This Is Actually Happening

A teenage boy comes of age through an eclectic mentor, but ends up in the arms of a predator.Producer: Whit MissildineSocial Media: Instagram: @actuallyhappeningWebsite: www.thisisactuallyhappening.comSupport the Show: Support The Show on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/happeningShop at the Store: The This Is Actually Happening online store is now officially open. Follow this link: www.actuallyhappeningstore.com to access branded t-shirts, posters, stickers and more from the shop. Content/Trigger Warnings: explicit languageIntro Music: ""Illabye" – TipperMusic Bed:   "Cylinder Four" "Cylinder Five" - Chris ZabriskieOutro Music: "The Moon is Down" - El Diablo & Adam Schraft (Rojo y Negro) @eldiablosf @rojo-y-negro www.eldiablobass.com/ ServicesIf you or someone you know is struggling with the effects of trauma or mental illness, please refer to the following resources:National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-2

Growing up in poverty with an absent father, a boy finds family in a gang, but after his best friend is murdered, he unravels into a spiral of rage, violence, prison, and ultimately, an unexpected forgiveness.  Today’s episode featured Chris Diep. If you’d like to reach out to him, you can email him at chrisdiep2023@gmail.com, or you can find him on LinkedIn as Christopher Diep. Special thanks to Yoana Tchoukleva for bringing us Chris's story.Producers: Whit Missildine, Andrew Wait, Aviva Lipkowitz  Content/Trigger Warnings: Vietnam war, graphic violence, gang violence, familial separation, drug use, robbery, prison, death of a parent, death of a child, racism, suicide, explicit language Social Media:Instagram: @actuallyhappeningTwitter: @TIAHPodcast Website: thisisactuallyhappening.com Website for Andrew Waits: andrdewwaits.comWebsite for Aviva Lipkowitz: avivalipkowitz.com Support the Show: Support The Show on Patreon: patr

An ambitious mother settles with her two sons into the quiet, idyllic life of her dreams, but after losing her son in a massacre that shakes the nation, she dedicates her life to carrying on her son’s message of love.  Today’s episode featured Scarlett Lewis. Scarlett founded the Choose Love Movement after her six-year-old son, Jesse, was murdered during the Sandy Hook Elementary School tragedy in December 2012, which remains one of the worst mass shootings in U.S. history. Through the Choose Love Movement, Scarlett teaches everyone from young children to prison inmates how to deal with feelings of anger before they escalate into violence. The Choose Love curriculum has been accessed in over 14,500 schools across 120 countries. Scarlett is the author of two best-selling books: Nurturing Healing Love: A Mother’s Journey of Hope & Forgiveness, and From Sandy Hook to the World: How the Choose Love Movement Transforms Lives.If you’d like to learn more about Scarlett, you can find her on Instagr

A Port Authority employee narrowly escapes from the 68th floor after a plane hits the World Trade Center on September 11th, 2001, but the most devastating impact comes from the psychological wounds that haunt her life for decades after. Today's episode featured Kayla Bergeron. In addition to serving as chief of public and government affairs for The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, Kayla has also served in senior roles for the New York State Housing Finance Agency and South Florida Water Management District, the lead agency restoring America's Everglades. Kayla currently resides in Suwanne, Georgia and serves as Program Director, and as a Certified Peer Support Specialist -Addictive Disease (C.P.S.- A.D.), for The Connection Forsyth, a 501c3 non profit recovery community organization, based in Cumming, Georgia. Kayla works as a social media consultant for Special Equestrians of Georgia, in Milton, Georgia, also a 501c3 non profit, where she participat

A horrific accident leaves a man severely disabled, but after hitting rock bottom in his recovery a new life opens he could never have imagined Today’s episode featured Dustin Reynolds. Since this interview, Dustin has made it down to Colombia, and is planning on heading to Panama, Galapagos, and Polynesia before returning to Hawaii. To find out more about Dustin, see pictures and follow his journey or donate to help him complete the voyage, go to thesinglehandedsailor.com. You can follow him on Instagram and Facebook @thesinglehandedsailor. You can also support him on Patreon and GoFundMe: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thesinglehandedsailorGoFundMe: https://www.gofundme.com/f/hngchb-support-the-single-handed-sailorProducers: Whit Missildine, Andrew WaitsSocial Media:Instagram: @actuallyhappeningTwitter: @TIAHPodcastContent/Trigger Warnings: car crash, severe injury, amputation, explicit languageWebsite: www.thisisactuallyhappening.com  Website for Andrew Waits:

