The Moth American Dreams: Home - The Moth Podcast
Apr 3, 2026
Eric Yu, storyteller from Philadelphia who reconnects with family in China to learn about his late father. Heather Crawford, writer who moved from Texas to Minnesota to protect and support her transgender child. They explore making a home, leaving places behind, rebuilding family ties, and discovering where one fits into a larger story.
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Leaving Texas To Protect A Trans Child
- Heather Crawford moved her transgender 17-year-old from Texas to St. Paul, Minnesota to protect their safety and wellbeing.
- They bought a 1924 house sight unseen; it felt like refuge despite structural issues and deep homesickness for Texas summers.
Safety Can Coexist With Longing For First Home
- Heather describes home as layered loyalty: Minnesota offers safety and better quality of life but Texas remains emotionally primal.
- She feels daily gratitude for safety while mourning the first-home identity she can’t fully abandon.
Texas Summer Rituals That Define Home
- Heather details sensory memories of Texas summers: cicadas, driveway nights with cold beer, concrete radiating heat.
- Those exact rituals—midnight driveway talks instead of fireplaces—anchor her nostalgia and sense of belonging.