Foretold

Latest Episodes:

Introducing: House of Troy Sep 22, 2026

Show notes

House of Troy is a new podcast from LA Times Studios tracing the rise and fall of USC football, from coach Pete Carroll’s back-to-back national titles in the 2000s, to the Reggie Bush scandal, to the series of missteps that followed. It’ll feature exclusive interviews with coaches, players, and USC officials who saw it all up close — and shine new light on how a college football dynasty came undone.

This Was Foretold Jun 06, 2023

Show notes

In the final episode of “Foretold,” Paulina makes a career choice and starts figuring out her place in the world. And Paulina and Bobby’s custody battle culminates in a decision about their daughters’ future.

Check out behind-the-scenes photos and host Faith E. Pinho's reflections on the series.

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Dive deeper: There is no monolithic “Romani American experience,” not even in California — there are a multitude of them. See opinion pieces by Romani writers in conjunction with the "Foretold" podcast at latimes.com/foretold.

The Fallout May 30, 2023

Show notes

Faced with the consequences of her decisions, Paulina grows estranged from her family — but meets Gina, a cousin who left the community decades before. And Paulina turns to her ultimate battle: the fight for her children in court.

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A Prism May 23, 2023

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In the beginning, Faith thought Paulina was giving her a hot news tip about psychics and scams. Years of investigation revealed something else.

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Dive deeper: “I would not exist if my ancestors had not practiced Drabarimos,” or spiritual medicine, spiritualist and filmmaker George Eli writes. He delves into how he got into his line of work and why his community and heritage have become so misunderstood.

Your Laws vs. Our Laws May 16, 2023

Show notes

Now that Paulina has left her family, she has a choice to make: Does she take her custody case through the Romani judicial system? Or does she turn to the American courts, trusting the system she has always been taught to fear?

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New Territories May 09, 2023

Show notes

As a young mother, Paulina grows disillusioned with her home life and yearns for independence and a space she can call her own. Once she opens a new psychic shop, she meets a couple of new clients who give her a peek into their outside world — and there’s no going back.

Check out photos and more information about this episode.

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Dive deeper: There is no monolithic “Romani American experience,” not even in California — there are a multitude of them. Author and activist Nicoleta Bitu shares more on how fighting oppression and patriarchy led her to her own Romani feminism.

The Train Station May 02, 2023

Show notes

Now married, Paulina moves in with Bobby’s family in Orange County and is met with a host of expectations: cooking, cleaning, serving, working at the psychic shop and having children. This kind of family dynamic has helped keep the Romani culture alive across the centuries. But it still catches Paulina by surprise.

Check out photos and more information about this episode.

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Business Arrangements Apr 25, 2023

Show notes

Before Paulina was born, her future seemed predestined: She’d marry her relative and close family friend, Bobby. They were a match written in the stars. And their wedding only augured more good things to come. Or so she thought.

Check out photos and more information about this episode.

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Dive deeper: There is no monolithic “Romani American experience,” not even in California — there are a multitude of them. Author Oksana Marafioti shares her recollections of how arriving in Los Angeles as a teenager led her to celebrate her Romani roots.

A Certain Kind of Education Apr 18, 2023

Show notes

We go back to where it all began: Morro Bay. Paulina shows Faith her hometown, where she recounts a childhood in a tightknit family, vibrant parties and an education cut short.

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The G-Word Apr 11, 2023

Show notes

In the fall of 2019, reporter Faith E. Pinho received a tip from Paulina Stevens. Paulina said she had grown up in an insular Romani community in California, where she was raised to be a wife, mother and fortuneteller — until she decided to break away. This opens the door to a story spanning multiple continents, hundreds of years and complex, even metaphysical, realities.

Check out photos and more information about this episode.

Read the episode transcript.

Dive deeper: Our Romani cultural consultant's op-ed describing how her heritage fits into her own life.