A mother faces the ultimate tragedy at the hands of those who are supposed to protect and serve.  Today’s episode featured Taun Hall. To find out more about Taun and Miles and the Miles Hall Foundation, go to justiceformileshall.org. There you can see the video mentioned in the episode, donate to the campaign, learn more about the case or get involved. You can also join the community on Instagram @justiceformileshall or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/justiceformileshallProducers: Whit Missildine, Andrew WaitsSocial Media:Instagram: @actuallyhappeningTwitter: @TIAHPodcastContent/Trigger Warnings: mental illness, racism, violence, murder, police brutality, explicit languageWebsite: www.thisisactuallyhappening.comAndrew Waits: http://andrdewwaits.com/Wondery Plus: All episodes of the show prior to episode #130 are now part of the Wondery Plus premium service. To access the full catalog of episodes, and get all episodes ad free, sign up for Wondery Plus a

Growing up in a home of abandonment and neglect, a teenager finds a grand, new reality in the rabbit hole of addiction until they can no longer find their way back.Today’s guest prefers to remain anonymous, but if you’d like to reach out to them, you can email at artichoke.heart456@gmail.comProducers: Whit Missildine, Andrew WaitsSocial Media:Instagram: @actuallyhappeningTwitter: @TIAHPodcast Content/Trigger Warnings: psychosis, drug use, child neglect, childhood trauma, explicit languageWebsite: www.thisisactuallyhappening.com  Website for Andrew Waits: www.andrdewwaits.comWondery Plus: All episodes of the show prior to episode #130 are now part of the Wondery Plus premium service. To access the full catalog of episodes, and get all episodes ad free, sign up for Wondery Plus at https://wondery.com/plusSupport the Show: Support The Show on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/happeningShop at the Store: The This Is Actually Happening online

Growing up in the projects and a broken home, a man learns survive on the streets through dealing drugs and brutal violence, when a desperate moment leaves him with a choice that changes everything. Today’s episode featured Kenneth Ginlack, Sr. Kenneth has been the Director of Outpatient Programs for Milwaukee County Behavior Health Division (BHD), an ad-hoc instructor at the University of Wisconsin Continuing Education extension program, president of the board of directors for Revive Youth and Family Services, and a board member for SALS Recovery Houses and Coaching. Kenneth is now Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Serenity Inns. You can find out more about Kenneth by going to kgsctc.comProducers: Whit MissildineSocial Media:Instagram: @actuallyhappeningTwitter: @TIAHPodcastContent/Trigger Warnings: explicit violence, gun violence, domestic abuse, drug use, drug addiction, suicide, murder, explicit languageWebsite: www.thisisactuallyhappening.comSupport the Show: Support The Show

This episode is a recording of a live event held at Manny’s in San Francisco on July 24th, 2024. In this live recording of the event, Whit Missildine hosts conversations with two of the storytellers in the 82 Percent series, David Jay and Koe Creation, as well as with members of the Modern Family Institute including Lily Lamboy, Heath Schechinger and Marlon Williams. If you’d like to find out more about the Modern Family Institute, donate to help advance their work, or get engaged, please visit their website, modernfamilyinstitute.org. Producers: Whit MissildineContent/Trigger Warnings: sexual themes, explicit language Social Media:Instagram: @actuallyhappeningTwitter: @TIAHPodcastWebsite: thisisactuallyhappening.comSupport the Show: Support The Show on Patreon: patreon.com/happeningWondery Plus: All episodes of the show prior to episode #130 are now part of the Wondery Plus premium service. To access the full catalog of episodes, and get all episodes ad free,

An obstetrician must find healing and forgiveness after an unexpected tragedy opens old wounds. Producers: Whit Missildine, Jason Blalock Social Media:Instagram: @actuallyhappeningTwitter: @TIAHPodcast  Content/Trigger Warnings: sexual molestation of a minor, incest, death, infant death, pregnancy trauma, medical trauma, explicit languageWebsite: www.thisisactuallyhappening.com Website for Jason Blalock: jasonblalock.comSupport the Show: Support The Show on Patreon: patreon.com/happeningWondery Plus: All episodes of the show prior to episode #130 are now part of the Wondery Plus premium service. To access the full catalog of episodes, and get all episodes ad free, sign up for Wondery Plus at wondery.com/plus Shop at the Store: The This Is Actually Happening online store is now officially open. Follow this link: thisisactuallyhappening.com/shop to access branded t-shirts, posters, stickers and more from the shop

