Immigrant Stories

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What would it be like to be an immigrant, to leave your home, family, culture, and country to face the unknown in a strange land? Join host Walter Gallacher as immigrants from around the world tell their stories of survival, alienation, persistence and triumph.

Walter Gallacher


    • May 27, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • monthly NEW EPISODES
    • 27m AVG DURATION
    • 80 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from Immigrant Stories

    Immigrant Stories | Ho Jin Chee

    Play Episode Listen Later May 27, 2025 26:56


    Ho Jin Chee known to his friends as H.J. remembers how his parents had toflee the South Korean mafia leaving him asthe sole provider for his younger siblings at the age of sixteen.

    Immigrant Stories | Dr. George Mizner

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 18, 2025 27:31


    Tune in as Dr. George Mizner remembers when he was eight years old watching the Nazis goose step down the street in front of his apartment in Austria. He knew, even then, that his life had changed forever.

    Immigrant Stories | Kurt Bresnitz

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 18, 2025 27:31


    Tune in as Kurt Bresnitz remembers the Spring of 1938 when he was preparing to graduate from high school until Hitler stormed into his country and made him an Austrian refugee, seeking asylum in the United States.

    Immigrant Stories | Misheel Chuluun

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 22, 2025 27:31


    On this months episode of Immigrant Stories, host Walter Gallacher interviews Misheel Chuluun. In 1991, Misheel Chuluun was eleven and living in Mongolia when the Soviet Union collapsed and brought her country's economy down with it. Tune in as she remembers her family's struggles to survive.

    Immigrant Stories | Klaus Obermeyer

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 18, 2024 27:31


    Klaus Obermeyer celebrates his one hundred and fifthbirthday this month. Tune in as he describes how he madehis way from immigrant day laborer to winter sports icon.

    stories immigrant klaus obermeyer
    Immigrant Stories | Kaziemierz Kozak

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 20, 2024 26:31


    Kaziemierz Kozak grew up in the 1930's in the Polish countryside. Life was good, until the day World War II came to his little farm. Tune in as Kaziemierz remembers life on the front lines.

    Immigrant Stories | Wafá Saeed

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 15, 2024 27:30


    Wafa Saeed talks about her mother country, Sudan, and the Sudanese people's ongoing struggle for independence.

    Immigrant Stories | Mercedes Garcia

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 18, 2024 26:30


    Mercedes Garcia was fifteen when El Salvador's civil war came to her village. Tune in as she remembers her childhood and her perilous journey to the United States.

    Immigrant Stories | Kathleen Fitzsimmons

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 20, 2024 27:31


    On this month's episode of Immigrant Stories, Kathleen Fitzsimmons, a frontier mining historian and Leadville, Colorado native describes the life of Irish immigrant miners during Leadville's silver rush of the 1880s.

    Immigrant Stories | Diana Higuera

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 17, 2024 27:30


    On this month's episode of Immigrant Stories, Diana Higuera, the founder and director of the Rocky Mountain Welcome Center in Denver, remembers the Venezuela of her childhood and talks about why millions of Venezuelans are fleeing what was once the richest country in South America.

    Immigrant Stories | Elizabeth Boomhower

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 18, 2024 27:30


    On this episode of Immigrant Stories we hear from Elizabeth Boomhower who grew up in the Netherlands in the 1930s when her country was known as Holland. She remembers the summer of her nineteenth year, 1940, when the Germans jumped out of the sky and took her country.

    Immigrant Stories | Spany Mburunyeme

    Play Episode Listen Later May 21, 2024 27:30


    On this episode of Immigrant Stories, Spany Mburunyeme describes how his family escaped the chaos of civil war in the Democratic Republic of Congo, when he was a child.

    Immigrant Stories | Minani Theoneste

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 16, 2024 27:30


    On this episode of Immigrant Stories, host Walter Gallacher speaks with Minani Theoneste. This April marks the 30th anniversary of the Rwandan genocide. Tune in as Minani Theoneste remembers his family's escape from the violence and their search for home.

    Immigrant Stories | Gloria Perez

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 19, 2024 27:30


    On this month's episode of Immigrant Stories, Gloria Perez reflects on her journey from Mexico to a life of community service and leadership in Leadville, Colorado.

    Immigrant Stories | Pat & Tony Tonozzi

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 21, 2024 27:29


    This month we revisit a past episode of Immigrant Stories. Tune in as Pat and Tony Tonozzi talk about how they fell in love and sustained it for seventy-five years.

    Immigrant Stories | Jose Miranda

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 17, 2024 27:30


    On this episode of Immigrant Stories, Jose Miranda water buffalo rancher and former resident of the Roaring Fork Valley describes the desperate conditions in Venezuela that forced him and his family to flee in 2014.

