Stories in Our Roots

Linda Broenniman knew little about her Hungarian heritage until a surprising revelation at the age of 27 changed everything. Discovering her Jewish roots and the heroic actions of her family members during the holocaust became a turning point in her quest to delve deeper into her family's past.

With warmth and authenticity, Linda reflects on the personal transformations that occurred as she delved into her family history, emphasizing the power of understanding one's roots and the blessings that can be derived from preserving and celebrating ancestral legacies. She encourages listeners to ask questions and pursue their family heritage with tenacity, as it reveals not only the stories of the past but also valuable insights into oneself.

About Linda:
Linda Ambrus Broenniman grew up in Buffalo, New York. She is the middle child of seven born to Hungarian physicians who survived World War II and started their new life in the US in 1949. Linda graduated from Swarthmore College with a BA in psychology. Several years after getting her MBA from Carnegie Mellon, she left mainstream corporate America to follow her path as an entrepreneur, building companies in technology and biotech. She let her passion for uncovering hidden potential in unexpected places guide her. And she allowed this passion to fuel her search for her hidden family. Linda lives in Great Falls, Virginia with her husband of 28 years and their dog, Juno.

Connect with Linda:
Website: politzersaga.com
Facebook: Linda Broenniman

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As a public historian, Fayge had always been interested in history. It wasn't until she moved to West Philadelphia, close to where her ancestors lived, that she began her search in earnest. Her exploration was also intertwined with her reconnection to Judaism, prompting a deeper desire to understand her family's story.

Fayge shares how delving into her family's history has deepened her sense of belonging and connection to her Jewish identity and community. She also discusses the challenges and triumphs of piecing together her family's narrative, offering insights into the process of unraveling ancestral stories and the lasting impact it can have on personal identity.

About Fayge:
Fayge Horesh is a public historian, tour guide, and freelance writer. Since her days as a six-year-old eager to infodump Benjamin Franklin Facts on anyone who would stand still long enough to listen, she has wanted to share her passion for history with others.

The creator and host of the podcast “D Listers of History,” Fayge brings her research skills, curiosity, and irreverence to discuss important but mostly forgotten historical figures. She joins her audience in exploring what these often colorful people can tell us about ourselves and our society today.

Fayge also teaches private music lessons in the greater Philadelphia area and only sometimes sneaks history in between etudes.

In all the work Fayge does, her primary goal is to make both historical stories and the study of history accessible to everyone. History is crucial to understanding where we are now and how we can build a better world in the future.

Connect with Fayge:
Website: www.dlistersofhistory.com
Facebook: D Listers of History
Instagram: @dlistersofhistory

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Julie Pham, a Vietnamese boat person, shares her family's journey as refugees fleeing communism and establishing a new life in the United States. Through Julie's experiences and insights as a historian, listeners will explore the power of multiple truths, the push and pull factors of immigration, and the dynamics of being an insider and an outsider in different communities. We delve into the significance of understanding family history and its impact on shaping individual perspectives and resilience. Join us as we uncover the importance of curiosity in fostering human connection, empathy, and inner peace while embracing the diverse stories that make up our shared history.

About Julie:

Dr. Julie Pham is the founder and CEO of CuriosityBased, an organizational development firm based in Seattle. She is the author of the Amazon best-seller, 7 Forms of Respect: A Guide to Transforming Your Communication and Relationships at Work and a TEDx speaker. Dr. Pham has applied her award-winning community building approach to building strong, collaborative, and curious teams. Dr. Pham earned her Ph.D. in history at Cambridge University as a Gates Cambridge Scholar and she graduated magna cum laude from the University of California, Berkeley as a Haas Scholar. She earned her real life MBA by running her family’s Vietnamese language newspaper during the Great Recession. She has worked as a journalist, historian, university lecturer, marketer, nonprofit executive, and management consultant.

Connect with Julie:
Website: www.curiositybased.com
Facebook@curiositybased
Instagram@juliephamphd
LinkedIn Julie Pham
TEDxTalk on "curiosity as a practice"

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Ready to share your experience of uncovering your family's past as a guest on Stories in Our Roots? Take the first step and fill out this short application.

Join Danielle and Galeet Dardashti as they share their journey of discovery to learn why their father's family left Iran during the Golden Age for Jews. With limited access to records to answer their questions, the sisters relied on interviewing over 85 individuals, including family members, scholars, and unexpected acquaintances. They have reconstructed an engaging story that transcends cultural boundaries and challenges preconceived notions. What they learned sheds light not only on their familial roots, but also on universal themes of identity, belonging, and the intricate connections that tie us all together.

About Danielle and Galeet:

Danielle Dardashti is an Emmy award-winning documentary writer/producer, a former on-air TV news reporter, an author, and a Moth storySLAM champion who leads corporate storytelling workshops all over the world.

Dr. Galeet Dardashti is a vocalist, composer, and anthropologist of Middle Eastern Jewish culture. In her new album, Monajat, she sings with samples of her grandfather who was called The Nightingale of Iran. She's currently a Fellow at University of Pennsylvania’s Katz Center.

Connect with Danielle on LinkedIn
Connect with Galeet on Instagram @galeet.dardashti or Facebook @galeet

Head to nightingaleofiran.com to listen to their story and join their list for bonus materials.

Are we connected on Instagram or Facebook yet? Find me @msheathermurphy

Ready to share your experience of uncovering your family's past as a guest on Stories in Our Roots? Take the first step and fill out this short application.

In retrospect, Elizabeth Keating wishes she would have used her skills as an anthropologist when she interviewed her mother about family history. To help others avoid her mistakes, Elizabeth shares how we can use interviews with living family members to uncover the everyday experiences and cultural nuances of previous generations. Elizabeth encourages listeners to embrace the value of family stories and their priceless insights to help us understand not only what happened to our ancestors, but to envision what life was like from their perspective and experience.

About Elizabeth:

Elizabeth Keating is a professor of anthropology at the University of Texas at Austin. She’s just written a book "The Essential Questions: Interview Your Family to Uncover Stories and Bridge Generations" that helps people find out more about their own family’s history. Her specialty in anthropology is Linguistic Anthropology, the study of language and culture.

Connect with Elizabeth:

Website: elizabeth-keating.com
Instagram: @elizabethkeating44
LinkedIn: Elizabeth Keating

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Ready to share your experience of uncovering your family's past as a guest on Stories in Our Roots? Take the first step and fill out this short application.

Our conversation delves into the remarkable life of Vivien Sieber's Czech-born grandmother, who faced adversity and triumphs during World War II. From owning a cinema in Vienna to finding refuge in England and caring for girls who fled their families as part of the Kinder Transport, Vivien uncovers the intricacies of her family's history and shares the lessons she learned along the way.

About Vivien:
Dr. Vivien Sieber worked in biosciences research, education development, learning technology and information literacy at a range of UK universities. She lives in Oxford with her husband and dogs. Since retiring she is learning to make pots and has written Kino and Kinder.

Connect with Vivien:
Facebook: Kino and Kinder
Instagram: siebervivien
LinkedIn: Vivien Sieber

New December 2023! Join the Stories in Our Roots Community and use your family history for self-discovery, joy, and connection.

Are we connected on Instagram or Facebook yet? Find me @msheathermurphy

Ready to share your experience of uncovering your family's past as a guest on Stories in Our Roots? Take the first step and fill out this short application.

All of your ancestors were perfect, right? Unfortunately, everyone has ancestors who disappoint us with their choices.

In this episode, I talk about four ways we respond when we discover an ancestor made choices that hurt others.

As we learn to be more open to putting our ancestors' choices into the context of their lives we can see them as real people, living with the effects of their environment, the choices of their family members and others around them, as well as their own choices.

An added bonus is that as we learn the skill of being observant of our ancestors, we can also use that skill in our interactions here and now.

Are we connected on Instagram or Facebook yet? Find me @msheathermurphy

Ready to share your experience of uncovering your family's past as a guest on Stories in Our Roots? Take the first step and fill out this short application.

All of your ancestors were perfect, right? Unfortunately, everyone has ancestors who disappoint us with their choices.

In this episode, I talk about four ways we respond when we discover an ancestor made choices that hurt others.

As we learn to be more open to putting our ancestors' choices into the context of their lives we can see them as real people, living with the effects of their environment, the choices of their family members and others around them, as well as their own choices.

An added bonus is that as we learn the skill of being observant of our ancestors, we can also use that skill in our interactions here and now.

Are we connected on Instagram or Facebook yet? Find me @msheathermurphy

Ready to share your experience of uncovering your family's past as a guest on Stories in Our Roots? Take the first step and fill out this short application.

In Stephanie Renée's story, there's an exploration of identity and belonging that resonates deeply. She began her journey seeking to fill in the gaps left by the early loss of her mother. Her path took an unexpected turn when she discovered her mother was adopted, leading her into the world of genetic genealogy. Despite the hurdles she faced, Stephanie was driven to understand her roots and expand her familial network, bringing her closer to understanding her lineage and establishing a sense of belonging.

Connect with Stephanie on Instagram @TheDNAJourney or check out her website StephanieRenee.com

Want to support her video series, The DNA Journey?  You can do that here.

Are we connected on Instagram or Facebook yet? Find me @msheathermurphy

Ready to share your experience of uncovering your family's past as a guest on Stories in Our Roots? Take the first step and fill out this short application.

In Stephanie Renée's story, there's an exploration of identity and belonging that resonates deeply. She began her journey seeking to fill in the gaps left by the early loss of her mother. Her path took an unexpected turn when she discovered her mother was adopted, leading her into the world of genetic genealogy. Despite the hurdles she faced, Stephanie was driven to understand her roots and expand her familial network, bringing her closer to understanding her lineage and establishing a sense of belonging.

Connect with Stephanie on Instagram @TheDNAJourney or check out her website StephanieRenee.com

Want to support her video series, The DNA Journey?  You can do that here.

Are we connected on Instagram or Facebook yet? Find me @msheathermurphy

Ready to share your experience of uncovering your family's past as a guest on Stories in Our Roots? Take the first step and fill out this short application.