In this special bonus episode, Whit Missildine interviews Alex Chen. Alex Chen is the Founding Director of the Harvard Law School LGBTQ+ Advocacy Clinic and a founding member of Polyamory Legal Advocacy Coalition. In this conversation we discuss the legal and historical roots of the nuclear family, monogamy and the challenges and successes in the fight for rights for diverse family structures. Alex is one of the nation’s leading experts in LGBTQ+ civil rights law. He also teaches Gender Identity, Sexual Orientation, and the Law at the Law School. Previously, Alexander served as an Equal Justice Works Fellow at the National Center for Lesbian Rights. He also co-drafted AB 2119, a bill that made California the first state to guarantee access to transition-related health care for trans youth in foster care. Alex received his J.D. from Harvard Law School, where he was the first openly transgender editor of the Harvard Law Review. You can find out more about Alex and his work at PLAC at polyamorylegal.orgProd

At 21 years old, Kris marries Brandon, the love of her life, but after Brandon suffers a severe traumatic brain injury, Kris must restructure everything about how she imagined what her family would be.  Today’s episode featured Kris Amstrong. You can donate to the Go Fund Me effort to purchase Brandon Smith a new sports wheelchair at gofund.me/d34ed0ea. You can contact Kris at KArmstrong@mickeytravels.com and you can find out more about her, and her family on TikTok and on Instagram @followmetothemouse. Kris is currently writing a book. This episode is the final of a six-part miniseries called the 82 Percent: Modern stories of love and family, produced in collaboration with the Modern Family Institute. If you’d like to find out more about the Modern Family Institute, donate to help advance their work, or get engaged, please visit their website, modernfamilyinstitute.org. We are hosting a live This Is Actually Happening event on July 24th in San Francisco at Manny’s to celebrate the series.

Assigned female at birth, Kayden Coleman navigates abuse, racism, housing insecurity, and a deep questioning of gender, but after finally accepting who he is and transitioning fully to being a man, he finds out he’s pregnant. Today’s episode featured Kayden Coleman. You can find out more about him on Instagram and TikTok @kaydenxofficial. If you’d like to reach out to him, you can email at Kaydenxcoleman@gmail.com.This episode is the fifth of our six-part miniseries called the 82 Percent: Modern stories of love and family, produced in collaboration with the Modern Family Institute @modernfamilyinstitute. If you’d like to find out more about the Modern Family Institute, donate to help advance their work, or get engaged, please visit their website, modernfamilyinstitute.org. Listen to exclusive episodes of This is Actually Happening ad-free by joining Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial by visiting wondery.com/links/this-is-actually-happening/ now.We

After immigrating from Brazil to the US, a man struggles with isolation, depression, faith and sexual orientation, when one day an awakening leads him on a path to celibacy and to a family he never thought he’d have. Today’s episode featured Art Pereira. If you’d like to reach out to Art, you can email him at art@revoice.org or find him on Instagram @art_per. Art Pereira is the director of events and partnerships for Revoice, a Christian ministry that supports LGBTQ+ Christians who follow a historic sexual ethic. You can also find Revoice on Instagram @revoiceorg. Art currently lives in New Jersey with his best friend and numerous houseplants.This episode is the fourth of our six-part miniseries called the 82 Percent: Modern stories of love and family, produced in collaboration with the Modern Family Institute @modernfamilyinstitute. If you’d like to find out more about the Modern Family Institute, donate to help advance their work, or get engaged, please visit their website, modernfamilyinstitute.org.&n

In this special bonus episode, Whit Missildine interviews Jessica Fern. Jessica Fern is a renowned psychotherapist, trauma and relationship expert, and the author of two books: Polysecure: Attachment, Trauma and Consensual Non-Monogamy, and Polywise: A Deeper Dive into Navigating Open Relationships. In her international private practice, Jessica works with individuals, couples, and people in multiple-partner relationships who no longer want to be limited by their reactive patterns, cultural conditioning, insecure attachment styles, and past traumas, helping them to embody new possibilities in life and love. To find out more about Jessica and her work, you visit her website jessicafern.com or find her on Instagram @jessicafern411.Listen to exclusive episodes of This is Actually Happening ad-free by joining Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial by visiting wondery.com/links/this-is-actually-happening/ now.Producers: Whit Missildine, Andrew WaitsContent

