Explore every episode of the podcast Sumud Podcast: Inspired by Palestine

In this episode of the Sumud Podcast, we sit down with Noura Erakat for a powerful conversation about Palestinian liberation, international law, colonialism, and the importance of building solidarity across communities. A Palestinian American human rights attorney, legal scholar, and professor, Noura discusses her new book, Confronting Zionism: Decolonizing Palestine and Building the World Anew, co-authored with John Reynolds, and explains how history, law, and political ideology shape the realities Palestinians face today. The conversation explores her experience being arrested while advocating for divestment, the connections between Black and Palestinian liberation movements, and the role of international institutions in shaping political outcomes. Noura also discusses the history of Zionism, the relationship between racism and colonialism, and why understanding these systems is essential to imagining a different future. Through reflections on generations of Palestinian thinkers, grassroots organizing, and collective action, she emphasizes the importance of learning from history, challenging dominant narratives, and building meaningful coalitions across communities. Noura Erakat is Professor of Africana Studies and Criminal Justice at Rutgers University, New Brunswick. She is the author of Justice for Some: Law and the Question of Palestine (Stanford University Press, 2019), which received the Palestine Book Award and the Bronze Medal for the Independent Publishers Book Award in Current Events/Foreign Affairs. Her forthcoming book, Confronting Zionism: Decolonizing Palestine and Building the World Anew co-authored with John Reynolds will be out with Haymarket in November 2025. In 2023, Noura co-chaired an Independent Task Force on the Application of National Security Memorandum-20 to Israel, a report documenting how U.S. arms to Israel have been used in violation of U.S. and international law and which was submitted to the White House. She is co-founding editor of Jadaliyya and an editorial board member of the Journal of Palestine Studies as well as Human Geography. She is a co-founding board member of the DC Palestinian Film and Arts Festival. She has served as Legal Counsel for a Congressional Subcommittee in the US House of Representatives, as Legal Advocate for the Badil Resource Center for Palestinian Refugee and Residency Rights, and as National Organizer and Legal Advocate of the US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation. Noura has also produced video documentaries, including "Gaza In Context" and "Black Palestinian Solidarity.” Noura completed a non-resident fellowship of the Religious Literacy Project at Harvard Divinity School as well as a Mahmoud Darwish Visiting Professorship at Brown University.  In 2022, she was selected as a Freedom Fellow by the Marguerite Casey Foundation. In 2025, the University of Ghent awarded the Amnesty International Chair in recognition of her contribution to human rights and scholarship. In 2026, the University of Antwerp awarded her an honorary doctorate for her scholarship and advocacy.  In this conversation, we explore → Noura Erakat’s arrest while advocating for divestment and the importance of protecting the right to speak → Her new book, Confronting Zionism: Decolonizing Palestine and Building the World Anew → The connections between colonialism, racism, and systems of power → The history of Zionism and how political narratives shape public understanding → The deep-rooted connections between Black and Palestinian liberation movements → The role of international law, the United Nations, and grassroots organizing in the struggle for justice Sponsored by The Karate Attorney (@karateattorney) fighting for justice inside and outside the courtroom. Visit KarateAttorney.com 🎬 Full episode on https://sumudpod.com 📲 Follow @dredhasan | @sumudpod | @nouraerakat Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

🎙️ In this episode of the Sumud Podcast, we sit down with Miko Peled for a powerful conversation about identity, family, history, and his journey toward standing with the Palestinian people. Born into one of Israel’s most prominent military and political families, Miko grew up surrounded by Zionism, military culture, and influential figures who shaped the country’s history. He reflects on his father, an Israeli general, his grandfather’s role in Israel’s founding, and the stories he heard growing up that shaped his understanding of the region. Miko also shares the experiences that challenged those beliefs, from his time in the Israeli military and the war in Lebanon to the death of his 13-year-old niece and the conversations that ultimately pushed him to reconsider everything he had been taught. The conversation also explores his book The General’s Son: Journey of an Israeli in Palestine, the importance of confronting difficult histories, and why Miko believes standing up for what is right is a responsibility rather than an act of courage. 🌍 Miko Peled is the founder and President of Palestine House of Freedom, in Washington, DC. Born in Jerusalem in 1961, he is the author of “The General’s Son, Journey of an Israeli in Palestine,” and “Injustice, the Story of the Holy Land Foundation Five.” For close to three decades Miko has been a public speaker, and human rights activist focusing on Palestine. He is considered by many to be one of the clearest voices calling for justice in Palestine, and the creation of a single democracy with equal rights for all, on all historic Palestine. Educated in Jerusalem, Japan and the United States, Peled is also a professional martial artist. For 23 years, Peled ran a martial arts school that was dedicated to teaching leadership skills and non-violent conflict resolution through martial arts. Peled has been working along with other, mostly Palestinian activists towards dismantling the apartheid regime in Palestine and transforming Palestine into a single democratic state with equal rights for all. Driven by the death of his 12-year-old niece Smadar in 1997, Peled embarked on a journey to explore Palestine, its people and their narratives. 🔑 In this conversation, we explore → Miko’s upbringing inside Israel’s political and military establishment → His father’s role as an Israeli general and his grandfather’s place in Israel’s founding → His mother’s decision to refuse a Palestinian family’s home in Jerusalem → How military service and the war in Lebanon challenged his worldview → The death of his niece and the moment that pushed him to confront what he had been taught → How meeting Palestinians and learning their history transformed Miko’s understanding of Palestine → His journey from a two-state framework toward advocating for equal rights and a shared future Sponsored by The Karate Attorney (@karateattorney) fighting for justice inside and outside the courtroom. Visit KarateAttorney.com 🎬 Full episode on https://sumudpod.com 📲 Follow @dredhasan | @sumudpod | @mikopeled Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

🎙️In this episode of the Sumud Podcast, we sit down with Salah Sarsour for a powerful conversation about immigration, free speech, advocacy, and the personal consequences of speaking out. Salah shares his experience spending 81 days in ICE detention, his work as a Palestinian community leader and president of the Islamic Society of Milwaukee, and the events that led to his detention and ongoing legal case. Salah and his attorney, Patrick Taurel, discuss the legal process surrounding his case, conditions inside detention, the impact on Salah’s family and community, and broader questions surrounding advocacy and protected speech. The conversation also explores Salah’s decades of community work, his experiences with detention in the past, and why he continues to speak publicly about issues affecting his community. 🌍 Salah Sarsour is a longtime Palestinian community leader and green card holder who faces deportation for his advocacy against Israeli apartheid and genocide. He is a successful small business owner, community leader, father of six, and caretaker for his elderly mother. On March 30, 2026, Salah Sarsour was taken into custody by ICE because of his advocacy for Palestinian rights; he is one of many Palestinian Americans permanent residents who have been targeted by the Trump Administration for speaking out against the genocide of Palestinians, but his case represents an escalation in the administration’s attempts to shut down activists and organizations opposed to the U.S.-backed genocide in Gaza. 🌍 Patrick Taurel is Salah Sarsour's lead immigration attorney and a Partner at Grossman Young & Hammond. Ranked a top lawyer in the field of immigration law by Washingtonian magazine, he has over a decade of experience as an advocate for immigrants. He has worked for leading immigration firms and impactful non-profit immigrant rights organizations, including the American Civil Liberties Union and the American Immigration Council. 🔑 In this conversation, we explore → Salah Sarsour’s 81 days in ICE detention and his ongoing legal case  → His leadership in the Milwaukee Muslim community and work with young people  → His advocacy and organizing around Palestinian issues  → The circumstances surrounding his arrest and the immigration process  → Conditions inside detention and Salah’s experiences supporting other detainees  → Free speech, advocacy, and the broader debate surrounding pro-Palestinian activism  → Salah’s commitment to his community, his family, and continuing to speak out Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

🎙️ In this episode of the Sumud Podcast, we sit down with Palestinian poet, translator, and physician Dr. Fady Joudah to discuss his newly released book, Exhibit G: Poems, Essays, and Photographs from Inside Gaza. Through poetry, photography, and personal reflection, Fady explores the realities of Palestinian life, the weight of distance and belonging, and the responsibility of telling stories without reducing people to their suffering. He shares the inspiration behind the book, his work with Palestinian photographers and writers, and the importance of preserving the humanity, history, and voices of those living through unimaginable circumstances. The conversation also examines the relationship between art, language, censorship, solidarity, and accountability, while reflecting on family history, displacement, grief, forgiveness, and the enduring strength of the Palestinian people. Fady offers a deeply personal perspective on what it means to live between worlds, to witness suffering from afar, and to continue creating in the face of loss. 🌍Dr. Fady Joudah is the author of '[…],' a finalist for the National Book Award and winner of the Lenore Marshall Poetry Prize, and Exhibit G. His other poetic works include: The Earth in the Attic; Alight; Textu, a book-long sequence of short poems whose meter is based on cellphone character count; Footnotes in the Order of Disappearance; and Tethered to Stars. He has translated several collections of poetry from Arabic and is the co-editor and co-founder of the Etel Adnan Poetry Prize. He was a winner of the Yale Series of Younger Poets competition and has received the Jackson Poetry Prize, a PEN award, a Banipal/Times Literary Supplement prize from the UK, the Griffin Poetry Prize, a Guggenheim Fellowship, and the Arab American Book Award. He lives in Houston, with his wife and kids, where he practices internal medicine. 🔑 In this conversation, we explore → Dr. Fady Joudah’s new book Exhibit G and the inspiration behind its poems, essays, and photographs → How Palestinian photographers capture humanity, childhood, and everyday life beyond the headlines → The relationship between art, language, censorship, and the representation of Palestinian experiences → The emotional weight of living between the realities of Palestine and the United States → Family history, displacement, inherited memory, and the stories that connect generations → Solidarity, accountability, forgiveness, and the importance of listening to Palestinian voices → Finding tenderness, resilience, and humanity through art, grief, and the ongoing struggle for dignity Sponsored by The Karate Attorney (@karateattorney) fighting for justice inside and outside the courtroom. Visit KarateAttorney.com 🎬 Full episode on https://sumudpod.com 📲 Follow @dredhasan | @sumudpod | @fadyjoudah Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of the Sumud Podcast, Dr. Ed Hasan sits down with filmmaker Colette Ghunim and actress, producer, and Palestine advocate Melissa Barrera to discuss ‘Traces of Home,’ Ghunim’s deeply personal documentary tracing her family’s roots in Palestine and Mexico. Together, they explore forced migration, intergenerational trauma, identity, family, and the difficult process of returning to the places their families were forced to leave. Barrera also reflects on her advocacy for Palestinian freedom and dignity, while Ghunim shares how making the film transformed her relationship with her parents and her understanding of home. At the heart of the conversation is Sumud: the resilience, dignity, and determination to remain rooted in who you are. As a documentary filmmaker and nonprofit co-founder, Colette Ghunim’s soul purpose is to use the power of film and storytelling for those oppressed around the world to be seen, to be heard, and to heal. Her first documentary, The People’s Girls (2016), received over 2 million views and won Best Short Documentary at the Arab Film Festival for its bold spotlight on street harassment in Egypt. In co-production with Kartemquin Films and funded by Latino Public Broadcasting, she is directing Traces of Home, her first feature-length film documenting her inner quest to find home through unearthing her parent’s forced migrations from Mexico and Palestine. Colette is also the co-founder of Mezcla Media Collective, a nonprofit organization aimed to cultivate a thriving landscape for over 700 women and non-binary filmmakers of color in Chicago. Her work has been highlighted on international outlets such as Huffington Post, Al Jazeera, Univision, and TEDx. Colette was selected as a 2023 Obama Foundation USA Leader, 2024 Sundance Institute x ISF Fellow, and was featured on Arab America’s “30 Under 30” list. Melissa Barrera is a Mexican actress, singer, and producer known for her roles in Vida, In the Heights, Scream, Scream VI, and Abigail. She also serves as an executive producer of Traces of Home. Beyond her work on screen, Barrera has been outspoken in support of Palestinians and calls for a ceasefire in Gaza. In 2023, she said she would “continue to speak out” and “continue to advocate for peace and safety, for human rights and freedom.” She is also listed among the signatories of Artists4Ceasefire, a collective calling for a permanent ceasefire, humanitarian aid to Gaza, the return of hostages, and a just and lasting peace. In this conversation, we explore → The journey behind Traces of Home and Colette Ghunim’s search for home in Mexico and Palestine → Intergenerational trauma, family silence, and healing → Colette’s father returning to Palestine decades after the Nakba → Why Melissa Barrera joined the film and continued speaking out for Palestinian freedom and dignity → The cultural and emotional connections between Mexico and Palestine → How Colette came to understand home as something found within → The power of art, vulnerability, and Sumud to reclaim identity and heal across generations Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of the Sumud Podcast, Dr. Ed Hasan sits down with Palestinian singer-songwriter Mona Miari and legendary musician Roger Waters to discuss their powerful reimagining of Comfortably Numb and the story behind its creation. Mona and Roger reflect on the year-long creative process, the grief and inspiration behind the song, Palestinian history and culture, and how music can challenge indifference and keep people from becoming numb to human suffering. They also discuss the emotional story behind the song’s Palestinian lullaby, the making of its accompanying film, and the responsibility artists have to speak out for freedom, justice, and human rights. Watch 'Roger Waters & Mona Miari – Comfortably Numb Re-Imagined (Official Music Video)': https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBmrT3uqmeM Mona Miari is an internationally acclaimed Palestinian singer-songwriter and artistic director based in New York City, whose work bridges global audiences while rooted in Arabic traditions. The first Arab singer to perform at Boston’s Hatch Memorial Shell with the Boston Landmarks Orchestra, she has headlined major venues including Lincoln Center, BAM, and The Public Theater, and performed internationally across Europe, the Arab world, and South Africa. She is the Artistic Director of the New York Arab Chorus and a recipient of residencies from the Rockefeller Brothers Fund and La Maison de Beaumont. Her debut album, releasing in 2026, showcases a bold body of original work grounded in storytelling and cross-cultural influence. Roger Waters, founding member and principal lyricist of Pink Floyd, is one of the most influential figures in modern music history. As the creative force behind landmark albums including The Dark Side of the Moon and The Wall, his work has shaped generations of listeners through its political consciousness and emotional depth. A lifelong activist, Waters’ connection to Palestine traces back to his childhood, when his father worked as a teacher in the region, shaping his early awareness of its realities. In this project, Waters revisits Comfortably Numb not as nostalgia, but as a living work - reframed through collaboration as a response to the present moment. In this conversation, we explore → The story behind Comfortably Numb Reimagined → How Roger Waters and Mona Miari began collaborating  → Roger Waters’ response and the year-long creative collaboration → Hind Rajab, the Palestinian lullaby, and the story behind the rising sun → Palestinian musical traditions and the meaning of “Falastin” → Centering Palestinian humanity, culture, memory, and everyday life → How music and artists can challenge propaganda, injustice, and indifference → The meaning of Sumud, resilience, and remaining human through resistance  Sponsored by The Karate Attorney (@karateattorney) fighting for justice inside and outside the courtroom. Visit KarateAttorney.com Full episode on https://sumudpod.com Follow @dredhasan | @sumudpod | @monamiari | @rogerwaters | @empire.wana Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of the Sumud Podcast, we sit down with Eman Mabrouk for a powerful conversation about injustice, identity, humanitarian work, anti-Blackness, and the responsibility to speak up. Eman shares her experience fighting for hijab rights, witnessing the treatment of African migrant women, and confronting the racism, exploitation, and silence she encountered across the region. She also discusses how these experiences shaped her understanding of advocacy and solidarity. The conversation explores the kafala system, the treatment of migrant workers, the humanitarian crises affecting vulnerable communities, and the importance of looking beyond the issues most visible to the public. Eman also explains her work with the Rammun Foundation, how to responsibly vet humanitarian organizations, and why real change requires organizing, accountability, and solidarity across communities. Eman Mabrouk, formerly known as Eman B. Fendi has built her career around one instinct: taking care of people. First through fashion. Now through humanitarian relief. Mabrouk built her styling career, working shows, athletes, and influencers, while simultaneously pursuing her degrees in neuropsychology. The two ran in parallel: a passion for people and a background in the mind shaping how she worked with clients, on set and off. Her talent for styling the body was matched by an ethos for styling the mind. Today Mabrouk leads Rammun Foundation, a humanitarian nonprofit delivering relief across Gaza, Sudan, and Egypt. She also runs Amaanah & Co, a strategic creative consultancy, and Collective Souk, a community and product platform.Three ventures. One throughline: seeing people, and showing up for them. In this conversation, we explore → Eman’s experience with arrest, discrimination, and the fight for hijab rights → How a painful experience at 19 became a case that helped protect other Muslim women → Eman’s experiences witnessing the treatment of African migrant women and racial hierarchies → The kafala system, exploitation of migrant workers, and vulnerability during times of conflict → The culture of denial surrounding injustice and the need for humanitarian accountability → Eman’s work with the Rammun Foundation, humanitarian relief, and responsible giving → Why meaningful solidarity requires organizing, building coalitions, and taking action Sponsored by The Karate Attorney (@karateattorney) fighting for justice inside and outside the courtroom. Visit KarateAttorney.com 🎬 Full episode on https://sumudpod.com 📲 Follow @dredhasan | @sumudpod | @ms.emanmabrouk | @theemanmabroukshow Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

