2026 Update: Christina
5/7/202648 min
When Christina was in 11th grade, her foster mother made her quit playing basketball. After that, she felt like her life never got back on course. And so, she’s always wanted to ask her foster mother: why’d you make me quit?
Now, 9 years after the episode originally aired, we check back in with Christina, and she tells us about seeing her foster mother one last time.
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This episode was produced by Jonathan Goldstein and Kalila Holt, with editing by Jorge Just, Alex Blumberg, and Wendy Dorr. The senior producer is Kaitlin Roberts. Special thanks to Emily Condon, Stevie Lane, and Jackie Cohen. The show was mixed by Kate Bilinski. Music by Christine Fellows, John K Samson, and Edwin, with additional music by Blue Dot Sessions and Hew Time. Our theme song is by The Weakerthans courtesy of Epitaph Records. Mixing on this update by Sarah Bruguiere.
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Clips
Transcript preview
First 90 secondsJonathan Goldstein· Host0:00
[intro music] Pushkin.
Speaker 1· Host0:06
Hi.
Jonathan Goldstein· Host0:11
You know when you meditate you're supposed to, um, acknowledge the breath and put a name to it? Like, that was a small breath, that was a big breath.
Speaker 1· Host0:21
Mm-hmm.
Jonathan Goldstein· Host0:22
If I had to put a name to that hello, I would say hesitantly cheerful.
Speaker 1· Host0:26
Yeah. I'll, I'll take that.
Jonathan Goldstein· Host0:29
That, that's a part of my meditation is naming your hellos.
Speaker 1· Host0:32
Kinda weird, but, uh, all right. Um, we're gonna revisit another great episode today.
Jonathan Goldstein· Host0:38
Hit me.
Speaker 1· Host0:39
It's called Christina.
Jonathan Goldstein· Host0:40
Oh, yeah. The... it's truly one of my favorite episodes.
Speaker 1· Host0:44
Yeah, it's a really good one.
Jonathan Goldstein· Host0:46
Ugh, yeah. I love it. I will say this, and maybe you can confirm this, fact-check me on this.
Speaker 1· Host0:52
Mm-hmm.
Jonathan Goldstein· Host0:53
But this was an early season two episode, and up until this point I had largely worked with people that I already knew.
Speaker 1· Host1:01
Right.
Jonathan Goldstein· Host1:01
Like friends and family. And this, this was the first time that I was actually, like, traveling out in the world to meet someone.
Speaker 1· Host1:08
Yeah. That is true.
Jonathan Goldstein· Host1:09
Yeah. And I'll never forget, but when they met me at the airport, Christina and her husband Levi, I just remember, like, seeing the look of hope and respect almost i- in their eyes.
Speaker 1· Host1:22
Yeah.
Jonathan Goldstein· Host1:23
And I just felt like, "Oh my God. These poor people." [laughs] Like, I, I don't deserve that look at all.
Speaker 1· Host1:29
Uh-huh.
Jonathan Goldstein· Host1:29
But