Diary of a Nation

The content in this episode is graphic and may be disturbing for some listeners. Holocaust survivor Kati Preston was just five years old when a Hungarian soldier pierced the floor of a barn attic with his bayonet, missing her hay-covered head by an inch. This year marks the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, the largest Nazi concentration camp where 28 members of her family and 50 of her kindergarten classmates were exterminated. In part one, Kati shares her memories of the Holocaust. Autobiography: Holocaust to Healing: Closing the Circle. 

The US is home to approximately 1.4 million transgender adults, yet most of us don't know anyone who is transgender. NH State Representative Gerri Cannon is a transgender woman who also serves on the school board in her community. This is her story. Photo credit: Deb Cram. 

Randy Pierce knows life with and without eyesight. He's a husband, a dog lover, a runner, a mountain climber, and a motivational speaker. Yesterday, he ran the virtual Boston Marathon. Two days earlier, his guide dog Autumn passed away. This episode is dedicated to her memory. Memoir: See You at the Summit: My Blind Journey from the Depths of Loss to the Heights of Achievement. Charity: 2020visionquest.org.

Over the past three decades, makeup artist Kriss Blevens has enhanced the face of every single presidential candidate who has traveled to New Hampshire, which holds the distinction of the first-in-the-nation presidential primary. Blevens also works as an EMT and an energy healer and served as an outspoken advocate during the opioid crisis. Her work is profiled in the August 2020 issue of Allure Magazine. Kriss Cosmetics: krisscosmetics.com. Farnum Center: farnumcenter.org.

Were it not for his incredible luck in winning a visa lottery slot, there's a good chance Somali immigrant Abdi Nor Iftin would instead be fighting on behalf of the radical Islamist group al-Shabaab. Abdi discusses his memoir as well as his complicated experience living in the U.S. as a Black man while the country reckons with its history of racial injustice. Memoir: Call Me American. Photo credit: Portland Press Herald.

Diary of a Nation is produced and hosted by Christina Zlotnick. Follow the podcast on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter at diaryofanation. Comments and story ideas welcome.