and we’d hate for Amplified to sit on the shelf any longer!  

• That being said, we requested for backup. And it's finally here. We have brought on some fresh new talent on board to help move everything that is Amplified-related push forward and excel. 

• Amplified is excited to announce and welcome its newest member onboard as Media Producer.  

• Hello fellow podcast community and friends, we are excited to let you all know of our newest member of the Amplified family: local Des Moines lover Abraham Lopez. Abraham will be joining us on our podcast crusade, helping us get the wheels rolling again and focus on everything that has to do with podcasts.  

• Now working as our very own expert podcast connoisseur. With his creative talent and experience, we are excited to see what he will bring to the table and help us produce more content.  

• Abraham was born in Mexico, but grew up as an Iowa Native in Des Moines. Abraham journeyed his college career at Iowa State University, where he graduated in 2019 with two degrees in Journalism & Mass Communication and International Studies. Abraham has gained his journalistic and producer background by working locally in the metro area for KCCI News Channel 8. As well as Estuary Motion studios, which is a collective of award-winning filmmakers and storytellers in Des Moines. Aside from working in the media-related field, Abraham joined the U.S. Army Reserves in May of 2020 and currently serves as an Army Signal Support Specialist.  

• “I am extremely grateful to be joining a team and movement that appreciates cultural involvement. I am very excited to push their projects forward. Amplified has so much in the works regarding local artists and has also established an awesome platform for community leaders and compelling topics to be discussed,” Abraham said. “I love Des Moines and everything it has to offer. I know it gets overlooked for being small compared to other major cities. However, I have always loved the diverse presence in Des Moines and how it has grown immensely over the years.”  

• Do not hesitate to reach out or ask Abraham any questions as he takes over the helm for Amplified projects.  You can reach him through the podcast email or contact him directly at (Abraham@amplifieddsm.com). We are excited to have Abraham’s help with Amplified moving forward!   

• As we begin on a new approach to advance, nothing changes! We still value the importance of focusing and sharing cultural and societal topics. Both for entertaining and informative purposes. As we prep to get the wheels turning, right now our main focus is helping Abraham get situated and comfortable. Once he has his bearings set, he will be able to fly the nest. Our goal is to establish him well enough so he will be able to independently get Amplified off the ground and revamped. With his constant hands-on, we hope this will turn into a self-sustained machine. 

• So, in the meantime, the good news is we have plenty of content and topics to keep us busy. 

• While we wait to get actual podcasts recorded, our aim is to focus on the quality content that is already in our arsenal. We will be sharing important pieces and highlighting snippets of episodes that revolve around entertaining and thought provoking factors to help viewers get exposed to previous content they missed or that might spark their interest.  

• Fresh content coming your way! There is no shortage of great content, not only are we looking to release podcast content, but we are also looking to focus on local activity and keep you up-to-date and informed. Thank you for your patience and we look forward to this fresh start onward. 

   

• As we revive our podcast presence, that means we are also refreshing our team lineup and saying goodbye to some podcasts that are no longer producing their projects. That being said, this just means we have more room to add to the roster!

• What are some of your favorite podcasts?! Would you like to be featured and join the Amplified Podcast team? Get in touch with us. 

• Do you have any events you would like us to share and include in the next newsletter? We can help with that too!