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After years of fighting battles as a child soldier, a Sudanese man finds himself a refugee in Australia. As he struggles to overcome his past, he comes face-to-face with his childhood tormentor on a TV show. This episode recounts real events that happened to a child soldier, including graphic scenes inside a prison camp, listener discretion is advised. Thank you, Ayik, for sharing your incredible story with us! To learn more about Ayik’s life, check out his memoir, The Lost Boy. You can also catch Ayik on Harrow, a crime drama now airing on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Produced by Ruby Schwartz, edited by Nancy López. Special thanks to Wendy Love. Original score by Renzo Gorrio, artwork by Teo Ducot This week’s music spotlight features the song “Rocketeer” from our very own Renzo Gorrio! Renzo scores so many stories on Snap (just like this one!) and he produces under the name Hydroplane. Listen to “Rocketeer” from his new album Rockets out NOW! Cassette, vinyl, and digital versions are available on Bandcamp. Season 12 - Episode 17

When a four-seater plane violently crashes onto the top of an 8,000-foot mountain, an 11-year-old fights to survive. A white boy discovers he's black. And history calls on an Oglala Lakota Headsman in South Dakota to stand up for his people. Snap Judgment presents, “Mettle.” STORIES Electric Fence As a country boy, Glynn puts his family pride on the line when his neighbor challenges him to the ultimate test of manhood. Produced by Pat Mesiti-Miller Wonderboy In 1979, a four-seater Cessna plane carrying Norman Ollestad, his dad, and his dad’s girlfriend violently crashed onto the top of an 8,000-foot mountain. He was just 11 years old. This story does contain graphic elements. Sensitive listeners, please be advised. To learn more about Norman’s story, check out his book, Crazy for the Storm. Be sure to also check out his thriller, French Girl With Mother. Produced & scored by Davey Kim One Drop For 10-year-old Greg Williams, life was good...until the day his mom left. To learn more about Greg’s story, check out his book Life on the Color Line. Produced by Adizah Eghan, original score & sound design by Pat Mesiti-Miller Third King What happens when history calls on you to step up? We go to Standing Rock to find out. Lance King is an Oglala Lakota Headsman from Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota. For more information on his grandfather, Matthew H. King, check out “Noble Red Man: Lakota Wisdomkeeper Matthew King.” Produced by Liz Mak, original score & sound design by Leon Morimoto Artwork by Teo Ducot Season 12 - Episode 16

We follow four hairstylists who compete in the 2019 Bronner Brothers Salon vs. Salon Hair Battle - the only hair competition of its kind. As one contestant puts it, "It's a platform that every stylist that I know would absolutely love and kill for." Come for the big personalities and stay for the ultimate hair show. Find out who wears it best... BIG thanks & love to all the stylists who shared their stories with us! Ashley Payne, the bob queen, lost her salon in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, but is working out of a friend’s salon. She is suffering from liver failure and started a gofundme in February to help pay for a liver transplant. Check out Tammie B’s work! Que Barnes’ is still at the helm of her salon in Atlanta. Terrence Davidson, the king of hair, started selling hair products online called Kingz N Queenz. Produced by Chris Hambrick & Nancy Lopez, with assistance from Shaina Shealy Original score by Marco Prestige, sound design by Pat Mesiti-Miller Artwork by Teo Ducot Season 12 - Episode 15

STORIES Mulatto Glynn’s brother wants him to take a DNA test but Glynn already knows he’s one part Luna and one part Midnight. Produced by Pat Mesiti-Miller, original score by Cheflee Bloodlines When Adreanna Rodriguez was a kid, she was given a choice about whether or not she wanted to stay in her home state of California. It was a choice she’s reckoned with for her entire life. Today, over a decade after she made that choice -  Adreanna takes us with her to North Dakota to find out… what could have been. This story was supported by the USC Center for Health Journalism, which helps journalists investigate health challenges and solutions in their communities reporting that serves as a catalyst for change. BIG love to Adreanna’s mom, Sylvia, and her kid sister, Maudy. Produced by Adreanna Rodriquez and Shaina Shealy Original score by Renzo Gorrio You can also hear this story on a new podcast from VICE Audio called Strongman. It’s a six-part series of intimate stories about power and control at every level... all over the world. It’s out now… subscribe & listen wherever you get your podcasts! Special thanks to the incredible VICE squad: Adizah Eghan, Annie Aviles, Stephanie Kariuki, Joaqlin Estus, Karen Brown, Ivan MacDonald, and Catherine Stifter. Full Episode This episode features music from Cheflee, check out more of Cheflees’s music at cheflee.bandcamp.com! Sound design by Pat Mesiti-Miller Artwork by Teo Ducot Season 12 - Episode 14

