Born And Raised

Did your family use the dishwasher growing up? Samantha Lui and Alisha talk about why using the kitchen appliance feels like “a treat.”

Al’s visit to Chinatown’s “living room,” involves mahjong, red date tea, a renoviction, and a chat with Hannia Cheng about the art of unravelling.

When the pandemic hits, Alisha’s grandmother finds her groove; her brother and mother reflect on intergenerational differences; and our host breathes, as deep as she can.

Ahead of season three, our podcast reanimates with a Halloween special! In this spooktacular episode: Al digs into Filipino folklore with fellow podcaster Motzie Dapul and cartoonist Jason Loo shares what it's like to live in an intergenerational house ... that's also haunted.

Al and Alisha return for a sex-themed special with guest Anasimone George, recorded live in November for Hot Docs Podcast Festival's "Sounds of the Six."

The podcast ends its six-part series with stories reflecting on love, immigration, and loss: a bus route heads towards a timeless romance, the pain of distance after coming out, and how a mother’s holiday cheer lives on.

A mom gives us an earful on bonding, the team digs deep into a forgotten Polish lullaby, and a baby heals family rifts.

The hosts struggle with whether they really love themselves. Josephine grapples with the idea that “Africans don’t get depressed.” Without having roots in culture or place, Kamini copes by drinking— until they’re forced to reckon with their addiction.

Love stories from Canada’s version of Ellis Island. An Ontario steelmill worker writes a letter, postmarked to Italy and in hopes of finding his one true love. Alisha shares the story of her parents’ long-distance, personal-ad fuelled courtship. A war bride crosses the Atlantic to reunite with her soldier husband and live on his nation’s reserve.

Tony makes some R-rated discoveries on the family computer, a sex therapist shares what really happens behind closed immigrant-family doors, and Mari debunks a virginity myth for their mom.

A couple "keeps it halal," and a matchmaker shares her woes. Al orchestrates a blind date at a familiar place, and a comedian riffs on the love secrets we keep from our immigrant families.

Happy Valentine's Day, Born and Raised listeners! We have a heartfelt message for you to say thanks for listening to our first mini-series on food, and give you a taste of what's to come in our next season. Enjoy <3

We all want to belong. Sometimes, blending in based on the foods we eat is a desire to be like those around us. Other times, it’s about survival.

Mom knows best, especially in the kitchen. She magically makes food taste better than anyone else’s. But is it possible to adapt our immigrant mothers’ recipes and cook as well as they do ... or even better?

How immigrant families make and eat food is important. But what about the ways we talk about it and describe it? And what happens when food is lost in translation as it's shared between parents and children? Host Angelyn Francis and reporter Al Donato dig into the tie between food and language in this episode of "Born And Raised: Food." They explore why fully understanding the meaning of the dishes we eat can be especially significant for the children of immigrants.

Family restaurants are a part of life for many immigrants in Canada. Parents work long hours in the kitchen and in the dining room serving tables so their children can have better opportunities. It can be gruelling work. So what happens when the kids want to enter the food biz themselves? Host Angelyn Francis and reporter Al Donato present stories that feature the family restaurant, with a twist.

We all have favourite foods, but there's always “that one dish” that transports us into childhood memories, reminds us of people we care about, and can even play a role in fostering who we are today. When people emigrate, they may leave everyone and everything behind, but they find a way to put their culture on a plate — and connect to the next generation. Host Angelyn Francis and reporter Al Donato present stories where that one dish can come to symbolize culture, identity, and family.

Have you eaten? A delicious preview of our first mini-series, “Born & Raised: Food.”