Where are you from? That question is the bread and butter of small talk. But despite it being one of the most common things we ask when we meet someone new, answering the question can be harder than it seems.

After I graduated from college, I moved to Madison, Wisconsin. I migrated to Madison for a chance to get my foot in the door for a career in journalism. I migrated to follow opportunity. When I reflect on my decision to move to Madison, I think about my parents. They left their childhood homes to follow opportunity, too. But the 900 miles I travelled seems like nothing when I compare it to their journey. This is their story.

We may not always realize it but there are symbols all around us... in our kitchens and in our closets. This episode we're going on a hunt for symbols with hidden meanings. www.hyphenpodcast.com

There are 1.4 million Americans whose primary paycheck comes from making some type of art. Nearly 80 percent of those artists are white. The race with the fewest artists is Asian Americans…. They make up only 4 percent of professional artists in the country. But does art have to be a source of income to be a part of your identity?

Your decisions define who you are. In this episode, you'll meet people who've chosen to live their life in ways that set them apart from the social norm.

Your name is a set of sounds used to set you apart. But what happens if your sounds are too hard for some people to pronounce?