Back in America

Stan Berteloot

Interviews from a multicultural perspective that question the way we understand America

  1. I'll Always Be French. Now I'm Also a US Citizen.

    2D AGO

    I'll Always Be French. Now I'm Also a US Citizen.

    A French teenager arrives in Iowa for a year as an exchange student. He falls in love. He spends the next 25 years in France building a career, a family, a life. Then in 2016, his wife gets a job offer in the US, and they move back with their three teenage daughters. What he discovers is that America changed, but more importantly, so did he. This is the story of what makes America fundamentally different. It's the only country where you can truly become something new while keeping everything you were. You can't become French, no matter how hard you try or how long you stay. But you can become American. And that distinction changed everything for Stan. In this episode of Back in America, Stan reflects on the gap between the America he remembered and the America he came back to. He talks about green cards and citizenship, about raising multicultural kids caught between two worlds, about voting for the first time, and about the Statue of Liberty as a symbol of something France could never offer: the chance to belong by choice rather than by bloodline. If you've ever wondered what it actually takes to become a citizen, what you gain and what you keep, this conversation answers it. What You'll Learn: The difference between a Green Card and US citizenship (and why both matter)What the naturalization process actually requiresHow America's immigration model fundamentally differs from countries like FranceWhy Stan's journey proves that you can be two things at once

    32 min
  2. Is ‘Mainstream Media’ Still a Thing? Press Freedom and AI with Clayton Weimers of RSF USA

    09/10/2025

    Is ‘Mainstream Media’ Still a Thing? Press Freedom and AI with Clayton Weimers of RSF USA

    In this episode of Back in America, I sit down with Clayton Weimers, Executive Director of Reporters Without Borders (RSF) USA, to talk about the state of press freedom in America and beyond. From the decline of local journalism to the rise of AI in newsrooms, we explore the paradox of living in an age of information abundance while losing access to trustworthy reporting. Clayton explains why the U.S. now ranks 57th out of 180 countries on the World Press Freedom Index, how economic pressures are creating “news deserts” across the nation, and why trust in journalism continues to erode. We also discuss the role of citizen journalism, podcasts, and independent newsletters in reshaping the media landscape. The conversation touches on broader themes that Back in America often explores: the fight against disinformation, the legacy of democratic ideals, and the tension between freedom of expression and corporate or political power. World Press Freedom Index 2025: over half the world's population in red zoneshttps://rsf.org/en/world-press-freedom-index-2025-over-half-worlds-population-red-zones Americans remain concerned about press freedoms, but partisan views have flipped since 2024https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2025/04/24/americans-remain-concerned-about-press-freedoms-but-partisan-views-have-flipped-since-2024/ Revitalizing America’s News Desertshttps://progressive.org/magazine/revitalizing-americas-news-deserts-pickard/

    30 min
  3. Wrongfully Convicted: Darryl Burton Spent 24 Years in Prison for a Crime He Didn’t Commit

    05/04/2025

    Wrongfully Convicted: Darryl Burton Spent 24 Years in Prison for a Crime He Didn’t Commit

    “Leave all your hope, family, and dreams behind.” That’s the banner Darryl Burton saw when he first walked into Missouri State Penitentiary—infamously known as the “bloodiest 47 acres in America.” He was 22. He was innocent. In this episode of Back in America, Darryl shares his extraordinary story: how a false accusation, coached jailhouse informants, and prosecutorial misconduct stole nearly 25 years of his life. With no DNA, no weapon, no motive—and no justice—Darryl was sentenced to life without parole for a crime he didn’t commit. Thanks to the relentless efforts of Princeton, NJ, based Centurion, the pioneering innocence organization, Darryl was finally exonerated. But his story didn’t end there. He founded Miracle of Innocence, a nonprofit helping other wrongfully convicted individuals reclaim their lives—legally, emotionally, and spiritually. As Darryl says, “It’s a miracle to get out of prison. Now, we work to create more miracles.” Contact & Support Learn more or donate: www.miracleofinnocence.org  / Centurion  Personal site: www.darrylburton.org Books that Inspired Darryl in Prison Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor FranklThe Autobiography of Malcolm XLong Walk to Freedom by Nelson MandelaStride Toward Freedom by Martin Luther King Jr.The Bible — especially Luke 23:34: “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

    39 min

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Interviews from a multicultural perspective that question the way we understand America