Listen Here, Queer!

A podcast by Alejandro Sandoval, Brandon Drake, Michael Grubb and Reuben Holt

With the closure of establishments due to the Covid-19 pandemic, many people lost the only space where they could freely express themselves and create community bonds. 

This was the case with Sonntags Club. Originating in the former East Berlin, for years the club has provided a space of visibility and safe gatherings for queer people. It has also expanded into a mental health clinic and counselling services in the Prenzlauer Berg neighborhood. 

We spoke with Michelle Hartman, Peter Rausch and Jan-Jules Zimmer, who told us about the importance of the club and the adversities they faced when they had to close their doors during the pandemic. Listen Here, Queer, is a podcast dedicated to the spaces that make Berlin a place where queer people can call this city “Home.” 

“How often have I heard in discussions, ‘I thought I was alone, that I am the only one who is like this.’ And then they realize there are others, but they have to find them first. We wanted to create spaces where people could go.” said Peter Rausch about Sonntags Club. 

For more information about Sonntags Club, the activities there or the counseling services, please visit the following link:

https://www.sonntags-club.de/index.php

To listen to the podcast, follow the link below:

Just Go By Bike

A podcast by Paul Krantz (MA Digital Journalism) produced as part of the module Media Production with lecturer Clarisse Cossais.

“I met Damien Cahen in Hokkaido, Japan in March of 2020. I was taking a short break from my work in South Korea and he was taking a short break from his bicycle, which he had ridden from Paris — across Europe and most of Asia before hopping on a short flight from Vietnam to Japan. I was fascinated by his stories from the road, and we easily shared some hours talking about his recent cycling experiences.     

“Nearly a year later, after Damien had returned home to Paris and I had moved to Berlin, I interviewed Damien via Zoom and asked him to recount some of the interesting moments from his trip. In our conversation Damien recounted the most memorable parts of his journey: from discovering a rich and welcoming culture in Iran, to crossing the Pamir mountains in central Asia, to quarantining for a month in Mexico.

“Through all of his stories, one point came up again and again — that to experience the richness of the world traveling on the ground is far superior to catching a flight.”

PC: Damien Cahen (instagram: @damgc)

To listen to the podcast, follow the link below: