I’m beyond excited about today’s episode because we’re catching up with someone who’s been on quite a journey since you last heard from him. Shahjehan Khan, my cohost from our season of Immigrantly on Love and Relationships, is back—and he’s got some incredible stories to share. From appearing on Succession to taking on iconic roles in Mortal Kombat, Shahjehan has been leveling up in the entertainment world, and I can’t wait for you to hear all about it. But that’s not all—joining us is the amazingly talented Rafay Rashid, an experimental musician with a raw, confessional style that’s impossible to ignore. Rafay is here to dive deep into his battle with drug use and how it’s shaped his music, his life, and his advocacy for sobriety in the arts. This is a conversation about the art of healing and inspiring.  Immigrantly is a weekly podcast that celebrates the extraordinariness of immigrant life. We do this by providing our listeners with authentic, accurate insights into the immigrant identity in America. Immigrantly has garnered significant recognition and has been featured in renowned media outlets such as the Nieman Storyboard, The Guardian, The Slowdown, and CNN. Join us as we create new intellectual engagement for our audience. You can get more information at http://immigrantlypod.com. Please share the love and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts & Spotify to help more people find us!  You can connect with Saadia on Twitter @swkkhan Email: saadia@immigrantlypod.com Host & Producer: Saadia Khan I Content Writer: Saadia Khan I Editorial review: Shei Yu I Sound Designer & Editor: Haziq Ahmed Farid I Immigrantly Theme Music: Simon Hutchinson | Other Music: Epidemic Sound Immigrantly podcast is an Immigrantly Media Production. For advertising inquiries, you can contact us at info@immigrantlypod.com Don't forget to subscribe to our Apple podcast channel for insightful podcasts. Follow us on social media for updates and behind-the-scenes content. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As the host of Immigrantly, I’m always looking for voices that challenge the status quo and push the boundaries of our understanding of identity and resistance. In this episode, I’m thrilled to introduce two extraordinary women whose work does precisely that. Join me as I dive into the inspiring stories of Laura Vergara, a Queer Colombian feminist organizer, and Ayat Mneina, a Libyan researcher and writer. Laura is at the forefront of redefining girlhood through the Stories of Girls' Resistance initiative, amplifying the everyday acts of defiance against patriarchy and violence across the globe. Ayat brings her deep commitment to social justice, using her voice to break through oppression and empower the next generation of activists. Together, we explore the power of collective action and the role of immigrant experiences in shaping their activism. This conversation goes beyond celebrating resistance; it imagines a future where girls live freely, unburdened by the fight for their fundamental rights. Please tune in for an empowering discussion that challenges narratives and redefines what it means to resist. Immigrantly is a trailblazing podcast that redefines the immigrant experience by diving into the nuanced and multifaceted stories of first and second-generation immigrants. Through intimate and thought-provoking conversations, we explore the intersections of culture, identity, and belonging, shedding light on our world's diverse journeys. Hosted by Saadia Khan, a social entrepreneur passionate about authentic storytelling, Immigrantly breaks down stereotypes and builds bridges across communities, offering listeners a fresh perspective on what it means to navigate life between cultures. Immigrantly has garnered significant recognition and has been featured in renowned media outlets such as the Nieman Storyboard, The Guardian, The Slowdown, and CNN. Join us as we create new intellectual engagement for our audience. You can get more information at http://immigrantlypod.com. Please share the love and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts & Spotify to help more people find us!  You can connect with Saadia on Twitter @swkkhan Email: saadia@immigrantlypod.com Host & Producer: Saadia Khan I Content Writer: Saadia Khan I Editorial review: Shei Yu I Sound Designer & Editor: Haziq Ahmed Farid I Immigrantly Theme Music: Simon Hutchinson | Other Music: Epidemic Sound Immigrantly podcast is an Immigrantly Media Production. For advertising inquiries, you can contact us at info@immigrantlypod.com Remember to subscribe to our Apple podcast channel for insightful podcasts. Follow us on social media for updates and behind-the-scenes content. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s guest is Lazou (Sherry-Lynn Lee), a multi-faceted talent who embodies the rich tapestry of a “Sino-Mauritian-Canadian-American producer, writer, and artist.” Raised in the vibrant culture of Mauritius, Lazou initially carved out a successful, nearly decade-long career in Silicon Valley as a software engineer and data scientist. However, her true passion led her to make a bold leap into the world of music and media. Her songwriting is a testament to her linguistic versatility, with enchanting melodies in English, French, and Mauritian Creole. Lazou is also the brilliant mind behind the 'Nuances' podcast, a platform that explores the diverse experiences of the Asian diaspora. The show dives deep into the complexities of identity, touching on themes such as LGBTQ+ rights, anti-racism, feminism, politics, religion, career paths, family dynamics, and much more.  Immigrantly is a weekly podcast that celebrates the extraordinariness of immigrant life. We do this by providing our listeners with authentic, accurate insights into the immigrant identity in America. Immigrantly has garnered significant recognition and has been featured in renowned media outlets such as the Nieman Storyboard, The Guardian, The Slowdown, and CNN. Join us as we create new intellectual engagement for our audience. You can get more information at http://immigrantlypod.com. Please share the love and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts & Spotify to help more people find us!  You can connect with Saadia on Twitter @swkkhan Email: saadia@immigrantlypod.com Host & Producer: Saadia Khan I Content Writer: Saadia Khan & Adiba Hussain I Editorial review: Shei Yu I Sound Designer & Editor: Haziq Ahmed Farid I Immigrantly Theme Music: Simon Hutchinson | Other Music: Epidemic Sound Immigrantly podcast is an Immigrantly Media Production. For advertising inquiries, you can contact us at info@immigrantlypod.com Don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast for more insightful episodes. Follow us on social media for updates and behind-the-scenes content. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's guest Michelle Li is a broadcaster, founder of the "Very Asian Movement" &  Foundation and author of the upcoming book ‘A Very Asian Guide to Korean Food’. The "Very Asian movement" initially started as a hashtag in which other members of the Asian diaspora share solidarity with Michelle and united in a means of sharing Asian pride. Michelle's book is another response to the initial bigotry that she faced. Set to be published in October this year. "A Very Asian Guide to Korean Food" is a children's book detailing many traditional and modern Korean staples, with pronounciation guides for each. In the book, you can also find descriptions of the origins and customary means of preparation of different dishes, brought to life with colorful illustrations. Join the conversation: Instagram | Twitter |  Please share the love and leave us a review to help more people find us! Host & Executive Producer: Saadia Khan I Content Writer: Ziya JaffreyI Editorial Review: Yudi Liu ISound Designer & Editor: Manni Simon I Immigrantly Theme Music: Evan Ray Suzuki I Other Music: Epidemic Sounds Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our Today's guest is Mathangi Subramanian. She is an award-winning writer of adult, young adult, and children's stories. But, just as she runs the gambit in authorship, she is also a former policy analyst and public school teacher. Her book "Dear Mrs. Naidu," which won the South Asia Book Award, is her most notable young adult work. Her recent book is "A People's History of Heaven," about five girls in the slum of Bangalore, India. Today, we talk about Mathangi's experience in the field of education, how it has become politicized, how books are vehicles for sharing lived experiences, and what it means to foster a curiosity for reading.  