TJ Rogers: Hope for Asylum Seekers

TJ Rogers joins us to talk about Freedom House Detroit and the everyday challenges facing asylum seekers in the United States.

Reyna Masko: A Salvadoran Immigration Story

Reyna Orellana Masko shares some of the unspeakable horrors of life, violence, and death in her native El Salvador. A U.S. citizen today, she calls for the national administration to reinstate Temporary Protection Status (TPS) for the 200,000 Salvadorans at risk of being sent back to a land of estrangement and danger. Relatedly, she calls for Ottawa County residents to create a more welcoming community that is able to attract and retain diverse workers who are the global doers of tomorrow. [Parental Warning: May not be suitable for younger children.]

Yan Yu: Coming to America

After a quarter century in the United States, sociology professor Yan Yu shares her secrets about culture, education, friendship, and belonging.

Attila Mosolygó: Ballet Master

Call it serendipity. Call it kismet. Any way you frame it, Attila Mosolygó will tell you there are forces in the universe more powerful than the decisions one makes alone. His career in ballet? Blame it on his six-year-old sister! His residency and ultimate U.S. citizenship? Credit his parents' decision to take a "little vacation" across the Atlantic! Join us as we hear the story of a boy from Hungary who finds life fulfillment an ocean away from home.

Susan Im: 2nd-Generation Korean American

Susan Im rejoins Alan in the studio, this time to talk about growing up second-generation Korean American in rural Michigan.  She shares her newfound awareness of race, racism, and her own ethnic identity, which solidifies after the bludgeoning murder of Vincent Chin, a Chinese American mistaken for Japanese by unemployed auto workers in the 1970s.

Lillie Wolff: Advocate from Welcoming Michigan

Field advocate Lillie Wolff talks about creating "receiving communities" and how we integrate newcomers into the fabric of Michigan life. A program of the Michigan Immigrant Rights Center, Welcoming Michigan is affiliated with the grassroots Welcoming America collaborative.

Susan Im: Immigration Attorney

Immigration attorney Susan Im joins us in studio to talk about the complexities of U.S. immigration law and the need for immediate reform.  Businesses are suffering from overly restrictive quotas.  Families are separated for decades because of immigration laws that were last revised decades ago.  Hear the personal and economic reasons compelling the U.S. Congress toward action on this long-neglected and contentious issue.

Brayan Peña: Baseball Player

Alan and the FLYB crew travel to Comerica Park to interview Cuban-born Brayan Peña, catcher for the Detroit Tigers. This new American tells how he escaped his native land to fulfill his boyhood dream of playing Major League Baseball in the U.S.