Producer’s Choice

You guessed it. These are pieces on topics and themes chosen by the producers.

 

Salsa Night, by Reem Alfahad

Salsa night at Cuban Revolution has become an indispensable part of Reem Alfahad’s time at Duke. In fact, a strikingly varied bunch of Durham Residents make their way every Thursday to share in the tight magnetic spaces of Latin energy. What is it about salsa dancing?

 

Granville County Water, by Miranda Chien-Hale

Key members of the Granville County community, including Tony Santangello, Joel Ospey, David Hinton, Marshall Floyd, Frank McKay and Paul Westfall, have shared the Fishing Creek watershed for many years. This piece highlights the background of Granville in terms of the natural history of nearby streams, people, and industry. It also touches upon potential water quality issues going forward.

 

Letter To My Little Brother, by Katie Fernelius

Yemi Adewuyi is the oldest son of immigrant parents. Race is always a complicated subject at home because it is still an unfamiliar topic for his parents who grew up with little conception of race or racism in their home country of Nigeria. In the wake of recent media attention concerning police brutality against people of color, Yemi feels tasked with starting the conversation with his little brother about what it means to grow up as a black man in America.

 

Quiet Please: A Look at the Lives of Introverted Teachers, by Abby Gerdes

What happens when introverts pursue highly social careers such as teaching? Is it possible for introverts to be their authentic selves in the front of the classroom? Producer Abby Gerdes talks to introverted teachers in Durham, North Carolina to find out.

 

Questions, by Qathi Hart

A major shift in identity, a transition from one self to another, is a challenge for the person making the shift. And for his or her loved ones.

 

Me Too, by Louise Kendaru

What does it mean to speak someone else’s words as your own? How does it feel to hear your darkest secrets exposed to an audience? What do we learn from listening to someone else’s struggles? This piece explores the unique process of the Duke student production, Me Too Monologues.

 

Car Modifications, by Sachin Patel

Vrooooom, the modified Honda Civic screeches as it blasts down the street. “How obnoxious, why would anyone want to make their car look and sounds like that?” is what many people ask. This culture of modifying cars however stems from genuine interest and fascination in cars, as well as having pride in your vehicle. In this piece, I look at this “ricer” culture by interviewing Kendrick Rhee, who himself has added modifications to multiple cars.

 

Mr. Unruhe, by Susannah Roberson

Steve Unruhe is a Journalism and Mathematics teacher at Riverside High School in Durham, NC. Listen as he explains why he loves to teaching, why he supports public education, and why, after 29 years, he’s planning to retire. Riverside journalism students Deirdre Logan, Marie Muir, Cy Neff, and Joelle Trollinger chime in to tell us what sets Mr. Unruhe apart as a one-of-a-kind teacher and mentor.

 

Returning From Abroad, by Malia Stephens

By the time a class graduates at Duke, about 45 percent of those students have studied abroad. Yet many never get the chance to tell the story of their experience. This piece explores the thoughts of some Duke students after they have returned from a semester abroad in places like Turkey, France, and Australia.

 

E.K. Powe, by Robert Vann

In Durham, North Carolina, students at E.K. Powe elementary receive social and emotional support from guidance counselor Laura Walton.  Walton works to improve learning outcomes for students but says that a large immigrant population, a diversity of students, and a limited budget make her job challenging. Nevertheless, Walton remains positive about the school and the children’s futures.

 

Angier Avenue, by Indaia Whitcombe

Samuel Jenkins owns Samuel and Sons Barber Shop on Angier Avenue in East Durham, North Carolina. He has seen a lot of changes come to the neighborhood over the years.

 

Strength in Weakness, by James Min

Rani Han was born and raised in Seoul, South Korea. She was the perfect child, student, and musician, attending all the right schools and collecting all the highest accolades. Despite such recognition, though, no one could seem to recognize who she was beyond these attributes. Heartbreak and turmoil many times characterized her life, but she did not show it. She had to be strong, or so she tried to be, until she found strength and rest in her Father above.

 

Mother, by Louise Kendaru

Louise’s mother has an unusual parenting philosophy. Mother and daughter reflect on her approach and the freedom she gave Louise. (Opening poem: Khalil Gibran – On Children)

 

Three Minute Call, by Indaia Whitcombe

A young woman describes a relationship with her father whose presence has been mostly absence.

 

War Photographer, by Qathi Hart

After a long mediation, regarding the pain of others, Qathi Hart reconciles with war photography.

 

Water Experts Speak, by Michanda Chien-Hale

An exploratory piece to understand what drives water experts at the Nicholas School and how these specialists conduct their day-to-day lives given their expansive knowledge.

 

Tinder Love, by Louise Kendaru

When we’re swiping through Tinder, what do we think? Do we see the people on the other side of the app? Can we see past the photos and a cheesy pick-up line? Or more importantly, do we see a possible connection? This piece explores a Tinder love story, and shows us that Tinder is what we make of it. Featuring Willa Townsend (& miscellaneous Duke students)

 

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