Join the conversation: Instagram @immigrantlypod | Twitter @immigrantly_pod |  Please share the love and leave us a review to help more people find us! Host & Executive Producer: Saadia Khan I Content Writer: Yudi Liu I Sound Designer & Editor: Manni Simon I Immigrantly Theme Music: Evan Ray Suzuki I Other Music: Epidemic Sounds Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's episode is in collaboration with the Oyate Group, a community-driven foundation dedicated to empowering youth and small businesses across New York City with career support and critical resources. One of their initiatives is the "Beyond Rising" internship program in partnership with the "Center for Engaged Community Learning."   From a competitive pool of candidates who identify as undocumented, twenty students are selected and provided with funds and resources to aid in their journeys into the workforce.  Joining us in the studio, we have two wonderful students who participated in the program: 17-year-old Shayla Leticia Victoria Valdez and 17-year-old & Eistgcher D' Jesús Ogando Parache.  Our guests are high school students in New York City. We talk about their experience at the internship, their hobbies, and how they engage in self-care.   Join the conversation: Instagram | Twitter |  Please share the love and leave us a review to help more people find us! Host & Executive Producer: Saadia Khan I Content Writer: Ziya Jaffrey & Saadia Khan I Interpreter: LymarieI Editorial Review: Yudi Liu ISound Designer & Editor: Manni Simon I Immigrantly Theme Music: Evan Ray Suzuki I Other Music: Epidemic Sounds Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our guest, Elaine Castillo, is the author of the newly released book "How to Read Now: Essays," which attempts to observe American books and movies through a BIPOC lens. Elaine takes a close look at TV shows like "The Watchmen" and writings from Joan Didion to explore the politics of reading and how to read with intent.  Born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, where she graduated from UC Berkeley and obtained her MA in Creative Life and Writing at the University of London, Elaine is a second-generation Filipino American. Her parents migrated from the Philippines in the 70s during the Marcos dictatorship, a story that inspired her 2018 debut novel, "America is NOT the Heart." Praised by NPR, The Boston Globe, the San Francisco Chronicle, and others, Castillo's book follows Hero, a Filipino immigrant born to an established family and later radicalized during the Marcos Regime, and her escape to the Bay Area after being captured and tortured by the dictatorship.  Join the conversation: Instagram @immigrantlypod | Twitter @immigrantly_pod |  Please share the love and leave us a review to help more people find us! Host & Executive Producer: Saadia Khan I Content Writer: Ashley Lanuza & Saadia Khan I Editorial Review: Yudi Li I Sound Designer & Editor: Manni Simon I Immigrantly Theme Music: Evan Ray Suzuki I Other Music: Epidemic Sounds Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's episode is the second part of our two-part series. If you are tuning in now, please be sure to listen to the first part of this series titled "Human Rights be Damned-Part One." In the episode, I had a stimulating and insightful conversation with our guest, Rana Ayyub, the widely known Washington journalist and columnist. In our discussion, we talked about the human rights violations occurring in India along with a broader conversation surrounding foreign response or, as discussed in the episode, the lack of response. Today I talk with Brent Huffman, an American director, writer, and cinematographer. His work has been featured on Netflix, Discovery Channel, The National Geographic Channel, VICE, NBC, CNN, PBS, Time, The New York Times, Al Jazeera America, and Al Jazeera English and premiered at the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam (IDFA), and many other U.S. and international film festivals. He is also a Professor at the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University, where he teaches documentary production and theory.  His new documentary, "Strands of Resistance" (2021), examining China's economic relationship with Pakistan, premiered on Vice and Vice News Tonight. An episode of the documentary "Uyghurs Who Fled China Now Face Repression in Pakistan" won a Rory Peck Award in the Best News Feature category at the British Film Institute in London in 2021. Given Brent's firsthand experience in China, filming this documentary Today's episode will center on what's happening in China to Uyghurs and Pakistan's response or lack thereof. Join the conversation: Instagram @immigrantlypod | Twitter @immigrantly_pod |  Please share the love and leave us a review to help more people find us! Host & Executive Producer: Saadia Khan I Content Writer: Sana Khan & Saadia KhanI Sound Designer & Editor: Manni Simon I Immigrantly Theme Music: Evan Ray Suzuki I Other Music: Epidemic Sounds Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to Immigrantly's fall guest lineup. In part one of a two-episode series, my  Rana Ayyub, an Indian journalist and opinion columnist with The Washington Post, joins me to discuss the inherent paradox in geopolitics, prioritizing strategic allyship over human rights. As a child, Rana witnessed the demolition of mosques and riots. Then, she worked as a relief worker during the Gujarat riots. She later authored the "Gujarat Files: Anatomy of a Cover-up," an instant bestseller and an investigation into the reality behind the 2002 Gujarat riots. Most recently, Rana has been outspoken about the growing violence toward Indian Muslims and the impediments journalists like her face when trying to uphold freedom of the press and democracy amidst global political pressures. Lastly, Rana & I  talk about mental health and Rana's newfound desire to be seen not just as the brave journalist she is but as a human being who struggles, feels, and hurts. Join the conversation: Instagram @immigrantlypod | Twitter @immigrantly_pod |  Please share the love and leave us a review to help more people find us! Host & Executive Producer: Saadia Khan I Content Writer: Sana Khan & Saadia KhanI Sound Designer & Editor: Manni Simon I Immigrantly Theme Music: Evan Ray Suzuki I Other Music: Epidemic Sounds Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dear Immigrantly family, as you know, we are not releasing any new episodes this week; our fall lineup starts next week, August 23rd, with our conversation with Rana Ayyub. Nevertheless, I have exciting and fun audio to share today. In April this year, one of our previous guests and patrons, Paula Wood, hosted a fundraiser for us at her house. At the fundraiser, we asked the guests to define the US in a word or a phrase. Here's a compilation of their responses. The audio is raw, and there is some background noise, but the spirit of the conversation & the diversity of thought is beautiful. Enjoy! Join the conversation: Instagram @immigrantlypod | Twitter @immigrantly_pod |  Please share the love and leave us a review to help more people find us! Host & Executive Producer: Saadia Khan I Sound Designer & Editor: Manni Simon I Immigrantly Theme Music: Evan Ray Suzuki I Other Music: Epidemic Sounds Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's guest, Thea Pham, shares her journey in discovering and defining what mental health means to her, how it fits in the complicated puzzle of her upbringing, and why she has felt immense emotional and psychological strains being the first generation. As an accomplished biotech entrepreneur, Thea was the youngest in her class to graduate with a Ph.D. in neuroscience at UCLA and currently works for a biotech venture capital start-up in LA. She has won numerous awards for her research and was featured in the LA Business Journal's 20 entrepreneurs in their 20s.    A month ago, Thea received viral attention after sharing an emotional TikTok about her challenges as the daughter of Vietnamese parents. In that video, she highlighted some common expectations that fall on children of immigrants, such as academic excellence and financial support. But in Thea's case, they have caused guilt, mental illness, and more. Atlhough, Thea and I come from diametric points of view in our status as daughter and mother, respectively but our dialogue was fruitful. I want you to stay after, to hear me unpack this conversation with our content editor and this script's writer, Yudi Liu, who is an immigrant daughter herself. Join the conversation: Instagram @immigrantlypod | Twitter @immigrantly_pod |  Please share the love and leave us a review to help more people find us! Host & Executive Producer: Saadia Khan I Content Writer: Yudi Liu I Sound Designer & Editor: Manni Simon I Immigrantly Theme Music: Evan Ray Suzuki I Other Music: Epidemic Sounds Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For Neda Toloui-Semnani, our today's guest, understanding who her parents were and what motivated them to participate in the 1979 Iranian Revolution as young Iranian activists became a crucial step to making sense of her own present. Born to a nation marked by political upheaval and now a Brooklyn-based emmy-winning writer & reporter, Neda is no stranger to the fabrics of social change and the equally important need to document such history.   