A scientist studying the minds of psychopaths gets dangerously close. A father’s inability to recognize faces tests his relationships. And a brother is reunited with his North Korean sister for the first time in over five decades. You can look human and you can sound human... but what happens when you take a good hard look inside and realize... you're missing something? STORIES If I Only Had a Heart Glynn knows… sometimes the sum of the parts does not equal the hole. Produced by Pat Mesiti-Miller The Scientist and the Psychopath Neuroanatomist James Fallon, Ph.D. studies the most dangerous kind of person: the psychopath. His job is to get up close and personal with the mind of the psychopath so that we can better understand what makes them tick. He treats their brains with the cold calculation of a scientist at work. But in the process, things get mighty personal. James Fallon, Ph.D. is a neuroanatomist and geneticist at UC-Irvine. For more about his work and his own life, check out his book: The Psychopath Inside: A Neuroscientist's Personal Journey into the Dark Side of the Brain. Produced by Julia DeWitt About Face You’ve heard the saying, right? You can’t see the forest for the trees. Well, imagine if your whole life all you could do, all you knew how to do, was see the trees, the details, the minutiae of the world. What would you miss out on? Let’s take a walk in Tom Conces’ shoes and find out. Produced by Nancy López, original score by Renzo Gorrio Across the DMZ What happens when you are reunited with your North Korean sister for the first time in over five decades? Thank you to our voice actors, Yongnam and Mikyung Kim! Produced and scored by Davey Kim Artwork by Teo Ducot Season 12 - Episode 13

Sieu is a young boy living in the big city of Phnom Penh, but he misses his old life in the Cambodian countryside. The air, the farms, but mostly… the animals.  When the Khmer Rouge promises a return to the land, Sieu has no idea how far he and his family will have to go. This story recounts aspects of the Khmer Rouge civil war including scenes of torture and death. Sensitive listeners, please be advised. BIG thanks to Sieu Do for sharing your story with us! There is so much that we were not able to share with you about Sieu and his family’s incredible journey, to find out more check out his book, A Cloak of Good Fortune. Produced by Nikka Singh, original score by Renzo Gorrio, artwork by Teo Ducot Season 12 - Episode 12

Hosted by Glynn Washington, Snap Judgment brings new voices to public radio and podcasting... voices that did not know the world of public media, and many voices that did not know they belonged. We build Snap Judgment’s signature sound around immersive audio, incredible first-person storytelling, and original scoring for each and every experience. Snap’s musical brand of storytelling dares listeners to see the world through the eyes of another. This is storytelling… with a BEAT! Snap first aired on public radio stations nationwide in July 2010. Today, Snap Judgment airs on over 400 NPR & CBC stations and is brought to the airwaves by PRX. Don’t miss a beat! Subscribe now wherever you get your podcasts and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

There was a legend in central Maine, about a hermit who had lived in the woods, unseen, for 30 years. Then, in 2013, the police arrested a man named Christopher Knight. To learn more about Chris Knight’s story, be sure to check out Mike Finkel’s book, The Stranger In The Woods: The Extraordinary Story of the Last True Hermit.  Check out The North Pond Hermit Song by Stan Keach. Produced by Joe Rosenberg, original score by Renzo Gorrio & Andrew Vickers Artwork by Teo Ducot Season 12 - Episode 11

Glynn finds a cheap place to spend the summer… at a halfway house. This story was performed at Snap LIVE in Los Angeles and was presented by KPCC. Original Music by Alex Mandel, performed by Alex Mandel and the Snap Players (David Brand and Tim Frick). Watch the live performance! Season 12 - Episode 10