🎙️ In this episode of the Sumud Podcast, Dr. Ed Hasan sits down with American doctors Thaer Ahmad, Feroze Sidhwa, and Mark Perlmutter to discuss what they witnessed while working inside Gaza’s overwhelmed hospitals, and what happened when they returned home and tried to make the world listen. The doctors share firsthand accounts of treating patients amid shortages, destroyed medical infrastructure, hunger, displacement, and widespread injuries. They discuss the ethics of documenting suffering, the responsibility of becoming witnesses, and the challenges of bringing these stories to American media and political leaders. The conversation also explores U.S. involvement, growing public awareness, grassroots organizing, the future of healthcare in Gaza, and what ordinary Americans can do to advocate for change. 🌍 Dr. Thaer Ahmad is a board-certified emergency medicine physician and humanitarian who has provided medical relief in conflict zones including Gaza, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey, and Kenya. He has conducted five medical missions to Gaza, most recently in early 2024, and has since been denied entry four times by Israeli authorities due to his Palestinian heritage. He is an attending physician at Advocate Christ Medical Center, where he serves as assistant program director for the Emergency Medicine Residency Program and Global Health Director for the emergency department. He also holds faculty appointments at the University of Illinois at Chicago and Wake Forest University School of Medicine, and sits on the board of the Palestinian American Medical Association. 🌍 Dr. Mark Perlmutter is an orthopedic hand surgeon in rural North Carolina and past President of the American Academy of Neurological and Orthopedic Surgery, the International College of Surgeons, and the World Surgical Foundation. He has completed 40 overseas surgical mission trips across four continents, and responded to Ground Zero on 9/11, Hurricane Katrina, and Port-au-Prince within six hours of Haiti's 2010 earthquake. In 2024 and 2025, he volunteered in three Gaza hospitals. 🌍 Dr. Feroze Sidhwa is a general, trauma, and critical care surgeon in California. He has worked on humanitarian deployments in Gaza, Ukraine, the West Bank, Haiti, Zimbabwe, and Burkina Faso. 🌍Poh Si Teng is the producer of the Oscar®-nominated ST. LOUIS SUPERMAN and Emmy® Award–winning executive producer of PATRICE: THE MOVIE. She is a former creative executive for ABC/Disney, documentary commissioner for Al Jazeera, IDA grants director, and New York Times journalist. She is the founder of Tiny Boxer Films, which produces non-fiction feature docs, and docu- and unscripted-series for the US and global majority markets. AMERICAN DOCTOR marks her debut as a feature documentary director. 🔑 In this conversation, we explore → American doctors’ firsthand experiences inside Gaza’s hospitals → The collapse of Gaza’s healthcare system and humanitarian crisis → The ethics of documenting war and bearing witness → U.S. media, politics, and public understanding of Gaza → Advocacy, organizing, and humanitarian efforts in the United States → Palestinian healthcare workers and the importance of centering Palestinian voices → Rebuilding Gaza’s healthcare system and training the next generation of doctors Sponsored by The Karate Attorney (@karateattorney) fighting for justice inside and outside the courtroom. Visit KarateAttorney.com 🎬 Full episode on https://sumudpod.com 📲 Follow @dredhasan | @sumudpod | @thaerahmadmd | @fsidhwa | @markperlmuttermd Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

🎙️ In this episode of the Sumud Podcast, Dr. Ed Hasan speaks with Georgia State Representative Ruwa Romman about political organizing, coalition building, and the challenges of representing her community during the ongoing crisis in Palestine. Ruwa reflects on navigating public criticism, advocating for Palestinian human rights, and balancing principle with political strategy. Together, they discuss why lasting change depends on local organizing, long-term movement building, and grassroots action, not just election cycles or viral moments, and what it takes to remain hopeful and accountable in the fight for justice. 🌍 Georgia State Representative Ruwa Romman is not only a Georgia legislator—she is also an organizer, a policy strategist, and a bridge builder. Born in Jordan and the granddaughter of Palestinian refugees, Ruwa moved to Georgia with her family when she was just eight years old. Growing up as a Muslim girl in post-9/11 America, she learned early on what it meant to be misunderstood—and what it would take to be heard. She’s carried that lesson with her into every aspect of her work. Ruwa has volunteered in every election cycle since 2014 to help flip Georgia blue. Whether she was organizing at the grassroots level, informing thousands of Georgians on how to vote in 2020, or helping launch the Georgia Volunteer Hub to mobilize thousands of national and local volunteers, Ruwa has been laser-focused on empowering communities to take ownership of their civic power. Ruwa served as a field organizer for the Georgia Muslim Voter Project and the Asian American Advocacy Fund, communications director for CAIR Georgia, and a trusted strategy and operations expert in both the public and private sectors. Ruwa deeply believes in fighting for a state that we can afford and where we belong. In 2022, Ruwa made history as the first Muslim woman elected to the Georgia State House and the first Palestinian American elected to any office in the state. And from day one, she’s fought to take homes back from corporate landlords, lower utility costs, raise the minimum wage, support EMS services, and pushed for a more inclusive, people-powered democracy. She leads with compassion, conviction, and clarity—and she’s a fierce example of what’s possible when you stay rooted in your values and strive for systemic change. Ruwa is now running for State Senate District 7 because the old playbook has failed too many times. At a moment of fear and uncertainty, Ruwa deeply believes that when we all collectively organize, we can build a better future. 🔑 In this conversation, we explore Ruwa Romman's journey as one of the first Palestinian-American state legislators The backlash she faced after the Democratic National Convention Why she rejected accusations of "selling out" her community Organizing on the ground vs. online activism Why local elections and long-term political infrastructure matter Coalition building, political strategy, and lasting civic engagement The emotional toll of representation and showing up for your community Sponsored by The Karate Attorney (@karateattorney) fighting for justice inside and outside the courtroom. Visit KarateAttorney.com 🎬 Full episode on https://sumudpod.com 📲 Follow @dredhasan | @sumudpod | @ruwaromman Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

🎙️ In this episode of the Sumud Podcast, Dr. Ed Hasan sits down with acclaimed photographer, filmmaker, and activist Misan Harriman for a powerful conversation on storytelling, identity, justice, and the responsibility of bearing witness. Misan reflects on his journey from growing up in Nigeria and Britain to becoming one of the world's most influential visual storytellers. Together, they explore childhood trauma, neurodiversity, fatherhood, the power of photography, and why documenting human struggles matters now more than ever. The conversation also dives into Misan's documentary Shoot the People, the role of artists and journalists in preserving truth, the lasting impact of colonialism, and the importance of community, hope, and solidarity in challenging times. 🌍 Misan Harriman is a renowned photographer, filmmaker, and social activist celebrated for his powerful imagery that captures pivotal moments in contemporary history. As the first Black photographer to shoot a British Vogue cover in the magazine’s 104-year history, Misan has gained international acclaim for his work documenting social justice movements, including the Black Lives Matter protests, as well as his striking portraits of influential figures like Rhianna, Tom Cruise, Julia Roberts, and Cate Blanchett. Misan’s 2023 short film ‘The After,’ produced by Nicky Bentham (Neon Films), was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film. His work has been featured in Vogue, TIME, and The Guardian, solidifying his place as a leading voice in visual storytelling. Beyond his photography, Misan is a passionate advocate for change, using his platform to spotlight issues of inequality and human rights. With a keen eye for emotional depth and cultural significance, he approaches each project with a mission to inspire and provoke thought, creating images that resonate deeply with audiences around the world 🔑 In this conversation, we explore → The story behind Shoot the People → Growing up Black in elite British schools → Trauma, anxiety, and neurodiversity → How photography became a tool for change → The importance of documenting social movements → Colonialism and its lasting impact → Media narratives and independent journalism → South Africa, global justice movements, and solidarity → Fatherhood, family, and healing → The role of artists during moments of crisis → Why hope and community remain essential → How storytelling can preserve truth for future generations Sponsored by The Karate Attorney (@karateattorney) fighting for justice inside and outside the courtroom. Visit KarateAttorney.com 🎬 Full episode on https://sumudpod.com 📲 Follow @dredhasan | @sumudpod | @misanharriman Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of the Sumud Podcast, Dr. Ed Hasan sits down with activist and Global Sumud Flotilla Haitham Arafat to discuss his journey from Gaza to becoming a leading voice for justice and humanitarian advocacy. After losing more than 100 family members, Haitham shares the personal tragedies that changed the course of his life, leading him to leave behind a successful career and dedicate himself to raising awareness about the ongoing suffering of civilians. He recounts his experiences aboard the Global Sumud Flotilla, the international effort to challenge isolation and deliver aid, as well as the risks, sacrifices, and realities faced by those who participated. * Disclaimer: This episode includes discussion of sexual violence, torture, imprisonment, and abuse. Viewer and listener discretion is advised. A Palestinian American born in Gaza, Haitham Arafat has lost many members of his family to the Israeli illegal occupation and genocide. Haitham is a cyber security expert that decided to leave professional work and dedicate the rest of his life to stop the genocide and fight for human rights. Haitham has been very active protesting in the USA to expose Zionism and illegal weapon chain of supply to Israel, he joined the Global Sumud Flotilla to deliver humanitarian and medical aid to Gaza. Haitham was kidnapped in international waters and was tortured by Israelis.    In this conversation, we explore → Growing up in Gaza and the experiences that shaped Haitham’s life → Losing over 100 family members, grief, and survivor’s guilt → Leaving cybersecurity behind to become a full-time activist → The meaning of Sumud and the mission of the Global Sumud Flotilla → Life at sea, international solidarity, and multiple interceptions → Social media, independent reporting, and the importance of bearing witness → The humanitarian crisis, grassroots action, and a message of courage and dignity Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

 In this episode of the Sumud Podcast, we sit down with comedian, humanitarian, and community organizer Said Durrah for a wide-ranging conversation about identity, service, storytelling, and purpose. Said reflects on growing up Palestinian-American, balancing comedy with humanitarian work, and the experiences that shaped his commitment to serving communities around the world. From fundraising efforts and refugee camp visits to building cultural platforms and launching his new Arab Is Me podcast, he shares personal stories about faith, resilience, representation, and the responsibility of preserving culture through art. The conversation also explores the challenges facing younger generations, the importance of authentic storytelling, mental health, and how creative work can become a vehicle for impact during times of crisis and uncertainty.  Palestinian by way of Gaza, Syrian by way of Damascus, and American by way of Detroit, Said Durrah has made audiences laugh in ways that transcend borders, languages, and cultures. Said's first performances as a young child were in front of his family, where he’d tell stories and impersonate other family members. It was only a matter of time until Said made his way on to an official comedic stage -- first, at the Comic Strip in NYC in 2010, and since, at famous venues such as the Kennedy Center, Carnegie Hall, Hollywood’s Laugh Factory, DC Improv, Caroline's in Times Square and even a performance on Broadway, just to name a few. Thousands have seen his performances live via tours including Allah Made Me Funny, 1001 Laughs Comedy Tour, Funatical Comedy Tour, and performances throughout Palestine including the historic El-Hakawati theater in Jerusalem. Said has also taught comedy workshops for children in the West Bank. Combining his love of comedy with his dedication to humanitarian work, Said has led, supported, and lent his comedic stylings to dozens of fundraising efforts, helping provide millions of dollars in vital aid for people in need around the world.  In this conversation, we explore  - Said’s journey from stand-up comedy to humanitarian and advocacy work  - Fundraising efforts and supporting families affected by conflict and displacement  - The balance between entertainment, service, and community leadership  - Why preserving Arab and Palestinian culture matters for future generations  - The story behind the launch of the Arab Is Me podcast  - Identity, belonging, and growing up Arab in America  - The role of comedy in storytelling, healing, and cultural representation  - Navigating public criticism, activism, and community expectations  - Mental health conversations within Arab and Muslim communities  - Why authentic human connection matters more than social media validation  - Lessons learned from years of community organizing and nonprofit work  - Supporting young people pursuing creative careers and unconventional paths  - Said's biggest comedy influences and the future of Arab-American storytelling Sponsored by The Karate Attorney (@karateattorney) fighting for justice inside and outside the courtroom. Visit KarateAttorney.com This video is for educational purposes only. It documents personal experience, public encounters, and political dialogue. 🎬 Full episode on https://sumudpod.com 📲 Follow @dredhasan | @sumudpod | @saidsworld Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

