Audio recorded by SlamFind. (www.slamfind.com)

To hear the full poem and an interview with G Yamazawa, listen and subscribe to the Stories with a Heartbeat podcast on iTunes, Google Play, or your podcast platform of choice. 

An Excerpt from "The Bridge" by G Yamazawa.

On February 10th, 2015 Farris Barakat was getting ready to leave work when he called his mom to check in. Before the conversation could start she interrupted, “Have you seen Deah?” Over the next four hours Farris confronted an unthinkable reality. In Episode One of Stories with a Heartbeat, we listen as Farris recounts the intimate moments his heart slipped from fear to hope to despair on the night his brother Deah, his sister-in-law Yusor, and her sister Razan were murdered in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

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Stories with a Heartbeat - Episode 1 - Listening

In Reyhanli, Turkey, a stone's throw away from the Syrian Civil War, there is a dental clinic for refugee children. In the front entrance there is a pixelated picture of three smiling faces taped to the wall. In white Arabic script it says, “We will not forget you.” The name of this facility is the Deah Barakat, Yusor Abu Salha, and Razan Abu Salha Dental Clinic. In Episode Two of Stories with a Heartbeat we learn about the details of the crime in Chapel Hill with reporter Reema Khrais, and we travel to the other side of the world with host Will McInerney to witness the power of their legacy in action along the Syrian border.

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Stories With A Heartbeat - Episode 2 - Searching For Light

Before Deah Barakat was murdered, he raised money to support the dental needs of Syrian refugees and planned to go volunteer along the border in the summer. After his death, Deah’s brother Farris made that trip and delivered the money and supplies Deah raised. In Episode Three of Stories with a Heartbeat, we join Farris on his journey to complete Deah's mission, and we learn about a deep connection Farris made with one young refugee who embodied the spirit of Deah with her simple and elusive smile.

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Stories With A Heartbeat - Episode 3 - Seedra's Smile

Reporter Reema Khrais and Chapel Hill Police Chief Chris Blue vividly remember the morning after the triple murder of Deah, Yusor, and Razan. While Reema balanced her personal connections and professional responsibilities, Chief Blue released a statement about the alleged parking dispute motive in the crime, one that he now regrets. In Episode Four of Stories with a Heartbeat, Chief Blue tells a personal story about remorse, regret, and the moment his daughter told him he was wrong, “You can’t say that.”

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Stories with a Heartbeat - Episode 4 - Breakfast Conversations

Poet Mohammad Moussa believes his friend Deah Barakat was murdered in a hate crime; and he refuses to remain silent. Shattered Glass, Mohammad’s multi-media spoken word poetry show is a year of reflection and mourning wrapped in the power of storytelling and signed with a poet’s pen. It’s a demand for answers and accountability, and it’s a journey that leaves us both broken and whole. In Episode Five of Stories with a Heartbeat, host Will McInerney sits down with Mohammad Moussa to talk about poetry, processing, and parking disputes.

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Stories With A Heartbeat - Episode 5 - Shattered Glass

George Yamazawa uses spoken word poetry to address personal conflicts and inner struggles. Yamazawa is a National Poetry Slam Champion and his writing is deeply tied to his Japanese-American heritage. In this episode of Stories with a Heartbeat, host Will McInerney talks with poet George "G" Yamazawa, and we hear a poem by G about a conflict involving language, identity, and his father's accent. 

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Stories With A Heartbeat - Episode 6 - The Bridge

Seven poets from across the US share new works written and posted to Facebook within one day of the recent mass shooting at a gay nightclub in Orlando. These poems are raw, personal, and earnest. In the wake of such horrific violence, host Will McInerney passes the mic to seven writers to help us understand what happened at the Pulse nightclub on June 12th. When the country is collectively at a loss for words, sometimes poets can help us find them.

This episode features work from:
Christopher Soto
Queen Sheba
Sierra DeMulder
Jameson Fitzpatrick
Carmel Delshad
Jacob Tobia
Alexis Pauline Gumbs

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Stories with a Heartbeat - Episode 7 - Seven Poems For Pulse

School is full of conflict. This week we explore three conflicts in the classroom. Students and teachers use poetry and stories to reflect on moments of friction at school and help us understand why they matter. In the first story, writer Jamila Reddy shares a poem about an elementary school conflict. Kids can be mean, even at a really young age. But why? And what is the lasting impact?

The second story is about identity and belonging, and it is about a nuance in Spanish grammar. Students Abigail Stern and Yen Nguyen sit down to talk with their Spanish teacher Brenda De Leon about a moment of conflict from earlier this year.

And the last story is not so much about conflict as it is about overcoming conflict. Three high school students from the Poetic Justice program who never thought they would graduate are getting diplomas. This story is from four years ago and explores how students used poetry to empower themselves and excel in school. 

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Stories with a Heartbeat - Episode 8 - Classroom Conflict

Stories with a Heartbeat is a new podcast on North Carolina Public Radio WUNC that explores the complexity of the human condition in conflict through poetry, stories, and conversation. Host Will McInerney is a poet who travels the world and specializes on the intersection of creative expression and conflict resolution. 

Stories with a Heartbeat

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