The Story Collider

Skip the backstory and jump to the recording here. The Story Collider is a podcast available on virtually all podcast platforms. You can find the story in your preferred podcast app.

When I was presented with the opportunity to attend the 2019 SACNAS conference in Honolulu, Hawai’i, the choice to attend was not a difficult one. The location was a strong point of interest, but I always enjoy assisting students in making tough decisions between graduate programs. I wanted to represent UC San Diego and be an example of the opportunity provided by the university. So, I responded to the Sloan program associate at UCSD, Sinai Cota, and agreed to attend the conference with her and a group of students.

A couple months prior to the trip to Honolulu, I received an email from SACNAS with the subject line, “Are you The Storyteller?” People always seem interested in my background, so I decided to respond to the email with my story. As a grad student, I deemed it best to wait until the day of the deadline to respond. Almost forgetting to do so, I scrambled to weave a comprehensible narrative to send off. In essence, I told the team at The Story Collider that I spent many years in prison and now I am finishing up my PhD in physics.

After a few days, I received an email from the Artistic Director of The Story Collider, Erin Barker. She expressed interest in developing my story for their event with SACNAS. I was elated and jumped at the opportunity! However, at the time, I did not fully appreciate how much Erin would help me develop this story. It’s my life, so I don’t have difficulty telling the story, but telling a short story on stage was not something I had experienced. I had some preparation to do.

After hours of collaboration with Erin, I put together the story linked here. It was a cathartic experience for me, and I hope it can serve as a reminder that people can change their lives no matter the circumstances. That change starts with the individual, but the individual needs the support of family and friends. I would not be where I am today without the numerous people who never gave up on me. I am thankful for each and everyone one of them.

To listen from a podcast app: https://megaphone.link/ADL1481827122.

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On stage at Hawaiian Brian’s in Honolulu, HI

Photo by Lisa Helfert

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UC San Diego SACNAS Team

Photo by Gastor Almonte