How We Tested

Best of the Year analysts and editors reviewed #L.A. Rising's awards entry, background materials and the evolution of the project from its beginnings following the LA fires to now, almost 30 episodes later. Our evaluation included listening to full-length episodes and assessing the podcast as both an editorial product and a resource for people and communities affected by disaster.

We looked (well, listened) closely for the quality and depth of the interviews, Marshall's ability to draw out personal stories, the range and credibility of guests and experts, the usefulness of the information shared, and the balance between difficult subject matter and the podcast's stated mission of healing, help and hope. We also considered production quality, originality, consistency, and whether the long-form format added meaningful depth to the conversations.

Our evaluation extended beyond individual episodes to the larger body of work Marshall and her team have created. We considered how the guest list and subject matter have expanded beyond those directly affected by the L.A. fires to include elected officials, emergency-response leaders, mental-health and wellness experts, artists, advocates, and people affected by disasters in other communities. We also assessed recurring elements such as the Wellness Lift, which adds expert guidance, coping strategies, and practical resources to the personal storytelling.

What Judges and Consumer Testers Said

Across the board, our judges and testers were drawn in by the rawness of the conversations—and how often stories that begin with fear, grief or loss become something more. “What stood out most to me was the raw authenticity, a survivor host sharing survivor stories, without the distance much disaster coverage carries,” says one Best of the Year judge.

The guests add real substance, too. They include people who have lived through disaster, led communities through catastrophe or studied how people recover, moving the conversations beyond sympathy and into what recovery actually looks like. And the model matches the mission: #L.A. Rising is free to listen to, with a portion of sponsor funding directed back into community mental-health support.

We also appreciated that the interviews have room to breathe. Episodes typically run around an hour, giving guests time to tell complicated, emotional stories without reducing them to sound bites. “They go deep,” says one Best of the Year consumer tester.

Marshall is particularly good at letting those stories unfold. She brings decades of communications experience and years of podcast hosting to the microphone, but she’s also part of the community she’s interviewing. She knows what it means to evacuate, live with uncertainty and watch familiar places disappear. Guests cry. Marshall sometimes cries with them. There are pauses and unexpected turns. The emotion doesn't feel produced or packaged.

“What stood out most to me was the raw authenticity, a survivor host sharing survivor stories, without the distance much disaster coverage carries.” -Best of the Year Judge & Technology Category Expert

But #L.A. Rising doesn't stay in the grief. Its Wellness Lift segments bring in experts and practical tools around trauma, anxiety, recovery and wellbeing, while other guests tackle what comes next: cleanup, government response, rebuilding, preparedness and community support. It’s part of what makes the podcast more than a collection of survivor stories. It asks not only what happened, but what might actually help now.

And the lens is widening. What started as a record of one terrible moment in one city now reaches other communities affected by disaster and larger conversations around extreme weather, climate change, health, preparedness and resilience. L.A. may be where the story started, but it isn't necessarily where it ends.

There’s an even bigger human story running through it all. Disaster doesn't care about your politics, your neighborhood or what you thought your life would look like the next morning. And when people lose a home, a community or their sense of safety, many of the differences that can seem enormous in ordinary life suddenly matter a lot less. Again and again, #L.A. Rising comes back to people showing up for one another.

Best of the Year Bottom Line

#L.A. Rising stands out for both its caliber and its purpose. Kim Marshall took possibly the worst days of her life and turned it into an award-winning (free!) resource for people living through the never-ending aftermath of disaster. Across all episodes, it’s real, raw, useful, sometimes heartbreaking and ultimately hopeful: a testament to what can happen when pain becomes purpose, and a reminder of how much we still have in common when it matters most.

Why Trust Us?

The Best of the Year Media team comprises award-winning editors, analysts, subject-matter experts and consumer specialists who have built their careers helping people make smarter, more confident decisions. With deep expertise across consumer lifestyle categories, our team brings decades of experience evaluating products, brands and services. Our recommendations are grounded in rigorous evaluation combined with expert judgment and consumer insights, giving readers trusted guidance on products, services, and experiences worth bringing into their lives.

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