    Immigrant Stories | Traolach O'Riordain Part 2

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 20, 2023 33:51


    On this episode of Immigrant Stories, Part 2, host Walter Gallacher speaks with Traolach O'Riordain, director of Irish Studies at the University of Montana, Missoula. He remembers growing up in Ireland and describes how Irish immigrants changed life in the United States and Ireland.

    Immigrant Stories | Traolach O'Riordain

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 20, 2023 27:30


    On this episode of Immigrant Stories, host Walter Gallacher speaks with Traolach O'Riordain, director of Irish Studies at the University of Montana, Missoula. He remembers growing up in Ireland and describes how Irish immigrants changed life in the United States and Ireland.

    Immigrant Stories | Yoal Ghebremeskel

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 22, 2023 27:30


    On this episode of Immigrant Stories, Yoal Ghebremeskel talks about growing up in North Africa's Eritrea and his work at east Denver's Street Fraternity where young men, many of them immigrants and refugees, gather in the evening for conversation and recreation.

    Immigrant Stories | Central America

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 17, 2023 27:30


    On this months episode of Immigrant Stories, host, Walter Gallacher, describes his family's journey from Ireland to the United States and shares stories from recent immigrants from Central America.

    Immigrant Stories | Antonio

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 19, 2023 26:00


    On this episode of Immigrant Stories, Walter Gallacher speaks with Antonio who remembers his perilous journey to the United States from Mexico when he was five years old.

    Immigrant Stories | Victor Gabossi

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 15, 2023 27:30


    On this episode of Immigrant Stories, host Walter Gallacher interviews Victor Gabossi as he describes his family's journey from Northern Italy to the coal mines of Colorado and his decision to leave mining and open the Roaring Fork Valley's first hair salon.

    Immigrant Stories | Tom Casey & KILI Radio, Part 1

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 18, 2023 27:30


    In this two-part installment of Immigrant Stories, host Walter Gallacher interviews Tom Casey of KILI Radio on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota. Like KDNK, KILI is also celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2023.

    Immigrant Stories | Tom Casey & KILI Radio, Part 2

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 18, 2023 34:45


    In the second part of this two-part episode of Immigrant Stories, host Walter Gallacher continues his conversation with Tom Casey of KILI Radio on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota. Like KDNK, KILI-FM is also celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2023.

    Immigrant Stories | Jim Walsh

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 20, 2023 27:30


    On this episode of Immigrant Stories, host Walter Gallacher interviews Jim Walsh, a professor of American History at the University of Colorado, Denver about his Irish ancestors and describes the journey of the thousands of Famine Irish who came to Leadville in the late 1800's to work in the mines.

    Immigrant Stories | CBA Award-winning episode with Paul Freeman

    Play Episode Listen Later May 16, 2023 28:58


    This special award-winning edition of Immigrant Stories—featuring Glenwood Springs High School Principal Paul Freeman—took home the Colorado Broadcasters Association's Award of Excellence for Best Public Affairs Program of 2022.

    Immigrant Stories | David Dominguez

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 18, 2023 27:30


    David Dominguez was born in 1928 in Delcarbon, a coal camp near Walsenburg, Colorado. On this episode of Immigrant Stories David talks about the hard times of the 1930s and the fifty years he spent mining coal.

    Immigrant Stories | The Nieslanik Brothers

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 21, 2023 27:30


    For three generations, the Nieslanik families have been tireless stewards of the land. On this month's episode of Immigrant Stories John Nieslanik and his brothers Paul, Bob and Ray talk about growing up in a farming and ranching family.

    Immigrant Stories | Bill Groethe

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 21, 2023 26:30


    On this episode of Immigrant Stories Bill Groethe reflects on his life as a photographer and the iconic photos he took of the Sioux warriors who survived the Battle of the Little Bighorn, better known to many as Custer's Last Stand.

    Kelsey and Tess Freeman on Immigrant Stories

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 17, 2023 26:31


    Tune in as former valley residents Kelsey and Tess Freeman, talk about their book, No Option but North, and share the stories of refugees they met at a migrant shelter on our southern border.

    Klaus Obermeyer on Immigrant Stories

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 20, 2022 28:00


    This December, Klaus Obermeyer turned one hundred and three. Tune in as Klaus describes coming to America and working his way west to a little known place called Aspen.

    Immigrant Stories | Paco Nevarez-Burgueño

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 15, 2022 27:30


    On this episode of Immigrant Stories, Paco Nevarez-Burgueño, the Director of the Aspen Santa Fe Ballet Folklorico dance program, talks about the twenty years he has spent teaching students about life through dance.

