Stories From The Stage

Melissa Ferrick tells us about the night she opened for Bob Dylan; Suzanne Ketchum Adams drives home with a feisty ram; and Akshobh Giridharadas discovers hospitality and humanity in the wilderness. Three storytellers, three interpretations of ROAD TRIP, hosted by Wes Hazard. Show you appreciate these extraordinary storytellers by making a donation in any amount at give.worldchannel.org/stories.

Khalilah Jones goes to camp for the first time and learns more than just campfire songs; Sarah Sutton discovers the trials and tribulations of working with her spouse; Matthew Sandel looks down the barrel of a robber’s gun and understands that his life is worth more than a pint of ice cream. Show you appreciate these extraordinary storytellers by making a donation in any amount at give.worldchannel.org/stories.

Comedic storyteller Susanne Schmidt shares two of her favorite childhood adventures: an "extreme camping" trip with her family, and her Janis Joplin lookalike nanny, who invented a new Olympic competition riding pillows down the staircase. Show you appreciate these extraordinary storytellers by making a donation in any amount at give.worldchannel.org/stories.

Angie Chatman crosses racial boundaries during a turbulent flight, and Kelli Dunham finds herself hilariously in a not-so-ordinary boot camp in Florida’s swamps. Show you appreciate these extraordinary storytellers by making a donation in any amount at give.worldchannel.org/stories.

Erinn applies lessons learned from Grey’s Anatomy to help her get care; Megan becomes an advocate after finding out her dream of motherhood will be altered; and Dwayne takes what he picked up back to the football field. Show you appreciate these extraordinary storytellers by making a donation in any amount at give.worldchannel.org/stories.

Despite losing her hair to chemo, Leslie finds beauty in her Blackness; Daniel and his partner use humor to cope with caregiving; and Mel fights the odds to overcome leukemia to become a runner. Show you appreciate these extraordinary storytellers by making a donation in any amount at give.worldchannel.org/stories.

Brandon Kazen-Maddox bridges the gap between their deaf grandma and a police officer; a severe allergic reaction turn Sara Kaminski’s family vacation upside down; and Jeff Belanger takes on Mt. Kilimanjaro to raise money for cancer research. Show you appreciate these extraordinary storytellers by making a donation in any amount at give.worldchannel.org/stories.

Drew Prochaska’s brother, a scuba instructor, helps him overcome his fear of water; Mary Liz Nogueras and her family foster a young boy, only to realize his brother also needs them; and when MaryAnn Emerick develops an eating disorder, her sister steps in. Show you appreciate these extraordinary storytellers by making a donation in any amount at give.worldchannel.org/stories.

Rebecca Lampert and her sons experience the many trials of military deployment; Joseph Collymore Small’s siblings rally when one of them is diagnosed with cancer; and after their father abandons the family, Anna Conathan and her sibs navigate the fallout. Show you appreciate these extraordinary storytellers by making a donation in any amount at give.worldchannel.org/stories.

Vojislav finds a way to connect with his son with a disability; Alexis finally confronts the power of addiction and denial; and Irene discovers that in the face of racism, a great teacher can make a difference. Show you appreciate these extraordinary storytellers by making a donation in any amount at give.worldchannel.org/stories.

Michelle La Poetica Richardson’s outlook transforms when she becomes the subject of a community art project; at 18, Annie Tan assumes the financial burdens of her Chinese immigrant family; and Elena Yureneva takes a chance on love - and life - when she moves to the U.S. from Moscow. Show you appreciate these extraordinary storytellers by making a donation in any amount at give.worldchannel.org/stories.

Raúl moves from El Paso to Boston and finds his artistic voice; Hannah buys a beloved community bookstore on the eve of the pandemic; and Rita makes a bold decision about her lifelong search for a mother. Show you appreciate these extraordinary storytellers by making a donation in any amount at give.worldchannel.org/stories.

Szifra Birke discovers the hidden meaning of her Jewish name; U-Meleni Mhlaba-Adebo celebrates her name as she sows seeds of renewal in the U.S.; and Sofia Colombo-Abdullah finds that her name carries both power and identity. Show you appreciate these extraordinary storytellers by making a donation in any amount at give.worldchannel.org/stories.

Jason discovers his voice and sees himself in a new light; Jackie embarks on a daring career change that leads to joy; and Judah changes his name and learns to trust his inner voice. Show you appreciate these extraordinary storytellers by making a donation in any amount at give.worldchannel.org/stories.

U-Meleni Mhlaba-Adebo brings her son to a protest of George Floyd’s death; and Harold Cox shows how fear of the police affects his everyday life. Show you appreciate these extraordinary storytellers by making a donation in any amount at give.worldchannel.org/stories.

Tae Chong crosses cultural barriers to find love; Diane Parker Mullens turns to a how-to book to find her ideal partner; and Kevin Gallagher fights to overcome his fear of marriage and finally tie the knot. Show you appreciate these extraordinary storytellers by making a donation in any amount at give.worldchannel.org/stories.

Linda learns the difference between curses and kindness; ToRena works to recover economically after the 2008 crash; and Marlon uses comedy to lessen the pain of war. Show you appreciate these extraordinary storytellers by making a donation in any amount at give.worldchannel.org/stories.

Micaela Blei, the grandchild of Holocaust survivors, faces choices about exploring German culture; Anita De Ruvo lives in poverty within a community of great wealth; and after being mistaken for a homeless person Biar Kon expands his view of humanity. Show you appreciate these extraordinary storytellers by making a donation in any amount at give.worldchannel.org/stories.

After divorcing, Laura forges a new relationship; Saket finds kinship after immigrating; and Mackenzie breaks new ground by taking on a "man's job." Show you appreciate these extraordinary storytellers by making a donation in any amount at give.worldchannel.org/stories.

Erin Barker navigates her first steps into puberty; Dyan deNapoli’s first encounter with a penguin takes her halfway across the globe; and Ali Abdullatif’s dad helps ease the pain of his first car accident. Show you appreciate these extraordinary storytellers by making a donation in any amount at give.worldchannel.org/stories.

In response to racism, Salil Patel takes a different path; after COVID isolation, Estella Ngufor decides to reach out to her neighbors; and Katie Liesener attempts a new approach after a disastrous first day on the job. Show you appreciate these extraordinary storytellers by making a donation in any amount at give.worldchannel.org/stories.

Shweta Bhatt discovers that changing one's appearance to fit in has its drawbacks; Jenny Herzog tries her hand at tap dancing to get over the pandemic blues; and Carol Carson, who struggled through high school, tries to find a college where she’ll fit in. Show you appreciate these extraordinary storytellers by making a donation in any amount at give.worldchannel.org/stories.

Gastor Almonte goes above and beyond to satisfy his wife’s sweet cravings; Claire Cheney travels the world to hunt exotic spices and heal her broken heart; and Juan Pedrosa conjures a memorable meal...despite some challenges. Show you appreciate these extraordinary storytellers by making a donation in any amount at give.worldchannel.org/stories.

Christine donates a kidney to a stranger; Stacey dreams of one gift but gets another; and on the night of her first high school dance, Mary gets an amazing gift from her dad. Show you appreciate these extraordinary storytellers by making a donation in any amount at give.worldchannel.org/stories.

Andy Davis experiences a new way to relate to his identical twin; Carla Katz battles bureaucracy to bury her mother alongside her father; and Valerie Gagliano connects a deceased donor with someone in need of a new liver. Show you appreciate these extraordinary storytellers by making a donation in any amount at give.worldchannel.org/stories.

David Dean Bottrell discovers his passion after stealing the school play's spotlight; Andrea Kamen’s bright menorah cuts through the darkness of anti-semitism; and Joe Charnitski tries to break a nightmare-before-Christmas bad luck streak. Show you appreciate these extraordinary storytellers by making a donation in any amount at give.worldchannel.org/stories.

Samantha Lee helps her dance students feel less pressure by making a change; Vernon Payne discovers the reason why men want to do better by women; and Haley Hamilton finds compassion for bar patrons who spoil her day. Show you appreciate these extraordinary storytellers by making a donation in any amount at give.worldchannel.org/stories.

Lani Peterson’s cooking mistake becomes a family secret; Melanée Addison tests her adulthood through the ultimate challenge: the Thanksgiving turkey; Heather Rodman honors her father by running a road race dressed as Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer; and Matthew Dicks gathers his courage to stand up to his girlfriend’s tough as nails dad during Thanksgiving dinner. Show you appreciate these extraordinary storytellers by making a donation in any amount at give.worldchannel.org/stories.

As a case manager working with refugees, former military Kevin Dutremble challenges his assumptions about others; after penpalling her brother’s Navy buddies, Juli-anne Whitney Jensen understands the impact of her letters; and Jim Griffin tries to connect with his brother killed in the Vietnam War. Show you appreciate these extraordinary storytellers by making a donation in any amount at give.worldchannel.org/stories.

Donna discovers herself a foreigner in her own country; M.J. jumps into action when trouble strikes at her polling station; and Eric becomes a viable candidate when another drops out. Show you appreciate these extraordinary storytellers by making a donation in any amount at give.worldchannel.org/stories.

After a devastating gas explosion, Gladys Wangeci Gitau-Damaskos helps her neighborhood fight back; Eben Bein switches careers to advocate for climate equity; and Antonio Rocha's spontaneous protest sparks a media frenzy in Brazil. Show you appreciate these extraordinary storytellers by making a donation in any amount at give.worldchannel.org/stories.

Philip Martin navigates civil rights strife in Boston, MA; Anne Stuart manages a local news phone line as Nixon’s White House collapses; and Jeff Howe gives a disastrous speech with a very influential guest in the audience. Hosted by Wes Hazard. Show you appreciate these extraordinary storytellers by making a donation in any amount at give.worldchannel.org/stories.

Gabriel Cheong looks for the imprint of the father he barely knew; Ariel Brown makes a new family after being bullied for her queerness; and Kathleen Haley's life is changed by an encounter with a cousin from El Salvador. Show you appreciate these extraordinary storytellers by making a donation in any amount at give.worldchannel.org/stories.

