Dear Alana,

In 2019, Boulder, Colorado residents were shocked by the death by suicide of 24-year-old Alana Chen. The woman who once dreamed of being a nun had struggled with her sexual identity and was left scarred by conversion therapy. The reports intrigued Simon Kent Fung, who interviewed her mother and friends to learn more about Alana’s story. Exploring her inner life through the journals she left behind, Alana’s journey made Simon reflect on the parallels of his own struggles to reconcile his faith with his efforts to change his hidden sexuality.“Dear Alana,” from Tenderfoot TV, Aslept Audio, and the Center for Independent Documentary, traces the life of a young woman looking for acceptance in the Church by denying the truest part of herself. It’s also Simon’s self-study on the price he and Alana paid to balance the love of God with the love for themselves.OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEWS OF "DEAR ALANA," BEGIN IN THE FINAL 11 MINUTES OF THE EPISODE. For exclusive podcasts and more, sign up at Patreon.Sign up for our newsletter at crimewriterson.com.This show was recorded in The Caitlin Rogers Project Studio. Click to find out more. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.