Samantha Allen; photo provided.
In partnership with Indiana Public Radio and the broader NPR network, The Facing Project Radio Show has expanded to a weekly program in 2024. We’re bringing new life to stories in our archives, and putting empathy front and center through voice actors, themed episodes, and discussions with artists, authors, and peace activists who are using their work to create a more understanding and empathetic world.
Tune-in Saturdays at 11 a.m. EST–or if you miss a Saturday, you can get us wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts!
June 1, 2024 (1 hour) –
Hillbilly Queer
Hosts J.R. Jamison and Kelsey Timmerman explore identity and family, and discuss J.R.’s memoir Hillbilly Queer—a gripping tale of two men who see the world differently, one a gay liberal highbrow and the other a working-class Trump supporter, and their travels together to rural Missouri at the height of the 2016 election to uncover truths about their family’s past.
Athletes & Activism
An NFL player who grew up without a father figure starts a nonprofit for single mothers, and a collegiate basketball star stands up for mental health after the suicide of teammate.
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June 8, 2024 (1 hour) –
The Invisible Poor
A once homeless woman sees home as more than only a physical space, and a homeless man in Georgia just wants to be seen.
Covert Racism
Three women—one Black, one Muslim, and one Native American—share what their lives are like in a predominately white mid-sized Midwestern community.
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June 15, 2024 (1 hour) –
Beyond the Binary
A trans man in Ohio shares his journey with hormone therapy; a non-binary person in Indiana finds acceptance at home; and an Ohio pastor who struggled with her faith and identify eventually finds peace at the pulpit.
Afghanistan, My Neighbor
Host J.R. Jamison explores the past and present of Afghanistan and shares the story of Dr. Mohammad Saber Bahrami, a man who fled the country after the Soviets invaded in 1979 and made Muncie, Indiana, his new home. Special guest: Bibi Bahrami, Dr. Bahrami’s wife and the founder of AWAKEN, a nonprofit that provides key educational programs, vocational opportunities, healthcare services, and timely emergency assistance to women and children in Afghanistan.
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June 22, 2024 (1 hour) –
Life After Prison
A woman in Wisconsin with a felony conviction works on a new life with her kids, and a retired prison doctor dedicates his life to re-entry program reform. Special guest: Dr. Jacqueline B. Frank, professor of aging studies and human services at Eastern Illinois University, whose research focuses on long-term incarceration and life after prison.
Teachers Are Heroes
A tale of three teachers: one who stays in the classroom despite external pressures, another who uses empathy to teach the importance of diversity, and one who decides to make her own kind of change—at the statehouse.
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June 29, 2024 (1 hour) –
NEW episode: Writing Unexpected Plot Lines and Finding Community with Award-winning Author Samantha Allen
Host J.R. Jamison sits down with GLAAD award-winning journalist Samantha Allen—author of Real Queer America: LGBT Stories from Red States, and the novels Patricia Wants to Cuddle and the forthcoming Roland Rogers Isn’t Dead Yet.