🎙️ In this episode of the Sumud Podcast, we sit down with Omar Baddar for a wide-ranging conversation on Palestine advocacy, American politics, media strategy, and the art of public debate. Omar shares his thoughts on electoral politics, the challenges facing the Palestinian movement, lessons from debating some of the most prominent pro-Israel voices in the media, and why effective advocacy requires discipline, strategy, and a deep understanding of your audience. He also reflects on movement-building, public opinion shifts on Palestine, and the responsibility of activists navigating a rapidly changing political landscape. 🌍Omar Baddar is a Palestinian American Middle East analyst and a member of the National Policy Council of the DC-based Arab American Institute. He previously served as Communications Director at the Institute for Middle East Understanding, Deputy Director at the Arab American Institute, and Executive Director at the American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee of Massachusetts. He wrote his Master's thesis on US policy towards Israel and Palestine. His media appearances include CNN, MSNBC, BBC, Al-Jazeera, Democracy Now, Uncensored with Piers Morgan, and many other outlets, and his writings have appeared in Salon, Newsweek, Huffpost, the Daily Beast, and Jadaliyya, among other platforms. 🔑 In this conversation, we explore → Omar Baddar’s journey into advocacy and public debate → Strategy, communication, and effective Palestine advocacy → Debates, media narratives, and engaging diverse audiences → Palestine’s impact on U.S. politics and voting → Shifting U.S. opinion on Israel–Palestine → Building a movement and driving policy change → Lessons and advice for the next generation of advocates Sponsored by The Karate Attorney (@karateattorney) fighting for justice inside and outside the courtroom. Visit KarateAttorney.com 🎬 Full episode on https://sumudpod.com 📲 Follow @dredhasan | @sumudpod | @OmarBaddar Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Inquire to book Maysoon: ⁠https://www.caa.com/caaspeakers/maysoon-zayid/⁠ Support Maysoon's Work Amplifying Disabled Voices: https://app.thefield.org/home/donation/general/622112/0 For more information, please send Maysoon a DM @maysoonzayid 🎙️ In this episode of the Sumud Podcast, we sit down with comedian, actress, author, and activist Maysoon Zayid for a powerful conversation on identity, resilience, representation, and survival. From growing up as a Palestinian Muslim woman with cerebral palsy in New Jersey to breaking barriers in comedy and becoming a leading disability advocate, she reflects on the experiences that shaped her voice. Through humor and sharp social commentary, she discusses Hollywood, stereotypes, discrimination, and the realities facing Arab communities today, and why dignity and truth matter more than ever. 🌍 Maysoon Zayid is a comedian, actress, writer, and disability advocate. She is a graduate of Arizona State University, and a current Georgetown Qatar fellow. She has taught at Princeton University and NYU. Maysoon is the co-founder/co-executive producer of the New York Arab American Comedy Festival and the Muslim Funny Fest. Her Ted Talk, “I Got 99 Problems...Palsy is Just One,” has been translated into 42 languages, and was one of the most popular talks of 2014. As a professional comedian, Maysoon has sold out top New York City clubs and has toured extensively at home and abroad. She was a headliner on the Arabs Gone Wild comedy tour and the Together Live tour. Maysoon has collaborated with Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Famer Dave Matthews, and was a consultant for Disney. Maysoon had a recurring role on General Hospital, has limped in New York Fashion Week, tap-danced on Broadway, and is an ambassador for Huda Beauty. She is the author of the bestselling memoir Find Another Dream and the award-winning Scholastic graphic novel, Shiny Misfits. Learn more at Maysoon.com. 🔑 In this conversation, we explore - Maysoon’s journey growing up Palestinian, Muslim, and disabled in America - How comedy became a tool for resistance, healing, and storytelling - The story behind her viral TED Talk and rise to global attention - Breaking barriers in Hollywood and the entertainment industry - The challenges of navigating identity, safety, and public life - The pressures of assimilation and preserving cultural identity in America - Why humor can be one of the most powerful forms of truth-telling Sponsored by The Karate Attorney (@karateattorney) fighting for justice inside and outside the courtroom. Visit KarateAttorney.com 🎬 Full episode on https://sumudpod.com 📲 Follow @dredhasan | @sumudpod | @maysoonzayid Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

🎙️In this episode of the Sumud Podcast, Dr. Ed Hasan sits down with acclaimed poet, writer, and educator Mosab Abu Toha for a deeply personal conversation on literature, displacement, memory, and survival. Mosab reflects on growing up under siege, founding the Edward Said Library, writing through war and family separation, and using poetry to preserve truth amid destruction. He also shares the stories behind his poems, his experience of detention, and why books, memory, and storytelling remain acts of resistance. 🌍 Mosab Abu Toha is a Palestinian poet and writer who was born in Gaza. In 2025, he was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Commentary for his series of essays on Gaza published in The New Yorker. He is the founder of the Edward Said Library, Gaza’s first English-language library, and the author of two acclaimed poetry collections. His debut, Things You May Find Hidden in My Ear (City Lights, 2022), won an American Book Award and a 2022 Palestine Book Award, and was a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award. His second collection, Forest of Noise (Knopf, 2024), was named a New York Times Notable Book of the Year and won the Brooklyn Public Library Book Prize. Abu Toha was also named to the 2026 CULT100 list by Cultured Magazine. His poetry and reporting have appeared in major outlets including The New York Times, The Atlantic, The Washington Post, The Nation, The Paris Review, and Poetry. His work has been further recognized in several Best American anthologies, including The Best American Food and Travel Writing 2024, The Best American Poetry 2025, and The Best American Essays 2025. A frequent guest on international broadcast media, he has been interviewed on CNN by Christiane Amanpour, PBS NewsHour, Democracy Now!, MSNBC with Chris Hayes, and NPR. 🔑 In this conversation, we explore → Growing up in a refugee camp and discovering literature under blockade → Founding the Edward Said Library and building cultural spaces in Gaza → How poetry documents grief, survival, family, and displacement → The story behind Things You May Find Hidden in My Ear → Mosab’s detention, separation from his family, and reunion → Why memory, storytelling, and literature matter during destruction → The dream of creating an international literary festival in Gaza Sponsored by The Karate Attorney (@karateattorney) fighting for justice inside and outside the courtroom. Visit KarateAttorney.com 🎬 Full episode on https://sumudpod.com 📲 Follow @dredhasan | @sumudpod | @mosababutoha Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

🎙️ In this episode of the Sumud Podcast, we sit down with Palestinian author and former academic Ramsey Hanhan for a powerful conversation about Fugitive Dreams, Palestine Bleeds For You, censorship, the Nakba, faith, and the responsibility of witnessing. Ramsey reflects on being in Palestine on October 7, writing in real time as Gaza was being destroyed, and why Palestinian voices must continue to speak even when the world tries to silence them. 🌍 Ramsey Hanhan is the author of two books: Palestine Bleeds For You (2026) and the autobiographical Fugitive Dreams (2022). His short stories, essays, and poetry appear in The Harvard Advocate, Fikra magazine, Scene48, Mondoweiss and other publications. He also speaks about Palestine and literature. Formerly a physics professor, Ramsey holds a Ph.D. from the University of Michigan and lives near Baltimore, Maryland. Ramsey's Linktree: https://linktr.ee/ramseyhanhan Ramey's Substack (Renegade Living): https://renegadeliving.us Pre-order 'Palestine Bleeds for You' at your favorite local bookstore using ISBN # 9781967022281 Pre-order at 'Palestine Bleeds for You' on Bookshop: https://bookshop.org/p/books/palestine-bleeds-for-you-ramsey-hanhan/20686de9959e9091?ean=9781967022281&next=t Order 'Fugtive Dreams':https://ramseyhanhan.org/ 🔑 In this conversation, we explore → How Palestine Bleeds For You began on October 7 → Why Palestinian voices are being censored and silenced → What it means to witness genocide in real time → Palestinian Christian identity and the weaponization of religion → The Nakba, the Right of Return, and Palestinian survival → Why “Do you condemn Hamas?” is the wrong question → Ramsey’s message to Palestinians: “Don’t give up, ever” Sponsored by The Karate Attorney (@karateattorney) fighting for justice inside and outside the courtroom. Visit KarateAttorney.com 🎬 Full episode on https://sumudpod.com 📲 Follow @dredhasan | @sumudpod | @RamseyHanhan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

🎙️ In this episode of the Sumud Podcast, we sit down with former Biden administration officials Tariq Habash and Josh Paul; co-founders of A New Policy — for one of the most candid conversations yet about Washington, political power, and the growing movement demanding accountability in U.S. foreign policy. The conversation goes far beyond headlines. From student protests and free speech crackdowns to arms transfers, ICE training programs, campaign financing, and the future of American politics, this episode explores how the issue of Palestine intersects with nearly every major political debate in America today. Together, they discuss the creation of A New Policy, their strategy for building political power, and why they believe the next decade could completely transform the conversation around Palestine in the United States. 🌍 Tariq Habash, Co-Founder: Tariq Habash resigned from the U.S. Department of Education in January, 2024 due to the Biden Administration’s policy on Gaza and its unrestricted support for Israel’s aggression against Palestinians. Tariq served for three years as a political appointee and policy advisor in the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Planning, Evaluation and Policy Development, where he led the policy office’s student loan portfolio, regulatory policy planning, and budget development process across higher education issues. He was the first political appointee to publicly resign from the Biden Administration. Before entering government, he spent years working on federal policy regarding education finance and racial equity, and co-founded Protect Borrowers. Tariq is a Palestinian-American, and grew up in Middletown, Ohio. He holds degrees from the University of Miami and Harvard Graduate School of Education. 🌍 Josh Paul. Co-Founder: Josh Paul resigned from the State Department in October 2023 due to his disagreement with the Biden Administration’s decision to rush lethal military assistance to Israel in the context of its war on Gaza. He previously spent over 11 years as a Director in the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs, which is responsible for U.S. defense diplomacy, security assistance, and arms transfers. He previously worked on security sector reform in both Iraq and the West Bank, holding additional roles in the Office of the Secretary of Defense, U.S. Army Staff, and as a Military Legislative Assistant for a Member of the U.S. House Armed Services Committee. Josh grew up between London and New York, and holds Masters degrees from the Universities of Georgetown and St Andrews, Scotland. He is a recipient of the 2023 Callaway Award for Civic Courage and the 2024 MedGlobal Award for Courage. 🔑 In this conversation, we explore → Why Tariq Habash and Josh Paul resigned from the Biden administration → How U.S. foreign policy is shaped behind closed doors → The role of lobbying, campaign money, and AIPAC in Washington politics → How Gaza, student protests, and campus crackdowns changed the national conversation → Why Palestine has become central to debates around education, policing, and civil rights → How A New Policy is working to change U.S. policy from within the system → How elections, grassroots pressure, and younger voters are reshaping Congress and the Democratic Party Sponsored by The Karate Attorney (@karateattorney) fighting for justice inside and outside the courtroom. Visit KarateAttorney.com 🎬 Full episode on https://sumudpod.com 📲 Follow @dredhasan | @sumudpod | @tariqhabash_ | @anewpolicy | @anewpolicyorg Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

🎙️ In this episode of the Sumud Podcast, Egyptian journalist Rahma Zein discusses journalism, propaganda, resistance, and identity, with a focus on Palestine. She shares her upbringing, experiences covering revolutions and war zones, and insights on media bias and Western narratives. Rahma reflects on reporting from Rafah during Gaza, the viral moment that amplified her voice, and the emotional toll of witnessing injustice. The conversation highlights ethical storytelling, challenges dehumanizing narratives, and explores themes of solidarity, Arab identity, and resilience in a raw and deeply human exchange. 🌍 Rahma Zein is an Egyptian journalist with over a decade of experience in field reporting, media strategy, and public relations. She began her career as an investigative reporter for Egyptian TV and CBC, covering the Arab region during 2011 political changes in Egypt and Libya and interviewing key political figures. Currently Rahma works as a consultant for Tech for Palestine, an incubator for advocacy projects across the world. 🔑 In this conversation, we explore → Rahma’s upbringing in a family of journalists and political thinkers → The power of storytelling in shaping empathy and public understanding → Media propaganda, Western bias, and narratives around Palestine → Her experiences reporting during the Egyptian revolution and Arab Spring → The emotional toll of covering war, including at the Rafah border → The viral Clarissa Ward confrontation and its global impact → Identity, activism, and the role of solidarity in the fight for justice ⏱ Chapters 00:00 Opening message and introducing Rahma Zein 03:30 Growing up in a family of journalists 08:00 Spearfishing, freediving, risk, and life outside comfort zones 17:45 Why journalism must be learned in the field 29:00 Media, self-awareness, values, and the foundation of journalism 38:30 Rafah, bombing, fear, and the moment that changed everything 1:15:00 Tech for Palestine, ethical alternatives, and final message Sponsored by The Karate Attorney (@karateattorney) fighting for justice inside and outside the courtroom. Visit KarateAttorney.com 🎬 Full episode on https://sumudpod.com 📲 Follow @dredhasan | @sumudpod | @zein_rahma Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

🎙️ In this episode of the Sumud Podcast, Palestinian-American comedian Rami Abushhab opens up about growing up in Chicago as one of the only Palestinians in his community and navigating Hollywood as an Arab actor. He shares personal stories about identity, representation, and the pressure to hide who he is, while reflecting on the emotional toll of witnessing the ongoing tragedy in Palestine. Rami explores how comedy serves as both a coping mechanism and a form of resistance, and speaks on generational trauma, privilege, and his mission to create space for future Palestinian creatives. The episode also features a moving letter to his future children, capturing grief, hope, and pride. 🌍 Rami Abushhab is an award-winning Palestinian-American actor and stand-up comedian. As an actor, he’s known for his work on TV shows like Law & Order and Chicago Fire, as well as his role in BJ’s Mobile Gift Shop, an official selection of the Sundance Film Festival. Beyond acting, Rami writes, directs, and produces his own short films, using storytelling to highlight Palestinian narratives and challenge stereotypes. As a comedian, he has toured internationally and been featured on platforms like WGN and Forbes. His style blends sharp storytelling with political satire, tackling difficult topics with humor, honesty, and purpose. Rami continues to tour and create, with a mission to represent his people authentically and open doors for the next generation of Palestinian artists. 🔑 In this conversation, we explore → Growing up Palestinian in Chicago and discovering identity → Realizing Palestine wasn’t on the map → Navigating Hollywood and pressure to hide his identity → Comedy as resistance and storytelling → The emotional toll of witnessing tragedy in Palestine → Representation, art, and humanizing Palestinians → A powerful letter to future children about being Palestinian ⏱ Chapters: 00:00 Opening reflection: privilege, dreams, and global reality 01:00 Introducing Rami: comedy, acting, and early career 05:00 Growing up in Chicago: identity and being Palestinian 09:00 Acting breakthrough: Maqluba and representation impact 16:30 Theater school & Meisner method: emotional transformation 21:00 Stand-up journey: bombing, crowd work, and finding confidence 32:00 Career struggles, identity, family, and future ambitions (to end) Sponsored by The Karate Attorney (@karateattorney) fighting for justice inside and outside the courtroom. Visit KarateAttorney.com 🎬 Full episode on https://sumudpod.com 📲 Follow @dredhasan | @sumudpod | @ramiabushhab Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

