Happy 35th birthday, Athena!

We dive headlong into one family’s migration odyssey from Iraqi Kurdistan to Nashville.To really understand what this family — and so many others — were fleeing from, we need to go back to one terrible, pivotal day in 1988. And to do that, we need to go to Kurdistan.The Country in our Hearts is the story of how Nashville became home to the largest Kurdish diaspora in America is an epic one. A tale of bloody genocide, of freedom fighters, of stunning perseverance.But the story of the Kurdish people, no matter where they are, is a story about a country that only exists in the hearts of its people. And the lengths they’ll go to make it real.Guest Rose Gilbert, host and reporter of the podcastSeries Credits: Reported and produced by Rose Gilbert Edited and co-produced by Meribah Knight Additional editing by Tony Gonzalez, LaTonya Turner, and Rachel Iacovone, with help from Marianna Bacallao, Char Daston and Justin Barney Mack Linebaugh is Nashville Public Radio’s Vice President of Audience – and supported this project in many ways Our community and cultural advisors on this project were Dr. David Romano and Dilman Yasin Sound Design was done by Martin Cruz Fact checking by Daniel Potter And Original logo artwork is by Nuveen Barwari Traditional music by Arkan Doski With additional music from Blue Dot Sessions Special thanks to Paul McAdoo, Jennifer Nelson and to the village of Chalke, and the people there who showed Rose so much hospitality.

Science and religion are in a constant state of friction. But 100 years ago, that friction flared into a firestorm in Tennessee.In 1925, John Scopes, a 24-year-old high school science teacher in Dayton, decided to teach human evolution to his students even though the state had just outlawed it. He was put on trial, and Dayton was the center of international attention. Today, the impacts of what became known as the “Monkey Trial” are still rippling 100 years later. Plus, were you taught evolution in high school? Do you believe in creationism or evolution? Or both? The phone lines are open to take your calls.This episode was produced by Mary Mancini.Guests Wesley Roberts, retired Metro Nashville Public School teacher, native Nashvillian. Dr. Antonis Rokas, Cornelius Vanderbilt Chair of Biological Science and the Founding Director of the Evolutionary Studies Initiative at Vanderbilt University. Sophie Badgett, former biology student at Hume Fogg Links Scopes 100, Scopes Centennial Celebration, Dayton, TN Scopes “Monkey” Trial Centennial Symposium, Vanderbilt University

Do you want to live to 100 or longer?  It’s possible and could be commonplace within the next couple of decades. The new longevity requires serious money moves to have financial security for a long lifespan.The 100-Year-Opportunity is here, according to researchers at the Stanford Center on Longevity. They've also developed a guide for leading a quality, thriving life as we live longer called The Map of Life.  An important feature is creating new concepts, policies and services for longterm financial security, starting at birth.In our monthly series NEXT AGE, we’re having conversations about growing older and efforts to reframe aging in a way that helps all of us. This episode explores innovative programs like like RESET (Raising Economic Security to Enjoy Thriving), a free service offered by AgeWell Middle Tennessee and United Way of Greater Nashville.We also discussing options for older adults to hae housing security and affordability. A huge majority of people 50+ (75%) say they want to live in their own homes as they grow older, according to AARP.  We’ll look at unique ways some local adults who want to “age in place” are making that affordable. 

Welcome back to our second season of In My Place. This special series educates listeners on what communities like Nashville can do to prevent and end homelessness — while caring for our neighbors who are still unhoused.In our last episode, we discussed how providers support folks in limbo while they're waiting on application responses and hear how people cope in this liminal spaceIn this episode, our guests fill us in on what happens when the paperwork finally comes through and puzzle pieces start building a hopeful picture.Over the course of nine monthly episodes, we're learning what it feels like to access services and weave through our local homelessness and healthcare systems. And we're discussing what services work, what resources are missing, and what ideas our guests have for improvement.This series was created thanks in part to support from Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee and was produced by Judith Tackett.Guests: Alyssa Fernandez, director of permanent housing, Oasis Center Abdikadir Mohamed, Senior Rapid Rehousing Case Manager, Safe Haven Family Shelter Brandon Battle, housing stability guide, The Contributor Kipp Ochsner, resident at The Village at Glencliff Jesse Call, resident care manager at The Village at Glencliff Linda Bailey, co-editor of The Contributor

Charles William Ashworth is Charlie Peacock. And vice versa.Encouraged to move to Nashville in late eighties, Charlie steadily built a stellar career. As a songwriter, producer and industry executive, he won six Grammy Awards. His writing credits include two multi-platinum songs, “Every Heartbeat” by Amy Grant and “In the Light” by DC Talk. His production and development credits include The Civil Wars, The Lone Bellow and Switchfoot. And let's not forget he's also a jazz musician. It's no wonder Billboard named hime one of the 500 most important producers in pop music history.Now Charlie has written a memoir. Roots & Rhythm: A Life in Music is deeply contemplative, weaving together stories of ancestry, faith, personal growth and, of course, music. This conversation with Khalil Ekulona goes deep!This episode was produced by Mary Mancini.

