Dear Alana,
Join now for an exclusive ad-free binge
$4.99/mo or $39.99/yr after trial
4x nominee and WINNER at the 2024 Ambie Awards. Host Simon Kent Fung explores the life of Alana Chen, a 24-year-old woman who disappeared from Boulder, Colorado in 2019. Alana left behind two dozen journals chronicling a deep faith, love of fashion, and dream of becoming a nun. She also harbored a secret. At 14, she confessed to her priest that she was attracted to women and was instructed not to tell her parents. Over the next seven years, Alana covertly received conversion therapy which her family believes played a role in her fate. Simon, who sought to change his sexual orientation through conversion therapy for nearly a decade in his efforts to become a priest, is compelled to understand the truth of what happened to Alana—and finally face what happened to him. “Dear Alana,” is an unraveling mystery and a poignant spiritual memoir about teenage rebellion and spiritual manipulation, the price we pay to belong and the systems that pay no price at all. ****Named one of the best podcasts of 2023 by Apple, KQED, and Lifehacker, and critically acclaimed by The Guardian, the CBC, and People Magazine. Explore more at www.dearalana.com
Trailers
Shows with Subscription Benefits
Hosts & Guests
Heart wrenching and great insight
6 days ago
I wasn’t sure about this podcast when I first read the description. Religions have always fascinated me and my own beliefs about God have never been as direct as the Bible states, listening I realize there are so many of us that are on that path! Thank you, Alana for being so brave and caring! Thank you to Alan’s family for opening the doors and allowing this intimate part of your selves be shared with the world. Please listen to Alana’s story and share it with someone who needs to hear that they aren’t alone!
A hauntingly beautiful thank you letter
Sep 4
While I don’t often leave written reviews on podcast, I’m an avid listener of the format. Dear Alana was an extremely difficult listen while also being an immensely important must listen. Simon and his team took delicate care to share Alana’s highly complicated, yet too short, life. And ultimately this is also an unpacking of Simon’s life and identity as much as it is about Alana. I ended up sobbing the last 20 mins of episode 8. Thank you for sharing this with the world. Thank you thank you thank you.
Beautiful
Aug 26
Heart wrenching and beautiful. One of the most emotional listens I’ve ever had with a podcast. Thank you all for telling Alana’s story.
Courageous and Healing
Jul 28
I just finished the series and am writing through tears. I have been a passionate LGBTQ+ ally most of my life, helping my closest friends through their journey of coming out amidst religious environments so I know this heartache intimately. This story is as beautiful as it is heart wrenching. The courage it took for the creator to share his story and embark on this journey, the courage and grace Alana lived with, and the courage of her family and friends to open their hearts and allow her story to be shared is remarkable. I am hopeful that Alana’s story and the work of this podcast will be a force for positive change. Enough people have suffered. My heart goes out to you all and I hope you can find more peace each day. Thank you for making this and authentically sharing this healing journey. 💗❤️
About
Information
- Channel
- CreatorTenderfoot TV and iHeartPodcasts
- Episodes14
- Seasons1
- RatingClean
- Copyright2024 iHeartMedia, Inc. © Any use of this intellectual property for text and data mining or computational analysis including as training material for artificial intelligence systems is strictly prohibited without express written consent from iHeartMedia
- Show Website
- ProviderTenderfoot TV