Everything Is Stories

04/11/2024

As a closeted gay teenager, lying was familiar to Mark Olmsted. Concealing parts of his identity was just part of the deal–and he was good at it. But when the AIDS crisis threatened his life and left him with little to lose, the lying would turn so grandiose that no one who knew him could quite believe it.

In part two of our three-part series, Mark discusses his increased trajectory of deception in the immediate years after a death in the family. With his health hanging in the balance and hopes dashed after a dream screenplay project falls through, casual drug use and debauchery would eventually give rise to dealing methamphetamine in the Los Angeles gay scene–a desperate scenario that would lead to a dramatic encounter with law enforcement. With things escalating beyond his control, Mark would devise a plan to carry out the biggest act of fraud deception yet, but would it be enough to finally turn his life around for good?

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This episode was produced by Mike Martinez , Tyler Wray, and Grace Heerman

Music by Mike Etten with sound design by George Drake, Jr.

Intro / outro music by Anand Wilder
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Visit our website for photos by Clarke Tolton along with further archival material.
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Season 04 was produced in partnership with Oscilloscope Laboratories

01/10/2024

As a closeted gay teenager, lying was familiar to Mark Olmsted. Concealing parts of his identity was just part of the deal–and he was good at it. But when the AIDS crisis threatened his life and left him with little to lose, the lying would turn so grandiose that no one who knew him could quite believe it.

In part one of our three-part series, Mark vividly recounts his childhood upbringing and the complicated relationship with his brother that would ultimately transform in one of the most unexpected ways. And after thriving in the mecca of 70s and 80s New York City gay life he found himself facing a hard question: How would he cope following an unthinkable family tragedy and react to a future life he assumed had vanished ?

The Disorientation of Survival // Part I - now available here:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/everything-is-stories/id788131884?i=1000670482010

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This episode was produced by Mike Martinez, Tyler Wray, and Grace Heerman.

Music by Mike Etten, with sound design by George Drake, Jr.

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Visit our website for photos by Clarke Tolton along with further archival material.
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Season 04 was produced in partnership with Oscilloscope Laboratories

28/08/2024

“I hated to use the cross because I’m not a religious person. The cross has a lot of baggage already. It’s a Christian symbol of faith, but it’s also a Christian symbol of death. That’s how the Roman Empire killed criminals and false prophets and enemies of the state. They hanged them on this cross without any water out in the sun until they died. And this is exactly what’s happening here.

People are dying here from lack of water, from exposure to the elements, and they are being forced to hike very rough terrain, because the authorities figured that when people started dying it was going to deter migration—but they had no idea of the desperation of the people who need to make the trip because they don’t have any other option.”

Hear more from artist and immigrant Alvaro Enciso in our latest podcast episode, Where Two Lines Meet: A story of self-discovery in a new land and death in the desert.

07/08/2024

“My project has a little bit of performance art.You walk on the footsteps of someone who died at a particular place, and you are putting a marker in a space, and that marker turns it into a sacred space in a way—a place where something terrible happened, a tragedy that affected people in Latin America, but also people here in the U.S. because that person left a family on the other side, but was coming to reunite with another family here. So, the repercussions of that death is gigantic. That’s what I was very interested in, trying to give presence to that person, trying to give this person a name.”

- Artist Alvaro Enciso on his ongoing project placing crosses throughout the southern Arizona desert.

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Where Two Lines Meet // A story of self-discovery in a new land and death in the desert.
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Hear the full story wherever you get you podcasts.

Photo by

05/08/2024

Our newest episode is now live !

Where Two Lines Meet: A story of self-discovery in a new land and death in the desert.

Since the year 2000, more than 4,000 border-crossers have met a gruesome fate throughout the Sonoran Desert of Arizona. With over 1,000-and-counting still missing, the numbers have only continued to rise as more attempt the trek each year in pursuit of a better life. This is the story of Alvaro Encisco, an immigrant who found his own version of the myth of the American dream, and with his art, has been on a mission giving a voice to the seekers who have died in search of theirs.

You can listen wherever you get your podcasts - and if you haven't yet, please leave us a review! We'd love to hear from you.

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/everything-is-stories/id788131884?i=1000663052134

11/07/2024

“My history of abuse informs my collaboration with Gil. In many ways, the most important thing is that Gil and I carry the roles of the entirety of the Catholic Church’s sexual abuse crisis in our person. The aim of our work together, for me, is restoration and wholeness - and in our persons we are archetypes of what it looks like not only to be damaged and do great damage, but to restore and repair that damage.” - Susan Pavlak

Hen’s Teeth // A story of friendship and the dark side of the church. Now live wherever you listen to your podcasts.

Photo by 

27/06/2024

New episode now live!