🎙️ In this episode of the Sumud Podcast, we speak with Amani Al-Khatahtbeh, activist, author, and founder of MuslimGirl.com, about the personal and political realities shaping Muslim and Palestinian lives today. She reflects on grief, identity, and resilience amid the ongoing violence in Gaza, and discusses how media narratives, systemic oppression, and collective trauma intersect with her own experiences growing up Muslim in post-9/11 America. The conversation explores storytelling, community responsibility, and the importance of humanizing Palestinian voices, while highlighting how courage, solidarity, and truth-telling can challenge injustice from within and beyond our communities. 🌍 Amani Al-Khatahtbeh is a global media founder, political strategist, and leading voice at the intersection of digital rights, culture, and power. As the creator of Muslim Girl, she has spent the past decade reshaping the narrative of Muslim women in the West, transforming it from a point of marginalization into a cultural and political force. Her work sits at the forefront of critical global conversations on free expression, platform accountability, and the future of the digital public square. Named one of CNN’s “25 Most Influential American Muslims,” Amani became the first Muslim woman from New Jersey in American history to run for U.S. Congress. Her first book, Muslim Girl: A Coming of Age (Simon & Schuster), is a two-time Editors’ Pick on The New York Times Best Sellers list. Labeled by The Economist as a “generation prophet,” her writing and commentary have appeared in TIME, The Washington Post, Variety, and beyond. Amani’s influence spans media, policy, and culture. She has been recognized by Forbes 30 Under 30 and has collaborated with leading institutions, brands, and international organizations. She has shared stages with President Bill Clinton, Gloria Steinem, Shonda Rhimes, Hasan Minhaj, and other influential voices shaping global discourse. She is currently building Digital Assembly, a next-generation think tank focused on redefining participation, equity, and governance in the digital age. 🔑 In this conversation, we explore → The emotional and psychological impact of the ongoing tragedy in Palestine → How collective grief and personal loss intersect in times of war and crisis → Growing up Muslim in post-9/11 America and navigating identity under scrutiny → The role of media in shaping narratives about Muslims and Palestinians → Islamophobia, misogyny, and the unique challenges faced by Muslim women → Internal community struggles and the importance of solidarity and accountability → The intersection of feminism, faith, and cultural identity → Activism, moral courage, and making difficult ethical decisions in public life → The power of storytelling to humanize marginalized communities → Why protecting and uplifting vulnerable voices is essential for collective liberation ⏱ Chapters 00:00 Opening clip: Protecting women + liberation message 01:00 Introducing Amani + background and achievements 03:00 Ramadan, grief, and mental health in community 07:00 Identity, hijab journey, and finding roots in Jordan 13:00 Muslim Girl origin: blogging, bullying, and representation 20:00 Activism, backlash, and navigating public visibility 32:00 Community tensions, feminism, and protecting Muslim women Sponsored by The Karate Attorney (@karateattorney) fighting for justice inside and outside the courtroom. Visit KarateAttorney.com 🎬 Full episode on https://sumudpod.com 📲 Follow @dredhasan | @sumudpod | @amani | @amaniverified | @amaniuniverse | @watermelonplusco Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

🎙️ In this episode of the Sumud Podcast, we sit down with Dr. Abdul El-Sayed to explore identity, public service, and political courage in a time of crisis. He reflects on how his upbringing shaped his commitment to equity, healthcare, and human dignity, and unpacks how systemic inequality operates across both the United States and globally. The conversation also turns to Palestine, where he examines the human cost of war, the contradictions in U.S. policy, and the urgency of centering universal human rights. Throughout, he challenges divisive narratives and calls for a politics rooted in shared humanity, empathy, and meaningful change. 🌍 Dr. Abdul El-Sayed is a physician, epidemiologist, author, and public servant currently running for the U.S. Senate in Michigan. Born and raised in Southeast Michigan to an Egyptian immigrant father and an American mother, his life has been shaped by navigating multiple cultures and perspectives. At just 30 years old, Dr. El-Sayed became the youngest health official of a major American city, rebuilding Detroit’s Health Department after its collapse. He later served as Director of Wayne County’s Health, Human & Veterans Services Department, where he oversaw services for 1.8 million residents. His work has focused on expanding healthcare access, removing lead from schools, providing free glasses to children, combating the opioid crisis through Narcan distribution, and canceling hundreds of millions in medical debt. A Rhodes Scholar and graduate of the University of Michigan, he holds both an MD and a PhD in epidemiology. He is also the author of Healing Politics and host of the podcast America Dissected. A union member and advocate for working people, Dr. El-Sayed is running to build a government that prioritizes human dignity, equity, and the needs of everyday Americans over corporate interests 🔑 In this conversation, we explore: → Growing up between cultures and finding identity across worlds → The influence of family, especially his grandmother, on purpose and leadership → Why public health and politics are deeply interconnected → The realities of systemic inequality in the U.S. healthcare system → U.S. foreign policy and the human cost of war abroad → Navigating media narratives, misinformation, and public attacks → Why the issue of Palestine is rooted in universal human rights, not identity → Political courage and standing firm under pressure and criticism → The role of empathy, principle, and accountability in leadership @AbdulElSayed ⏱ Chapters 00:00 Opening clip: War, funding, and moral clarity 01:00 Introducing Abdul El-Sayed 05:00 His grandmother and sense of purpose 08:00 Growing up between worlds 14:00 Science, politics, and purpose 24:00 Responsibility, faith, and service 34:00 Palestine, justice, and moral clarity 49:00 Media, controversy, and political courage 56:00 Closing message: building something better Sponsored by The Karate Attorney (@karateattorney) fighting for justice inside and outside the courtroom. Visit KarateAttorney.com 🎬 Full episode on https://sumudpod.com 📲 Follow @dredhasan | @sumudpod | @AbdulElSayed Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

🎙️ In this episode of the Sumud Podcast, Dr. Ed Hasan sits down with acclaimed Palestinian filmmaker Annemarie Jacir to discuss her film Palestine ’36 and the realities of creating under occupation. Jacir shares the challenges of filmmaking in Palestine, from restricted movement to rebuilding entire productions, and reflects on how the film became a testament to resilience and collective effort. The conversation explores identity, displacement, and the deeper themes of resistance and unity, revealing how storytelling becomes an act of memory and defiance. 🌍 Annemarie Jacir is a Palestinian filmmaker who has written, directed, and produced over sixteen films, with premieres at major festivals including Cannes, Berlin, Venice, and Toronto. Her work has broken ground, including her short film 'Like Twenty Impossibles' becoming the first Arab short selected at Cannes, and her debut feature 'Salt of This Sea' marking the first feature by a Palestinian female director. Her films, including 'When I Saw You and Wajib' have received numerous international awards, and all three of her feature films were selected as Palestine’s official Oscar entries. She is the founder of Philistine Films, supports independent cinema in the region, and directed her fourth feature film, 'Palestine ’36', which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival and was selected as Palestine’s submission to the Academy Awards. 🔑 In this conversation, we explore → The making of Palestine ’36 and why this story matters now → The realities of filmmaking under occupation and restricted movement → Rebuilding sets, navigating loss, and creating under constant uncertainty → Identity, exile, and the emotional weight of displacement → The role of cinema in preserving memory and resisting erasure → Unity across religious and social lines in Palestinian history → Storytelling as an act of survival, resistance, and defiance ⏱ Chapters 00:00 Opening clip: Filmmaking under occupation 01:00 Introducing Annemarie Jacir 03:00 Why Palestine ’36 and why now 08:30 The challenges of filming in Palestine 18:00 Loss, rebuilding, and production obstacles 32:00 Identity, exile, and personal connection 48:00 Cinema as resistance and historical memory 01:02:00 Unity, storytelling, and closing reflections Sponsored by The Karate Attorney (@karateattorney) fighting for justice inside and outside the courtroom. Visit KarateAttorney.com 🎬 Full episode on https://sumudpod.com 📲 Follow @dredhasan | @sumudpod | @annamariajacir | @watermelonplusco | @watermelonpictures Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

🎙️ In this episode of the Sumud Podcast, Dr. Ed Hasan sits down with renowned historian and antiracist scholar Dr. Ibram X. Kendi to discuss his latest book" Chain of Ideas: The Origins of Our Authoritarian Age" and the dangerous ideologies shaping politics and conflict around the world. Dr. Kendi breaks down how Great Replacement Theory has evolved into a powerful global narrative used to justify racism, authoritarianism, and violence. The conversation explores how these ideas connect movements across countries and how similar narratives have been used to frame conflicts, including the ongoing tragedy in Palestine, revealing the ways propaganda and fear-based politics can dehumanize entire populations and rationalize oppression. 🌍 Dr. Ibram X. Kendi is one of the world’s foremost historians of racism and a leading antiracist scholar. He is the Carter G. Woodson Endowed Chair at Howard University and the founding director of the Howard University Institute for Advanced Study, an interdisciplinary research enterprise examining global racism. Dr. Kendi is the author of numerous critically acclaimed and bestselling books, including Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America, which won the National Book Award for Nonfiction, and the international bestseller How to Be an Antiracist. His newest book, Chain of Ideas: The Origins of Our Authoritarian Age, examines how modern authoritarian movements are connected through shared ideologies rooted in historical racism. His work has been translated across the Americas, Africa, Europe, and Asia, and Time Magazine named him one of the 100 most influential people in the world. He is also the recipient of a MacArthur Fellowship, widely known as the “Genius Grant.” 🔑 In this conversation, we explore → What Great Replacement Theory is and how it became a dominant political narrative → How racist ideologies evolve and adapt across different countries and movements → The concept of “genocide theory” and how it can be used to justify mass violence → The connections between propaganda, politics, and global authoritarian movements → How narratives of demographic fear are used to mobilize political power → Why Palestine appears prominently in Dr. Kendi’s research on modern political propaganda → The role of scholars and journalists in confronting misinformation and propaganda → The global networks of politicians, financiers, and influencers spreading these ideas → How solidarity across communities can challenge racism and authoritarianism ⏱ Chapters 00:00 Opening clip: Genocide theory explained 01:00 Introducing Dr. Ibram X. Kendi 03:00 What is Great Replacement Theory 07:00 Realizing it’s a global ideology 22:00 Orchestrated distancing explained 37:20 Why Palestine is central to the book 55:20 The “renovated house of Hitler” + closing thoughts Sponsored by The Karate Attorney (@karateattorney) fighting for justice inside and outside the courtroom. Visit KarateAttorney.com 🎬 Full episode on https://sumudpod.com 📲 Follow @dredhasan | @sumudpod | @ibramxk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

🎙️In this episode of the Sumud Podcast, Palestinian-American nurse and humanitarian volunteer Nurse Lana shares her firsthand experiences working inside Gaza during the war. Through powerful testimony, she recounts what she witnessed in hospitals overwhelmed with casualties, and reflects on the emotional weight of hearing the stories of those who survived unimaginable violence, torture, and displacement. She also discusses the personal toll of returning home after witnessing war, the responsibility she believes healthcare workers have to “bear witness,” and how those experiences led her to help create Peace Med, a network of medical professionals advocating for humanitarian aid and a ceasefire. DISCLAIMER: This episode contains traumatic eyewitness testimony from Gaza, including descriptions of war, medical emergencies, violence and abuse and may be difficult for some viewers. Viewer discretion is advised. 🌍In February of 2024 and again in 2025, Nurse Lana entered Gaza not just as a nurse, but as a witness to humanity’s breaking point. She worked in hospitals running on more hope than supplies. Each moment carved a scar into her heart, each life lost became a weight she still carries. In nursing, they say “if it wasn’t documented, it wasn’t done”. And with a heart forever scarred by genocide, she documented the cries, the chaos, and the courage, not in medical charts, but in a book. Her recently released book, "Healing Under Fire" is her testimony to what it felt like to work at the bedside of a genocide as a privileged American nurse. 🔑 In this conversation, we explore → The moment Nurse Lana decided to volunteer in Gaza → Preparing for the possibility of death before leaving home → Entering Gaza and witnessing the reality of life under siege → Treating patients in hospitals with almost no supplies → The emotional weight of losing patients who could have survived elsewhere → The resilience, generosity, and humanity of Palestinians in Gaza → Witnessing the release of Palestinian detainees and signs of torture → The psychological toll of returning home and learning how to cope ⏱ Chapters 00:00 Opening message 01:00 Introducing Nurse Lana 03:00 The decision to volunteer in Gaza 06:00 Preparing for the possibility of death 10:30 Entering Gaza and first impressions 18:00 Working inside Gaza’s overwhelmed hospitals 32:00 Living and working under bombardment 43:00 Witnessing the release of Palestinian detainees 56:00 Returning home and coping with trauma Sponsored by The Karate Attorney (@karateattorney) fighting for justice inside and outside the courtroom. Visit KarateAttorney.com 🎬 Full episode on https://sumudpod.com 📲 Follow @dredhasan | @sumudpod | @Nurse_Lana Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

🎙️In this episode of the Sumud Podcast, Palestinian activist and Columbia University graduate Mohsen Mahdawi joins Dr. Ed Hasan to share the story behind the headlines. Born in a refugee camp in the West Bank, Mohsen reflects on loss, displacement, and the experiences that shaped his commitment to justice. He discusses his journey to the United States, his activism on campus, and the moment he was arrested during his own citizenship interview. Blending personal memory with political insight, Mohsen speaks about resilience, Palestinian liberation, and the deeper human struggle behind the fight for freedom. 🌍Mohsen Mahdawi was born and raised in Al-Far’a refugee camp in the West Bank of Palestine. Mohsen's early years were defined by Israeli military occupation. At twenty four, he moved to the United States and experienced freedom and safety for the first time in his life, finding in Vermont a true home rooted in belonging and the strength of a supportive community. At Columbia University, he became a leading voice for Palestinian rights through dialogue and coalition-building, including with Jewish and Israeli communities. In April 2025 when Mohsen walked into an immigration office for his citizenship interview and was handcuffed and detained by ICE in retaliation for his pro-Palestinian activism. Mohsen continues his graduate studies in Diplomacy while defending his rights in courts and building an organization dedicated to human rights and nonviolent conflict resolution. 🔑 In this conversation, we explore → Growing up in a West Bank refugee camp → The loss of family members and the trauma of occupation → Childhood grief and the path toward healing → Discovering freedom after arriving in the United States → Building community and mentorship in Vermont → Campus activism and confronting the Israeli narrative → His framework for Palestinian liberation and justice → Being arrested during his U.S. citizenship interview ⏱ Chapters 00:00 Opening message 01:00 Introducing Mohsen Mahdawi 03:30 Growing up in a refugee camp 12:00 Loss, trauma, and childhood memories 28:00 Coming to America and discovering freedom 45:00 Community, mentors, and learning English 58:00 Activism and confronting power on campus 01:10:00 Arrest at the citizenship interview 01:20:00 Resilience and message to Palestinians Sponsored by The Karate Attorney (@karateattorney) fighting for justice inside and outside the courtroom. Visit KarateAttorney.com 🎬 Full episode on https://sumudpod.com 📲 Follow @dredhasan | @sumudpod | @mohsen.of.palestine Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

