Chicago is home to people and cultures from all over the world — including a large Kurdish community. The story of how they came to America is an epic one, a story of bloody genocide, of freedom fighters, of sacrifice and above all… perseverance.

This is a series called “The Country in Our Hearts” and it’s brought to us by Nashville Public Radio. That city is home to the largest Kurdish community in the country. We hear from host and reporter Rose Gilbert who traces the story of one Kurdish family and their generations-long fight to exist.

We’re going to be dropping all four episodes in our feed over the next month. This is Episode 1.