Stories From The Stage

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.

Summertime is upon us. As the days stretch longer and the sun shines brighter and hotter, anything seems possible. 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.

Road Trip! On the highway where anything can happen, take a ride on a journey that changed everything. 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.

Stories from the Stage brings you a podcast perfect for road trips and these long summer days. Extraordinary real stories of love and loss, personal courage, everyday adventures, shocking revelations, and unexpected triumphs that reveal our shared humanity. Hosted by Liz Cheng and Patricia Alvarado Núñez, executive producers and co-creators of the series.

Remember high school? While it’s the place to learn a lot and make friends for life, for some it can mean challenges, uncertainty and shame. Teen storyteller Cecilia Viveiros battles a hidden learning disability that leaves her high school teachers, her parents, and Cecilia herself baffled. A year after her story, we join her as she goes to college in New York City.

The twists and turns of a journey can lead to an unpredicted discovery. 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.

A pair of memorable stories about throwing caution to the wind and risking it all at a moment‘s notice. Korean-American Eson Kim is held at gunpoint in her family’s store, and Christine Gentry donates a kidney to a stranger.

Courage is acting despite fear. Courtney Pong shuts down misogynistic stand-up comics and discovers the power of her voice, and Praveen Sahay oversees Mozambique's tumultuous first democratic elections as a UN Peacekeeper.

Why not risk it all for love? Stories of unexpected romance: Nimisha Ladva breaks her parents’ rules and dates outside her Indian culture, and Jeff Simmermon sells all his possessions and crosses the globe to meet and settle down with his Internet love.

Immigrants and their children forge lives in the US while maintaining connections to their past. Grace shares how a green station wagon helped transform her family into Americans. Szifra discovers the hidden meaning of her Polish Jewish name.

Gianmarco Soresi jumps from a plane and into an epiphany about love; Brendyn Schneider risks a first kiss, and Alison Tocci fulfills her colorful dad's last wish with a wake in the family tavern.

Teacher and artist Annemarie Whilton describes her daughter's Sarah's descent into substance use disorder, her rescue from a drug den, and her journey toward recovery.

Meet Ashley Rose, a poet, writer, teacher and advocate for restorative justice. As a child, Ashley witnessed a sunny day turn into a nightmare when dark waters rose up from the basement to take over her home. Ashley takes us back to the neighborhood street that was destroyed by a man-made disaster and explores how this traumatic incident turned her into a crusader for others. Bronze Winner, 2022 Inaugural Signal Awards, Individual Episodes: Most Inspirational Podcast

We all love stories about new Americans, especially when they overcome adversity. Roxy Azari experiences love & hate on an overcast journey to the iconic Ellis Island; Tereza Lee speaks up about her undocumented status—and changes the world; and Rosanna Salcedo discovers that friendship knows no borders.

Welcome to the launch of the Stories from the Stage podcast, hosted by Liz Cheng and Patricia Alvarado Núñez, executive producers and co-creators of the series. The Stories from the Stage podcast features the most memorable stories and, in some cases -- their ‘next chapter’ – what happened after tellers left the stage.