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2019 Justice Media Trailblazers Meet and Greet

​Life Out Loud members meet and greet influential podcasters Sarah Koenig and Brittany Packer from “Serial” and “Pod Save the People” at 2019 Justice Media Trailblazer Awards Dinner. Read more about the trailblazers here.
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Fall 2018 End of Semester Celebration

Life Out Loud members celebrate another successful semester of Life Out Loud with a potluck filled with fun games.
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Urban U Visits Life Out Loud 

Producers from CUNY TV’s very own Urban U dropped by to learn what Life Out Loud is all about. Check out the Life Out Loud feature at here. The episode showcases the making of the Life Out Loud story “Family Man”. 
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17th Annual CUNY IT Conference

Longtime members of LOL Riley Linares, Karen Argueta, Rebecca Singh and, of course, Christen Madrazo present “Nonfiction Storytelling Podcasts: Production, Practice and Inquiry” at the CUNY IT Conference advocating and highlighting the benefits of incorporating podcasting in the classroom.
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Girl Vow Workshop 

Look at our teammates teaching our friends at the Girl Vow Organization the how-to’s of podcasting.
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John Jay College's 2018 Annual English Department Awards​

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Our author, Rawnak Mahjabib, won second place for "Best Work of Nonfiction: Personal Essay" for her piece, "The Price of Privilege."
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Our digital sound director Velislava Bozih won the college-wide "Distinguished Student Service" award for her work on the podcast!
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John Jay College's 2018 Research & Creativity Week

Check out Senior Producer, Karen Argueta feature in the 2018 Research and Creativity week. Read more about Karen and why Life Out Loud is so impactful to her.​
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Life Out Loud Podcast station at John Jay's May 2018 Research and Creativity Day, where students and faculty were able to listen to a sample of our stories, check out the website, and look at what goes on beyond the studio. 
Representing Life Out Loud at John Jay's May 2018 Research and Creativity Day. 
Two Life Out Loud production team members sharing their pieces at John Jay's May 2018 Research and Creativity Day. 

Stop Hunger Now: Meal Pack-A-Thon

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Look at our teammates, Selena and Sadie giving back to the community. Service Corps rise against hunger!

2017 Bronx Freedom Fund Workshops

​Invitational session at the Bronx Freedom Fund at which Life Out Loud ran workshops in both April and November, 2017
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For the 2017-2018 academic year, Life Out Loud was awarded a $5,000 CUNY Office of Academic Affairs grant to further develop experiential learning at John Jay College! We are beyond honored! 
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2017 New World Stages Performance

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October, 2017: Rawnak Mahjabib performing her piece "The Price of Privilege" live at New World Stages.
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John Jay College's 2017 Annual English Department Awards

Spring 2017 John Jay College. English Department Awards Ceremony at which Arianna Castillo won Best CNF project for the year for her piece “Kiburi, Orgullo, Pride.”   At this same award ceremony, LOL writer and production team member Amanda Donohue won Honorable Mention for the same category for her piece “Sentenced.” 
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Spring, 2017: Prof Madrazo was awarded the Faculty Service to Students Award, largely for her work with the podcast.
Life Out Loud heads downtown for one of the Moth's Story Slam events, an open-mic storytelling competition for one of the largest live storytelling platforms in the world! 
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​The first of many legacies to add on to Life Out Loud’s family and Production team. This is the CNF class of Spring 2017. Stories such as author, Melissa Gaiti’s  piece “Number 11” and Yvette Marie Diaz’s piece “Vienna Sausage” were workshopped here!
​November 17th 2016: Author Amanda Donohue and Host & Author Karina Velez reading at the cosponsored International Studies Week and LGBTQIA+ & Allies Week reading event at John Jay College.
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November 3rd 2016; Maoly Hernandez on a panel for the Latin American Student Organization and Haitian American Student Association at John Jay.
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​October 17th 2016: Host & Author Karina Velez reading at “Shut Up! And Listen”s open mic event at John Jay.

July 21st 2016: Host & Author Karina Velez and  author Amanda Donohue  reading at the IATI Theatre in Manhattan for DAT's Action Fest Tanzania 2016.
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The entire CNF Summer 16’  Study Abroad Storytelling in Tanzania team beaming at the Zanzibar International Film Festival. Though they were invited to share their work at ZIFF, the acoustics of the space didn't allow for dramatic readings, so they had to make up for it back in NYC where they performed live at IATI Theatre. Fun Fact: All of these students are featured authors on Life Out Loud’s first two seasons! 

Tanzania Performance/ IATI Showcase July 2016

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​In the summer of 2016, eight Life Out Loud contributors shared their Study Abroad in Tanzania Travel Writing stories at a public performance at IATI Theater for Dramatic Adventure Theater's ACTion Fest. So far, most of these stories can be found in several episodes of season 2. Check them out!   
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While in Tanzania the following students wrote their way through six locations in Tanzania while also co-teaching workshops at several orphanages where they helped students perform their own stories for their local community:  Melissa Gaiti, Amanda Donahue,  Edward Serrate, Samantha Jones, Arianna Castillo, Patricia Cambell, Karina Velez, and Natalie Giaccio. 
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B6- Life Out Loud members don’t just perform stories; they build the very stages they stand on! Featured are members that contributed their Tanzania Travel Writing stories at a public performance at IATI Theater for Dramatic Adventure Theater's ACTion Fest.

