SMC - Ep. 16 - Jessie Ebersole - Washington English Center - American Immigration Series (Part 1)

SMC - Ep. 16 - Jessie Ebersole - Washington English Center - American Immigration Series (Part 1)

America is a nation of immigrants and so we’re proud to be kicking off our American immigration series - to provide actionable ways you can help immigrants in America right now. In today’s episode, we’re speaking with Jessie Ebersole, who is the Director of Programs at the Washington English Center. The mission of the Washington English Center is “To provide affordable English-language instruction and workforce programs to adult immigrants using volunteers.” We hear from Jessie about her personal motivations to teach English language classes to immigrants and refugees, how language instruction can change someone's life, the importance of community, the personal stories of some of the students she’s worked with, how the Washington English Center is making a real impact in people's lives, and much more.  To reach out to the Washington English Center and register to volunteer, sign up for classes, and support their mission, click here [https://www.washingtonenglish.org/?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22980104042&gbraid=0AAAAACMfn3flYFb-cmMjU1o60Wh2-qOx3&gclid=Cj0KCQjw_b_QBhCSARIsAP6hR4ehESSKgraTaFoxIBGDR2s0dvBLn4uPV3sidlRkpBUS2zBSk0fKvk0aAh8KEALw_wcB]www.washingtonenglish.org [http://www.washingtonenglish.org] To reach out to Jessie directly to learn how you can support the Washington English Center, email her at - jebersole@washingtonenglish.org [jebersole@washingtonenglish.org]  Drop us an email at saintmartinscloak@protonmail.com [saintmartinscloak@protonmail.com] or give us a follow on Instagram @saintmartinscloak_pod Stay strong, stay safe, and stay brave, Andrew and Miloš

SMC - Ep. 15 - Andrea Tracy - Sudan - Proximity 2 Humanity - Mutual Aid Sudan Coalition

How can you help save lives in Sudan? In today’s episode, the first of what will be our long running coverage on Sudan, we speak with Andrea Tracy, the Director of the Mutual Aid Program at Proximity 2 Humanity. Andrea has over 25 years of international aid experience and with her teammates at Proximity 2 Humanity and the Mutual Aid Sudan Coalition, she is leading international support efforts to Sudanese grassroots aid. This is truly life saving work. We hear from Andrea about the devastating impact of USAID cuts both in Sudan and around the world, Sudan’s grassroots Emergency Response Rooms and the local volunteers who operate them, the critical Women’s Response Rooms lead by Sudanese women on the ground, how Proximity 2 Humanity gets 95 cents of every dollar to aid efforts on the ground, and much more.  To donate to the life saving work of the Mutual Aid Sudan Coalition, click here [https://www.mutualaidsudan.org/donate] Follow them on Instagram @mutual.aid.sudan  [https://www.instagram.com/mutual.aid.sudan/] Click here [https://www.proximity2humanity.org/donate] to support Proximity 2 Humanity  [https://www.proximity2humanity.org/] For a New York Times article on the Ebola outbreak Andrea discusses in the interview, click here [https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/18/world/africa/congo-ebola-testing.html] Further reading on Sudan: 1. Sudan’s Humanitarian Crisis Explained [https://www.cfr.org/articles/what-extent-sudans-humanitarian-crisis] - by Mariel Ferragamo and Diana Roy for the Council on Foreign Relations [https://open.spotify.com/show/65u6jcFyV5BnlVhhzSi7UJ] 1. The Specter of Genocide Returns to Darfur [https://www.cfr.org/articles/the-specter-of-genocide-returns-to-darfur] - by David J Scheffer for the Council on Foreign Relations [https://www.cfr.org/] 2. Nicholas Kristof New York Times [https://www.nytimes.com/]articles on Sudan - https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/22/opinion/holiday-gift-guide.html [https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/22/opinion/holiday-gift-guide.html] https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/30/opinion/famine-darfur-civil-war.html [https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/30/opinion/famine-darfur-civil-war.html] 1. The Most Nihilistic Conflict on Earth [https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2025/09/sudan-civil-war-humanitarian-crisis/683563/?utm_source=twitter&utm_campaign=the-atlantic&utm_medium=social&utm_content=edit-promo] by Anne Applebaum for The Atlantic [https://www.theatlantic.com/world/] Drop us an email at saintmartinscloak@protonmail.com [saintmartinscloak@protonmail.com] or give us a follow on Instagram @saintmartinscloak_pod [https://www.instagram.com/saintmartinscloak_pod/] Stay strong, stay safe, and stay brave,  Andrew and Miloš

