In 2012, Bana and her family bought round trip tickets to the United States, planning to return to Syria once the war ended. But things didn’t get better, and they didn’t go home. With time, they made a new home in West Virginia, opening a rest

Episode 12: Credits and Closure

May 14th, 2020 9m 32s

When I first began my explorations in the Arab world, I was a dedicated Spy Cluber with big dreams and closed mind. I was searching for good and bad. East and West. Right and wrong. And I looked. I looked hard. But I just found people … and sto

Episode 10: Chronicles from Gaza

Apr 30th, 2020 12m 52s

Air strikes. Denied permits. Restricted freedoms. This is Gaza. Gaza is a Palestinian territory occupied by the state of Israel. In Episode 10, we’ll meet a Palestinian family from Gaza who will tell us what life is really like on the ground.

Episode 9: What’s up with the Holy Land?

Apr 16th, 2020 23m 13s

It’s said that this land is holy; it’s said that this land is home. Yet both Israelis and Palestinians claim this land and they both call it home. Nearly a century since the establishment of the state of Israel, hostilities and injustice remain

Episode 8: History and Headlines: A Highlight Reel

Apr 2nd, 2020 24m 48s

Poverty in Appalachia. Protests in the Middle East. In both regions, conflict and struggle have been defined as cultural problems, self-inflicted and incurable. But are we in Appalachia just behind the times? And is the Middle East inherently p

Episode 7: A Man Named Solidarity

Mar 19th, 2020 21m 58s

Ted is Syrian, a refugee from a war torn country. But that’s just one of his stories, and it’s not the story you’ll hear today. Ted might be a refugee, but he’s an engineer, too. He’s a musician, an Uber Driver, and a Wendy’s Manager. He’s a fr

Episode 6: Stranger Danger!

Nov 8th, 2019 18m 29s

Stay alert. Lock the doors. Keep your eyes peeled, your phone on, and text me when you get home. Safety is important, but what happens when precaution is informed by prejudice? And when that prejudice is determined by color or culture? In E

Episode 5: A Really Bad Break Up: Parallel Journeys of Losing Faith

Oct 10th, 2019 21m 27s

Mohammed was devoutly Muslim. Emma was devoutly Christian. Yet after years of devotion to their respective religions, they are both confronted with doubts and questions. Ultimately, they must choose to either make-up or break-up with the religi

Episode 4: From Alabama to Imam: A Convert's Journey

Sep 23rd, 2019 21m 5s

In Episode 4 of Sandstone, we'll hear the story of Kip, a young Alabamian who converted to Islam and eventually became the religious leader of a Muslim community in West Virginia.

Episode 3: Brother from Another Mother: a Christian’s Theologian's Take on Islam

Aug 30th, 2019 18m 23s

"Brother from Another Mother" is the first of a three part series on Islam, featuring three individuals and their distinct religious experiences. In this episode, Pastor Joseph Cumming joins us from Yale University to share his experience in th

Episode 2: Love, Eggs, and John Cena

May 2nd, 2019 26m 49s

In Episode 2 of Sandstone, we meet Kafa, a Yemeni woman who spent a year studying abroad in West Virginia. During her time in West Virginia, she befriended a West Virginia gentleman, Andrew. But by the time Kafa and Andrew realized that they we

Episode 1: God, Family, Country

Apr 18th, 2019 24m 30s

In this first episode of Sandstone, I'll give you a sneak peek into my West Virginia upbringing - a childhood guided by the values of God, family, and country. This patriotic trinity, however, was in danger. Across the ocean, men in turbans h

Episode 0: Trailer

Apr 4th, 2019 5m 39s

Let’s face it, the Arab world doesn’t have the best rep in town. Then again, neither does Appalachia. Sandstone chronicles the story of West Virginian native Clara Haizlett as she explores the nuance of the Arab world and encounters humans who

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