Episode list

Impact Episode 501 features Dancing Through Fog, produced by Polina Cherezova, a personal look inside a ballet dancer's battle with cancer. We see how it impacts her career aspirations to dance with the Russian ballet, and experience the emotional rollercoaster through several rounds of chemotherapy. But her supportive family is there for every step of the way.

In Impact Episode 502, we bring two stories from the Latinx community here in Los Angeles. We explore the popular sport of Lucha Libre, and then take you to a Boyle Heights arts store that supports its community. In La Lucha, produced by Sam Schwartz, we meet two popular luchadores who share insights into the sport and how this has helped shape their lives. In Espacio 1839, produced by Michelle Salinas, we visit a store in Boyle Heights where the owners are on a mission to amplify the voices of local artists.

In Impact Episode 503, we feature two documentaries that explore challenging human experiences. First, we look at end of life choices, and then, we meet people persevering against prejudices for practicing a different faith. In Life at the End, produced by Abbey Martichenko, we meet a woman named Karen who is as resilient as she is kind. Karen provides us an intimate look into her life while navigating terminal illness, and we hear from others who work in the end-of-life space. These are important stories that face, head-on, some difficult challenges but help us to find the humanity in our own mortality. And Recipes for Change, produced by Yusra Farzan, introduces us to three stories about Muslims in America who have found ways to bring cultures together in the face of prejudice. The method they all have in common is as ancient as humanity itself - through sharing food.

In Impact Episode 504, we explore stories of cultural identity in America. The Immigrant Experience, produced by Mallika Singh, introduces us to people from three cultures who brought their artistry to America and talk about what it means for them to fit in. Being an immigrant is more than a country identity or a box to check as it uniquely carries complexity in one's life journey. And in Futbol Americano, produced by Randy Vazquez, we go inside the world of a soccer organization that offers fundamental life lessons for Latinx teens imagining their future dreams.

In Impact Episode 505, we visit a campus in Pasadena implementing interactive learning experiences, and dive under the sea to explore the deep connections people have with the ocean. The Sea Inside, produced by Nico Khazzam, explores how people find themselves one with the ocean. Water is not only a source for life, but also a space for tranquility. Discovering Self, produced by Renee Whalen, takes us into the classrooms of the Pasadena Waldorf School where experiential learning is welcomed. We hear from students, faculty and education experts as they reflect on the positive impacts that come from nontraditional learning opportunities.

In Impact Episode 506, we love hobbies, but wait until you see this one. We found a national organization of people who go digging around building rubble in search of a prize, bricks. And then, we meet a family who owns an iconic comfort food franchise in southern California. Brique Clique, produced by Madeline Horowitz, introduces us to some members of the International Brick Collectors Association who find, buy, sell and trade bricks. And in Randy's Donuts: An Unofficial L.A. Landmark, produced by Hannah Gellar, we drive down Manchester Boulevard to a plain little building with an oversized donut on its roof, that has been there since 1952. The Kelegian family bought the business in 2014 and have been expanding the franchise since.

In Impact Episode 507, we meet a woman who talks about life after competitive gymnastics. Then, we explore how a picturesque California lake has become a toxic ecological time bomb. Finding Balance, produced by Halle Hazzard, explores how competitive sports have a reputation for pushing young children to their limits to achieve success. Salton Sea, produced by Jeremy Lindenfeld, takes us to the midst of California's Imperial Valley where the sea has been receding for decades and is now an environmental disaster. It is killing wildlife and threatening the health of local residents.

In Episode 508, we bring you two stories of resilience and strength. In Ms. Loomis, produced by Shreya Ranganathan, we meet retired schoolteacher Jackie Loomis, who talks about her life as a mother and a widow coping with loss. And in Slack Lining, produced by Aiymgul Tuleugaliyeva, we meet Olga Henry, a woman who takes us into the challenging world of a sport called slack lining. This is a sport that is all about finding balance, which is perhaps a metaphor for how she embraces pushing physical and creative boundaries.

In Episode 509, we get to know some people who are passionate about arts and the outdoors. In The Brewery, produced by Evangeline Barrosse, we meet a vibrant community of artists who live in a former industrial complex in the Arts District. And in Discovering Home, produced by Jack Mittemeyer, we follow a nonprofit organization called Nature For All, that transports inner-city residents to L.A.'s rich nature settings, making the outdoors more accessible for all.

In Episode 510, we take a deep dive into medical issues. Biohackers, produced by Rachel Kisela, goes into the controversial world of biohacking, where technology meets biology in our ever-evolving world. In Medical Waste, produced by Vaishnavi Vasudevan, we explore how PPE during the COVID-19 pandemic has created excessive pollution on our planet.

In Episode 511, we visit three different art initiatives. In Fashion Forward, produced by Chloe Lewis, we look at evolving sustainability practices in the fashion industry. In Food Stylist, produced by Billy Harrington, we unveil the specialized art of presenting food aesthetically for advertising. And finally, in Shifting Focus, produced by Awrala-Awo Jama, we join a mentorship program that empowers teenagers from communities of color to express their perspectives through the lens of a camera.

In Episode 512, we explore different cultural and historical aspects of community. In Israeli Soccer, produced by Jesse Mechanic, we see how the power of soccer can begin to bridge political and cultural divides. In Meet the Clampers, we immerse ourselves in a centuries-old American brotherhood to explore history in a new way. And finally, in Photography, produced by Yuhong Jiang, we ask the age-old question: film or digital?

In Episode 513, we come face-to-face with giants that are nearly 300 feet tall and weigh more than two million pounds, and then we travel across the border into Mexico to learn about one woman's work for the rights of asylum seekers. In Saving the Giants, produced by Madeleine Reynolds, we visit Sequoia National Park to learn about how mountain-based firefighters are working to protect the largest trees in the world. In Asylum, produced by Dua Anjum, we meet some of the asylum seekers searching for a safer life in the United States.