Do you have a concern you would like him to address? Do you have a question about the direction of the city? Every month, Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell joins us to discuss the latest happenings in and around the city — and take your calls! Plus, we celebrate sixty years of Nashville's Metro Human Relations Commission with current executive director, Reverend Davie Tucker, Jr.This episode was produced by Mary Mancini.Guests Freddie O’Connell, Mayor, Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County Rev. Davie Tucker, Jr., executive director, Metro Human Relations Commission Further reading Nashville's next city budget includes a substantial tax increase (WPLN) How Metro was made (Nashvillager podcast)

One thing is true. What goes up must go down. That goes for relationships, that basketball you like to play with and even the city of Nashville.Recently, a study indicated Nashville is experiencing subsidence — or in simpler terms, the surface level is sinking. Experts continue to debate whether this phenomenon has any urgency. To shed light, we have geologists joining us to talk about what risks subsidence may pose, what causes it and how much human interaction comes into play. We’re also talking about what else is going on underneath our cowboy boots so Olivia Hill with Metro Council and Lipscomb Professor Monica Sartain join our panel to share how energy is transferred through tunnels and pipes and how infrastructure gets us to where we need to go.This episode was produced by Josh Deepan. Special thanks to Caroline Eggers and Tony Gonzalez. GUESTS: Manoochehr Shirzaei — Professor of Geophysics, Virginia Tech Olivia Hill — Nashville Metro Council at-large Monica Sartain — Associate Professor of Civil Engineering, Lipscomb University Michael Zoccola — retired Geotechnical Engineer, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Nashville District)

Bob Clement’s life has been a fascinating one.At 29, he became the youngest Tennessean elected to statewide office, a title he still holds today. After his time at the PSA, President Jimmy Carter tapped him for a spot on the board of Tennessee Valley Authority. In the late eighties, he ran and won the congressional race for the 5th district. He served for eight years. Now, as the Board President Emeritus of the Clement Railroad Hotel Museum in Dickson, he protects and curates the legacy of his father, Governor Frank G. Clement. Congressman Clement joins us today  share stories about his life and the extraordinary people he’s met along the way. Plus he examine his father’s legacy and ruminates on the state of politics and civil discourse today.

Like it or not, it’s snake season.They eat rats, mice and moles. Some good snakes even eat "bad" ones! They help keep lakes and rivers clean. Their venom has been used to treat diseases from high blood pressure to cancer. Whether it's a harmless corn snake or a coiled-up copperhead — rarely are they a welcome sight. But knowledge is power, so we’re taking on local herpetology! And we're doing it together. Bring us your questions on air.Whenever it’s Your Turn to Talk, call 615-760-2000 between noon and 1pm to join the conversation.This episode was produced by Mary Mancini.Guests Michael Meister, Natural Resource Manager, Tennessee State Parks Dr. Brian Miller. Biology Professor, MTSU Lindsey Patel, Snake Education Expert and Tennessee Snake Identification and Education Facebook Group Lisa Powers, Founding President of the Tennessee Herpetological Society Further Reading To the Rattlesnake by Vaida Stewart Montgomery - poem read by a caller A Guide to Snakes of Middle Tennessee (PDF), Dr. Brian Miller, MTSU Tennessee Snake IDentification and Education group (Facebook) Think twice before killing snakes this summer as it's illegal in Tennessee (NewsChannel 5)

Last month, rural Tennesseans, Hollywood actors and a live studio audience in New York City came together. On the agenda were issues that bind us.Theater of War is a New York theater company that "presents community-specific, theater-based projects that address pressing public health and social issues." Recently, they approached WPLN criminal justice reporter Paige Pfleger with a fascinating opportunity. Today we bring you the result – an esteemed group of Hollywood actors reading “In Rural Tennessee, Domestic Violence Victims Face Barriers to Getting Justice. One County Has Transformed Its Approach.” The piece, written by Paige Pfleger for WPLN and ProPublica, is read in its entirety. What follows is a post-performance conversation between people from one of Tennessee’s most rural areas and the audience in New York City.This episode was produced by Theater of War Productions, Liv Lombardi and Paige PflegerActors Debra Winger (Terms of Endearment, Urban Cowboy) Josh Hamilton (Eighth Grade, The Walking Dead) Daphne Rubin-Vega (In the Heights, Only Murders in the Building) Bill Irwin (Interstellar, Rachel Getting Married).