Episode #1 of the CFS’s new podcast, Covid Conversations: Life in a Time of Corona, is LIVE! It features two wordsmiths and artists - Omope Daboiku who lives in Dayton, Ohio and Alinah Azadeh from Lewes in the southeast of England.

Omopé Carter Daboiku grew up rural southern Ohio.  Her work focuses on the intersectionality of place, identity and belonging, and the experience of growing up a “mixed-race, colored child” of Nigerian heritage on the Appalachian landscape. Alinah Azadeh is a UK-based writer, artist, performer and social activist of British-Iranian heritage. Both Alinah and Omopé are storytellers and textile artists for whom the concept of connection to land and the way in which that forms identity is an important theme. They are also – to use Omopé’s phrase – “history keepers”. In addition, both guests teach and facilitate the creativity of others.

The series is funded by an OSU Global Arts and Humanities Discovery Theme grant. Its 12 episodes will be published between September 2020 and August 2021. It is produced and presented by radio producer and folklorist Dr. Rachel Hopkin. Covid Conversations: Life in a Time of Corona is available on Apple Podcasts and Stitcher.