This is a prologue to a multi-part series about the Afghan diaspora in America reclaiming their past and trying to grow from the present. It's a story about culture, identity and authenticity.

Show Notes:

[00:30] "The Layers of Heaven" by Jovica
[00:55] Hit rewind. (freesound.org / cognitu perceptu)
[01:00] "Our Son the Potter" by The Blue Dot Sessions
[01:10] When LeBron James threw up his arms at J.R. Smith
[01:20] The hit song of Summer 2017
[01:30] Why the Game of Thrones finale was awful
1. The teaser to Season 7 for old times sakes
[01:45] Brigette Gabriel's call to "protest"
1. More on Brigette Gabriel
[02:10] The Southern Poverty Law Center's take on ACT for America
[02:15] Saturday, June 10, 2017, "anti-sharia protests" take place across the country
[03:15] Dispatch from an "anti-sharia protest" in Santa Clara, Calif. (h/t @SarRavani)
[06:25] More on the 2017 Portland train incident
1. Related: The Story of a Hate Crime
[06:40] The surge of hate crimes that followed shortly after the 2016 election
1. See here, here, here and here
[09:00] Light reading on no-go-zones.
[09:10] Light reading on Dearborn, Mich.
[09:40] "Cupcake Marshall" by The Blue Dot Sessions
[12:15] Light reading on "white genocide"
[14:40] "Verdigris" by The Blue Dot Sessions
[16:20] This is a throwback to the original prologue of this podcast. It's meta.
[16:50] Light reading on that third culture wave.
[17:20] Spoiler alert: no.
[17:30] Afghan National Anthem performed on TOLO TV