The Facing Project

Creating empathy through stories that inspire action.

Author: Indiana Public Radio

Hosted by J.R. Jamison, each episode's theme is explored through a variety of engaging avenues, from performances of stories from different points-of-view collected using The Facing Project's story sharing model, to interviews with storytellers, artists, and bestselling authors exploring complex topics we all face -- leaving listeners with the courage to share their own stories and the empathy to listen to others.
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Language: en-us

Genres: Personal Journals, Society & Culture

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Always Carry Salt, with Author, Playwright, and Journalist Samantha Ellis
Episode 1
Friday, 30 January, 2026

J.R. Jamison sits down with Samantha Ellis to journey through time, language, and cultural connectivity as the two explore her new memoir, Always Carry Salt. The daughter of Iraqi Jewish refugees, Samantha grew up surrounded by the noisy, vivid, hot sounds of Judeo-Iraqi Arabic; a language that’s on the verge of extinction. Now, raising her own family, she questions how to pass on this heritage without passing on the trauma of displacement. Always Carry Salt is a life-affirming tale of resilience and repair, the healing power of our ancestor's music, stories, and recipes, and a moving meditation on the words and traditions that shape us.