🎙️In this episode of the Sumud Podcast, clinical psychologist and author Dr. Lara Sheehi joins Dr. Ed Hasan to discuss her book "From the Clinic to the Streets: Psychoanalysis for Revolutionary Futures" and the concept of psychic militancy. She explores how systems of power intrude upon the mind, normalize oppression, and bend reality, particularly in the context of Palestine. Drawing on Frantz Fanon and anti-colonial struggle, Lara challenges psychology’s neutrality and calls for an unbending, liberation-centered political commitment. 🌍Dr. Lara Sheehi is a Research Fellow at the University of South Africa's Institute for Social and Health Sciences, a licensed clinical psychologist, and the host of the Psychic Militancy podcast. Lara’s work focuses on psychoanalysis, the psychic refusals central to liberation struggles and life-making in the Global South, the psychic dimensions of resistance and revolution, and critical Zionism studies. She is co-author with Stephen Sheehi of Psychoanalysis Under Occupation: Practicing Resistance in Palestine (Routledge, 2022) which won the 2022 Palestine Book Award for Best Academic Book. Lara is a member of the founding collective for the Institute for the Critical Study of Zionism and is on the advisory board for Forensic Architecture. Her new book, From the Clinic to the Streets: Psychoanalysis for Revolutionary Futures will be released by Pluto Press in May 2026. 🔑 In this conversation, we explore → Growing up in Lebanon during civil war → Racism inside Western psychology classrooms → The Zionist disruption at a Palestine panel → Psychic intrusion and reality bending → Edward Bernays, propaganda, and psychological warfare → Frantz Fanon and liberation psychology → De-specializing knowledge and reclaiming theory → Why neutrality protects power → What psychic militancy actually demands ⏱ Chapters 00:00 Opening message 01:00 Introducing Lara Sheehi 03:00 From Lebanon to U.S. psychology 08:30 Racism and misattunement in therapy 12:00 The Palestine panel confrontation 18:00 Psychological operations and propaganda 27:00 Reality bending and psychic intrusion 41:30 Frantz Fanon and revolutionary practice 52:00 De-specializing psychology 01:05:00 Psychic militancy explained 01:20:00 Message to comrades Sponsored by The Karate Attorney (@karateattorney) fighting for justice inside and outside the courtroom. Visit KarateAttorney.com 🎬 Full episode on https://sumudpod.com 📲 Follow @dredhasan | @sumudpod | @psychoanalystactivist | @psychicmilitancypod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

🎙️ In this episode of the Sumud Podcast, filmmaker and activist Rob Bliss joins Dr. Ed Hasan to unpack the story behind White Man Walking, his 1,500-mile journey from Jackson, Mississippi to Washington, DC wearing a Black Lives Matter shirt through some of the most hostile towns in America. Rob reflects on standing in the “most racist town in America,” confronting armed strangers, walking through sensory isolation and physical collapse, and discovering that much of the anger he encountered was rooted in fear. They explore race, risk, privilege, loneliness, improv comedy as survival, and what it means to use your body as a form of protest. 🌍 Rob Bliss launched his career by creating free and unique community events through Facebook. These events, from flash mobs to music festivals, totaled for an attendance of 100,000 people in his hometown of Grand Rapids, Michigan. His career took off further after creating YouTube videos and short form documentaries, amassing over a billion organic views. His bold, socially charged works, including "10 Hours of Walking in NYC as a Woman" and "Holding a BLM Sign in America's Most Racist Town", cemented his reputation for daring work with global resonance. These successes led to a Hulu television series entitled, “Blissful Thinking". In May 2025, he premiered his first feature film documentary, "White Man Walking", on BBC and Arte (Germany/France), chronicling his 1,500-mile walk completed in just 2.5 months. 🎬 Rob’s documentary White Man Walking is now available on Apple TV, Amazon, Fandango, Google Play, and streaming on Watermelon+. 🔑 In this conversation, we explore → Holding a BLM sign in Harrison, Arkansas → Walking 25 miles a day for 2.5 months → Armed confrontations and threats in rural America → Fear as the root of hostility → The racist memorabilia store encounter → Unexpected kindness and emotional breakdowns → Privilege, access, and why he could take that risk → Sensory deprivation and mental endurance → What “loud” social justice actually means ⏱ Chapters 00:00 Opening message 01:00 Welcome Rob Bliss 02:40 Harrison, Arkansas and the viral sign 09:00 The walk begins in Mississippi 17:30 Guns, threats, and near violence 24:55 The racist store encounter 30:30 Unexpected kindness on the road 34:00 Physical and emotional breaking points 41:00 Why a White man did this walk 48:00 Free Palestine hypothetical 49:45 One takeaway 54:40 Message to future activists Sponsored by The Karate Attorney (@karateattorney) fighting for justice inside and outside the courtroom. Visit KarateAttorney.com 🎬 Full episode on https://sumudpod.com 📲 Follow @dredhasan | @sumudpod | @robblissgr Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

🎙️ In this episode of the Sumud Podcast, Palestinian American creator Mo Hamzeh joins Dr. Ed Hasan for a raw conversation about censorship, fatherhood, and refusing to stay silent. Known for his sharp, fact-driven breakdowns and repeated bans across major platforms, Mo shares the story behind the viral clips, growing up bullied for being Palestinian, hiding his identity to survive, and ultimately deciding to go all in. They unpack Meta’s aggressive takedowns, the rise of alternative platforms, the emotional toll of witnessing Gaza in real time as a parent, and why slowing down now would mean losing the moment. 🌍 Moath Hamzeh is a Palestinian-American that was born and raised in the United States. Mo is a husband and father of 2 beautiful children.Mo's family is from Palestine through and through with his father side being from Ein Karem, which is just outside of Jerusalem, and his mother's side from Tubas. His great grandparents and grandparents among their children were displaced as a result of the Nakba of 1948 where they were forced to seek refuge, which forced many of his family to flee to Jordan. Mo has been relentless in his advocacy and activism online to the point where Meta has deleted a total of 42 of his Instagram accounts and banned him from their platform. Mo looks forward to the day that in our millions, in our billions, we will all walk hand-in-hand in a free Palestine. 🔑 In this conversation, we explore → Growing up Palestinian and navigating identity in America → Breaking the silence and embracing “psychic militancy” → The research discipline behind viral political content → 41+ Meta account removals and digital censorship → Creative alter-egos, masks, and beating the algorithm → UpScrolled and the migration away from censored platforms → Being physically targeted and protecting your family → Fatherhood, grief, and watching Gaza as a parent → The flotilla mission and his father volunteering to go ⏱ Chapters 00:00 Opening message 01:20 Welcome Mo Hamzeh 04:10 Growing up bullied for being Palestinian 09:30 Breaking the silence and going all in 16:40 Meta censorship and account removals 23:50 UpScrolled and digital resistance 31:20 Being targeted in public 37:40 Fatherhood and witnessing Gaza 46:10 The flotilla and his father’s decision 55:30 Final message don’t slow down Sponsored by The Karate Attorney (@karateattorney) fighting for justice inside and outside the courtroom. Visit KarateAttorney.com 🎬 Full episode on https://sumudpod.com 📲 Follow @dredhasan | @sumudpod UpScrolled: @mohamz TikTok: @mo_hamz X: @mo_hamz Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

🎙️ In this episode of the Sumud Podcast, Dr. Ed Hasan speaks with Chris Smalls, founder of the Amazon Labor Union, about organizing inside one of the world’s most powerful corporations and what it takes to confront corporate retaliation. Smalls recounts the walkout that led to his firing, the fight to unionize Amazon workers, and how labor struggle connects to global resistance. He also reflects on why he stands with Palestine and shares his firsthand experience joining the Gaza Freedom Flotilla. 🌍 Christian Smalls is the founder and former president of the Amazon Labor Union, the first independent, worker-led union to organize Amazon workers in U.S. history. He also founded The Congress of Essential Workers (TCOEW), a national collective fighting for safe working conditions, fair wages, and justice for essential workers across the country. In 2025, Smalls volunteered with the Gaza Freedom Flotilla to help break the siege on Gaza and amplify global awareness of the humanitarian crisis. He is also the creator of the Labor Party USA, a grassroots political movement built to move beyond the two-party system and center the needs of working people. Before emerging as a national labor leader, Smalls spent five years as an Amazon supervisor, helping launch multiple major warehouse facilities in the Northeast. He was fired in 2020 after leading a walkout over unsafe pandemic conditions—an event that propelled him into the national spotlight and international media. 🔑 In this conversation, we explore → Organizing Amazon workers and confronting corporate power → Warehouse labor, exploitation, and modern-day slavery → Systemic racism inside corporate America → Retaliation, walkouts, and union-busting tactics → Black liberation, trade unionism, and Palestine → Saying “Free Palestine” and the cost of solidarity → The Gaza flotilla, imprisonment, and state violence → Why people power beats billionaire money ⏱ Chapters 00:00 Opening message 01:00 Welcome Chris Smalls 05:00 Inside Amazon: labor, exploitation, and racism 12:00 COVID, the walkout, and retaliation 20:00 Building the Amazon Labor Union 30:00 Black liberation, labor history, and Palestine 40:00 Saying “Free Palestine” and the cost of solidarity 52:00 The Gaza flotilla and imprisonment 1:05:00 People power, resistance, and final message 🎬 Full episode on https://sumudpod.com 📲 Follow: @dredhasan | @sumudpod Instagram: @chris.smalls_ | @thelaborpartyusa X: @shut_DownAmazon Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

🎙️ This episode of the Sumud Podcast features a wide ranging conversation with Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib on what it means to carry Palestine inside an institution where Palestinian humanity is denied. Dr. Ed Hasan and the congresswoman talk candidly about the loneliness of voting “no” while colleagues enable mass death, the pressure campaigns and intimidation that try to silence dissent, and the power of the outside movement to force Congress to move. Rashida shares stories of her sitis, Southwest Detroit, and growing up the eldest of 14, tracing how family, faith, and lived experience shaped her politics. The episode also explores her environmental justice roots, including the moment she literally collected petroleum coke samples to prove what residents were breathing, and closes with a message to the next generation: stay rooted, dream big, and never let anyone take your voice. 🌍 Rashida Tlaib is a U.S. Congresswoman representing Michigan’s 12th Congressional District, rooted in Detroit and surrounding communities. Born and raised in Detroit to Palestinian immigrant parents, she is the oldest of 14 children and a lifelong advocate for working families. Rashida made history as the first Muslim woman elected to the Michigan Legislature and later to Congress. A former public interest attorney, she is known for centering constituent services, holding polluters and corporations accountable, and fighting for dignity, justice, and equity at the local and national level. 🔑 In this conversation, we explore → Congress and funding genocide → Palestine as the political “exception” → AIPAC pressure and intimidation → Standing alone and collective power → Sitis and Palestinian women → Southwest Detroit and being eldest of 14 → Healthcare racism and grief → Environmental justice and petcoke → Student encampments and divestment → Why outside movements move Congress ⏱ Chapters 00:00 Opening message 01:00 Welcome Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib 03:00 “How are you doing” carrying Gaza inside Congress 06:30 Dehumanization the “exception” for Palestinians 10:10 Being alone on the floor and the truth about support 14:20 Sitis, Beit Hanina and the fuel of family 20:00 Southwest Detroit eldest of 14 translator survival mode 28:40 Healthcare racism grief and losing her parents 36:30 Environmental justice the petroleum coke samples story 46:30 Students encampments divestment and litigation as resistance 56:30 How to support her the outside movement moves Congress 1:02:00 Message to the next generation stay rooted dream big 🎬 Full episode on https://sumudpod.com 📲 Follow @dredhasan | @sumudpod | @rashidatlaib Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

🎙️ This episode of the Sumud Podcast features a wide ranging conversation with Guy Christensen on finding political clarity through Palestine and the cost of speaking out against power. Dr. Ed Hasan and Guy trace his path from conservative Mormon culture and the alt right pipeline to learning about the Nakba, Gaza as an open air prison, and the role of human rights reporting in challenging dominant narratives. The episode examines paid propaganda, harassment, and his expulsion from Ohio State later overturned by a federal court and closes with a call to speak up, build community, and resist systems rooted in oppression. 🌍 Guy Christensen is a student activist, organizer, and influencer whose educational work has reached over 1 billion people since the start of Israel's genocide. Last year, he spearheaded the viral Fast For Gaza challenge which has so far distributed over half a million dollars in aid to Gaza. Guy’s storytelling and advocacy work across social media, grassroots organizing, and national media platforms have earned him a reputation for mobilizing young people and turning outrage into tangible impact. 🔑 In this conversation, we explore: -Growing up in conservative Mormon culture and leaving the alt right pipeline -Personal experiences that shaped empathy and political direction -Learning about the Nakba, Gaza, and human rights reporting -Paid propaganda and influencer recruitment efforts -Harassment, doxxing, and coordinated smear campaigns -Expulsion from Ohio State and the legal fight that followed -Independent media, journalism, and digital resistance -Why speaking up matters even when it is risky ⏱ Chapters 00:00 Introduction and opening message 04:30 From Mormon upbringing to political awakening 10:20 Discovering Palestine Nakba Gaza and human rights reports 18:45 Paid propaganda harassment and online targeting 28:30 High school confrontation and early public backlash 36:50 Ohio State censorship and expulsion 50:10 Legal fight ACLU support and court victory 1:03:40 Independent media student activism and speaking anyway 🎬 Full episode on https://sumudpod.com 📲 Follow @dredhasan | @sumudpod Social Media for Guy: -TikTok @yourfavoriteguy -Instagram Banned again -YouTube @yourfavoriteguy0 -Substack @yourfavoriteguy -UpScrolled @guy -X @guychristensen_ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

