Code Switch And Life Kit

Today on the show, we're bringing you the stories of two families grappling with how best to communicate across linguistic differences. In the first story, a young man sorts through how to talk to his parents about gender in Chinese, where the words for "he" and "she" sound exactly the same. Then, we follow a family who was advised to stop speaking their heritage language, Japanese, based on some outdated and incomplete research.

Fam: We finally have a new co-host of the Code Switch podcast! And we're just a *tiny bit* excited. So today on the show, we're introducing you to B.A. Parker. Gene chats with Parker about who she is, what drew her to the race beat, and how her encyclopedic knowledge of Oscars trivia will be an asset to Code Switch listeners.

In 1866, the Cherokee Nation promised citizenship for Black "freedmen" and their descendants. But more than a century later, the descendants of the freedman are calling foul on that promise being fulfilled. This episode, from our friends at The Experiment podcast (produced by WNYC and the Atlantic) gets into the messy history and fraught present.

Over the course of this season, we've explored a rich history and complicated present, but what about the future? In the final episode, we catch up with parents who became activated on both sides of the debate over the diversity plan. And, since the diversity plan never came to fruition, we ask...what now?

This week, we're talking about the podcasts that podcasters listen to. These are the shows that members of the Code Switch team cannot tear our ears away from. We think they'd be great for a long car ride, plane ride, or just regular day of vegging out. They get into everything from old people to food to the human body to Oprah. And — surprise, surprise — they all have a whole lot to do with race and identity.

Survivalist and adventurer Bear Grylls shares his advice on facing fear, preparing for the worst and the power of courage to get you through any situation.

Deciding to move in with a partner can be an exciting step. Cohabitating can also be challenging and bring up anxieties. Here's what to think about — and discuss — before you decide to move in together.

When your smartphone can hold thousands of photos, it's tempting to snap away and never look back. But that approach may not actually help you capture the best moments. Photojournalist Daniella Zalcman shares tips on creating visually stunning images that will help you meaningfully document your life.

Many trans and nonbinary people choose new names during their transition. Here's advice if you're considering adopting a new name — from brainstorming name ideas to navigating the paperwork to change your name legally.

Author Sammy Nickalls guides readers through the practice of digital minimalism which helps strike a balance between being extremely online and extremely offline.