SMC - Ep. 14 - Sabine Choucair - Clown Me In - Lebanon

Can the shackles of trauma be beaten by laughter? On today’s episode, we sat down with Sabine Choucair, co-founder of Clown Me In. With qualifications in performing arts from London and social therapy from New York, she has dedicated her life to using her performance and clowning background to spread joy and laughter among disadvantaged communities around the world. We hear about Sabine’s experiences transitioning to the humanitarian field, what goes into the preparations for performances in Lebanon, Gaza, and Türkiye, and how storytelling connects us all as humans regardless of our backgrounds. You can support Sabine and Clown Me In here [https://clownmein.com/support-us/]or visit - https://clownmein.com/support-us/ [https://clownmein.com/support-us/] Give them a follow on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/clownmein/] @clownmein Be sure to check out our previous episodes about Lebanon to learn about additional ways you can support efforts on the ground directly. Have a question or suggestion for a topic/participant? Drop us an email at saintmartinscloak@protonmail.com [saintmartinscloak@protonmail.com] or check out our Instagram @saintmartinscloak_pod Stay strong, stay safe, and stay brave, Andrew and Miloš

SMC - Ep. 13 - Cycles and Ceasefires - Lebanon - Voices from the Ground

"Something always lingers - the news, the dark hours unfolding back home. You smile, you function, you blend into a new normal, yet you are never fully at rest" - Imane Assaf We continue to stand with our friends in Lebanon and to share their stories. In our latest Voices from the Ground installment, we relay messages from Imane Assaf of Ahla Fawda, shared with us just before the recent May 5th strikes on Beirut, in which she ponders the fragility of the ceasefire as the risk of violence continues to hold its grip on everyday life. To support Ahla Fawda's grassroots humanitarian aid efforts in Lebanon, click here [https://gogetfunding.com/ahla-fawdas-lebanon-war-relief-mission-2026/]or visit - https://gogetfunding.com/ahla-fawdas-lebanon-war-relief-mission-2026/ [https://gogetfunding.com/ahla-fawdas-lebanon-war-relief-mission-2026/] To reach out to Ahla Fawda directly, click here [https://ahlafawda.org/]or visit - https://ahlafawda.org/ [https://ahlafawda.org/] To reach out to the Saint Martin's Cloak Podcast, follow and DM us on Instagram @saintmartinscloak_pod or email us at saintmartinscloak@protonmail.com

SMC - Ep. 12 - Elina Beketova - Life under Russian Occupation - Ukraine

What is life truly like under Russian occupation? In this episode, we sat down with Elina Beketova, a former Ukrainian journalist and current research fellow at the Center for European Policy Analysis, or CEPA. We hear from Elina as she recounts her work reporting on the annexation of Crimea, the challenges of sharing the stories from occupied territories, and her own experiences of the start of the full-scale Russian invasion. We encourage you to follow Elina on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elina-beketova [https://www.linkedin.com/in/elina-beketova]  Check out her “Behind the Lines” tracker and analyses here: https://cepa.org/programs/democratic-resilience/behind-the-lines/ [https://cepa.org/programs/democratic-resilience/behind-the-lines/] Donate to Ukrainian efforts here: Razom - https://www.razomforukraine.org/ [https://www.razomforukraine.org/] United Help Ukraine - https://unitedhelpukraine.org/ [https://unitedhelpukraine.org/] Novi - https://www.novi.ngo/ [https://www.novi.ngo/] Wow Vdoma - https://www.instagram.com/vdoma_wow/ [https://www.instagram.com/vdoma_wow/] Be sure to check out our previous episode with Ukrainian Patriot to learn more about relief works on the ground with additional donation resources. Have a question or suggestion for a topic/participant? Drop us an email at saintmartinscloak@protonmail.com [saintmartinscloak@protonmail.com] or check out our instagram @saintmartinscloak_pod Stay strong, stay safe, and stay brave, Andrew and Miloš