Her father was imprisoned and killed by the Islamic Republic, while her then-pregnant mother and three-year old Neda escaped Iran for America. After her mother passed away, Neda tried to comprehend why her parents did what they did, which could be argued as both brave sacrifices and selfish risks. Her book, THEY SAID THEY WANTED REVOLUTION: A Memoir of My Parents, published this past February, details her rediscovering of personal history against a larger political backdrop.  Neda works for Vice News Tonight and has appeared in numerous publications such as The Washington Post, Kinfolk, and The Week as well as platforms like The Rumpus and This American Life. We had a fantastic conversation where we talked about the literary and emotional journey behind the memoir and what intersections exist between journalism and storytelling and how they are tools for uncovering the truth and preserving memory.  Join the conversation: Instagram @immigrantlypod | Twitter @immigrantly_pod |  Please share the love and leave us a review to help more people find us! Host & Executive Producer: Saadia Khan I Content Writer: Ashley Lanuza & Saadia Khan I Editorial Review IYudi Li I Sound Designer & Editor: Manni Simon I Immigrantly Theme Music: Evan Ray Suzuki I Other Music: Epidemic Sounds Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today I am sharing another gem from the Immigrantly vault. It’s our conversation with Abubakr Ali. He is an actor, writer, and singer. Last year, he landed a significant role in the upcoming Netflix series Grendel as the anti-hero, Hunter Rose. This opportunity is historic because Abubakr is the first Arab Muslim actor to lead in a comic book adaptation. As he steps into the spotlight, Abubakr was recently featured in the New York Times and other significant publications. Since ours was his first ever podcast interview, we thought it would be fun to re-share our fantastic conversation, especially for listeners who recently became part of the Immigrantly community. So enjoy! Libsyn is the sponsor of this episode. Click on Libsyn.com and use code Friend to get your discount! Join the conversation: Instagram @immigrantlypod | Twitter @immigrantly_pod |  Please share the love and leave us a review to help more people find us! Host & Executive Producer: Saadia Khan I Associate Producer: Kinza Muzahir I Content Writer: Yudi Liu I Sound Designer & Editor: Manni Simon & Tom Whelan I Immigrantly Theme Music: Evan Ray Suzuki I Other Music: Epidemic Sounds   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As we prepare for the Nationly and Sportly podcasts launch and Immigrantly's newest episodes, we are sharing an episode by our friends at the Future Hindsight episode. In this Future Hindsight episode, host Mila Atmos is joined by Hajar Yazdiha for a conversation on the role of collective memory in the myth-making of American exceptionalism.  Collective memory is how we remember history and becomes central to our idea of who we are as a people. It’s a storytelling process and the most central story to who we are as a people. The civil rights movement has become one of the central collective memories in America's story of both who it is and who it wants to be. However, careful examination of the record reveals that the civil rights movement was a political project meant to dismantle multicultural democracy. Further, as the collective memory of Dr. King became sanitized and whitewashed, his legacy carried a lot of moral legitimacy, and his moral symbolic authority became ripe for manipulation. Hajar is an Assistant Professor of Sociology at the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences and the author of The Struggle for the People’s King: How Politics Transforms the Memory of the Civil Rights Movement. Please tune in to Future Hindsight every Thursday whenever you get your podcasts.  https://www.futurehindsight.com/ Credits: Host: Mila Atmos  Guest: Hajar Yazdiha Executive Producer: Mila Atmos Senior Producer: Zack Travis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we have a fellow podcaster in our midst. Ramtin Arablouei is the co-host and co-producer of NPR's podcast Throughline. This show explores history through creative, immersive storytelling designed to reintroduce history to new audiences.  Ramtin embodies this perspective personally and professionally. Born in Iran, he immigrated to the U.S. with his family as a child and later graduated from St. Mary's College of Maryland with a B.A. in psychology and history. Along with hosting and producing, Ramtin is also a trained audio engineer and has written and mixed music for many award-winning podcasts, including TED Radio Hour and Hidden Brain. Ramtin generously offered his time to us to talk about an episode he reported back in early June this year called "By Accident of Birth." It's about the story of Wong Kim Ark, who, after returning from a trip to China in 1895, was barred from re-entering the country according to the Chinese Exclusion Act, which denied citizenship to Chinese immigrants. His subsequent legal battles culminated in the 1897 Supreme Court case, the United States. v. Wong Kim Ark:  the case that would forever change the path of American immigration law and play a pivotal role in the ongoing battle over who gets to be a citizen of the United States. Libsyn is the sponsor of this episode Click on Libsyn.com and use code Friend to get your discount! Join the conversation: Instagram @immigrantlypod | Twitter @immigrantly_pod |  Please share the love and leave us a review to help more people find us! Host & Executive Producer: Saadia Khan I Associate Producer: Kinza Muzahir I Content Writer: Sana Khan & Yudi Liu I Sound Designer & Editor: Manni Simon I Immigrantly Theme Music: Evan Ray Suzuki I Other Music: Epidemic Sounds     Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The first time I introduced today's episode was in September 2020, when we recorded the interview on abortion access with Dr. Meera Shah. She is the Chief Medical Officer of Planned Parenthood Hudson Peconic in New York and the author of "You're the Only One I have Told: The Stories Behind Abortion." Meera is a tireless advocate for accessible, safe abortions. The episode was released only a few days after the passing of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, all while the presidential elections loomed ahead. Fast forward to July 2022, Joe Biden is in the White House, the Democrats have a thin majority in the House, and Senate is split 50-50. In addition, we are freshly reeling from the Supreme Court decision that overturned Roe v. Wade. With this layered perspective in the background and the undercurrent of the U.S. midterm elections up ahead, we thought it would be appropriate to revisit this episode from the past to make sense of the present and mobilize for the future. So, here is an episode from the Immigrantly vault — it provides a compassionate lens to abortion, healthcare in general, how U.S. policies have influenced access to it, particularly for immigrant communities, and the reality of shared experiences around it. We hope it will help you contextualize our continued fight for bodily autonomy. So, let's hit rewind. Libsyn is the sponsor of this episode Click on Libsyn.com and use code Friend to get your discount! Join the conversation: Instagram @immigrantlypod | Twitter @immigrantly_pod |  Please share the love and leave us a review to help more people find us! Host & Executive Producer: Saadia Khan I Associate Producer: Kinza Muzahir I Content Writer: Sarah Doh I Sound Designer & Editor: Manni Simon & Tom Whelan I Immigrantly Theme Music: Evan Ray Suzuki I Other Music: Epidemic Sounds     Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On June 24th, 2022, the hyper-conservative Supreme Court overturned Roe Vs. Wade and took away a woman's constitutional right to abortion. Thirteen states with trigger laws will ban abortion instantly. As a woman & a mother of two girls, I am angry, annoyed, devastated, and more uncertain about the safety of my kids now than ever before. It feels unreal that my daughters will have fewer rights than I did. However, I am determined to fight this injustice by voting for & supporting organizations and people who believe in women's bodily autonomy and amplifying the stories that must be told on our platform. As for men, please speak up because this is not only a woman's issue. It's a family issue, a human rights issue, and it will impact you too. And on this show today, we are going to make some noise.  Our guest, LaKia Williams, is a Reproductive Justice activist based in the South. At Tulane University, she founded the Big Easy EC, an emergency contraception provider for college students in New Orleans. After graduating from University with a Bachelor's in Neuroscience, she joined SisterSong: The National Women of Color Reproductive Justice Organization as their Digital Organizer. LaKia is also the host of the Black Feminist Rants podcast about reproductive justice and activism.  