Chinese Immigrants' Remarkable Quest For The American Dream
When Ava Chin went looking for the father who had abandoned her family, she discovered the rich and complicated legacy of her Chinese immigrant relatives. Her great-great-grandfather helped build the railroad that united America, but his adopted country soon turned against him, legislating the Chinese Exclusion Act. This episode of the Constant Wonder podcast explores how Ava Chin's family continued to thrive in America, despite intense discrimination. As her family history unfolds, we witness Ava Chin lay claim to a past she never knew she had.
Guest: Ava Chin, author of "Mott Street: A Chinese American Family's Story of Exclusion and Homecoming"
Learn more about Ava and her book:
http://avachin.com/
https://www.instagram.com/ava_chin/?hl=en
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/563929/mott-street-by-ava-chin/
Excerpts from "Butterfly Lovers’ Violin Concerto" used by permission from the BYU Chamber Orchestra
Originally aired Sept 27, 2023
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How to Invite More Life and Wildness into the Garden
There’s a sea change happening . . . on land. People are rethinking what a garden is, what a yard is for, what urban green spaces can do to help life flourish. This visionary who promotes “more-wild-than-not” landscapes is a leader in redefining beauty. Rebecca McMackin grew up on a small farm in Connecticut, where her love for the natural world first took root. She spent a decade as Director of Horticulture at Brooklyn Bridge Park, managing 85 acres of organic parkland and championing biodiversity in the heart of the city. She's now one of today's preeminent voices in the cause of life-supporting, ecologically sound gardening practices.
Guest: Rebecca McMackin, Lead Horticulturist for the American Horticultural Society, publisher of the "Grow Like Wild" newsletter
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A Pediatric Neurosurgeon Shares Stories of Triumph and Resilience
Neurosurgeon Jay Wellons performs the most delicate surgeries on the traumatized brains of children, where every cut and stitch has life-changing consequences. He’s also an enthralling storyteller and a tireless advocate for his patients–a lesson he learned the hard way. Join us as he shares inspiring tales of his patients’ journeys.
Guest: Jay Wellons, MD, Cal Turner Chair and Chief of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Vanderbilt University Medical Center; author of "All That Moves Us: A Pediatric Neurosurgeon, His Young Patients, and Their Stories of Grace and Resilience"
Originally aired November 22, 2022
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A Universe Full of Life: Sy Montgomery's Animal Adventures
Octopuses, chickens, hummingbirds, turtles, emus... the list of animals that Sy Montgomery has befriended goes on. On Constant Wonder, we explore all sources of awe—human and wild—and in this episode we'll bring you exciting stories from both worlds.
Guest:
Sy Montgomery, naturalist and author of over thirty books, including "The True and Lucky Life of a Turtle"
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Bees with Good Vibes: A Tale of Two Hives
What happens when you combine a professional cellist's technical skill and a physicist's experiment with vibration sensors? You get a play-able beehive—a living collaboration between humans and animals. In this episode, learn about the beautiful and musical lives of bees.
Guests:
Professor Martin Bencsik of Nottingham Trent University
Professional cellist Deirdre Bencsik
Stay in tune with our phenomenal world. Join us for explorations of science, art, history, and more. We're on a quest to find awe and wonder in all nature—human or wild, vast or small. Encounters that move us beyond words. Hosted by Marcus Smith, Constant Wonder is a production of BYUradio.
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