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/everything-is-stories/id788131884?i=1000659348313

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Hen’s Teeth // A story of friendship and the dark side of the church.

Susan Pavlak is at work hospicing the Catholic Church, and after spending her youth in the crosshairs of a sexual predator, found solace in forgiveness and truth. Pavlak describes how she reconciles her history of abuse with her continued faith in the Catholic Church and the goodness it provides – and how that faith would lead her to Gil Gustafson. A former priest, Gustafson has become Susan’s unlikely partner in a quest to shine light on the church’s darkest secrets. In this episode, both describe their troubling experiences on opposite sides of abuse, how they came together as friends to heal, and their push for accountability.

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Produced by Mike Martinez, Tyler Wray, and Grace Heerman. Music by Mike Etten. Sound design by George Drake, Jr.

Photos by Casey Steffens

Season 04 was produced in partnership with

21/05/2024

🚨New episode now live!🚨

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/everything-is-stories/id788131884?i=1000656225048

Del From Hell: A story of transcendence through mental illness and living outside the mainstream.

Where do we go when we can’t make it in mainstream society? As someone who has often battled mental illness and rage, Del Hendrixson Jr. connects the dots between a violent mental breakdown and his struggle to find a sense of belonging as a child. In this episode, Del talks about a successful career in printing that would eventually turn criminal, hitting rock bottom, and fighting an insatiable urge to kill. Following a su***de attempt and a slow journey toward peace and acceptance of living outside the mainstream, life would eventually come full-circle to the place everything bottomed out - prison - where Del taught newly-released inmates creative skills in order to help them lead productive lives at his Bajito Onda Foundation.

Produced by Mike Martinez, Tyler Wray, and Grace Heerman. Music by Mike Etten. Sound design by George Drake, Jr.

Photos by Clarke Tolton.
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Season 04 was produced in partnership with Oscilloscope Laboratories

30/04/2024

“My fears were enough to push me out from my country and because my life was not normal anymore, my life was more on the run. All my friends were leaving. Everybody that I knew was not there anymore.” - Dora Rodriguez on leaving El Salvador

**Due to safety and editorial purposes, The Shores Of Acheron has been edited from its previous version. For listeners who have already heard the episode, we encourage you to revisit for a more in-depth look at the the origins of the sanctuary movement and Doras’ path to migrant activism.

Slide 1: Dora in the arms of Border Patrol agents as they rescue her from the Arizona desert. Image via The Arizona Daily Star, 1980.

Slide 2: Prior to leaving El Salvador Dora shared a studio with a friend who was teaching English, while she taught Spanish. Photo courtesy of Dora Rodriguez.

Listen over on Apple Podcasts:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/everything-is-stories/id788131884?i=1000645953458

20/04/2024

NEW EPISODE NOW LIVE over on Apple Podcasts!

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/everything-is-stories/id788131884?i=1000652568625

A White Noise In Your Head - Part II - A story of abuse, self defense, and the narratives we choose to believe.

By the time her boyfriend became violent, Kim Dadou Brown was confident she could handle it. It was just one of those things the women in her family dealt with. It wasn’t until Kim found herself in prison that she realized how seriously the years of abuse had skewed her reality – and what little support the system offered women like her.

Kims' story continues in part 02, where she shares what transpired in the wake of her boyfriends' death and how she came out on the other side into a career as an activist for domestic violence victims.
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This episode was produced by Mike Martinez, Tyler Wray, and Grace Heerman
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Music by Mike Etten with sound design by Armen Bazarian

Intro / outro music by Anand Wilder
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Visit our website for photos by Casey Steffens.
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Season 04 was produced in partnership with

20/03/2024

NEW EPISODE NOW LIVE over on Apple Podcasts!

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/everything-is-stories/id788131884?i=1000649665106

A White Noise In Your Head // Part I: A story of abuse, self defense, and the narratives we choose to believe.

By the time her boyfriend became violent, Kim Dadou Brown was confident she could handle it. It was just one of those things the women in her family dealt with. It wasn’t until Kim found herself in prison that she realized how seriously the years of abuse had skewed her reality – and what little support the system offered women like her.

In Part 01, Kim meets us in her home in Rochester, New York, where she shares what ultimately led to a final act of violence and how much work she’s had to do in order to free herself from the trauma.
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This episode was produced by Mike Martinez, Tyler Wray, and Grace Heerman
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Music by Mike Etten, with sound design by Armen Bazarian. Intro / outro music was composed by Anand Wilder
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Visit our website for photos by Casey Steffens
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Season 04 was produced in partnership with Oscilloscope Laboratories

***This episode contains strong descriptions of domestic violence, please listen with care.

03/02/2024

🚨 NEW EPISODE ALERT 🚨 Season 04, Episode 01 - Across The Purple Sage - is now live wherever you listen to your podcasts.
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They say stealing cattle in Texas can get a man hung by the neck until dead. From a young age Roddy Pippin was ready to take that risk, as he and his crew would take home close to a million dollars rustling cattle over the course of 3 years. In this episode Pippin speaks of his idyllic childhood and love for the ways of the old west, the precarious choices he made while chasing the steal that would lead to brushes with death, and how those few years on the run pushed him and his lifelong friendships to the limit.
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This episode was produced by Grace Heerman, Mike Martinez, and Tyler Wray.