🎙️ This episode of the Sumud Podcast features a wide ranging conversation with Mother Agapia on what she witnessed living and working in Palestine from the late 1990s through the Second Intifada and beyond. Dr. Ed Hasan and Mother Agapia trace how the promise of Oslo collapsed into deeper control, how settlements expanded while Palestinian life narrowed, and how walls, checkpoints, curfews, and violence reshaped daily existence. Through firsthand stories from Jerusalem and the West Bank, she challenges the framing of the crisis, rejects Christian Zionism as a distortion of Christianity, and describes the shared community life of Palestinian Muslims and Christians. The episode closes with reflections on Sumud as lived resilience and the moral responsibility of people in the United States to act. 🌍 Mother Agapia Stephanopoulos is a Greek American Orthodox nun in the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia. She moved to Jerusalem in 1996 and later helped lead and administer a girls’ school in the West Bank, where she witnessed the realities of occupation firsthand. Now based in New York, she continues her work through prayer, education, pilgrimages, and public advocacy for Palestinians, Christian and Muslim alike. 🔑 In this conversation, we explore ➡ What brought Mother Agapia to Jerusalem and the West Bank ➡ Life inside the convent and beyond the walls ➡ The girls’ school and daily life under occupation ➡ Oslo, settlements, the wall, and the collapse of the “peace process” ➡ Eyewitness accounts of violence and confinement ➡ Christian Zionism and American political theology ➡ Sumud, dignity, and why Palestinians remain rooted ⏱ Chapters 00:00 Introduction and setting the context 05:10 Faith, Jerusalem, and life inside the convent 13:40 From the convent to the West Bank school 24:30 Oslo, settlements, and the architecture of occupation 36:50 Violence, checkpoints, and daily survival 48:20 Christian Zionism and U.S. political power 1:02:10 Sumud, dignity, and paths forward Sponsored by The Karate Attorney (@karateattorney) fighting for justice inside and outside the courtroom. Visit KarateAttorney.com Sponsored by The School of Radical Imagination (@school.of.radical.imagination), a community based learning space turning knowledge into action. Sumud listeners receive 10% off with code SUMUD10 at checkout. Enroll at RadicalImagination.school You can find the courses here: https://www.radicalimagination.school/explore-courses 🎬 Full episode on https://sumudpod.com 📲 Follow @dredhasan | @sumudpod | @motheragapia Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

🎙️ This special episode of the Sumud Podcast centers the Gaza Soup Kitchen and the people sustaining it under siege. Dr. Ed Hasan is joined by Hani Almadhoun to reflect on how a grassroots mutual aid effort became a lifeline amid blocked aid, collapsed infrastructure, and constant bombardment. The episode honors the legacy of Chef Mahmoud Almadhoun and features real footage filmed by Gaza Soup Kitchen videographers and photographers Omar Almadhoun, Leena Almadhoun, Khaled Qadas, and Mai Almadhoun, offering a direct window into life, labor, and survival in Gaza. 🌍 Hani Almadhoun is a Palestinian American humanitarian and the Senior Director of Philanthropy at UNRWA USA. He is also the co founder of the Gaza Soup Kitchen, a grassroots initiative launched in early 2024 to provide hot meals, food parcels, and water to families across Gaza amid siege and famine. Based in the United States, Hani coordinates fundraising, advocacy, and media engagement while supporting operations on the ground. 🔑 In this conversation, we explore ➡ How the Gaza Soup Kitchen began ➡ Operating under siege with cut telecom, closed banks, and constant displacement ➡ The photographers and volunteers working on the ground in Gaza ➡ Chefs, kitchens, and survival logistics including hot meals, food parcels, and water trucks ➡ UNRWA, aid access, and competing aid models in Gaza ➡ Chef Mahmoud’s legacy, his killing, and why the work continues ➡ What people outside Gaza can do to show up and sustain support ⏱ Chapters 00:00 Introduction 02:00 How the Gaza Soup Kitchen started 05:00 Operating under siege with money, telecom, and logistics 08:00 Identity and documentation 13:00 The photographers and storytellers 23:00 Courage and exhaustion 28:00 Hopes and dreams under siege 31:00 The chefs and the kitchens 38:00 Chef Mahmoud’s story and legacy 45:00 What the diaspora can do Sponsored by The Karate Attorney (@karateattorney) fighting for justice inside and outside the courtroom. Visit KarateAttorney.com Sponsored by The School of Radical Imagination (@school.of.radical.imagination), a community based learning space turning knowledge into action. Sumud listeners receive 10% off with code SUMUD10 at checkout. Enroll at RadicalImagination.school https://www.radicalimagination.school/explore-courses  This video is for educational purposes only. It offers personal testimony and political analysis meant to inform and document. 🎬 Full episode on https://sumudpod.com 📲 Follow @dredhasan | @sumudpod | @myhanitizer | @gazasoupkitchen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

🎙️ This week on the Sumud Podcast, we sit down with retired US Army Special Forces Lieutenant Colonel Anthony Aguilar for one of the most difficult and urgent conversations we have ever hosted. What he believed was a humanitarian mission quickly revealed the truth of Gaza under siege. Anthony describes arriving to find Rafah destroyed, witnessing American contractors and Israeli forces firing on starving civilians, and meeting a young boy he calls Amir whose death changed everything. He reflects on complicity, conscience, and why he ultimately resigned, returned home, and began briefing US lawmakers on the atrocities he witnessed. This is a raw and necessary conversation about genocide, impunity, and the moral cost of silence. 🌍 Anthony Aguilar is a retired US Army Special Forces Lieutenant Colonel and former Green Beret who served for 25 years across Iraq, Afghanistan, and other conflict zones. In 2025 he worked with the newly formed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation through its subcontractor, UG Solutions, on what was presented as a neutral humanitarian mission. Once on the ground, he says he witnessed a coordinated system of forced displacement, engineered famine, and violent “aid” operations carried out in close coordination with Israeli authorities and supported by US contractors. His testimony has since informed media reporting, human rights investigations, and congressional briefings on US involvement in Gaza. 🔑 In this conversation, we explore ➡ How a supposed aid mission became a mechanism of displacement and control ➡ The destruction of Rafah and the true scale of civilian death ➡ Daily violence against starving families by American contractors and the IDF ➡ The ideology driving many US contractors ➡ The story of Amir and the smear campaign that followed ➡ Boston Consulting Group and the architecture of Gaza’s erasure ➡ Why Anthony chose to resign and speak publicly ➡ What the world must understand about the ongoing genocide in Gaza ⏱ Chapters 00:00 Introduction 01:35 Who Is Anthony Aguilar? 03:28 The Recruitment Call and the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation 12:35 Early Red Flags and Hasbara Tours 23:02 Entering Gaza 26:31 What the Sites Really Were 32:55 Violence by Contractors and the IDF 42:42 Boston Consulting Group and the Gaza Plans 55:15 The Story of Amir 1:08:40 The Smear Campaign 1:13:21 Speaking Out to Lawmakers 1:18:11 Do States Have a Right to Exist 1:22:12 Final Reflections Sponsored by: The Karate Attorney (@karateattorney) fighting for justice inside and outside the courtroom. Visit www.KarateAttorney.com. Sponsored by: The School of Radical Imagination (@school.of.radical.imagination), a new learning space turning knowledge into action through live, community-based courses on justice, liberation, and creativity. Enroll at www.RadicalImagination.school. 🎬 Full episode on: https://sumudpod.com 📲 Follow: @dredhasan | @sumudpod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

🎙️ This week on the Sumud Podcast, we sit down with dress historian and fashion researcher Wafa Ghnaim for a profound exploration of how Palestinian material culture carries memory, identity, and truth across generations. Through the dresses, headdresses, and stitched motifs that define our heritage, Wafa reveals how every thread holds stories far deeper than the colonial timeline. She reflects on exile, reclaiming beauty through a non-Western lens, growing up Palestinian in the United States, the emotional weight of Syria, the urgency of documenting elders’ knowledge, and the dangers of cultural appropriation. This conversation is an intimate look at the power of dress as resistance, continuity, and home, and the sacred responsibility of preserving what our ancestors left for us. 🌍 Wafa Ghnaim is a dress historian, researcher, author, archivist, curator, educator and embroiderer who learned from her mother, award-winning artist Feryal Abbasi-Ghnaim. Wafa specializes in Palestinian, Syrian, Jordanian, and Lebanese dress history, focusing on traditional embroidery techniques, historic reconstruction and oral history. Her publications include “Tatreez & Tea,” THOBNA (2023), Tatreez Companion (2024), and Tatreez Beauty (2024). She continues her mother’s legacy through the Tatreez Institute, founded in 2016, which stewards a collection of over 180 dresses and headdresses from Palestine, Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon for preservation, education, and research. She was the first Palestinian and Syrian embroidery instructor for the Smithsonian Museum, earned a senior interdisciplinary research fellowship at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and was named by Vogue, alongside her mother, as “the world’s leading guardians of tatreez.” Wafa is now a Mellon Foundation Fellow at the Museum of the Palestinian People. 🔑 In this conversation, we explore ➡ The deep history and symbolism of Palestinian dress ➡ Why material culture carries memory across generations ➡ Cultural appropriation and the ethics of teaching tatreez ➡ The social life of objects and what dresses remember ➡ Syria, exile, grief and generational trauma ➡ Beauty, identity and decolonizing aesthetics ➡ The Tatreez Institute and the future of dress research ⏱ Chapters 00:00 Introduction 01:57 Who Is Wafa Ghnaim? 06:54 Beauty, Arab Glamour & Decolonizing Aesthetics 13:49 Preserving Elders’ Knowledge Through Oral History 24:25 Cultural Appropriation & Teaching Boundaries 29:44 Syria, Exile & Emotional Collapse 38:12 The Tatreez Institute & The 184-Dress Collection 56:05 Dresses as Memory, Material Witness & Legacy 1:15:11 Final Reflections Sponsored by: The Karate Attorney (@karateattorney) fighting for justice inside and outside the courtroom. Visit www.KarateAttorney.com. Sponsored by: The School of Radical Imagination (@school.of.radical.imagination), a new learning space turning knowledge into action through live, community-based courses on justice, liberation, and creativity. Enroll at www.RadicalImagination.school. 📚 Explore Tatreez Institute publications at https://www.tatreezandtea.com/publications 🎬 Full episode on: https://sumudpod.com 📲 Follow on Instagram: @tatreezandtea | @thetatreezinstitute | @dredhasan | @sumudpod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

🎙️ This week on the Sumud Podcast, we’re joined by Hazami Barmada, humanitarian, activist, and founder of the Humanity Lab Foundation, whose fierce empathy and faith have redefined what activism can look like. From her early work at the United Nations to the frontlines of D.C. protests, Hazami reveals what it means to live authentically, love fiercely, and refuse to be silent in the face of injustice. She reflects on the courage it takes to confront power, the role of faith and motherhood in her activism, and how radical love has become both her philosophy and her weapon. 🌍 Hazami Barmada is an award-winning public affairs & social impact strategist, social innovator and humanitarian. She is the Executive Producer and Host of the Webby-Award and Anthem-Award winning international affairs and human rights podcast, Finding Humanity. For 20+ years, Hazami has consulted and worked with leading global institutions including the United Nations, United Nations Foundation, Harvard, The Elders, B Lab, and the Royal Court of the Sultanate of Oman, to name a few. Most recently she worked at the Aspen Institute where she spearheaded the design and launch of the Digital Equity Accelerator, a joint initiative between HP Inc. and the HP Foundation, which under her leadership invested over $4 million into 17 organizations addressing social and economic inequalities around the world. Hazami has previously held several high-level consulting positions at the UN, including Coordinator for the United Nations Secretary General’s World Humanitarian Summit, Advisor to the UN Secretary-General’s Envoy on Youth, liaison to the UN SDG Strategy Hub for the launch of the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda, and Innovation Advisor to UN Human Settlements Programme. Her campaigns, leadership coaching, and advocacy initiatives have reached tens of millions of people in 182+ countries, receiving recognition from the United Nations “SDG Action Awards” in 2020. Hazami is a graduate of Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government where she was also an Edward S. Mason Fellow in Public Policy and Management and earned a certificate in Management, Leadership & Decision Sciences. 🔑 In this conversation, we explore: ➡ The story behind the Blinken encampment ➡ Balancing motherhood and frontline activism ➡ Radical love as a philosophy of resistance ➡ Islam, faith, and courage in the face of fear ➡ Doxxing, lawsuits, and the price of truth-telling ➡ Building communities of care beyond politics ⏱ Chapters: 00:00 Introduction & Radical Humanity 02:28 Who is Hazami Barmada? 07:31 Faith, Fear & the Blinken Encampment 16:40 Motherhood & Resistance 24:11 The Cost of Speaking Truth 34:29 Radical Love as Activism 41:27 Community Beyond Politics 54:38 From the UN to the Streets 1:02:42 Faith, Freedom & Legacy Sponsored by: The Karate Attorney (Instagram @karateattorney) fighting for justice inside and outside the courtroom. Visit KarateAttorney.com Sponsored by: The School of Radical Imagination, a new learning space turning knowledge into action through live, community-based courses on justice, liberation, and creativity. Enroll at www.RadicalImagination.school 🎬 Full episode on: https://sumudpod.com 📲 Follow: Hazami Barmada: Instagram @hazami | X @hazamibarmada Dr. Ed Hasan: Instagram @dredhasan Sumud Podcast: Instagram @sumudpod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on the Sumud Podcast, we sit down with Sami Tamimi, award-winning chef, author, and co-founder of Ottolenghi, to explore how heritage, hard work, and heart have shaped his life from Jerusalem to London’s kitchens. Sami Tamimi is a British-Palestinian chef and author whose cooking is deeply rooted in the flavors of his homeland. In his first solo cookbook, Boustany: A Celebration of Vegetables from My Palestine, he embarks on a vibrant journey through Palestinian culinary traditions, celebrating simple, colorful dishes centered around vegetables and grains. This exploration builds on his earlier work as co-founder of the Ottolenghi restaurants and co-author of bestselling cookbooks: "Falastin" and "Jerusalem: A Cookbook". "Boustany" is Sami’s homage to the food and culture of Palestine. In this deeply personal conversation, he reflects on his early life under occupation, his rebellious path from a truck company to the kitchen, and the struggle of navigating Israeli kitchens as a Palestinian chef. Sami opens up about cultural appropriation in “Israeli cuisine,” the politics of food, and the creation of his newest book, "Boustany", a love letter to Palestinian memory, land, and flavor. With humor and grace, Sami reminds us that every dish carries a story of land, family, and survival. 🔑 In this conversation, we explore: ➡ Growing up in Jerusalem under occupation ➡ Becoming a chef against all odds ➡ Culinary appropriation and “Israeli cuisine” ➡ Food as political resistance and storytelling ➡ Writing Boustany: memory, land, and resilience ➡ Reclaiming Palestinian cuisine for future generations Sponsored by: The Karate Attorney (@karateattorney) fighting for justice inside and outside the courtroom. Visit ⁠KarateAttorney.com⁠ Sponsored by: The School of Radical Imagination, a new learning space turning knowledge into action through live, community-based courses on justice, liberation, and creativity. Enroll at ⁠RadicalImagination.school⁠. 📌 Chapters: 00:00 – Introduction & Opening Reflections 01:15 – Early Life in JerusaleQm 05:29 –  Rebellion, Art, and the Birth of a Chef 07:36 –  Navigating Israeli Kitchens as a Palestinian 11:41 –  What is ‘Israeli Food’? 13:36 – The Politics of Cooking & Food as Protest 18:13 – Founding Ottolenghi & Collaboration in ExileQ 21:11 – Boustany: Memory, Land & Palestinian Resilience 28:23 – October 7th, Speaking Out & Finding Voice 32:55 – Health, Balance & Using His Platform for Good 38:42 – Closing Reflections: Work hard, Follow the Heart 🎥 Full episode: ⁠www.sumudpod.com⁠ 📚 Check out Sami's website: ⁠www.sami-tamimi.com⁠ 📲 Follow: @sami_tamimi | @dredhasan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

