Queers Anonymous by A

Is there a certain route you know like the back of your hand? WADUP producer Mollie Davidson looks back over a journey she has done countless times in her life and what it means to her and others who walked the same route every day for years. ------------------------------ Episode production: Mollie Davidson Special thanks to: Everyone who spoke to Mollie about their route to school especially Holly, Fred and Balázs. Story coaching: Miranda Dixon Hosted by: Ekram Esmael Mixing: Laura Brierley Newton Theme music: James Taylor and the SoundMix team with Yousef Essa at the UK Refugee Council Episode art: Mollie Davidson Release date: 21/12/2021

23 year old WADUP producer Yasmin from Mogadishu looks at what makes a friendship, and whether online friends or IRL friends are stronger. ------------------------------ Episode production: Yasmin Afrah Special thanks to: Lieban, Huda and Mahammad Story coaching: Irit Pollak Hosted by: Ekram Esmael Mixing: Laura Brierley Newton Theme music: James Taylor and the SoundMix team with Yousef Essa at the UK Refugee Council Episode art: Marcus Tan de Bibiana Episode music: Blue Dot Sessions Release date: 13/12/2021

WADUP producer A goes on a personal journey to find out what it means to be queer and  questions whether someone can be accepted and embraced as part of the queer community when it’s not safe for them to ‘come out of the closet’. ------------------------------ Episode production: A  Special thanks to:  Dee, Amani, Ria and V Story coaching: Laura Brierley Newton Hosted by: Ekram Esmael  Mixing: Laura Brierley Newton  Theme music: James Taylor and the SoundMix team with Yousef Essa at the UK Refugee Council  Episode art: Episode music: Siddharta Corsus - Free Music Archive, JayJen - Free Stock Music, Kabbalistic Village - Free Stock Music Release date: 04/12/2021

Have you heard of the Caucasus Mountains? Nestled amongst them are an ancient people called the Avars. WADUP producer Mahammad Kekalov is of the Avar people. In his episode Mahammad shares with us the struggle of trying to preserve the culture and traditions of his people. ------------------------------ Episode production: Mahammad Kekalov Special thanks to:  Könül Aliyeva, Shahru Shabanov and Sevinj Usullayeva Story coaching: Lisa Taylor Hosted by: Ekram Esmael Mixing: Laura Brierley Newton Theme music: James Taylor and the SoundMix team with Yousef Essa at the UK Refugee Council Episode art: Ehtiram Jabí Episode music: Highlander Avar: Хадис Сабиев - "магıарулал" - Горец Release date: 25/11/2021

What would you do if your entire identity was turned upside down in the space of 24 hours? Producer Katie Campbell shares her story of going from working at a camp in America to finding herself navigating hospitals, surgeries and survival. ------------------------------ Episode production: Katie Campbell Special thanks to: Katie’s mum, dad, brother, Lee Anne, Ellen and Zulfi. Story coaching: Jordan Gass-Poore' Hosted by: Ekram Esmael Mixing: Laura Brierley Newton Theme music: James Taylor and the SoundMix team with Yousef Essa at the UK Refugee Council Episode art: Katie Campbell Episode music: Audio Network Release date: 17/11/2021

What makes a home? Producer Maryam Mohammed Muayad goes in search of what home means to her as she and her family move from Baghdad, Iraq, to Amman, Jordan, and then to Erbil, in Kurdistan Iraq.  ------------------------------ Episode production: Maryam Mohammed Muayad Special thanks to: Sima Aziz, Ghazalah Jango, Ethar Ameen, Shirin Tariq, Fatima Fars, Nagham Zeyad, Gheed Muayad Story coaching: Miranda Dixon Hosted by: Ekram Esmael Mixing: Laura Brierley Newton Theme music: James Taylor and the SoundMix team with Yousef Essa at the UK Refugee Council Episode art: Maryam Mohammed Muayad Episode music: Blue Dot Sessions, Free Music Archive: Farzad Farhangi and Serge Quadrado Release date: 9/11/2021

For many people, food sits at the center of their community, it's a way to bring people together as they share a meal and connect with each other. Balenji Mwiche dives into the food of her Zambian background and why for so long she turned her back on it in preference for more English cuisine. She explores what food means to her, her family, and to others in the community. ------------------------------ Episode production: Balenji Mwiche Special thanks to: Balenji's mother Thandi Zulu, Titi at AfroChops, founder and creator of TIFF Abigail Olaleye Story coaching: Belinda Naylor Hosted by: Ekram Esmael Mixing: Laura Brierley Newton Theme music: James Taylor and the SoundMix team with Yousef Essa at the UK Refugee Council Episode art: Yousef Esa Episode music: Free Music Archive: Bless Ups by Ketsa, LArgent appelle largent by Pamelo Mounka. Bayuda by Jose Chameleone Release date: 3/11/2021

Our first episode for Season two is called  ‘Rebuilding’. Over the past few years we’ve witnessed more young people standing up and fighting for their future and the future of their communities. In today’s episode 24 year old Madhav Datt from New Delhi shares stories of young people in India and Bangladesh who’ve turned experiences of adversity into positive change. ------------------------------ Episode production: Madhav Datt Special thanks to: Shomy Hasan Chowdhury, Shreya Aneja , Devika Narayanan, Tanay Raghavendra and Pulkit Mahajan Story coaching: Irit Pollak Hosted by: Ekram Esmael Mixing: Laura Brierley Newton Theme music: James Taylor and the SoundMix team with Yousef Essa at the UK Refugee Council Episode art: Devanshu Bhardwaj (www.bluntpencil.in) Episode music: Blue Dot Sessions Release date: 26.10.21 ------------------------------ Shomy Hasan Chowdhury is a multi-award-winning Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) activist from Bangladesh. Shomy is the Co-Founder of global youth-led org Awareness 360, a Global Changemakers Fellow, a US Dept. of State Alumna, a Global Citizen Youth Advocate, the Asia Representative of the Commonwealth Students’ Association, a Royal Commonwealth Society Fellow, Youth Advisory Board Member of Youth Combating NTDs, a certified Commonwealth Leader, Commonwealth Youth Forum 2021 International Taskforce Policy Lead, a Global Youth Ambassador for Theirworld UK, a TEDx Speaker, a Schwarzman Scholar '21-22, and an International Election Observer. She has addressed keynotes and inspired millions across 5 continents. She has received many recognitions for her social work of over a decade, notably the President’s Volunteer Service Award (Gold) from President Barack Obama and the Princess Diana Legacy Award. She was titled as a UNDP-Samsung Global Generation17 Young Leader and was named to the 2021 Forbes 30 Under 30 list in the Social Impact category. Shreya Aneja is an architect and a student at Architectural Association, London - pursuing a Master of Architecture degree in Sustainable Environmental Design. She is also a Design Consultant at UK based NGO, Nostos Homes, which builds homes for forcibly displaced people. She is a professional Kathak dancer and an avid spoken word poet. Madhav Datt founded Green the Gene as a small environmental club in his school when he was 8 years old. Today, Green the Gene is one of the world’s largest completely youth-led environmental non-profits, with over 7,000 young volunteers and projects in 62 countries. Madhav was named to the Forbes 30 under 30 list in the social impact category in 2021. His work has received international recognition including from HRH Prince William, Prime Minister of India, CTO of Tesla, Royal Commonwealth Society, and Audi. Madhav co-founded Nostos Homes, and chairs its Board of Trustees.

WADUP co-produces audio stories with young people across the world. In our second season producers from Azerbaijan, India, Somalia, Kurdistan, Scotland and England will be sharing their stories of connection. They take us into deeply personal stories of recovery and share wisdom on friendship and reconnecting with our roots.  Subscribe to be the first to hear WADUP Season two! To find out more about WADUP visit wadupwadup.com or follow us on instagram @wadup_productions

The Middle Aisle was written by WADUP producer Ahlaam, she's 19 and from Birmingham in the UK.  This episode is about a place many of us know well... the mysterious, alluring, wonderfully unpredictable middle aisles at Aldi supermarkets.