<p><strong>*Please hit the FOLLOW button to help support my work!*</strong></p>
<p>In January, I sent out <a href="https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/oACoJByrOBb" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferer"><strong>a request</strong></a> asking listeners to send in clips about what language means to them - regardless of if they can speak their native tongues or not. </p>
<p>And <strong>YOU </strong>all delivered! </p>
<p>In <strong>On Loving Our Language, </strong>we're exploring the benefits of being bilingual in a non-western languages in the US (i.e. having access to unique forms of media and television & the ability to connect with others) as well as some barriers (i.e. facing discrimination or forgoing access to healthcare or government aide).</p>
<p>We'll be looking at the stats about <em>who in our communities are bilingual </em>and what resources they are (or aren't) given. We also busting open the <strong>American Myth of Bilingualism</strong> - i.e. the idea that teaching your kids a second language + English will cause them to struggle with English.</p>
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<p><strong>Check out </strong><a href="https://twitter.com/radbrowndads?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferer"><strong>Ahmed Ali Akbar's</strong></a><strong> podcast </strong><a href="https://crooked.com/podcast-series/radiolingo/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferer"><strong>Radiolingo here!</strong></a></p>
<p><strong>Listen/read my story on </strong><a href="https://chicago2023.nextgenradio.org/chicago-therapist-lola-wang-create-home-lgbtq-communities-color/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferer"><strong>How a Queer Therapist is bringing bilingual (Mandarin Chinese to English) Mental Health Resources to people of color in Chicago</strong></a>!</p>
<ul>
<li>It aired on National Public Radio (NPR) and Chicago Public Media (WBEZ 91.5FM) last week, and is part of a series on what home means to our communities!</li>
</ul>
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<p>If you sent in a clip and didn't hear yourself featured here, stay tuned! This episode is <strong>the first half</strong> in a two part series called "<strong>On Loving and Losing Our Tongues</strong>" so please keep an eye out for the <strong>second-half</strong> featuring even more clips coming up in about a week. In this two part episode, we're hearing from listeners and friends of over a dozen unique ethnicities in Asia, Africa and the Middle East share what their native language means to them. </p>
<p>Part 2, On Losing Our Tongues, will cover what if feels like to <strong>struggle to speak your language</strong>, or to be <strong>unable to speak</strong> it altogether. </p>
<p><em>A very special thank you to everyone who sent in clips or interviewed with me for this episode: </em></p>
<ul>
<li>Daniel Lin, Ahmed Ali Akbar, Shruti Shah, Mukta Deia, Brian Chen, Meghali Mazumdar and Helen Li</li>
</ul>
<p>This is an episode made possible from viewers (<strong>*eh hem*</strong> I mean listeners) like you, so please give this a share to help support my storytelling. </p>
<p>Shukriya, thank you! </p>
<p>Image credits: Dall-E</p>
<p>Music credits: CC Creative Commons </p>
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