Join the conversation: Instagram @immigrantlypod | Twitter @immigrantly_pod |  Please share the love and leave us a review to help more people find us! Host & Executive Producer: Saadia Khan I Associate Producer: Kinza Muzahir I Content Writer: Ashley Lanuza I Sound Designer & Editor: Manni Simon I Immigrantly Theme Music: Evan Ray Suzuki I Other Music: Epidemic Sounds   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In September 2021, when the images of border patrol agents whipping a group of Haitian migrants in Del Rio, Texas, came to light, national outrage broke out. But as all news cycles go, the rage eventually died out. The publications moved on to other stories, and the social media posts changed.  But the reality is, there was so much more to the story.  What happened to these migrants after they were denied their right to seek asylum and forcefully detained? In this episode, we break down the legal framework that allowed the existence of the “Del Rio Encampment” with Sarah Decker. She’s a Staff Attorney at Robert F Kennedy Human Rights, an organization that advocates for human rights issues and pursues strategic litigation to hold governments accountable on both the domestic and international levels. Sarah is also the co-author of “Beyond The Bridge,” a 2022 report documenting abuses toward Haitian immigrants in the Texas-based encampment. Join the conversation: Instagram @immigrantlypod | Twitter @immigrantly_pod |  Please share the love and leave us a review to help more people find us! Host & Executive Producer: Saadia Khan I Associate Producer: Kinza Muzahir I Content Writer: Sarah Doh I Sound Designer & Editor: Manni Simon I Immigrantly Theme Music: Evan Ray Suzuki I Other Music: Epidemic Sounds Athletic Greens is the sponsor of this episode. To get your discount, go to Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Thimali Kodikara is the series producer of "Mothers of Invention," hosted by former Irish president Mary Robinson and comedian-writer Maeve Higgins. Their platform uncovers stories of climate justice heroes, focused on Black, Brown, and Indigenous women holding up the microphone to climate action in the boardroom, at marches, with their peers, and beyond. In addition to her podcast, Thimali advises on climate strategies and is a recognized public figure for climate advocacy. She has consulted global and regional organizations like Human Rights Watch and BAFTA on how to adopt intersectional-feminist principles in their climate policies.  Join the conversation: Instagram @immigrantlypod | Twitter @immigrantly_pod |  Please share the love and leave us a review to help more people find us! Host & Executive Producer: Saadia Khan I Associate Producer: Kinza Muzahir I Content Writer: Yudi Liu I Sound Designer & Editor: Bronte Cook I Immigrantly Theme Music: Evan Ray Suzuki I Other Music: Epidemic Sounds Athletic Greens is the sponsor of this episode. To get your discount, go to Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's guest, Dr. Anthony Ocampo, was raised in Los Angeles as the only son of two Filipino immigrants. He attended Stanford University for Comparative Race and Ethnicity and later received his master's in Modern Thought and Literature. He eventually received his Ph.D. in Sociology at the University of California, Los Angeles. Dr. Ocampo focuses on race, immigration, and LGBTQ issues as a writer and scholar. His debut book, Latinos of Asia: How Filipino Americans Break the Rules of Race, has been recognized by the Los Angeles Times and NPR. His upcoming book, "Brown and Gay in L.A.," is slotted to release this September. It chronicles the struggle gay men of color face to be seen by their families and the broader society. Join the conversation: Instagram @immigrantlypod | Twitter @immigrantly_pod |  Please share the love and leave us a review to help more people find us! Host & Executive Producer: Saadia Khan I Associate Producer: Kinza Muzahir I Content Writer: Ashley Lanuza I Sound Designer & Editor: Bronte Cook I Immigrantly Theme Music: Evan Ray Suzuki I Other Music: Epidemic Sounds Athletic Greens is the sponsor of this episode  to get your discount!   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our guest, Stephen Satterfield, has dedicated his career to organizing, activating, and educating people about the origins and cultures of food.  He founded Whetstone Radio Collective, a food magazine and media company that explores the history of American cuisine through the lens of cultural, socioeconomic, and human connections. Stephen's work disrupts the food canon in more ways than a few: writer, publisher, producer, former sommelier, and social entrepreneur. For example, his docuseries on Netflix, "High on the Hog," traces the foundation of American cooking from Texas to Africa and peels the layers of generations across time and geography. In today's episode, beyond flavors & taste, Stephen and I do a deep dive into the journey of African American cuisine in the U.S. and how food can be a catalyst for change. Join the conversation: Instagram @immigrantlypod | Twitter @immigrantly_pod |  Please share the love and leave us a review to help more people find us! Host & Executive Producer: Saadia Khan I Associate Producer: Kinza Muzahir I Content Writer: Saadia Khan & Yudi Liu I Sound Designer & Editor: Bronte Cook I Immigrantly Theme Music: Evan Ray Suzuki I Other Music: Epidemic Sounds Athletic Greens is the sponsor of this episode. Go to Magic Spoon also sponsors the episode. Go to /IMMIGRANTLY to grab a variety pack and try it today! And be sure to use our promo code IMMIGRANTLY at checkout to save five dollars off your order.     Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In honor of May being the Asian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month (API), the National Hockey League (NHL) and Immigrantly joined forces to bring you two special episodes celebrating the role of the API community in hockey. Today's guest is Jordan Spence. He is a defenseman for the Los Angeles Kings. Now 21, Jordan picked up the puck at 5 years old, and just recently had his history-making debut at NHL. Born in Australia and raised in Osaka, he moved to Prince Edward Island of Canada in his teens. In response to a reporter, Jordan once explained, “In Japan, they don’t think they have hockey over there, but they actually do.” I spoke with him about the responsibilities of performing at this elite level, his family’s role in his hockey career, why we see skewed representation, and the socialization around sports. Jordan is undoubtedly rising the ranks and stirring up the playing field. His passion for hockey is palpable, and I’m so excited to share it with you all. Host & Executive Producer: Saadia Khan I Associate Producer: Kinza Muzahir I Content Writer: Yudi Liu I Sound Designer & Editor: Bronte Cook I Immigrantly Theme Music: Evan Ray Suzuki I Other Music: Epidemic Sounds. Athletic Greens is the sponsor of this episode. Go to  to get your discount. Magic Spoon also sponsors the episode. Go to /IMMIGRANTLY to grab a variety pack and try it today! And be sure to use our promo code IMMIGRANTLY at checkout to save five dollars off your order.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In honor of May being the Asian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month (API), the National Hockey League (NHL) and Immigrantly joined forces to bring you two special episodes celebrating the role of the API community in hockey. Today's guest is Aisha Visram. She is Head Trainer for the L.A. Kings' American Hockey League affiliate in Ontario, California. On January 13, 2022, the Los Angeles Kings scored a 6-2 victory against the Pittsburg Penguins. The crowd roared in celebration– and so did the internet. Because at that particular game, Aisha Visram, our today's guest, was the second woman to work behind the bench at a regular-season NHL game. The first was Jodi Van Rees. Aisha's feat sparked conversation around gender and ethnic representation in hockey. Aisha and I sat down to talk about what it means to be a woman in a male-dominated sport, what authentic representation looks like, and why certain positions (including the athletic trainer position) are examined through a gendered lens. Join the conversation: Instagram @immigrantlypod | Twitter @immigrantly_pod | Please share the love and leave us a review to help more people find us! Host & Executive Producer: Saadia Khan I Creative Producer: Kylee. C Roberts I Content Writer: Ashley Lanuza & Saadia Khan I Sound Designer & Editor: Bronte Cook I Immigrantly Theme Music: Evan Ray Suzuki I Other Music: Epidemic Sounds Athletic Greens is the sponsor of this episode. Go to  to get your discount. Magic Spoon also sponsors the episode. Go to /IMMIGRANTLY to grab a variety pack and try it today! And be sure to use our promo code IMMIGRANTLY at checkout to save five dollars off your order. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we are sharing an episode from "Bad Table Manners," a podcast that pushes the boundaries of food storytelling in South Asia, produced by our friends at Whetstone Radio Collective. Enjoy! Thanks to the cool-ification of Indian food, traditional ingredients from the subcontinent, like turmeric and ghee, are now repackaged and resold in Western and Westernized markets as if they were “new” discoveries. Cleaned up, minimalistic design labels are often employed to give the familiar and unfamiliar look and conceal what one can argue is a recolonization of the Global South by the Global North. The U.S.-based academic Rumya Putcha tells us why this hipster Indian food is problematic, while Vidya Balachander, current South Asia editor at Whetstone, helps us unpack the idea of the global supermarket. We’d love for you to be part of the Immigrantly community. Join us on Instagram: @Immigrantlypod Find us on Twitter: @immigrantly_pod Support us via our If you enjoy listening to Immigrantly, please share the love and leave us a review so that more people can find us! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, I sit down with Vivek Bald, a filmmaker, writer, and scholar dedicated to uncovering the hidden histories of the South Asian diaspora. For the past twenty-five years, Vivek has explored the migration patterns and cultural impact of South Asians in the US and Britain through his documentaries, books, and academic work at MIT’s Comparative Media Studies Department. His latest documentary, “In Search of Bengali Harlem,” with actor and playwright Alaudin Ullah, which premiered in early March, reveals the forgotten history of Bengali migrants who settled in Harlem during the 1920s, integrating into Black and Hispanic communities. Key Takeaways History of South Asian Migration: Overview of South Asian migration to the United States. Experiences of early South Asian immigrants. Impact of immigration laws on the South Asian community. Personal and Family Experiences: Vivek Bald's upbringing and influences. His mother’s activism and its impact on his perspectives. Development of his interest in documentary filmmaking. In Search of Bengali Harlem: The undocumented migration of Bengali Muslim men to the US in the early 20th century. Intermarriages with African American and Puerto Rican women. Challenges faced by these communities. Personal stories and the research process behind the documentary. The intersection of Race, Class, and Identity: How these elements have shaped the experiences of South Asian immigrants. The cultural influence of South Asians in cities like New York. Political undertones in the narratives of South Asian migration. Additional Links: To learn more about In Search of Bengali Harlem, http://bengaliharlem.com  The film is available to stream on PBS as part of the documentary series America ReFramed:  On PBS/WORLD’s YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=os-PxQ2q3Ig Using the PBS App on your TV or Mobile Device: https://www.pbs.org/pbs–app/ At America ReFramed: https://worldchannel.org/episode/america-reframed-in-search-of-bengali-harlem/  http://bengaliharlem.com/watch   Immigrantly is a weekly podcast that celebrates the extraordinariness of immigrant life. We do this by providing our listeners with authentic, accurate insights into the immigrant identity in America. Immigrantly has garnered significant recognition and has been featured in renowned media outlets such as the Nieman Storyboard, The Guardian, The Slowdown, and CNN. Join us as we create new intellectual engagement for our audience. You can get more information at http://immigrantlypod.com. Please share the love and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts & Spotify to help more people find us!  You can connect with Saadia on Twitter @swkkhan Email: saadia@immigrantlypod.com Host & Producer: Saadia Khan I Content Writer: Saadia Khan & Adiba Hussain I Editorial review: Shei Yu I Sound Designer & Editor: Paroma Chakravarty I Immigrantly Theme Music: Simon Hutchinson | Other Music: Epidemic Sound Immigrantly podcast is an Immigrantly Media Production. For advertising inquiries, you can contact us at info@immigrantlypod.com Don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast for more insightful episodes. Follow us on social media for updates and behind-the-scenes content.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sports are undoubtedly one of the most prominent cultural phenomena in the US. They enjoy tremendous popularity and are considered a means to promote fair play, teamwork & camaraderie. But how have our perceptions of the games and players evolved? What does it mean to be a South Asian Basketball player on the court? How do race and identity intersect within the sports realm? And what does it mean to explore sports beyond the jock culture and from an academic lens?  We have invited  Dr. Stanley Thanaraj, a socio-anthropologist, and professor at the City College of New York, to answer these questions. His research and interests land on race, gender, sexuality, class, ethnicity, and sports in America. While my knowledge of sports is amateur at best, I was fascinated by how Dr. Stan applies race theory, masculinity studies, diaspora studies, and more to this nearly-universal pastime. We’d love for you to be part of the Immigrantly community. Join us on Instagram: @Immigrantlypod Find us on Twitter: @immigrantly_pod Support us via our If you enjoyed listening to this episode, please share the love and leave us a review so that more people can find us! Host: Saadia Khan l Executive Producer: Saadia Khan l Creative Producer: Kylee. C Roberts l Content Writer: Ashley Lanuza & Saadia Khan l Sound design & Editor: Bronte Cook l  Immigrantly Theme Music: Evan Ray Suzuki l Other Music: Epidemic Sounds Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our guest is Josefa Velasquez, a senior reporter for The City, a digital publication focused on the New York area. Josefa has been featured in The Guardian, The New York Times, Business Insider, New York Magazine, and Politico, to name a few.  We're bringing her onto this season of Immigrantly because she co-wrote a recent article with fellow city reporter Clifford Michel. Titled "NYC to Pick Up Two State Senate Seats Under Albany Redistricting Plan," the report dives into redistricting efforts in Brooklyn and Queens that will change the district's constituent makeup. Josefa is here to explain the basics of redistricting and why we should care! We’d love for you to be part of the Immigrantly community. Join us on Instagram: @Immigrantlypod Find us on Twitter: @immigrantly_pod Support us via our If you enjoyed listening to this episode, please share the love and leave us a review so that more people can find us. Host: Saadia Khan l Executive Producer: Saadia Khan l Creative Producer: Kylee. C Roberts l Content Writer: Ashley Lanuza & Saadia Khan l Editor: Bronte Cook l Immigrantly Theme Music: Evan Ray Suzuki l Other Music: Rephonic Sounds   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Season 14 of Immigrantly, titled “People’s Choice,” launches today. Our first guest of the season is Ali Noorani, the president and CEO of the National Immigration Forum. Prior, he was the director of the Massachusetts Immigrant and Advocacy Coalition. As the author of two books, one of which  - "Crossing Borders: The Reconciliation of a Nation of Immigrants" was recently published, Ali is recognized by many as a thought leader and activist in immigration policy. His experiences are far from just intersectional; they demonstrate essential truths on how we can address and reconcile our identities with the contradictions we see across sectors in this country. One of the most exciting ways to support us is becoming a member of our . For the price of an overpriced oat milk latte, you'll get special shoutouts, automatic submission to our raffles, and an opportunity to interact with our team. Host: Saadia Khan  l Executive Producer: Saadia Khan l Creative Producer: Kylee. C Roberts l Content Writer: Yudi Liu l Sound design & Editor: Bronte Cook l  Immigrantly Theme Music: Evan Ray Suzuki l Other Music: Rephonic Sounds Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For season 13 finale, our guest is someone who defies the conventional boundaries of musical expression. Arooj Aftab, is a Grammy-winning Pakistani singer, composer, producer, and editor whose music has gained international recognition for its infusion of many genres. Her song, “Mohabbat,” was featured on Barack Obama’s list of favorite songs for the Summer of 2021 & won the 2022 Grammy for "Best Global Music Performance". Her music is usually described as “Neo Sufi” as it heavily draws from the stylistic and structural components of Sufi music. She uses things like repetition, meters, or the use of specific instruments. But make no mistake, Arooj’s music has no set genre. You can hear hints of jazz, minimalism, and South Asian classical weaved into her songs. Her music is captivating and haunting at times, it feels like it sucks you into the emotion of the song. Her third studio album, Vulture Prince, was released last April, receiving heavy praise from publications like Pitchfork, NPR, and Al Jazeera. Her music was recently featured on Coke Studio Pakistan Season 14-Coke Studio is a very popular Pakistani television show where established and emerging musicians from across all sorts of genres showcase their talents..  