Growing up in the crack epidemic surrounded by gangs, drugs, and violence a man begins repeating these patterns of abuse and infidelity in his relationships, but after a family tragedy, he finds a new path, opening his marriage and his heart.Today’s episode featured Adrian McCoy. This episode is the third of a six-part miniseries called the 82 Percent: Modern stories of love and family, produced in collaboration with the Modern Family Institute @modernfamilyinstitute. If you’d like to find out more about the Modern Family Institute, donate to help advance their work, or get engaged, please visit their website, modernfamilyinstitute.org. Listen to exclusive episodes of This is Actually Happening ad-free by joining Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial by visiting wondery.com/links/this-is-actually-happening/ now.Producers: Whit Missildine, Andrew Waits, Aviva LipkowitzContent/Trigger Warnings: domestic violence, gang violence, gun violence, abuse

As a child growing up in a polyamorous family and community, Koe Creation learns to navigate the beauty and complications of their upbringing, but once they begin to find and express their own voice, they face society’s larger shadows.Today’s episode featured Koe Creation. You can find out more about Koe at their website, koecreation.com and on Instagram @koecreation. You can also learn more about their journey growing up in a polyamorous family in their book, “This Heart Holds Many” available on Amazon or wherever books are sold. This episode is the first of a six-part miniseries called the 82 Percent: Modern stories of love and family, produced in collaboration with the Modern Family Institute @modernfamilyinstitute. If you’d like to find out more about the Modern Family Institute, donate to help advance their work, or get engaged, please visit their website, modernfamilyinstitute.org. Listen to exclusive episodes of This is Actually Happening ad-free by joining Wondery+ in the Wondery App, A

In this special bonus episode, Whit Missildine interviews Heath Schechinger and Lily Lamboy of the Modern Family Institute @modernfamilyinstitute, collaborators on our six-part miniseries, “The 82%: Modern Stories of Love and Family.” In this conversation we discuss the historical roots of the nuclear family and monogamy, how family and relationship structures have changed over the 20th century, the contemporary landscape of diverse families and Consensual Non-Monogamy, and the future of love and family. Dr. Heath Schechinger is a therapist, researcher, and organizer, known for his groundbreaking work within the realm of family and relationship diversity. In addition to his role as Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Modern Family Institute, he serves as the Founding Co-Chair of the American Psychological Association Division 44 Committee on Consensual Non-monogamy, and an Affiliate Faculty at the renowned Kinsey Institute. Dr. Schechinger’s work sheds light on the elements that cultivate healthy re

A man grows up waiting for his sexuality to bloom, but after that moment never comes, he feels a longing for intimacy that leads him to transform the meaning of partnership, family and fatherhood for himself and for society.Today’s episode featured David Jay. David is the founder of asexuality.org. David’s new book, titled “Relationality: How moving from transactional to transformational relationships can reshape our lonely world” is available for preorder on Amazon, and wherever books are sold. This episode is the first of a six-part miniseries called the 82 Percent: Modern stories of love and family, produced in collaboration with the Modern Family Institute. If you’d like to find out more about the Modern Family Institute, donate to help advance their work, or get engaged, please visit their website, modernfamilyinstitute.org. Listen to exclusive episodes of This is Actually Happening ad-free by joining Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial by visiting 

A woman growing up in worn torn Colombia comes to the US and builds a new life, but when she suffers a freak accident and loses her sense of self, a new beginning transforms the scars of her past. Today’s episode featured Ingrid Rojas-Contreras. If you’d like to learn more about Ingrid you can find her on Instagram @i__rojascontreras, on Twitter @ingrid_rojas_c and on her website: ingridrojascontreras.com. Ingrid’s memoir The Man Who Could Move Clouds was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize, National Book Award, and National Book Critics Circle Award, and her debut novel Fruit of the Drunken Tree was the silver medal winner in First Fiction from the California Book Awards. Her essays and short stories have appeared in the New York Times Magazine, The Believer, and Zyzzyva, among others. She lives in California. These books are available wherever books are sold.Listen to exclusive episodes of This is Actually Happening ad-free by joining Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your fre