It’s been more than 20 years since the U.S. invaded Iraq. For Darren Fisher, it’s been more than 20 years since he said, "No" to that invasion.

RadioActive’s Olivia Asmann has the story of one young Marine’s objection to fighting in the so-called war on terror.

This story discusses the realities of the military and war.

Episode webpage: https://www.kuow.org/stories/why-one-young-marine-refused-to-fight-in-iraq

[RadioActive Youth Media is KUOW’s radio journalism and audio storytelling program for young people. This story was entirely youth-produced, from the writing to the audio editing.]

RadioActive’s Vivi Cardenas-Habell says the Seattle Fandango Project played a key role in her upbringing. But she didn’t fully appreciate it until Covid took it away.

Episode webpage: https://www.kuow.org/stories/building-community-is-an-act-of-social-justice-at-the-seattle-fandango-project

[RadioActive Youth Media is KUOW’s radio journalism and audio storytelling program for young people. This story was entirely youth-produced, from the writing to the audio editing.]

In the summer of 1972, the year before Roe v. Wade made abortion legal nationwide, Elaine Fichter was 16 years old and eight weeks pregnant.

Fichter lived in Washington state where abortion was already legal, and she made the choice to terminate her pregnancy.

Fifty years later, Fichter’s grandchild, RadioActive’s Natalie Lahr, explores how her grandmother’s decision impacted both of their futures.

Content note: This story discusses the process of getting an abortion in some detail. It also references parental abuse. Please take care when listening.

Episode webpage: https://www.kuow.org/stories/at-16-my-grandma-had-an-abortion-at-18-i-m-telling-her-story

[RadioActive Youth Media is KUOW's radio journalism and audio storytelling program for young people. This story was entirely youth-produced, from the writing to the audio editing.]

Aaron Ton's grandparents and their children lived comfortably in southern Vietnam. But everything changed on April 30, 1975.

Episode webpage: https://www.kuow.org/stories/my-grandfather-s-little-story-a-journey-through-war-and-prison-in-vietnam

[RadioActive Youth Media is KUOW’s radio journalism and audio storytelling program for young people. This story was entirely youth-produced, from the writing to the audio editing.]

Seattle is home to 10% of the Eritrean population in the United States.

Many Eritrean immigrants found political asylum in the U.S. in the 1980s and 90s due to the Eritrean War of Independence.

For some young first-generation Eritrean Americans like RadioActive's Alex Mengisteab, this history feels both close and slightly out of reach. So to better understand it, Alex talked to his family friend Habtom Hagos about his experiences growing up as a child during the war.

This story discusses the realities of war and thoughts of suicide.

Episode webpage: https://www.kuow.org/stories/separated-from-his-family-in-eritrea-at-7-this-seattle-man-mentors-east-african-kids

[RadioActive Youth Media is KUOW’s radio journalism and audio storytelling program for young people. This story was entirely youth-produced, from the writing to the audio editing.]