Katie falls hard for Boris during a whirlwind trip to Belarus. But there’s a giant red flag she can’t ignore any longer. And two people who have the same name, live in the same city, and have the same professional interests soon find out what else they have in common. STORIES Real Love Boston-based writer Katie Simon is on assignment in Belarus when she meets and falls hard for Boris in less than a week. When she’s back home, her friends alert her to a giant red flag she can no longer afford to ignore. This story briefly mentions sex, sensitive listeners please be advised. Thank you, Katie, for sharing this story with Snap! Keep up with her latest work, including an upcoming book about falling in love and generational storytelling here. Produced by Regina Bediako, original score by Renzo Gorrio Ovrkast “Love Somebody” - Music Spotlight This week’s Snap Music Spotlight features Oakland artist Ovrkast with the song, "Love Somebody" watch the video here! Listen to Ovrkast's latest album, Try Again (DELUXE) out now!! To stay up to date with all things Ovrkast, be sure to follow them on Twitter and Instagram. Katie vs. Katie When Katie Crouch learned there was another Katie Crouch who lived in the same city and apparently had the same professional interests as her she thought, huh, what else do we have in common? She would soon find out. This story was done in collaboration with Ozy.com, the online magazine that published both Katies’ essays: The Other Me and Doppelgangers Unite? Katie Crouch continues to virtually cross paths with her name twin from her new city of Chicago, where she works for an educational publisher, raises a toddler on her own, and writes a blog. Katie Crouch is a New York Times best-selling novelist. Her books include Girls in Trucks and Abroad, among others. Produced by Nancy López, original score by Renzo Gorrio Artwork by Teo Ducot Season 12 - Episode 9

A group of all-native girls with a lot to prove, take on the future of their high school lacrosse team. And an ENT doctor learns to be comfortable outside her comfort zone. STORIES The Medicine Game A group of all-native girls with a lot to prove, take on the future of their high school lacrosse team. This story contains racially insensitive language. Sensitive listeners, please be advised. Thank you, Jacelyn, for sharing your story with us! Jacelyn now plays lacrosse for Virginia Tech. We first heard about Jacelyn’s story from the film, Keepers of the Game, which follows the Salmon River Girls lacrosse team during the 2015 season. Big thanks and love to “The Halluci Nation” formerly known as “A Tribe Called Red” for letting us use their song “Stadium Pow Wow” in this story. Also special thanks to the film’s director Judd Ehrlich. Some of the audio in this story comes from the Keepers of the Game documentary and was aired courtesy of the Dicks Sporting Goods Foundation. Produced by Shaina Shealy, special thanks to Regina Bediako Original score by Leon Morimoto, artwork by Teo Ducot Rhino Rocket Otolaryngologist Tina Munjal tells a story about learning to be comfortable outside of her comfort zone. This story was told live at The Nocturnists' live show Out of the Comfort Zone, at the Grey Area Theater in San Francisco on October 18, 2020. Original theme music by Yosef Munro, additional music from Blue Dot Sessions This story comes to us from The Nocturnists, a San Francisco-based medical storytelling live show, and podcast where healthcare workers share stories of joy, sorrow, and self-discovery. It was created and hosted by physician Emily Silverman. For more stories from the world of medicine, check out The Nocturnists wherever you get your podcasts or visit their website. Listen and subscribe right now! Season 12 - Episode 8

This week, Snap is proud to spotlight Suave! This podcast captures the true story of a teenager sentenced to life in prison without parole & what happens when, decades later, he suddenly gets a second chance at freedom. It’s the story of thousands of juveniles sentenced to die in U.S. prisons told through one man’s journey of incarceration and redemption and his near 30-year friendship with journalist, Maria Hinojosa. This episode contains strong language and descriptions of violence and sexual assault, listener discretion is advised. Suave is an amazing podcast from Futuro Studios and PRX. Suave is available wherever you listen to podcasts and at www.suavepodcast.org. New episodes drop every Tuesday... listen and subscribe! Artwork by Virgilio Tzaj #Suavepodcast Snap Spotlight - Season 12 - Episode 8

In the mid-70s, Conan was hired to direct and produce a nature documentary. But he wanted to do something more ambitious. The film he made became one of the most infamous movies ever, but his success came with deadly consequences... This episode contains a content advisory for graphic imagery and strong language. It describes scenes of both human and animal death. This story is not for children and sensitive listeners, please be advised. Special thanks to our film consultants, Spencer Parsons and Todd Wieneke. Produced by John Fecile, original score by Renzo Gorrio, artwork by Teo Ducot Snap Classic

An underwater photographer sets out on a quest to document harp seals and experiences a moment that becomes a part of her forever. This story contains descriptions of animal death in the wild. Sensitive listeners, please be advised Thank you, Jennifer Hayes, for sharing your story with us! Special thanks to Jennifer’s guide Mario Sear and her husband David Doubilet. You can find Jennifer and David’s stunning photographs of harp seals in National Geographic Magazine, on their website, or on Jennifer’s Instagram. Produced by Shaina Shealy, original score by Renzo Gorrio, artwork by Teo Ducot Season 12 - Episode 5

Everyone in Pumpkintown is hunting for Sasquatch... except Ben Becker. He knows exactly where Bigfoot lives. This episode does contain strong language, sensitive listeners please be advised. This story originally aired on the Here Be Monsters podcast hosted by Jeff Emtman. They just dropped a new season… listen and subscribe for more awesome stories! Produced by Jeff Emtman, artwork by Teo Ducot Snap Classic - Season 5 - Episode 12

Fans and journalists embark on a seven-show tour with Rihanna… in seven countries, over seven days, on a Boeing 777, to celebrate her seventh album in seven years. Fasten your seat belts, it’s time for liftoff… This episode contains strong language and descriptions of a ‘rockstar lifestyle,’ sensitive listeners please be advised. Special thanks to Kristen Gwynne, Lawrence Bull, and Elizabeth Nakano. Produced by John Fecile, original score by Renzo Gorrio, artwork by Teo Ducot #rihannaplane Snap Classic - Season 10 - Episode 32

When the biggest baddest bird in the wild is on the brink of death, one couple will do anything to bring her back home. Snap presents, “Birdzilla.” A Canadian love story. This episode discusses the subject of death and contains strong language, sensitive listeners please be advised. Thank you, Murdo Messer, for sharing your story with us! And all of us here at Snap are thinking fondly of the late Dr. Helene Van Doninck, wherever you are, thank you. Learn more about the amazing work the Cobequid Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre does! Check out photos and videos of animals on their Facebook and Twitter. Produced by Nikka Singh, original score by Renzo Gorrio Artwork by Teo Ducot Season 12 - Episode 4

A hip hop artist from Oakland leaves his mic behind to join the police force and fight for justice from the inside. This story includes scenes of police violence and strong language, sensitive listeners please be advised. Thank you, Jinho Ferreira, for sharing your story with us! Listen to “I Can’t Breath” from Jinho’s hip hop group, Flipsyde. This story was adapted from the piece originally produced for WorldAffairs, an incredible weekly podcast and radio show. Special thanks to Jarrod Sport and Joanne Elgart Jennings, who originally edited and co-produced this story. If you liked Jinho’s story, check out the WorldAffairs podcast. The world is shifting beneath our feet and if you want help making sense of it, WorldAffairs will break it down! Listen and subscribe to WorldAffiars wherever you get your podcasts. Reported & produced by Teresa Cotsirilos, edited by Nikka Singh Original Score by Renzo Gorrio, artwork by Teo Ducot Season 12 - Episode 3

A woman recounts her Aunt’s fairytale love story and searches for her own Modern Romance. An African princess learns she is truly beautiful. And a precocious eight-year-old finds himself on the brink of a revolution when he applies lessons learned from a homework assignment to other areas of his life. STORIES Modern Love In the second half of her life, Stephanie found her classic Hollywood romance. Now she attempts to understand the strange and confusing world of dating apps to help her niece - and the show's host Nichole - find her happily ever after. This story comes to us from The Secret Adventures of Black People, hosted by Nichole Hill. This incredible podcast tells the stories of Black people holding it down across space and time. Be sure to check out the show and subscribe to the podcast at TheSecretAdventuresOfBlackPeople.com Stay in touch by joining the newsletter, following their Instagram, or by sending an email to secretadventuresofblackpeople@gmail.com Modern Romance was written and produced by Nichole Hill with production assistance by Shonte Hill, and story editing assistance by Talia Bender. Special thanks to Stephanie Camolli! Music: Epidemic Sound Beautiful - Sonya Renee Taylor An African princess learns she is truly beautiful. This story was performed by Sonya Renee Taylor at Snap LIVE in DC. Sonya Renee Taylor is an internationally acclaimed performance poet, actress, educator, and activist. The LIVE score was composed by amazing Alex Mandel & performed by Alex Mandel, David Brandt, and Tim Frick. Watch Sonya’s Snap LIVE performance. Liberation - Latif Doman When Latif Doman is growing up in Philly, he takes his schoolwork seriously… which is unfortunate for the parents in his neighborhood. Many thanks to Latif and Story District for bringing us this story! Season 12 - Episode 2

In 1997, thirty-nine people took their own lives in an apparent mass suicide. The events captivated the media and had people across the planet asking the same question... ‘Why?’ 20 years later, those who lost loved ones and those who still believe - tell their story. Snap Judgment presents a special spotlight on Heaven’s Gate. Find out the story behind the cult that changed the world. Heaven’s Gate is produced by Stitcher in collaboration with Pineapple Street Media and is hosted by Snap’s very own Glynn Washington. You can listen to Heaven’s Gate wherever you get your pods. Go on… subscribe right now and listen to all the episodes!