Teaching Storytelling in Tanzania

​While traveling in Tanzania with Dramatic Adventure Theater, some of the Life Out Loud team co-leads storytelling workshops with local youth and staff at three different orphanages. 
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Most of the women who took part in advanced CNF Travel Writing in Summer 16  Tanzania humbled by the kind and gracious Datoga tribe Located on the outskirts of Lake Eyasi.
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​While traveling in Tanzania with Dramatic Adventure Theater, the Life Out Loud team co-leads storytelling workshops with local youth and staff at three different orphanages. Featured here are author’s Amanda D. and Natalie G. working with a group of young talented Tanzanian storytellers. 

Service Day in Tanzania

​Some of the Life Out Loud team creating and collaborating in the most unique spaces in Tanzania while traveling with Dramatic Adventure Theater. 
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Edward Serrate and Arianna Castillo, working with Light in Africa’s “Happy House” members.  Life Out Loud members make sure no one misses out on the fun. Fortunately for us, these young and disabled students refused to sit out during workshops. In fact, they gave us so many ideas and even inspired Samantha Jones’ piece “Johnson”, which can be found in Season 2: Episode 5.  Are you as infatuated with Johnson’s smile as we are?!?!  
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​At the base of Mount Kilimanjaro, Authors and Life Out Loud member’s Arianna Castillo, Natalie Giaccio, and Edward serrate are seated at Mama Lynn’s Dining room table sowing lavender satchels. Fun Fact: this is where Natalie Giaccio received her inspiration for “The Heart Condition” which aired on Season 2: Episode 2. 

Writing and Creating in Tanzania

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​When not writing, some of the Life out Loud team who went to Tanzania for a Travel Writing course, spent some time sanding windows, painting houses, sewing lavender satchels, and digging trenches for an irrigation system at Light In Africa- an orphanage located at the base of Mount Kilimanjaro. 
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Even Animals Support and listen Life Out Loud! Could this be Fan Art? Maybe? 
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Life Out Loud’s first end-of-season wrap up outing!  Don’t be fooled by the straight faces; they were just sad that the season was over​!
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June 1st 2016: Original Episode Concept Designer Maoly Hernandez with Digital Director Samuel Tapia graduating from John Jay at the Javits Center.




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Professor Madrazo seeing to it that her Life Out Loud students are not only supported on graduation day, but that they are also reminded to come back and volunteer after they have left campus. Not to mention she is setting examples by using any opportunity to promote Life Out Loud!
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​May 27th 2016: Author Misian Searles reading a excerpt of her essay “Q” at the John Jay College English Department Awards ceremont. More of Misian’s incredible work “A Muse, Of Course, and Also” was featured on Life Out Loud in Episode 1.5 - "At Home" and can be heard here. ​
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​Here is one of our guests, Natalie Giaccio, sharing an impromptu story performance at Dramatic Adventure Theater’s 10th Anniversary. Her story "The Heart Condition" can be heard on Episode 2.2 - "Beneath the Surface"

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​Some of our amazing production members attending a voiceover workshop with Emmy Award Winner Paul Ruben.

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​Award winning author David Unger and our longtime host, social media director, and episode script coordinator Karen Argueta stop to take a picture after an interview (sound managed by Velislava Bozhinova) when Life Out Loud organized the following interview on behalf of John Jay’s English department. 

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​Life Out Loud “cleaned up” at the John Jay English Department’s writing awards ceremont in the Fall of 2016! 1st place winner of the Patricia Licklider Award for Best Work of Nonfiction/Personal Essay, Edward Serrate, for his piece entitled, “Beniana”; 2nd Place Winner, Carlos Gonzalez, for his piece entitled, “When the Clock Strikes”; and 3rd Place Winner, Nadia Baichoo, for her piece entitled “Almonds.” We are so proud of these writers. Keep an ear out for Nadia’s piece—coming soon—but the others can be heard on Episode 1.2 - "Our Father" and Episode 2.1 - "Motherland"

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​Edward Serrate, the first place winner of the Patricia Licklider Award for Best Work of Nonfiction/Personal Essay for his piece, “Beniana.”  

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May 27th 2016: Packed House at the John Jay College English Department Awards ceremony.  Not only did Life Out Loud “clean up” at the John Jay English Department’s writing awards ceremony in the Fall of 2016! But it was the very first event they were formally recognized as an “inspiring” campus project and family! 
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LOL members handing out flyers not only encourage listeners to tune in, but to submit their own-curated work to be featured in future seasons!
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​​Our director, Professor Christen Madrazo, accepting celebratory tote bags from one of our biggest fans: former English department chair Professor Allison Pease. 

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​In April 2016 Our Mother Hen here at Life Out Loud, Christen Madrazo, receiving the Distinguished Service to Students Award of John Jay College.  Everyone here at the podcast knows Professor Madrazo as someone that always goes above and beyond to be more than just 'faculty.' She’s a mentor to all! She is a gift to the lives she touches and we are so proud to have had her believe, support, and fight for this project with her students!
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​Featured guest, Rose Mary Osorio, performing her piece at a travelogue hosted by Dramatic Adventure Theater. Her story "Thoughts in Transit" can be heard on Season 1 Episode 2.
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​Featured here are Life Out Loud’s Founding CNF members, the Fall class of 2015! Not only were there notable pieces born in this class such as Carlos Gonzalez’s, “When the Clock Strikes” or Nadia Baichoo’s piece entitled “Almonds”, But LIFE OUT LOUD ITSELF WAS created because these students refused to let their stories lay dormant within the confines of their notebooks! Instead these students chose to create a platform where stories would never stop and writers could be heard
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