Multilingualism or assimilation? Three East African teens reflect on language and identity

November 16, 2023 / 9:00 am

Language is the foundation of life. All of our actions, perspectives and cultures stem from how we communicate with others.

Our communities are tied to their methods of communication. But what happens when we lose our ability to speak?

In this episode of the RadioActive podcast, Maymuna Yusuf, Red Debebe and Eliham Mohammed reflect on the trials and tribulations of staying connected to their native languages.

[RadioActive Youth Media is KUOW's radio journalism and audio storytelling program for young people. This story was entirely youth-produced, from the writing to the audio editing.]

Language and identity podcast transcript

Full podcast transcript in PDF format.

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This podcast was produced in a RadioActive Youth Media introductory workshop for high school-age youth. Production assistance by Michelle Aguilar Ramirez. Edited by Lila Lakehart.

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Support for KUOW's RadioActive comes from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Discovery Center and BECU.