🎙️ This week on the Sumud Podcast, we’re joined by Ahmad Ibsais, a law student, writer, and poet whose work captures life, loss, and defiance under siege. Through his acclaimed newsletter State of Siege, Ahmad documents a generation’s struggle for justice, blending legal insight, faith, and art to reclaim narrative power in a world determined to erase it. In this episode, Ahmad speaks about courage on campus, finding strength through community, and how words can challenge systems of fear and censorship. He also shares his poem “Living in Memories,” a haunting reflection on endurance and remembrance amid unimaginable suffering. Reflecting on his journey from Nablus to the University of Michigan, he navigated a law school environment steeped in Zionist influence while remaining steadfast in his convictions. He shares how speaking out for Palestine has come with professional risks, yet also profound purpose, and how faith and community have anchored him through moments of isolation and doubt. Ahmad discusses the limits of the American legal system, its complicity in silencing pro-Palestine voices, and how young lawyers can still use the law as a site of resistance. From the courtroom to the classroom, he exposes the ways repression is disguised as “neutrality,” and why Palestinians must continue to name genocide even when institutions refuse to. In this conversation, we explore: ➡ The making of State of Siege and documenting lived experience ➡ Speaking truth to power in academia and law ➡ Faith, memory, and the psychology of steadfastness (sumud) ➡ The role of poetry and storytelling in collective healing ➡ How young advocates are redefining resistance through word and action Sponsored by: The Karate Attorney (@karateattorney) fighting for justice inside and outside the courtroom. Visit KarateAttorney.com This video is for educational purposes only. It provides historical and political analysis to inform and educate viewers. 📌 Chapters: 00:00 – Introduction 02:00 – Introducing Ahmad Ibsais 04:00 – Palestine & the Power of Community 06:00 – Speaking Out in the Legal Field 10:00 – Censorship, Courage & Campus Activism 17:00 – The Birth of State of Siege 19:00 – The Role of Poets & Journalists in Gaza 21:00 – The Duty Not to Look Away 24:00 – Law, Power & the Limits of Justice 31:00 – Imagining Liberation: One State, One People 34:00 – “Living in Memories” – Poem Reading 36:00 – Closing Reflections: Free Palestine 🎬 Full episode on Sumud Podcast: https://sumudpod.com 📲 Follow: @ahmad.ibsais 📲 Follow our host: @dredhasan 📝 Read State of Siege: https://substack.com/@ahmadibsais https://ahmadibsais.substack.com/?utm_campaign=profile_chips #Palestine #SumudPod #Resistance #EndGenocide #FreePalestine #StandWithPalestine #Steadfastness #BoycottIsrael Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

🎙️This week on the Sumud Podcast, we amplify the voices behind Lifeline for Palestine and their urgent call to activate the Uniting for Peace process, a UN mechanism that empowers the General Assembly to act when the Security Council is blocked by vetoes. Recorded at a moment of moral urgency, this episode explores how global solidarity, diplomacy, and people power can come together to protect Palestinian civilians and end genocide. Our guests: Craig Mokhiber, international human rights lawyer and former UN Director; Dr. Jill Stein, American physician, activist, and three-time Green Party presidential nominee, and Mark Elbourno, Palestinian American political strategist and Green Party leader, break down the legal, political, and moral dimensions of the Uniting for Peace plan. Together, they reveal how Lifeline for Palestine has mobilized a growing global movement demanding accountability and action, pushing governments to honor international law and the will of the world’s majority. This conversation is a call to conscience, and a roadmap for how humanity can stand together against impunity and for justice. The Sumud Podcast is sponsored by The Karate Attorney. Fighting for justice inside and outside the courtroom. Visit KarateAttorney.com or follow on Instagram @karateattorney to learn more. In this conversation, we explore: ➡ What the Uniting for Peace process is and how it works ➡ How the US veto has blocked justice — and how to bypass it ➡ The role of Lifeline for Palestine and grassroots global movements ➡ Why Palestinians are leading this call for protection and accountability ➡ How ordinary people can take concrete action to shut down genocide This video is for educational purposes only. It provides historical and political analysis to inform and educate viewers. 📌Chapters: 00:00 – Every Fighter Needs a Cause 02:00 – Introducing the Guests: Craig Mokhiber, Dr. Jill Stein & Mark Elbourno 06:30 – What is the Uniting for Peace Mechanism? 13:00 – The UN, Veto Power & Global Accountability 16:00 – Lifeline for Palestine: Origins and Purpose 23:00 – Global Solidarity & the Power of the People 36:00 – The Palestinian Call for Protection 43:00 – Why Action Still Matters: Overcoming Hopelessness 49:00 – Reclaiming International Law & the Global Majority 54:00 – What Happens If It Works? The Road Ahead 01:07:00 – Final Reflections & A Call to Action 🌐Take Action: Visit LifelineForPalestine.com to send letters, sign petitions, and join upcoming global actions. 🎬Full episode on Sumud Podcast: https://sumudpod.com 📲Follow: @lifelineforpalestine , @craigmokhiber , @drjillstein , @markelbourno 📲Follow our host: @dredhasan #Palestine #SumudPod #LifelineForPalestine #UnitingForPeace #FreePalestine #CraigMokhiber #JillStein #MarkElbourno #EndGenocide #Resistance Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

🎙️This week on the Sumud Podcast, we sit down with Aymann Ismail, journalist, storyteller, and father, to explore how identity, faith, and truth-telling intersect in a time of moral crisis. A staff writer at Slate, the author of Becoming Baba, and president of the Arab and Middle Eastern Journalists Association (AMEJA). Aymann has spent years documenting how American media frames Arabs, Muslims, and Palestinians, and what it means to write honestly while the world burns. Born in Newark, New Jersey, to Egyptian parents, Aymann came of age in the shadow of 9/11, an experience that forced him to navigate fear, belonging, and dual identity. In this deeply personal conversation, he shares how those formative years shaped his journalism from "Who’s Afraid of Aymann?" and PBS’s "American Muslims: A History Revealed" to his acclaimed essay, "The Store That Called the Cops on George Floyd", which won a Writers Guild Award and was nominated for a National Magazine Award. With humility and clarity, he unpacks the ethical dilemmas of journalism, the burden of representation for Arab reporters, and the parallels between the post-9/11 era and the ongoing genocide in Gaza. Through it all, Aymann reflects on fatherhood, faith, and what it means to tell stories that refuse to dehumanize. 🔑 In this conversation, we explore: ➡ Growing up Arab Muslim in New Jersey after 9/11 ➡ The parallels between anti-Palestinian racism and post-9/11 Islamophobia ➡ Journalism, bias, and courage in the era of genocide ➡ Storytelling, empathy, and moral responsibility in media ➡ Becoming Baba: faith, fatherhood, and belonging in America This video is for educational purposes only. It provides historical and political analysis to inform and educate viewers. 📌 Chapters: 00:00 – Introduction & Opening Reflections 01:45 – 9/11 and October 7th 13:23 – Being Both: Arab American Identity & Belonging 22:18 – The Human Story of Being Gay and Muslim 25:13 – “Who’s Afraid of Aymann?”: Curiosity as Resistance 29:57 – Unearthing Muslim Roots in America with PBS 33:46 – The Store That Called the Cops on George Floyd 40:42 – Media Bias, Arab Journalists & Ethical Reporting 49:59 – Privilege, Courage & Writing Hard Truths 55:43 – Becoming Baba: Faith, Fatherhood & Finding Meaning 01:19:05 – Final Reflection: Teaching Faith in America 🎥 Full episode: https://sumudpod.com 📚 Check out Aymann’s work: 📖 Becoming Baba: https://bookshop.org/p/books/becoming-baba-fatherhood-faith-and-finding-meaning-in-america-aymann-ismail/dd46efc949a7959e?ean=9780385549615 🧠 AMEJA: https://www.ameja.org 📲 Follow: @aymanndotcom 📲 Follow: @dredhasan #Palestine #SumudPod #FreePalestine #AntiZionist #EndtheOccupation #Media #Journalism #GeorgeFloyd #MuslimAmerican #Islamophobia #AMEJA Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

🎙️ This week on the Sumud Podcast, we are joined by Dima Khalidi, founder and director of Palestine Legal, a US-based organization dedicated solely to defending the rights of people who speak out for Palestinian freedom. Carrying her family’s long legacy of resistance into the present, Dima has spent decades on the legal front lines, protecting students, educators, and activists from repression. In this conversation, she explains how law is both weaponized against movements and reclaimed through organizing, offering a sharp look into the fight for free speech, student power, and justice in the US and beyond. From historic cases like the Holy Land Foundation Five to recent victories against university crackdowns, Dima shows how lawfare, surveillance, and repression work—and how the movement continues to resist, organize, and win. 🔑 In this episode, we explore: ➡ The Khalidi family legacy and roots in Palestinian history ➡ Lessons from political prosecutions like the Holy Land Five ➡ Lawfare, anti-terror laws, and the Palestine exception to free speech ➡ Student courage, campus crackdowns, and legal victories ➡ Advice for young organizers and the importance of solidarity 📌 Chapters: 00:00 – Introduction 01:59 – Family Legacy and Roots of Resistance 08:37 – Early Cases That Shaped a Lifetime of Advocacy 16:21 – Political Prosecutions & the Holy Land Five 19:27 – Lawfare and the Founding of Palestine Legal 27:24 – Student Repression and Free Speech Battles 36:06 – Recent Legal Victories and their Impact 40:55 – Advice for Students, Staff, and Teachers 48:52 – Final Reflection: Inspiring the Next Generation 🎥 Full episode: https://sumudpod.com 🌐 Learn more: https://palestinelegal.org/ 📲 Follow: @palestinelegal 📲 Follow: @dredhasan #Palestine #FreePalestine #SumudPod #PalestineLegal #StudentPower #Lawfare #FreeSpeech #Decolonize #Justice Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

🎙️This week on the Sumud Podcast, recorded live at ADC’s ArabCon, we welcome Jordanian Palestinian singer, songwriter, and producer Dana Salah. Known for blending traditional Palestinian folklore with global contemporary sounds, Dana has pioneered a genre she calls Falahi Pop. Her music is not just art; it’s a vessel for storytelling, cultural preservation, and resistance. In this conversation, Dana shares her journey from performing in New York under the name King Deco to returning to the Arab world and writing music in Arabic during COVID. She reflects on how songs like Ya Tal3een emerged from grief after October 7 and transformed into anthems of hope and empowerment, carrying Palestinian heritage to global audiences. Dana also discusses the influence of her grandfather, displaced from Haifa in 1948, whose advocacy and spirit continue to flow through her work. Together, we explore how music can serve as both therapy and resistance, a way of keeping Palestinian identity alive for future generations, and a call for young women to embrace authenticity and courage. 🔑 In this conversation, we explore: ➡ How folklore, tatreez, and heritage shape Falahi Pop ➡ The story behind Ya Tal3een and writing through trauma ➡ Shifting from English to Arabic songwriting ➡ Music as resistance, healing, and empowerment ➡ Ancestry, legacy, and advice to young Palestinian girls This video is for educational purposes only. It provides historical and political analysis to inform and educate viewers. 📌 Chapters: 00:00- Storytelling as Resistance 01:38- Introduction 03:24– Dana Salah’s Journey: From King Deco to Falahi Pop 07:33– Ya Tal3een: Writing Through Grief & Finding Empowerment 11:39– Arabic vs English Songwriting & Honoring Heritage 17:51– Her Grandfather’s Legacy & Carrying Palestine Forward 21:01– Advice for Young Palestinian Girls & Closing Reflections 🎥 Full episode on Sumud Podcast: https://sumudpod.com 📲 Follow: @danasalah 📲 Follow: @dredhasan #Palestine #SumudPod #Arabcon #FreePalestine #Falahi #Resistance #DanaSalah #Singer #Songwriter #Producer Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

🎙️ This week on the Sumud Podcast, Dr. Rania Masri joins us to speak on liberation, land, and the interconnected struggles for justice. An environmental scientist and long-time activist, Rania brings decades of experience in organizing to the fight against colonialism and ecocide. Since 1990, Rania has organized for justice and against systems of oppression and war through protests, teach-ins, conferences, political organizing, public speaking training, writings, research, and media work. She taught holistic environmental sciences (including environmental justice) at the university level for nearly two decades. She served as an expert in the Court of Conscience, presenting testimony on the environmental impact of the 2006 Israeli War on Lebanon. In this episode, Rania connects the fight for Palestinian freedom to global movements for environmental and social justice. She explains how Zionism imposes ecocide on the land of Palestine, unpacks the colonial legacy of Sykes–Picot and the artificial borders of Greater Syria, and invites us to learn from the socialist wisdom of trees, what she calls the “Mother Tree” model of care, resistance, and community. 🔑 In this conversation, we explore: ➡ The environmental devastation of Israeli occupation and Gaza’s ecocide ➡ The colonial blueprint of Sykes–Picot and rejecting imposed borders ➡ Trees as teachers: Mother Trees, socialism, and organizing ➡ How solidarity—not charity—can reshape our future This video is for educational purposes only. It provides historical and political analysis to inform and educate viewers. 📌 Chapters: 00:00- Introduction 01:35- Facing the Unspoken Issues 12:54- Engaging Despite Differences: Republicans, Democrats, and Greens 15:41- Holding Our Leaders Accountable 22:37- Greater Syria: Rejecting Borders & Claiming Our Lands 24:56- Side by Side: Liberation, Labor, and Community 28:26- Origins and Goals: The Arab and Muslim Green Party Caucus 34:17- Exploring the Core: Life as an Environmental Scientist 38:39- Examining Ecocide: The Impact of Occupation 46:00- Environmental Advocacy: Where to Begin? 49:23- Final Reflections: Hope, Resistance & the Fight for Palestine 🎥 Full episode on Sumud Podcast: https://sumudpod.com 🌐Check out: https://ncejn.org/ 📲 Follow: @raniamasri 📲 Follow: @dredhasan #Palestine #FreePalestine #SumudPod #Antizionist #AntiColonial #Arab #Occupation #Decolonize #Lebanon #Syria Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

