13 Months of Sunshine Podcast

The pandemic has been hard on everyone — but how much harder is it in a country that's not your own, in a language you may not speak fluently or at all, in a system that may not understand your challenges? When COVID hit the Ethiopian community in Seattle, many immigrants found themselves without the social programs they relied on....

Tesfa Program staff, Selam and Rachael, discuss the mission of the Tesfa Program and their initiative to share the stories of how the Ethiopian community in the Seattle area community navigated COVID-19. Topics: Ethiopia, Ethiopian, immigrant, refugee, Seattle, diaspora, Covid, epidemic, Tesfa, health, community, Amharic, pandemic

Tesfa Program Founder, Selam and Program Host, Henok, talk about COVID and vaccination rumors shared within the local Ethiopian community. Topics: Unemployment, COVID-19 , Vaccination, Misinformation, Faith/Religion

Ethiopian religious leaders discuss the role of faith in vaccination and COVID-19's impacts on their congregations. Tesfa Program Founder, Selam talks with Sheikh Abdulaziz from the Ethiopian Muslims Association of Seattle and Priest Muluken from Medhanealem Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church. Topics: COVID-19, Faith/Religion, Misinformation, Vaccination

Selam, Tesfa Program Founder, gets two different perspectives on how COVID-19 impacted small businesses in Seattle. First, Selam speaks with Seifu, a taxi cab driver, and then with Mirtnish, owner of the Ethio Market. Topics: Unemployment, COVID-19, Vaccination, Misinformation

Tesfa Program Founder, Selam, speaks with Sophia Benalfew, Executive Director of Ethiopian Community in Seattle (ECS), about COVID-19's impact on the local Ethiopian community and ESC's efforts to support its members. Topics: Unemployment, COVID-19, Vaccination, Misinformation, Technology, Immigration

Pastor Berhanu from Bethel Ethiopian Church of Seattle speakers to Selam, Tesfa Program Founder, about COVID-19 and providing aid to people living in Ethiopia. Topics: COVID-19, Faith/Religion, International Aid, Ethiopia

Seattle mothers, Selam and Emmebet, chat with Tesfa Program Founder, Selam Misgano, about the challenges of Ethiopian motherhood during the pandemic. Topics: Motherhood, Healthcare, COVID-19, Vaccination, Misinformation

Tesfa Program Founder, Selam, chats with Seattle seniors, Deresh, Berhane, and Gabrakedon. These three Ethiopian seniors share their stories of immigrating to the U.S. and challenges during the pandemic. Topics: Seniors, Community Gardening, Immigration, Unemployment, COVID-19, Technology