    Immigrant Stories | Annie Stephens

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 18, 2022 27:30


    Tune in as Annie Stephens remembers her childhood in England and her journeys to the United States and Africa.

    Immigrant Stories | Mary and Bob Noone

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 20, 2022 27:30


    From the archives, Walter Gallacher chats with Mary and Bob Noone.

    Immigrant Stories | Melania Ullerick

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 16, 2022 26:30


    On this episode of Immigrant Stories, first recorded in 2011, host Walter Gallacher interviews Melania Ullerick. She reflects on the years she spent in a Romanian orphanage and the impact that had on her life.

    Laurie Loeb on Immigrant Stories | Part 2

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 19, 2022 33:04


    Tune is as Laurie Loeb reflects on life in the Roaring Fork Valley when she arrived in the Sixties and how Carbondale's Mountain Fair was born.

    Laurie Loeb on Immigrant Stories | Part 1

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 19, 2022 26:30


    Tune is as Laurie Loeb reflects on life in the Roaring Fork Valley when she arrived in the Sixties and how Carbondale's Mountain Fair was born.

    Mercedes Garcia on Immigrant Stories

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 21, 2022 26:30


    On this episode of Immigrant Stories Mercedes Garcia reflects on her childhood in El Salvador surviving the civil war and fleeing the gangs that filled the void of war.

    Klaus Penzel on Immigrant Stories

    Play Episode Listen Later May 17, 2022 26:29


    On this episode of Immigrant Stories, Klaus Penzel remembers being drafted as a boy soldier into the desperate and retreating German army, during the last days of World War II.

    Paul Freeman on Immigrant Stories

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 25, 2022 26:30


    Tune in as Paul Freeman, principal at Glenwood Springs High School, reflects on growing up, an Irish immigrant boy, in England and managing a high school during the pandemic.

    John Tripp on Immigrant Stories

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 15, 2022 26:30


    Tune is as John Tripp reflects on his long life and the harrowing years of World War II frightening alongside his band of brothers in the Tenth Mountain Division.

    Ilias Satouev on Immigrant Stories

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 16, 2022 26:31


    On this episode of Immigrant Stories, host Walter Gallacher interviews Ilias Satouev as he recounts his journey from his home in war-torn Chechnia to the Roaring Fork Valley just after the Russian-Chechnian War in 1996.

    Peter Seibert on Immigrant Stories

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 19, 2022 26:30


    Tune in as Peter Seibert remembers his father, Peter Seibert Sr. and his quest to create the world class resort we now know as Vail.

    Dorothea and Doug Farris on Immigrant Stories

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 21, 2021 26:30


    Tune in for a program from Immigrant Stories 2016 archive. Dorothea and Doug Farris reflect on their sixty years together and the love that has sustained them through the challenges they have faced.

    stories immigrant doug farris
    Autumn Rivera on Immigrant Stories

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 16, 2021 26:29


    Tune in as Autumn Rivera, Glenwood Springs Middle School science teacher and Colorado's Teacher of the Year for 2022 talks about her life and teaching in a pandemic.

    Kathie Weaver on Immigrant Stories

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 19, 2021 26:28


    Tune in as Kathie Weaver remembers her late husband Jim "Doc" Weaver and the history of the Jess Weaver Trail.

    Calvin Lee on Immigrant Stories

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 21, 2021 26:30


    Calvin Lee, artist and retired Roaring Fork Valley attorney and the son of Chinese immigrants, talks to host Walter Gallacher about Lee's parents' journey to the United States.

    Alexandra Yajko on Immigrant Stories

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 17, 2021 26:30


    Fifty-one years ago, Alexandra Yajko was forced to flee her native Poland. Tune in as she reflects on being a refugee as a child and the impact that has had on her life.

    Immigrant Stories: Kelsey and Tess Freeman

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 20, 2021 26:29


    kenna@kdnk.org (kcrampton)

    Immigrant Stories: Border Crisis

    Play Episode Listen Later May 18, 2021 26:29


    H ost Walter Gallacher explores the reasons for our border crisis through his Irish roots and interviews with Central Americans who fled to the United States twenty years ago. Pictured: L eft to right top row - José Mendoza Turbin, Ismael Argueta, Ana Ariza. bottom row - Mercedes Garcia, Lizbeth Jacobs, Tony Mendez

    Award Winner: Gallacher Recognized for Immigrant Stories

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 20, 2021 26:28


    Colorado Broadcasters Association awarded this story a Certificate of Merit for Best Public Affairs Program in KDNK's statewide market in 2020. Listen again: John Goodwin is a career peace officer and retired professor of Criminal Justice at Colorado Mountain College. John reflects on his life, the death of George Floyd and the importance of community-centered police work.

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