🎙️ This week on the Sumud Podcast, we’re joined by Ashish Prashar, a political strategist and human rights activist who has advised Middle East peace envoys, UK politicians, and international bodies. He shares a unique perspective shaped by years of firsthand experience in Israel and Palestine, revealing realities that often go unseen in mainstream narratives. From 2010 to 2012, Ashish lived in the West Bank and witnessed systemic policies controlling Palestinian communities. These experiences highlight the everyday mechanisms of apartheid and the human cost behind the policies. In this episode, Ashish discusses the broader lessons of his experiences, from international advocacy to solidarity work. He emphasizes understanding both the human and political dimensions of the conflict, offering insights for activists, policymakers, and anyone seeking justice. 🔑 In this conversation, we explore: ➡ What living in Israel and Palestine taught him about systemic apartheid ➡ The meaning and implications of “sanitized” roads ➡ How political systems and propaganda shape narratives of the conflict ➡ The role of international advocacy and solidarity ➡ Lessons for activists and observers striving for justice 📌 Chapters: 00:00- Introduction 02:00- When Hatred Found Us at Play 12:52- Prison at Seventeen: Assaulted and Tested 21:25- Ashish’s Background: Political Strategy & Human Rights Work 27:47- Between Blair and Palestine 31:33- Living in the West Bank: Firsthand Experiences of Segregation 35:32- Football Against Apartheid 45:56- Airbnb: Profiting from Genocide 51:22- Reflections on Justice, Responsibility, and Speaking Out 🎥 Explore more at: https://sumudpod.com 🌐Check out: https://www.ashishprashar.me/ 📲Follow: @ash_prashar 📲Follow: @dredhasan #Palestine #SumudPod #FreePalestine #GazaGenocide #EndTheOccupation #JusticeForPalestine #ApartheidIsrael #HumanRights #NGO #BDS Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

🎙️ This week on the Sumud Podcast, we’re joined by Sereen Haddad, a Palestinian student activist who helped lead the VCU Gaza solidarity encampment before police violently dismantled it! In the days leading up to graduation, Sereen had been pepper-sprayed, beaten, and sent to the ER with head trauma as VCU and Virginia State Police stormed the encampment. Three days before graduation, she received an email from the university stating that she could walk the stage, but her degree would not be conferred due to her involvement in the protest. Sereen’s story is not only about repression but also resilience. She experienced firsthand the violence facing student organizers across the U.S.—and yet, she insists: Palestinians refuse to remain quiet. Instead of breaking her, these moments only strengthened her resolve. With the help of Palestine Legal, she fought back and won her degree—showing that student movements have power and that universities are not neutral but complicit. 🔑 In this conversation, we explore: ➡ What it means to be Palestinian in a world that dehumanizes your people ➡ Police repression at VCU’s Gaza encampment ➡ The loss of her family members in Gaza and why they are people, not statistics ➡ Why the divestment movement matters and terrifies universities ➡ Advice to other students facing repression on campus ➡ The resilience, pride, and love at the heart of Palestinian identity This video is for educational purposes only. It provides historical and political analysis to inform and educate viewers. 📌 Chapters: 00:00 – Introduction 01:42 – VCU Withheld Her Degree & the Days After October 7 10:02 – The VCU Encampment: Police Violence & Repression 16:07- The Haddad Legacy: Refusal & Resistance 20:47- Graduation Blocked: Student Conduct vs. Palestine Solidarity 29:00- Morals 101 & Calling in Backup: Palestine Legal 36:53- Why Silence is Not an Option 41:56- Final Reflections: Pride, Struggle & Speaking Out 📲 Follow: @sereen_haddad_ 🎙 Follow our host: @dredhasan 🌐 Explore more: https://sumudpod.com #Palestine #SumudPod #FreePalestine #DivestFromGenocide #Gaza #StudentProtests #CampusEncampments #EndTheOccupation #Divest #BDS Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on the Sumud Podcast, we’re joined by Hannah Moushabeck, a Palestinian American author, editor, and book marketer. Born into a family of publishers and raised in western Massachusetts, Hannah grew up in the world of books. Today, she carries that legacy forward at Interlink Books, one of the only Palestinian-owned publishing houses in the U.S. Her acclaimed debut, "Homeland: My Father Dreams of Palestine" (Chronicle Books, 2023), is a lyrical picture book inspired by her father’s memories of Palestine. With warmth and humor, it offers young readers both a window into a beloved homeland and a mirror for displaced families everywhere. In this conversation, Hannah shares her journey growing up surrounded by stories, the challenges of representing Palestine in children’s literature, and the backlash she’s faced, including censorship and soft bans. She also reflects on reclaiming her identity, creating community for emerging Palestinian authors, and why storytelling for children is a vital act of resistance. 🔑 In this episode, we explore: ➡ Why representation in children’s books is survival, not just storytelling ➡ The story of Interlink Books & resisting cultural erasure ➡ The rise of censorship and soft suppression of Palestinian voices ➡ Building community through Palestinians in Kid Lit ➡ Homeland as an act of love, memory, and joy This video is for educational purposes only. It provides historical and political analysis to inform and educate viewers. Chapters: 00:00 – Introduction 01:21 – Growing Up in the Only Palestinian Publishing House in the U.S. 06:21 –The Faces of Interlink Books 9:56- How to Approach Interlink or Hannah About an Idea? 11:38- Childhood Erasure & Reclaiming Palestinian Identity 15:31 – Discovering Naomi Shihab Nye & the Power of Children’s Books 21:11- Writing Homeland & Sparking Questions Through the Story 26:52 – Soft Censorship, Library Bans & Resilience 29:35- Main Takeaway from Wondering About Palestine 31:25- Claiming My Identity: The Moment I Said, “I’m Palestinian" 33:33 – Messages to young Palestinians & aspiring writers 📲 Follow Hannah Moushabeck: @hannahmoushabeck, @interlinkbooks 🎙 Follow our host: @dredhasan 🌐 Explore more at: https://sumudpod.com Check out: https://interlinkbooks.com/ 📕 Hannah’s Book: Homeland: https://bookshop.org/p/books/homeland-my-father-dreams-of-palestine-hannah-moushabeck/18788705?ean=9781797202051&next=t #Palestine #SumudPod #PalestinianStories #Books #Author #Kidsbook #Homeland #Stories #Storytelling Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

🎙️This week on the Sumud Podcast, we’re joined by Ibrahim Awada, a US-based trial lawyer, founder of The Awad Law Firm, and unapologetic voice for Palestine. Known for securing record-breaking verdicts and training trial lawyers across the country, Ibrahim has also emerged as a fearless advocate for his community, refusing to stay silent even when colleagues and judges turned away. From Georgia’s courtrooms to his nonprofit Palistory, dedicated to preserving Nakba survivor testimony, Ibrahim blends legal excellence with moral clarity. His story is one of sacrifice, faith, and the painful realization that some “progressive” allies were never truly allies at all. In this powerful conversation, Ibrahim reflects on what it means to confront injustice, whether in the courtroom or in Gaza, and why silence is complicity. He reminds us: the work is ours, the outcome is God’s. 🔑 In this conversation, we explore: ➡ Why sacrifice is inevitable and why it must be ours, not our children’s ➡ The Georgia judge who said, “There are no innocents in Gaza.” ➡ How October 7 unmasked false allies in the legal profession ➡ Growing up Palestinian in the U.S. & the impact of Muhammad al-Durrah’s killing ➡ Founding Palistory to preserve Nakba survivor stories ➡ Faith, courage, and why speaking up is easier now than ever This video is for educational purposes only. It provides historical and political analysis to inform and educate viewers. 📌 Chapters: 00:00 – Introduction 1:58- Identity & Representing His Community 04:56 – Commitment to Faith & Palestinian Identity 08:46 – Why ‘Karate Attorney’? 14:45 – Confronting Judge Stacey Hydrick’s Gaza Comments 21:42 – Trial Lawyers College & the “Defense of the Damned” 28:43- Frames of Effort 32:05- Founding Palistory & Preserving Nakba Testimonies 34:10 – Message to CEOs, Professionals & Silent Allies 38:22- Why Zionism is Supremacy, Not Judaism 41:19- What It Means to Ibrahim to Be Palestinian 44:50- Take Action & Don’t Wait 46:30 – A Final Word: No Good Deed Goes Unrewarded 📲 Follow: @karateattorney, @palistory.usa 🎙 Follow our host: @dredhasan 🌐 Explore more: https://sumudpod.com Check out: https://theawadlawfirm.com/ https://palistory.com/ #Palestine #SumudPod #FreePalestine #GazaGenocide #JusticeForPalestine #StandWithPalestine #IndependentMedia #Gaza #Nakba Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

🎙️This week on the Sumud Podcast, we’re joined by Mehdi Hasan—Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Zeteo, the independent media platform built to challenge power and amplify silenced voices. Known worldwide for his fearless debate style and sharp fact-checking, Mehdi has spent 25 years exposing propaganda and holding leaders to account. His layered identity—son of Indian immigrants, a Shia Muslim growing up in the UK as a “minority within a minority,” and now an immigrant navigating life across the U.S. and U.K.—has shaped his worldview. These experiences of being both insider and outsider inform his politics, his journalism, and his commitment to journalistic integrity in an era of disinformation. From Win Every Argument to his viral TV debates, Mehdi’s work blends storytelling with accountability. He reflects on what it means to live between worlds—and how identity, politics, and media intersect in today’s polarized climate. Beyond his career highlights, Mehdi opens up about the struggles of independent journalism, the dangers faced by Palestinian reporters in Gaza, and why disinformation remains one of the greatest threats to truth. 🔑 In this conversation, we explore: ➡ Why Mehdi built Zeteo to rival corporate media ➡ How lies and propaganda became his “antagonist” ➡ Growing up Muslim in the West ➡ Lessons from Win Every Argument on debate & persuasion ➡ Advice for Palestinian and pro-Palestinian students facing attacks ➡ The murder of Gaza’s journalists and why their voices matter This video is for educational purposes only. It provides historical and political analysis to inform and educate viewers. 📌 Chapters: 00:00 – Introduction 01:28 – The Birth of Zeteo & Challenging Power 03:19 – Propaganda, Lies & Mehdi’s “Antagonist” 07:09 – Growing Up Shia Muslim in the West 10:24 – Sectarianism, Geopolitics & Divide-and-Rule 13:23 – Debate Lessons from Win Every Argument 19:54 – Advice for Palestinian & Pro-Palestinian Students 24:56 – Rapid Fire Questions 32:52- Final Message: Support Independent Media 📲 Follow: @mehdirhasan & @Zeteo 🎙 Follow our host: @dredhasan Shop his book: https://bookshop.org/p/books/win-every-argument-the-art-of-debating-persuading-and-public-speaking-mehdi-hasan/18308276?ean=9781250853462&next=t 🌐 Explore more: https://sumudpod.com Check out: https://zeteo.com/ #Palestine #Sumudpod #MehdiHasan #FreePalestine #IndependentMedia #WinEveryArgument #Gaza #Journalism Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on the Sumud Podcast, we’re joined by journalist and BreakThrough News host Rania Khalek for a special episode diving into her latest documentary, Israeli Terror in Lebanon: Inside the Pager Attacks. The documentary uncovers the untold story behind the September 17th pager explosions in Lebanon—a years-long covert Israeli operation that left civilians maimed and silenced. 📺 Watch Rania’s full documentary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2mqqDTIs4vE From the hidden manufacturing sabotage to the horrific injuries, Rania takes us through the political, human, and media dimensions of the attack and why Western coverage gave airtime to Mossad agents while denying a platform to the victims, including children. As a Lebanese journalist, Rania offers a deeply personal perspective on the resilience of communities under siege and the friendships and humor that survive even in the aftermath of violence. 🔑 In this conversation, we explore: ➡ How the pager attacks were planned and executed ➡ The human cost: stories of survivors like Ali and Hussein ➡ Anti-Shia sentiment and blocked access to Iranian medical aid ➡ The role of Western media in shaping narratives ➡ The resilience and resistance of Lebanon’s most targeted communities This video is for educational purposes only. It provides historical and political analysis to inform and educate viewers. 📌 Chapters: 00:00 – Introduction & Rania’s Background 04:15 – How the Pager Explosions Happened 11:32 – Human Stories: Ali, Hussein, and Life After Injury 19:47 – Media Silence and Mossad’s Airtime 27:58 – Anti-Shia Sentiment & Blocked Medical Aid 42:52- Behind the Edits: What Was Left Out 45:53- A Scary New Reality for Lebanon 52:06- The One Message to Carry Forward Reach out to raniaKhalek@gmail.com, to connect with the people involved. 📲 Follow: @BreakThroughNews 🎙 Follow our host: @dredhasan Check out Rania's episode: https://sumudpod.com/episodes/rania-khalek/ 🌐 Explore more: https://sumudpod.com #Palestine #Sumudpod #Lebanon #FreePalestine #EndTheOccupation #LebanonUnderAttack #HumanRights #WarCrimes #InternationalLaw Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

🎙️This week on the Sumud Podcast, we’re joined by Karmel Abufarha from Canaan Palestine—a Palestinian brand rooted in the land, the olive tree, and the power of community. Representing generations of farmers, Canaan shares how olive oil connects Palestinian families to the world and why farming in Palestine is both a daily routine and a quiet act of resistance. Karmel has spent his life building Canaan Palestine alongside his father, Nasser Abufarha, to preserve Palestinian heritage through food and farming. As a Palestinian American who moved from Madison, Wisconsin, to live full-time in Palestine, Karmel brings a rare perspective on how environment and culture reshape our values. But beyond abundance lies injustice. We discuss the obstacles farmers face under Israeli occupation—checkpoint delays, permit restrictions, and blocked access to their groves—and how Canaan is working to ensure these stories are heard across the globe. 🔑 In this conversation, we explore: ➡ Farming as a cultural and political inheritance ➡ Why even professionals return to the land ➡ Olive oil as a link between Palestine and the world ➡ The everyday logistics of farming under occupation ➡ How global fair trade often excludes Palestine This video is for educational purposes only. It provides historical and political analysis to inform and educate viewers. 📌Chapters: 00:00 – Introduction & Karmel's Upbringing 04:29 – Canaan's Origin & What Farming Means in Palestine 10:05 – Key Terms: Fair Trade, Sustainability, & Biodiversity 25:41- A Message from the Land: What Farmers Would Say 31:19 – Farming as a Form of Resistance 33:44 – From Generation to Generation: The Wisdom of Palestinian Farming 47:45- Modern Life, Palestinian Roots: The Vision of Hayat Canaan 52:24 – Dignity, Markets, and the Next Chapter for Canaan 📲 Follow: @canaanpalestine 🎙 Follow our host: @dredhasan 🌐 Explore more: https://sumudpod.com 📘 Read Canaan’s 2024 Reflection: https://canaanpalestine.com/pages/2024report #Palestine #SumudPod #Oliveoil #Olivetree #Palestinianfood #Canaan #Palestinianculture #Freepalestine #Holyland Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices