Family Ties: Stories about our roots

Is who we are shaped more by nature or nurture? It's a question science has grappled with for years. In this week’s episode, both of our storytellers dive into their family histories to explore how the people and experiences that came before them continue to shape who they are today.

Part 1: As a teenager, Mark Pagan worries that having an old dad is affecting his social development.

Part 2: Curious about his DNA, Christopher Rivas takes his father on a journey to the Dominican Republic to learn about his family history.

Mark Pagán is an award-winning producer, writer, and editor for non-fiction podcasts and film. He is the creator and host of the critically acclaimed show Other Men Need Help. His work has been featured on Latino USA, Radiotopia, On the Media, 99 Percent Invisible, Code Switch, among others. His films and performances have been shown at dozens of festivals and shows worldwide including Slamdance Film Festival, Maryland Film Festival, RISK!, The Moth, and Story Collider. Mark's work has been nominated for a Peabody, has made The Atlantic, The New York Times, The New Yorker annual “best of” lists, and has been recognized by Vulture, TIME Magazine, CBC, Los Angeles Review of Books, and The Financial Times. Before working in digital media, Mark was a teacher, social worker, comedian, part-time mascot, and bboy. He currently lives in NYC with his wife and an emo pit bull named Soca.

Christopher Rivas is quickly becoming one of the most sought after multi-hyphenates as an actor, author, podcaster, and storyteller. His book Brown Enough, explores what it means to be Brown in a Black/white world. The book is part memoir and part social commentary. He also hosts two podcast series with SiriusXM's Stitcher: Brown Enough, which explores the parallel themes of this book through interview-style episodes; and Rubirosa, a 10-episode documentary-style investigation of Porfirio Rubirosa, a Dominican diplomat, race car driver, soldier and polo player who is believed to be the inspiration for the famous character ‘James Bond’. On screen, Rivas is known for his work on the Fox series, Call Me Kat, opposite Mayim Bialik, Leslie Jordan, Kyla Pratt and Cheyenne Jackson.

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