We’re so excited to talk to Arooj about artistic expression and the way emotions like love, grief, and longing are conveyed through music. One of the most exciting ways to support us is by becoming a member of our . For the price of an overpriced oat milk latte, you're entitled to special shoutouts, automatic submission to our raffles, and an opportunity to interact with our team. Hosts: Saadia Khan & Shahjehan Khan l Executive Producer: Saadia Khan l Creative Producer: Kylee. C Roberts l Development Producer: Aleeza Kazmi l Content Writer: Sarah Doh l Collaborative Editorial Review: Asad Butt l  Editor: Bronte Cook l  Immigrantly Theme Music: Evan Ray Suzuki l Other Music: Podington Bear, Jahzzar  You can find us on Twitter & IG Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our guest today is Maria Akopyan. Maria is a family lawyer, divorce coach, and the founder of Dignified Divorce Coaching. Born in Armenia and immigrated to Los Angeles, California at only ten months old, Maria focuses on helping recently divorced women smoothly transition to a single life in a healthy, positive way. Her work challenges the notion that divorce is lonely and painful. Maria proposes that it’s also an opportunity for rediscovery and empowerment. Maria’s expertise stems from her exposure to family law and her passion for life coaching.   One of the most exciting ways to support us is by becoming a member of our . For the price of an overpriced oat milk latte, you're entitled to special shoutouts, automatic submission to our raffles, and an opportunity to interact with our team. Hosts: Saadia Khan & Shahjehan Khan l Executive Producer: Saadia Khan l Creative Producer: Kylee. C Roberts l Development Producer: Aleeza Kazmi l Content Writer: Ashley Lanuza l Collaborative Editorial Review: Asad Butt l  Editor: Bronte Cook l  Immigrantly Theme Music: Evan Ray Suzuki l Other Music: Podington Bear, Jahzzar  You can find us on Twitter & IG Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our guest today is Frances Tang, the founder, CEO, of Awkward Essentials, an innovative personal hygiene company. Their most well-known product is called the dripstick, a post-sex cleanup tool that absorbs excess fluid leftover from a partner. During her work in developing this product, Frances immediately became passionate about deconstructing taboo conversations about sex. One of the most exciting ways to support us is by becoming a member of our Patreon by going to patreon.com/immigrantly. For the price of an overpriced oat milk latte, you can get special shoutouts, automatic submission to our raffles, and an opportunity to interact with our team.   You can find us on Twitter @immigrantly_pod & IG @immigrantlypod.   Hosts: Saadia Khan & Shahjehan Khan l Executive Producer: Saadia Khan l Creative Producer: Kylee. C Roberts l Development Producer: Aleeza Kazmi l Content Writer: Ashley Lanuza l Sound Editor: Bronte Cook l Immigrantly Theme Music: Evan Ray Suzuki l Other Music: Podington Bear, Jahzzar  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dating can be a rocky ride at the best of times, especially in this day and age when narratives and how-tos are thrust upon us by the media, culture, and even friends. It becomes hard to filter what we want out of a relationship from what society expects us to enjoy. And then there is the issue of ignoring narratives that aren't as common or flashy. Today's episode looks at power and privilege with ability and disability. Then, we apply those concepts to the world of dating, unpacking questions that may be top of mind for some and regrettably novel for others. Our guest Felicia Jadczak breaks it all down for us. Felicia is a tech guru, yes-woman, radical speaker, and consultant for diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts. She is the Co-Founder and Co-CEO of She Geeks Out, an organization committed to helping companies create and foster inclusivity in the workforce and workplace.  One of the most exciting ways to support us is by becoming a member of our . For the price of an overpriced oat milk latte, you're entitled to special shoutouts, automatic submission to our raffles, and an opportunity to interact with our team. Host: Saadia Khan l Executive Producer: Saadia Khan l Creative Producer: Kylee. C Roberts l Development Producer: Aleeza Kazmi l Content Writer: Anoushka Rai & Yudi Liu l Collaborative Editorial Review: Asad Butt l  Editor: Bronte Cook l  Immigrantly Theme Music: Evan Ray Suzuki l Other Music: Podington Bear, Jahzzar  You can find us on Twitter & IG Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's guest, Dr. Bushra Sabri, teaches at Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing & is a recognized expert in exposure to violence and psychosocial outcomes caused by experiencing health inequities among minority and immigrant women. She currently leads Its WeWomenPlus, a research study for immigrant women's health, safety, and empowerment funded by the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities.  We talked about implicit assumptions about pain, pre and post-migration stressors, trauma, and the human body, and how this can manifest internally and interpersonally. One of the most exciting ways to support us is by becoming a member of our Patreon by going to patreon.com/immigrantly. For the price of an overpriced oat milk latte, you can get special shoutouts, automatic submission to our raffles, and an opportunity to interact with our team.   You can find us on Twitter @immigrantly_pod & IG @immigrantlypod.   Host: Saadia Khan l Executive Producer: Saadia Khan l Creative Producer: Kylee. C Roberts l Development Producer: Aleeza Kazmi l Content Writer: Yudi Liu l Editor: Bronte Cook l Sound Editor l Immigrantly Theme Music: Evan Ray Suzuki l Other Music: Podington Bear, Jahzzar  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's guest is family in all senses of the word. Tina Khan (A.K.A Shahjehan khan's mom) describes her journey into marriage and how love is nurtured in her life. Tina shares stories of heartbreak, love letters, & socio-cultural distinction in the context of arranged marriage, with great sage and sass. This episode will make you feel all the feels. So let's jump right in!!   One of the most exciting ways to support us is by becoming a member of our Patreon by going to patreon.com/immigrantly. For the price of an overpriced oat milk latte, you can get special shoutouts, automatic submission to our raffles, and an opportunity to interact with our team.   You can find us on Twitter @immigrantly_pod & IG @immigrantlypod.   Hosts: Saadia Khan & Shahjehan Khan l Executive Producer: Saadia Khan l Creative Producer: Kylee. C Roberts l Development Producer: Aleeza Kazmi l Content Writer: Anoushka Rai & Yudi Liu l Collaborative Editorial Review: Asad Butt from Rifelion Media l Sound Editor: Bronte Cook l Immigrantly Theme Music: Evan Ray Suzuki l Other Music: Podington Bear, Jahzzar      Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our guest today is trailblazing a unique approach towards navigating relationships. Jessica Fern is the author of The book takes its readers into an exploration of the relationship between attachment theory and consensual non-monogamy.      One of the most exciting ways to support us is by becoming a member of our Patreon by going to patreon.com/immigrantly. For the price of an overpriced oat milk latte, you get special shoutouts, automatic submission to our raffles, and an opportunity to interact with our team.     You can find us on Twitter @immigrantly_pod & IG @immigrantlypod     Hosts: Saadia Khan & Shahjehan Khan l Executive Producer: Saadia Khan l Creative Producer: Kylee. C Roberts l Development Producer: Aleeza Kazmi l Content Writer: Sarah Doh l Collaborative Editorial Review: Asad Butt l  Editor: Bronte Cook l Sound Editor: Chris Boecker l Immigrantly Theme Music: Evan Ray Suzuki l Other Music: Podington Bear, Jahzzar  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Amer Jandali is the founder of 'Future Meets Present,' a social design agency dedicated to building a sustainable future. Before diving into climate activism, Amer had an exciting career as a DJ in New Mexico, where he even opened for famous acts like LMFAO (yes, the Party Rock Anthem duo). He later moved from Las Cruces to New York City to pursue a master's degree in design for social innovation. Today, he teaches sustainable business models at Parsons and social entrepreneurship at John Jay College. Join us as we discuss his journey from DJing to designing a greener future and explore his work at 'Future Meets Present.' Get ready for an inspiring conversation that combines the energy of party anthems with the urgency of environmental action Immigrantly is a weekly podcast that celebrates the extraordinariness of immigrant life. We do this by providing our listeners with authentic, accurate insights into the immigrant identity in America. Immigrantly has garnered significant recognition and has been featured in renowned media outlets such as the Nieman Storyboard, The Guardian, The Slowdown, and CNN. Join us as we create new intellectual engagement for our audience. You can get more information at http://immigrantlypod.com. Please share the love and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts & Spotify to help more people find us!  You can connect with Saadia on Twitter @swkkhan Email: saadia@immigrantlypod.com Host & Producer: Saadia Khan I Content Writer: Saadia Khan & Bobak Afshari I Editorial review: Shei Yu I Sound Designer & Editor: Paroma Chakravarty I Immigrantly Theme Music: Simon Hutchinson | Other Music: Epidemic Sound Immigrantly podcast is an Immigrantly Media Production. For advertising inquiries, you can contact us at info@immigrantlypod.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Did you attend a sex-ed class in middle or high school? If the answer is no, you're not alone. In the United States, only twenty-four states mandate sex education, which leaves nearly half of the country inadequately educated on their sexual health. Justine Ang Fonte, M.Ed, MPH, makes it their mission to provide comprehensive sex-ed, intersecting it with the impacts of colonization, the porn industry, and underfunded schooling. Not only are these essential conversations to have— ones that decrease the rate of emotional, mental, and physical risks that may come from sexual activity—but it's vital for our immigrant communities, where sex may be a taboo topic.  You can find Justine at www.JustineFonte.com One of the most exciting ways to support us is by becoming a member of our Patreon by going to patreon.com/immigrantly. For the price of an overpriced oat milk latte, you're entitled to special shoutouts, automatic submission to our raffles, and an opportunity to interact with our team. You can find us on Twitter @immigrantly_pod & IG @immigrantlypod   Hosts: Saadia Khan & Shahjehan Khan l Executive Producer: Saadia Khan l Creative Producer: Kylee. C Roberts l Development Producer: Aleeza Kazmi l Content Writer: Ashley L. Lanuza l Collaborative Editorial Review: Asad Butt from Rifelion Media l Sound Editor: Bronte Cook l Immigrantly Theme Music: Evan Ray Suzuki l Other Music: Podington Bear, Jahzzar    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sujata Day, the producer of Definition Please and actress on Insecure and Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl, joins us in the studio to discuss her work, a product of what is personal and public. Influenced by heritage, family bonds, and inborn passions,   Sujata attributes this specific voice to the Black and Brown collaboration in the entertainment space. So how did she take control of her career, move away from secondary characters to starring in her film? An inspiring patchwork of perseverance, networking, mentorship, talent, and humor, Sujata is stirring up the Hollywood pot. We're tuned into hearing how it's going.      While some are afraid to ask for what they need, Sujata has discovered that it takes forward conversations, relationship building, and wealth of confidence and support to get from point a to z, a personal story to a hit debut and Netflix streamed film. She speaks to Saadia and Shajehan about growing up in the suburbs of Philadelphia, her connection with her older brother, and the critical pieces of her identity naturally embedded in her work. One of the most exciting ways to support us is becoming a member of our Patreon by going to patreon.com/immigrantly. For the price of an overpriced oat milk latte, you're entitled to special shoutouts, automatic submission to our raffles, and an opportunity to interact with our team. You can find us on Twitter & IG Hosts: Saadia Khan & Shahjehan Khan l Executive Producer: Saadia Khan l Creative Producer: Kylee. C Roberts l Development Producer: Aleeza Kazmi l Content Writer: Yudi Liu l Collaborative Editorial Review: Asad Butt l Sound Editor: Bronte Cook l Immigrantly Theme Music: Evan Ray Suzuki l Other Music: Podington Bear, Jahzzar  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dear Listener, have you ever had your heart broken? Whether by an ex or a friend, every one of us has felt our stomach drop and our heart collapse into a million shards. The moment feels devastating, and the days that follow are almost unbearable. You feel alone when the world you once knew turns darker and colder. But don't worry—we get it, and so does Joanna Carrillo, host of the podcast, Letter to My Ex. On this special Valentine's episode, we sit down with Joanna and explore how writing out our tears may be the anecdote to getting over someone. It's even more special as you'll get to hear from our very own Immigrantly team on how they coped with their heartaches.  One of the most exciting ways to support us is becoming a member of our . For the price of an overpriced oat milk latte, you're entitled to special shoutouts, automatic submission to our raffles, and an opportunity to interact with our team. You can follow us on Twitter @immigrantly_pod & IG @immigrantlypod Hosts: Saadia Khan & Shahjehan Khan Narrators: Anoushka Rai, Ashley Lanuza, Kylee C. Roberts, Ashley Suarez Executive Producer: Saadia Khan Creative Producer: Kylee C. Roberts Development Producer: Aleeza Kazmi Content writer: Ashley Lanuza Sound & Content Editor: Bronte Cook Collaborative Editorial Review: Asad Butt Immigrantly Theme Music: Evan Ray Suzuki Other Music: Podington Bear, Jahzzar     Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we tackle self-love through a cultural lens. Our guest Tanzila "Taz" Ahmed, is a political strategist, storyteller, and artist based in Los Angeles. She creates at the intersection of counternarratives and culture-shifting as a South Asian American Muslim 2nd-gen woman. She's turned out over 500,000 Asian American voters, recorded five years of the award-winning #GoodMuslimBadMuslim podcast, and makes #MuslimVDay cards annually. Her essays are published in the anthologies New Moon, Pretty Bitches, Good Girls Marry Doctors, Love Inshallah and her poetry commissioned by the Center for Cultural Power, PolicyLink, KPCC's Unheard LA, and more. A protest sign she designed is in the Smithsonian Museum of American History.  You can subscribe to Taz's substack . You can find us on social media on Instagram and Twitter .   You can support Immigrantly by subscribing to our .   You can buy Taz's #MuslimVDay cards on .   Hosts: Saadia Khan & Shahjehan Khan Producers: Saadia Khan & Kylee C. Roberts Development Producer: Aleeza Kazmi Collaborative Editorial Review: Asad Butt Content writer: Anoushka Rai Sound & Content Editor: Bronte Cook Immigrantly Theme Music: Evan Ray Suzuki Other Music: Podington Bear, Jahzzar Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We explore self-love through sexual empowerment. Our today's guest is Anna Lee. Anna is the owner of the wellness company Lioness. Lioness is the first and only intelligent vibrator on the market. But beyond its niche, Lioness is a telling legacy of Anna's journey from a complicated childhood where sex was associated with pain & shame into a position of innovation focused on female pleasure and health. We talked about decoding orgasms, sex toys & self-love. You can support Immigrantly by subscribing to our .   You can also enter for a chance to win a Lioness gift card by doing the following: Follow on IG @lionesshealth, @annaisaverage Follow Immigrantly on IG and Twitter Subscribe to Immigrantly podcast on any streaming platform. Leave a comment on our IG post, and tell us what you're excited about in 2022? Host: Saadia Khan Executive Producer: Saadia Khan Creative Producer: Kylee C. Roberts Content writer: Yudi Liu Sound & Content Editor: Bronte Cook Immigrantly Theme Music: Evan Ray Suzuki Other Music: Podington Bear, Jahzzar Special Thanks to our Development Producer Aleeza Kazmi   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today, joining us to speak on dating, comedy, finding, and being the source of inspiration is the oh-so wondrous, deeply hilarious, and boldly thoughtful actress and comedian Aparna Nancherla. She has appeared on several Late Night talk shows, Comedy Central, Inside Amy Schumer, and acted in plays like Crashing and The Great North's animated series. And if you are in New York City, catch Aparna and her deadpan humor at Butterboy Comedy, a weekly stand-up co-hosted with Maeve Higgins and Jo Firestone. You can find us on social media on Instagram and Twitter .   