The F Word Podcast

Marina Cantacuzino talks to Pastor Ray Minniecon about the history of the Stolen Generations and the continuing pain of Aboriginals in Australia. Ray describes his own childhood on the reserves, his research into the dehumanisation of Aboriginals, and how he continues to help his people share their story, as well come to terms with acts of racism in his own life.

Marina Cantacuzino talks to Mary Foley about the impact that losing her teenage daughter to knife-crime had on her family, and how forgiving the young woman responsible relieved her of a burden she didn’t want to carry.

Marina Cantacuzino talks to Pardeep Kaleka about how in the wake of his father’s murder in a Sikh temple in Winsconsin he found compassion and became a powerful voice against hate crime and violence. Pardeep now works to promote understanding and compassion with his friend Arno Michaelis who is also a guest on The F Word Podcast.

Marina Cantacuzino talks to Arno Michaelis about his time spent in the white power movement and how he transformed his life to become an advocate against hatred and racism. Arno now works to promote understanding and compassion with his friend Pardeep Kaleka who is also a guest on The F Word Podcast. Having both experienced extreme racism, albeit from very different ends of the spectrum, together they co-founded the organization Serve2Unite and co-authored the book, Gift Of Our Wounds.

Marina Cantacuzino talks Jo Berry and Pat Magee about the benefits and complexities of a relationship developed over 20 years. Despite the fact that Pat killed Jo’s father, their story has become a very public conversation and a profound example of reconciliation. Jo is an international speaker, educationist and peace activist. Pat Magee is a former member of the IRA who has recently published a memoir, Where Grieving Begins.

Marina Cantacuzino talks to author, musician and artist Gill Hicks who narrowly escaped death when she was horrifically and permanently disabled during the terrorist attacks in London in the summer of 2005. She has devoted much of her time since then to deterring anyone from following a path of violent extremism.

Marina Cantacuzino talks to Wilma Derksen, author, therapist and advocate for healing justice. Ever since Wilma’s 13-year-old daughter Candace was found bound and murdered in a shed in Winnipeg, Wilma has been on a profound, difficult and circuitous journey of forgiveness and self-healing.

Marina Cantacuzino talks to Geoff Thompson and Andrea Martinez – both victims of child sexual abuse. Geoff Thompson is a filmmaker, prolific author and martial artist. Andrea Martinez is an actress, talk show host and young mother. Their connection comes through having had a profound conversation a few years ago when Geoff was able to offer Andrea support and advice in dealing with the trauma.

Marina Cantacuzino talks to Figen Murray about what forgiveness means in the context of losing a child in a terrorist attack. In May 2017 her son, Martyn Hett, was killed at the Ariana Grande concert in Manchester when a radical Islamist detonated a homemade bomb. Since then Figen has become an active campaigner and activist in counter-terrorism.

Marina Cantacuzino talks to Father Michael Lapsley, an Anglican priest, social justice activist and founder of the Institute for Healing of Memories in Cape Town. In 1990 at the height of the apartheid repression, Fr Michael received a letter bomb in the post in which he lost both his hands and one eye. He has been on a healing journey ever since.

Marina Cantacuzino talks to Azim Khamisa who founded the Tariq Khamisa Foundation after his only son, Tariq, was shot and killed while delivering pizzas in San Diego in 1995. Tariq’s killer, Tony Hicks, was 14-years-old at the time and has only recently been released from prison. Azim has spent the past 25 years talking about forgiveness and tirelessly working to prevent youth violence in America.

Marina Cantacuzino talks to Letlapa Mphahlele about his role in the struggle against apartheid and how he came to meet the mother of one of his victims. Ginn Fourie's daughter was killed in 1993 at a massacre in a Cape Town bar. Nine years later she met Letlapa, the former Director of Operations for the Azanian People's Liberation Army, who had ordered the attack.

Marina Cantacuzino talks to Kia Scherr whose husband and 13-year-old daughter were both victims of the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks. Kia is the co-founder of One Life Alliance, a charity she set up as a response to the attacks.

Marina Cantacuzino talks to Paul Kohler whose story hit the headlines in 2014 when four men broke into his London home leaving him with severe facial injuries. His wife and daughter were also in the house at the time of the attack and later all three met one of the offenders through restorative justice to try and have their questions answered.

Marina Cantacuzino talks to Lis Cashin who as a child caused a fatal accident which cast an irreversible shadow over her life. Marina talks to her about trauma, self-forgiveness and finding meaning in pain.

Marina Cantacuzino talks to Zak Ebrahim. When Zak was seven, his father shot and killed the founder of the Jewish Defence League, Rabbi Meir Kahane and later was convicted for his role in the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center. Zak’s story is one of transforming his past and learning to reject bigotry and hate.

Marina Cantacuzino talks to Jacob Dunne who aged 18 was convicted of manslaughter for killing a man with a single punch. This episode tells the story of Jacob’s gradual rehabilitation and the vital role played by the parents of the man he killed – James Hodgkinson.

Marina Cantacuzino talks to Joan Scourfield, the mother of James who in 2011 was killed when a young man called, Jacob Dunne, threw a fatal punch in an unprovoked attack in Nottingham, England. A few years later Joan and her then husband David came face-to-face with Jacob in a restorative justice meeting. In Episode 4 of The F Word Podcast Marina gets to hear Jacob’s story.

Marina Cantacuzino talks to 29-year-old Bjørn Ihler, a writer, filmmaker and ‘peace activist’ from Norway. Bjørn is a survivor of the attack on Utøya Island in July 2011 when far-right extremist Anders Breivik killed 69 people and injured many more. Bjørn’s expertise lies in countering extremist narratives, as well as deconstructing their propaganda.

Marina Cantacuzino talks to Stephanie Cassatly, a writer, teacher, mother and wife from Florida. When Stephanie was 18, her mother was shot and killed in a convenience store robbery in New Orleans, changing every preconceived notion she had about the world and what it meant to feel safe.