Let’s (Not) Talk About It

“Dressing as a woman for the first drag for the first time certainly had an enormous impact on my life.” An award-winning author, artist and journalist with Ivy League degrees, Meredith Talusan’s story has humble beginnings. She grew up in a rural village in the Philippines, born an albino boy. As the only light-skinned and light-haired child for miles and miles -- who also happened to like other boys -- Meredith was used to feeling different. But when she immigrated to the U.S., her sense of cognitive dissonance deepened further. All of a sudden, she was perceived as an able-bodied, native-born American. By the time she got to Harvard, Meredith found herself reflecting over issues around race, class, sexuality and her place within the gay community. But a drag show would change the trajectory of her story -- and illuminate a path toward her true self. https://letsnottalkaboutit.com Hosts: Camille Tuutti Sharon Tiger Amanda Ziadeh Guest: Meredith Talusan, author of "Fairest" Expert: Dr. Akua K. Boateng Editor: Tessa Hall Behind the Scenes: Lisa Abeyta Music:  “Incoming” by Jeffrey C. Mund  "Arms of Gold" by Tape Machines

“There's a tremendous amount of stigma about coming forward, especially for men.”  It wasn’t until Phil Goldstein was 30 years old he began unpacking a childhood trauma subconsciously affecting his adult life. As a kid, Phil was sexually abused by his older brother, and he kept it to himself for years, along with feelings of shame, guilt and fear. But when Phil met the woman who'd become his wife, sex and intimacy problems led him to therapy, where he opened up about his childhood sexual abuse. Already an established journalist, Phil is about to become a published author with a poetry book that narrates his trauma and emotions in their rawest forms. He found solace in expressive poetry, and has chosen to combine that passion with speaking out about something so stigmatized. https://letsnottalkaboutit.com National Sexual Assault Telephone Hotline, operated by RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network): 1-800.656.HOPE (4673)  Hosts: Camille Tuutti Sharon Tiger Amanda Ziadeh Guest: Phil Goldstein, author of "How to Bury a Boy at Sea" (Stillhouse Press) Expert: Dr. Akua K. Boateng Editor: Tessa Hall Behind the Scenes: Lisa Abeyta Music:  “Incoming” by Jeffrey C. Mund  "Arms of Gold" by Tape Machines

“Every single day was just complete hell.” Ashley Brumbaugh’s father was her hero without a cape. So, when he was diagnosed with cancer, Ashley fell apart. Internalized stress led to chronic pain, which brought about an addiction to painkillers at 14. After her father died, Ashley spent years in and out of depression, self-isolation and substance abuse. But this wasn’t the end of her trauma. While in recovery, Ashley was trapped in an abusive relationship that lasted 6 years. Eventually, she left when her abuser was at work -- and she never looked back. Today, Ashley is a writer helping people escape the real world through storytelling. https://letsnottalkaboutit.com National Domestic Violence Support Hotline: Call 1-800-799-7233 or text SAFE to 88788 Hosts: Camille Tuutti Sharon Tiger Amanda Ziadeh Guest: Ashley Brumbaugh Expert: Dr. Akua K. Boateng Editor: Tessa Hall Behind the Scenes: Lisa Abeyta Music:  “Incoming” by Jeffrey C. Mund  "Arms of Gold" by Tape Machines

"I knew that if we were to share people's stories, we would help connect others and help others find a positive path forward in some way." For two seasons, we've shared the stories of ordinary people overcoming extraordinary struggles -- and now, it's time for our story! In this bonus episode, we share the genesis of the podcast, who we are and why we're doing this. We also highlight some of the episodes that resonated especially with us -- although it's hard to pick a few: Marcus Bullock from episode Picture Your Son in Prison Evelyn Chumbow from episode Modern-Day Slavery in the Land of the Free Kaitlin Roig-DeBellis from From Horror to Hope: A Sandy Hook Survivor Story Sulome Anderson from episode Beyond Borderline Ritu Adams from episode When Men Kill Women Amber Hart from episode Hungry for an Identity We also give our podcast expert, Dr. Akua K Boateng, a shoutout for her tremendous work as a licensed psychotherapist and for helping us understand and make sense of trauma. We'll be back next week with another regular episode. In the meanwhile, let's keep talking about it -- life is hard AF and  sharing it shouldn't be. https://letsnottalkaboutit.com Hosts: Camille Tuutti Sharon Tiger Amanda Ziadeh Editor: Tessa Hall Behind the Scenes: Lisa Abeyta Music:  “Incoming” by Jeffrey C. Mund  "Arms of Gold" by Tape Machines