You can support Immigrantly by subscribing to our .   Hosts: Saadia Khan & Shahjehan Khan Executive Producer: Saadia Khan Creative Producer: Kylee C. Roberts Content writer: Yudi Liu Feature Editorial Review: Asad Butt Sound & Content Editor: Bronte Cook Immigrantly Theme Music: Evan Ray Suzuki Other Music: Podington Bear, Jahzzar   Special Thanks to our Development Producer Aleeza Kazmi   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Saadia & Shahjehan sit down for a completely unscripted, unfiltered conversation to test their chemistry as co-hosts for season 13. In short, it is there. They exchange their own dating stories, including the failures and uncomfortable moments. In addition, they find common ground in their Desi culture along with the differences they experienced as they navigated the dating world. Hosts: Saadia Khan & Shahjehan Khan Producers: Saadia khan & Kylee C. Roberts Collaborative Editorial Review: Asad Butt Sound Editor: Bronte Cook Immigrantly Theme Music: Evan Ray Suzuki Other Music: Other Music: Podington Bear, Jahzzar   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's official: Immigrantly Podcast is on its 13th season! So for Season 13, LOVE is in the air. We're going to explore all things relationships. Our conversations are going to tackle the constructs we've built around relationships. In addition, we'll be exploring how different political and sociological factors affect the relationships we create with each other. To help us tackle these topics and more, we've decided to bring on a guest co-host for Season 13. Shahjehan Khan is the host of King of The World, an audio series from Rifelion Media reflecting on coming of age, identity, creativity, and mental health in the twenty years following 9/11 as a Pakistani American Muslim.  Saadia and Shahjehan will be joined by, among others, comedian Aparna Nancherla, Political Strategist and the co-host of Good Muslims Bad Muslim podcast, Tanzila Ahmed, Frances Tang of Awkward Essentials, and many more as we do our best to share honest, thoughtful, and even painful stories that deserve all of our attention and appreciation because let's face it, real love is hard work, no matter who or how you choose to love, and even if there wasn't much choice in the case. Get ready to laugh, cry, and reflect. The first episode of the season will launch on January 18th, 2022 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we are speaking with an Afghan journalist facing threats under a Taliban regime that is becoming more hostile towards the press every day.   To protect him, we have concealed all aspects of his identity, including altering his voice, to prevent any person from seeking to harm him. Therefore, we will also call him Follad Ahangar, not his real name.  Our goal through this episode is to give you a more holistic view of what's happening on the ground. We want to reiterate here that while we are concerned about the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan, given their record of human rights violations such as summary justice, strict rules, especially against women, and curbing free press, we also recognize that the chain of violence in Afghanistan, which has continued for the last forty years, has to end. So we should be asking ourselves what does an ordinary Afghan wants? How do we hold the Taliban accountable without penalizing the Afghan population crippled with food insecurity, human rights violations, climate change, and more? And finally, What does the path forward look like? This concludes Season 12. Season 13, all about LOVE, will launch on January 18th, 2022. From the Immigrantly team, Have a happy New Year! Producer, Content Editor & Host: Saadia Khan Associate Producer & Content Editor: Kylee Roberts Content Writers: Aleeza Kazmi, Rebecca Liebson Editor: Bronte Cook Rabab Music: Qais Essar Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today, Tanvi Misra, an award-winning independent journalist focused on migration, urban policy, and criminal justice, returns to talk about the process and concentrate on her collaborative article “We Have to Survive,” which represents the advocacy found in immigrant communities.  In this article, Tanvi interviewed four women, from community leaders to activists, to paint a portrait of how migrant communities in New York City push through unjust circumstances.  To tell us what their progress has been like since the article was published, we have Goma Yonjan and Arlette Cepeda. Goma is a nail salon worker who migrated to New York more than fifteen years ago. Arlette is a visual artist and photographer born in the United States and grew up in the Dominican Republic. In her exhibit, “Essential Immigrant Stories,” she captured the sense of loss during the pandemic within her tight-knit Staten Island community.  (Tanvi’s article came from a collaboration with three news publications: The Fuller Project, the City, and Documented) Producer & Host: Saadia Khan Associate Producer & Content Editor: Kylee Roberts Content writer: Ashley Lanuza Editor: Bronte Cook Introduction Song: Goma Yonjan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s guest is someone I recently started to follow on Twitter, X whatever you call it, and I started reading her debut essay collection, “The Way You Make Me Feel: LOVE IN BLACK AND BROWN.” I am in awe of her calm honesty and unique writing style; she blends humor and realism with aplomb. Nina Sharma is a writer who focuses on humor writing. She is a Barnard alum and now teaches first-year students there. Her work has been showcased in publications such as The New Yorker and Women’s Studies Quarterly. Through her workshops and writing columns, she explores allyship within BIPOC communities. Don’t miss this insightful conversation with a truly remarkable writer! Immigrantly is a weekly podcast that celebrates the extraordinariness of immigrant life. We do this by providing our listeners with authentic, accurate insights into the immigrant identity in America. Immigrantly has garnered significant recognition and has been featured in renowned media outlets such as the Nieman Storyboard, The Guardian, The Slowdown, and CNN. Join us as we create new intellectual engagement for our audience. You can get more information at http://immigrantlypod.com. Please share the love and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts & Spotify to help more people find us!  You can connect with Saadia on Twitter @swkkhan Email: saadia@immigrantlypod.com Host & Producer: Saadia Khan I Content Writer: Adiba Hussain and Saadia Khan I Editorial review: Shei Yu I Sound Designer & Editor: Paroma Chakravarty I Immigrantly Theme Music: Simon Hutchinson | Other Music: Epidemic Sound Immigrantly podcast is an Immigrantly Media Production. For advertising inquiries, you can contact us at info@immigrantlypod.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our today's guest Paula Wood is a multifaceted woman. She's an artist, a mother, a former editor, and an activist. This conversation brings charm and groundedness because Paula is deeply relatable. We talked about the way our proximity to it shapes our understanding of history, whether history and current events have any objectivity to them, collective denial in privileged groups, and the role of vulnerability in the revolution.   Producer & Host: Saadia Khan Associate Producer & Content Editor: Kylee Roberts Content Writer: Sarah Doh Editor: Tom Whelan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We are so excited to have Blair Imani join us today. Blair is an author, educator, and influencer living at the intersections of Black, Bisexual, and Muslim identity. She is the author of "Making Our Way Home: The Great Migration and the Black American Dream", and "Modern HERstory". Her most recent book, "Read This To Get Smarter", is inspired by her viral 30-sec microlearning series, Smarter In Seconds.  Joining us today is Aleeza Kazmi, one of our Immigrantly content writers.  This episode is sponsored by Stamps.com Producer & Host: Saadia Khan Associate Producer & Content Editor: Kylee Roberts Content writer & Cohost: Aleeza Kazmi Editor: Tom Whelan Follow us on Twitter and IG   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This Thanksgiving, Immigrantly colleagues are bringing you a fusion episode, largely reflection-oriented, on the fun and follies of Thanksgiving. Saadia Khan, Yudi Liu & Kylee Roberts share their relationship with Thanksgiving, what they ascribe to, and how they observe this complicated holiday. Enjoy! Producer & Host: Saadia Khan Associate Producer & Content Editor: Kylee Roberts Content Writer: Yudi Liu Editor: Bronte Cook Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices