At a live show at Metro in Chicago, bestselling author Kaveh Akbar reads a poem about empathy that he wrote for Jamila Woods. Jamila and Kaveh are old friends, and they discuss empathy in a brutal world, and the echo within questions of theodicy. The University of Chicago’s Dr. Eman Abdelhadi speaks about community, empathy, and belonging, and about her speculative fiction novel Everything for Everyone. Jamila Woods finishes the episode with the premiere of a brand new song called "Ordinary As Air."
The show was a fundraiser for A Long Walk Home, a local non-profit that provides opportunities for girls and young women.

Chapters
00:01:34
Kaveh Akbar introduces a poem he wrote for Jamila Woods
00:05:26
Dr. Eman Abdelhadi talks about her research on empathy
26:29:39
Jamila Woods introduces her new song

SongWriterPodcast.com
Instagram.com/SongWriterPodcast
Facebook.com/SongWriterPodcast
TikTok.com/@SongWriterPodcast
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SongWriter is a music and songwriting podcast that turns stories into songs. Host Ben Arthur invites writers, poets, and musicians to share a story or poem, then pairs it with an original song written in response. Along the way, the show explores the creative process through intimate conversations and performances. Guests have included Questlove, Susan Orlean, David Gilmour, David Sedaris, George Saunders, and many more. Distributed by PRX, SongWriter also appears on the syndicated radio program Acoustic Café and in Paste Magazine. Learn more at SongWriterPodcast.com.

Season seven is made possible by a grant from Templeton World Charity Foundation

Pulitzer Prize-winning author Viet Thanh Nguyen (The Sympathizer) gives a talk about belonging at a live performance at the Litquake Festival. San Francisco State University’s Dr. Russell Jeung speaks about founding Stop AAPI Hate and Asian identity and belonging. He describes how the pandemic seems to have revived and strengthened longstanding hate towards Asian Americans, and explains his term for collective action against this, “flocking.” Thao Nguyen (of the Get Down Stay Down) plays a new song called “Keep It Moving.”

Chapters:
00:04:58
Viet Thanh Nguyen speaks about belonging at a live event during in San Francisco.
00:27:05
Dr. Russell Jeung speaks about his research on belonging, collective action, and the founding of Stop AAPI Hate.
00:40:20
Thao Nguyen introduces her new song.

SongWriterPodcast.com
Instagram.com/SongWriterPodcast
Facebook.com/SongWriterPodcast
TikTok.com/@SongWriterPodcast
YouTube.com/@SongwriterPodcast

SongWriter is a music and songwriting podcast that turns stories into songs. Host Ben Arthur invites writers, poets, and musicians to share a story or poem, then pairs it with an original song written in response. Along the way, the show explores the creative process through intimate conversations and performances. Guests have included Questlove, Susan Orlean, David Gilmour, David Sedaris, George Saunders, and many more. Distributed by PRX, SongWriter also appears on the syndicated radio program Acoustic Café and in Paste Magazine. Learn more at SongWriterPodcast.com.

Season seven is made possible by a grant from Templeton World Charity Foundation

Journalist and bestselling author Beth Macy (Dopesick) reads a piece she wrote to accompany her new memoir Papergirl, about her family's struggle with opposing political views. She describes a slow process of reconnecting with her conservative brother through simple things like fly fishing and the love of music. The University of Virginia’s Dr. Rachel Wahl talks about how hard it can be to break through polarization, and gives some simple advice for people struggling with the issue. The band Palmyra –whose guitarist and singer is Beth’s youngest child – talks about trans rights, and plays a song written in response to Beth's story titled “Appalachian Adam’s Apple Smile.”

Chapters:
00:01:36 Distorted Connections: Beth Macy tells a story about family and political polarization, and the power of music
00:15:46 Breaking Polarization: Dr. Rachel Wahl discusses ways to engage, even across tremendous divides in politics and even facts.
00:25:29 The Conduit of Music: the members of Palmyra discuss identity, the ways that music connects us, and the exhaustion and overwhelm of today.
00:43:54 "Appalachian Adam's Apple Smile," the new song by Palmyra

SongWriterPodcast.com
Instagram.com/SongWriterPodcast
Facebook.com/SongWriterPodcast
TikTok.com/@SongWriterPodcast
YouTube.com/@SongwriterPodcast

SongWriter is a music and songwriting podcast that turns stories into songs. Host Ben Arthur invites writers, poets, and musicians to share a story or poem, then pairs it with an original song written in response. Along the way, the show explores the creative process through intimate conversations and performances. Guests have included Questlove, Susan Orlean, David Gilmour, David Sedaris, George Saunders, and many more. Distributed by PRX, SongWriter also appears on the syndicated radio program Acoustic Café and in Paste Magazine. Learn more at SongWriterPodcast.com.

Season seven is made possible by a grant from Templeton World Charity Foundation