Music by Mike Etten and Domenic Palermo ( Nothing ).

Sound design by George Drake, Jr.

Intro / Outro Music by Anand Wilder
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Visit our website for archival material and photos by Justin Hollar
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Season 04 was produced in partnership with Oscilloscope Laboratories - look for a new episode each month throughout 2024.

LISTEN HERE:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/everything-is-stories/id788131884?i=1000641803089

09/01/2024

Thanks to our friend Jason for the interview - head to his substack for more on the approach to our new season!

Producer Mike Martinez on the return of Everything Is Stories, a podcast that removes the narrator in favor of pure, individual expression.

19/12/2023

🚨New podcast episode now streaming! 🚨 Season 04 has officially launched! Hear Lonewolf tell his full story for the first time as he discusses morality, terror, and tending to the dead. You can also look for monthly episodes throughout 2024. Find us wherever you listen to your podcasts.

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/everything-is-stories/id788131884?i=1000639039967

08/12/2023

Full of Hell and Nothing - Spend the Grace

An Everything Is Stories Film, written and directed by Tyler Wray and Mike Martinez.
In our quest to navigate the profound intricacies of reality, we often encounter a significant challenge: the limitations of language. However, amidst these challenges, there are decisive moments where individuals face the choice of determining their own paths or succumbing to external influences. It is within these moments that a remarkable opportunity can unfold, where one can exist in one world while inhaling the essence of another.
Much gratitude to Nicky, Justin, and both bands for letting us take the reigns on this one. You all did something really special with this record.
And to Shane for always entertaining our wild ideas without hesitation or restraint.
To the team thank you for jumping on this so quickly and to embracing the hive mind. Mistrust is the tyranny of the individual.

Watch the full video now on our site:

https://www.everythingisstories.com/video/spendthegrace/

22/11/2023

Season 03, Episodes 1-5 are now available wherever you stream your podcasts. Five stories concerning the unjust arm of the law, drug trafficking, and the priority of family - including one of our most ambitious stories to date, La Retirada, co-produced with our friends Love + Radio. This three part episode follows Rocío Gómez and her family as they navigate the Colombian drug trade through the 1980s, eventually falling into the hands of U.S. Marshals and entering the Federal Witness Security Program.

If you have a moment this upcoming holiday weekend, take a listen and drop us a review on iTunes or rate us on Spotify.

14/11/2023

“The aggressiveness of my radicalism - if that's what we need to call it - has just become more refined. Who's gonna stand up to the Navajo Nation Council and tell 'em they're out of order? That's a major, radical statement to tell the Navajo Nation that the government is a colonial process that's been forced upon us. But, I did that three years ago. That's a heavy accusation to make to the leadership.”

For over two decades, Duane “Chili” Yazzie has been an activist for Native American rights. Of the Navajo tribe, Chili has spent his life on the reservation in Shiprock, New Mexico, following tribal traditions and questioning the relationship between Native Peoples and Anglo-Americans. As a young man, he became a member of the influential Native American rock band, XIT, playing at political rallies across the United States. Chili would later become involved in Navajo politics, being sworn into the administration of the Shiprock Chapter House, where he served as president.

A Line Drawn In The Rez Dirt is now streaming wherever you listen to your podcasts. Give it a listen ( or a re-listen ! ) and hit us with a rating or review. As we approach the new season all of our listener feedback is incredibly valuable and helps us continue to grow.

Listen on Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/episode/1OHf5VvilbZlr8jVvM3do7?si=6af317f1b15c449c

Listen on Apple Podcasts:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/everything-is-stories/id788131884?i=1000377967279

24/10/2023

Season 2, episodes 1-5 are now available wherever you listen to your podcasts. 5 stories concerning abduction and the pursuit of alternative lifestyles. This latest release features stories from Robin Baker - one of the original founders of The Source Family alongside her husband Jim Baker, and Sulome Anderson - a journalist who tells of her personal journey into the Middle East to confront the extremists responsible her father’s kidnapping.

Listen, like, subscribe, tag someone - and if you haven’t yet, leave us a review wherever you stream EIS. It may not seem like much, but these small contributions allow us to grow and continue full steam ahead with more stories.