Conversations (Immigrating, ep. 2)

Immigrating is a conversation that happens across borders, generations, and versions of oneself. Grace and Justin talk across political differences. Unknown workers who forged the Transcontinental Railroad receive a new voice. Solmaz writes poetry to orient herself in the world. And Frankie and Francisco reflect on growing up in a new place.

This is part two of a two-part series. Listen to part one.

Host: Cathy Wong
Producers:​​ ​Carissa​ ​Cirelli,​ ​Noelle​ ​Chow,​ ​Jett​ ​Hayward,​ ​An-Li​ ​Herring,​ ​Julia​ ​Ingram,​ ​Louis​ ​Lafair,​ ​Rosie LaPuma,​ ​Yue​ ​Li,​ ​Jenny​ ​March,​ ​Kate​ ​Nelson,​ ​Jackson​ ​Roach,​ ​Helvia​ ​Taina,​ ​Melina​ ​Walling,​ ​Jake​ ​Warga, Eileen​ ​Williams,​ ​Cathy​ ​Wong
Show​ ​Music:​​ ​​johnny_ripper
Release date: 29 November 2017

Story 4: Grace and Justin

Grace and Justin send each other letters.

Producers:​​ ​Cathy​ ​Wong and ​Kate​ ​Nelson
Featuring:​​ ​Justin​ ​Hsuan and ​Grace
Music: “When in the West,” “Sage the Hunter,” and “Drone Pine” by Blue Dot Sessions

Image via Flickr

Story 5: Chinese Railroad Workers

The​ ​Central​ ​Pacific​ ​Railroad​ ​was​ ​completed​ ​in​ ​1869.​ ​150​ ​years​ ​later,​ ​we’re​ ​still​ ​searching for​ ​the​ ​stories​ ​of​ ​the​ ​people​ ​who​ ​laid​ ​out​ ​the​ ​tracks.

Producer:​ ​​Yue​ ​Li
Featuring:​​ ​Hilton​ ​Obenzinger,​ ​Barre​ ​Fong,​ ​Gordon​ ​Chang
Music: “Everything Ends Here” by Johnny Ripper; “More Weather,” “Waterbourne,” and “The Summit” by Blue Dot Sessions

Image via Wikimedia

Story 6: Solmaz

Solmaz​ ​Sharif​ ​wants​ ​to​ ​have​ ​the​ ​conversation​ ​we’re​ ​avoiding.

Producers:​​ ​Jackson​ ​Roach and Jett​ ​Hayward
Featuring:​​ ​Solmaz​ ​Sharif
Music: “c” and “m” by Gallery Six; “Krankenwagen im Stau” by rui; “Upward” and “It Moves Like A 500 Year Old Process” by junior85

Image via Flickr

Story 7: Frankie and Francisco

After​ ​immigrating​ ​from​ ​Mexico,​ ​Francisco​ ​Preciado​ ​Sr.​ ​gets​ ​a​ ​job​ ​as​ ​a​ ​groundskeeper​ ​at​ ​Stanford University.​ ​When​ ​his​ ​son,​ ​Francisco​ ​Preciado​ ​Jr.,​ ​applies​ ​to​ ​Stanford,​ ​they​ ​learn​ ​together​ ​what​ ​it​ ​means to​ ​carry​ ​on​ ​a​ ​family​ ​legacy​ ​in​ ​a​ ​new​ ​country.

Producers:​​ ​Louis​ ​Lafair and​ ​Melina​ ​Walling
Featuring:​​ ​Francisco​ ​Preciado​ ​Sr.​ ​and​ ​Francisco​ ​Preciado​ ​Jr.
Music: “An opener” by Bitbasic, “motion (johnny_ripper remix)” by noah, “Selbstheilend” by rui, “Pomp and Circumstance” by Edward Elgar and Miguel Flores

Image courtesy of Francisco Preciado Jr.