This Indigenous Peoples’ Day, hear how Maulian Dana fights to ban "Indian" mascots in Maine schools, as well as two other stories of causing “good trouble”: Ronald Smith stands up for his integrated marriage, while Dr. Wanda Castro_Borrero’s boss pushes back against patients who don’t want to see her because of her name. Show you appreciate these extraordinary storytellers by making a donation in any amount at give.worldchannel.org/stories.

Rosanna discovers that friendship can cross all borders; Ana describes her last night at home before leaving Cuba forever; and Michele turns lemons into lemonade when she gets busted moonlighting. Show you appreciate these extraordinary storytellers by making a donation in any amount at give.worldchannel.org/stories.

Luciana strives for a new definition of beauty after experiencing sudden hair loss; Su extends a helping hand, even though it means breaking the rules; and Robin shows her fellow EMTs that women can excel. Show you appreciate these extraordinary storytellers by making a donation in any amount at give.worldchannel.org/stories.

Brandon Kazen-Maddox bridges the gap between their deaf grandma and a police officer; a severe allergic reaction turn Sara Kaminski’s family vacation upside down; and Jeff Belanger takes on Mt. Kilimanjaro to raise money for cancer research. Show you appreciate these extraordinary storytellers by making a donation in any amount at give.worldchannel.org/stories.

From time to time, it's okay to lessen our expectations – but expecting more should be the norm. Norah Dooley proves that women can measure up in the Boston Marathon; Corey Manning‘s experience with prostate cancer makes him an advocate for testing among Black men, and Candace Nelson uses microfinancing to help Tanzanian women better their lives. Show you appreciate these extraordinary storytellers by making a donation in any amount at give.worldchannel.org/stories.

Twenty years ago, the events of 9/11 changed the world. People everywhere struggled to make sense of the terrible act and to rebuild their lives in its aftermath. After the death of his father on 9/11, David Filipov goes to Afghanistan, where a simple Pop-Tart takes on a whole new meaning. Sociology professor Michael Sargent confronts his biases on an airplane. And Jude Treder-Wolff finds seeds of hope to fuel her work as a Clinical Social Worker and Creative Arts Therapist. Show you appreciate these extraordinary storytellers by making a donation in any amount at give.worldchannel.org/stories.

The love of two dogs enriches Lina Coral’s life after she is left blind; Ron Goldman comes to understand a tragedy through the loss of his dog; and Amanda Goodwin discovers that a broken romance can be healed by a chance meeting. Show you appreciate these extraordinary storytellers by making a donation in any amount at give.worldchannel.org/stories.

In this episode, Reverend Mariama White-Hammond gets down and dirty for a cause. Myles Green stops ignoring his stutter and takes a turn as a public speaker. And Tereza Lee speaks up about her undocumented status – and changes the world. Show you appreciate these extraordinary storytellers by making a donation in any amount at give.worldchannel.org/stories.

Stories from the Stage is back with more extraordinary true stories…perfect for road trips and the long days ahead! If these stories have made you laugh and cry, helped you remember your family or gotten you to consider life in another person’s shoes -- please show your support right now by making a donation at give.worldchannel.org/stories.

Tonight’s tellers share those moments when they stood up, spoke out, and changed everything. Andy Vargas takes his political activism door-to-door. Katie Liesener discovers how compassion can cross the language barrier. And Yvette Modestin battles exclusion by creatively redefining her Blackness. Hosted by Theresa Okokon.

The late John Lewis took pride in creating "good trouble" and standing up against unfairness. Maulian Dana fights to ban "Indian" mascots in Maine schools; Ronald Smith stands up for his integrated marriage; Dr. Wanda Castro-Borrero's boss pushes back against patients who don't want to see her because of her name.

There's nothing worse than the moment when we lose something precious. And there's nothing more satisfying than finding something that we thought was lost. James Griffin tries to connect with his brother, who was killed in the Vietnam War.

Growing up Black in America means forging cultural bonds, struggling for visibility, and all too often, receiving unearned judgment. Valerie Tutson teaches her students about Africa's greatest explorer; Angie Chatman learns about how far we have come and how far we have to go in a chance encounter she will never forget.

Comedic storyteller Susanne Schmidt shares two of her favorite childhood adventures: an "extreme camping" trip with her family, and her Janis Joplin lookalike nanny, who invented an new Olympic competition riding pillows down the staircase.

A missed connection doesn't necessarily mean loss; it could be a chance for redemption. While dating after having a mastectomy, Musu-Kulla Massaquoi finds a friend who likes her the way she is.

You can’t win if you don’t play. And playing can make all the difference. Nora Meiners fills in the blanks as the missing pieces person at a jigsaw puzzle company; Olympian ski jumper Nick Fairall tells how one leap changed his life forever; and on his first hunting trip, John Stewart fears disappointing his dad, an avid hunter. Three storytellers, three interpretations of GAME ON!, hosted by Wes Hazard.

Day by day, meal by meal, food becomes a part of who we are. Javed Rezayee tests his meager cooking skills against those of his father, a talented professional chef; Jo Radner's mother astonishes her family by baking a pie for dinner; Juan Pedrosa conjures a memorable meal despite a multitude of challenges.