Today I am sharing another gem from the Immigrantly vault. It’s our conversation with Abubakr Ali. He is an actor, writer, and singer. Last year, he landed a significant role in the upcoming Netflix series Grendel as the anti-hero, Hunter Rose. This opportunity is historic because Abubakr is the first Arab Muslim actor to lead in a comic book adaptation. As he steps into the spotlight, Abubakr was recently featured in the New York Times and other significant publications. Since ours was his firs...
Jul 26, 2022•40 min•Season 14Ep. 183
Today we have a fellow podcaster in our midst. Ramtin Arablouei is the co-host and co-producer of NPR's podcast Throughline. This show explores history through creative, immersive storytelling designed to reintroduce history to new audiences. Ramtin embodies this perspective personally and professionally. Born in Iran, he immigrated to the U.S. with his family as a child and later graduated from St. Mary's College of Maryland with a B.A. in psychology and history. Along with hosting and producin...
Jul 19, 2022•58 min•Season 14Ep. 182
The first time I introduced today's episode was in September 2020, when we recorded the interview on abortion access with Dr. Meera Shah. She is the Chief Medical Officer of Planned Parenthood Hudson Peconic in New York and the author of "You're the Only One I have Told: The Stories Behind Abortion." Meera is a tireless advocate for accessible, safe abortions. The episode was released only a few days after the passing of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, all while the presidential elections loomed ah...
Jul 12, 2022•50 min•Season 14Ep. 181
On June 24th, 2022, the hyper-conservative Supreme Court overturned Roe Vs. Wade and took away a woman's constitutional right to abortion. Thirteen states with trigger laws will ban abortion instantly. As a woman & a mother of two girls, I am angry, annoyed, devastated, and more uncertain about the safety of my kids now than ever before. It feels unreal that my daughters will have fewer rights than I did. However, I am determined to fight this injustice by voting for & supporting organiz...
Jul 05, 2022•32 min•Season 14Ep. 180
In September 2021, when the images of border patrol agents whipping a group of Haitian migrants in Del Rio, Texas, came to light, national outrage broke out. But as all news cycles go, the rage eventually died out. The publications moved on to other stories, and the social media posts changed. But the reality is, there was so much more to the story. What happened to these migrants after they were denied their right to seek asylum and forcefully detained? In this episode, we break down the legal ...
Jun 28, 2022•52 min•Season 14Ep. 179
Thimali Kodikara is the series producer of "Mothers of Invention," hosted by former Irish president Mary Robinson and comedian-writer Maeve Higgins. Their platform uncovers stories of climate justice heroes, focused on Black, Brown, and Indigenous women holding up the microphone to climate action in the boardroom, at marches, with their peers, and beyond. In addition to her podcast, Thimali advises on climate strategies and is a recognized public figure for climate advocacy. She has consulted gl...
Jun 21, 2022•57 min•Season 14Ep. 178
Today's guest, Dr. Anthony Ocampo, was raised in Los Angeles as the only son of two Filipino immigrants. He attended Stanford University for Comparative Race and Ethnicity and later received his master's in Modern Thought and Literature. He eventually received his Ph.D. in Sociology at the University of California, Los Angeles. Dr. Ocampo focuses on race, immigration, and LGBTQ issues as a writer and scholar. His debut book, Latinos of Asia: How Filipino Americans Break the Rules of Race, has be...
Jun 14, 2022•49 min•Season 14Ep. 177
Our guest, Stephen Satterfield, has dedicated his career to organizing, activating, and educating people about the origins and cultures of food. He founded Whetstone Radio Collective, a food magazine and media company that explores the history of American cuisine through the lens of cultural, socioeconomic, and human connections. Stephen's work disrupts the food canon in more ways than a few: writer, publisher, producer, former sommelier, and social entrepreneur. For example, his docuseries on N...
Jun 07, 2022•46 min•Season 14Ep. 176
In honor of May being the Asian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month (API), the National Hockey League (NHL) and Immigrantly joined forces to bring you two special episodes celebrating the role of the API community in hockey. Today's guest is Jordan Spence. He is a defenseman for the Los Angeles Kings. Now 21, Jordan picked up the puck at 5 years old, and just recently had his history-making debut at NHL. Born in Australia and raised in Osaka, he moved to Prince Edward Island of Canada in his tee...
May 31, 2022•29 min•Season 14Ep. 175
In honor of May being the Asian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month (API), the National Hockey League (NHL) and Immigrantly joined forces to bring you two special episodes celebrating the role of the API community in hockey. Today's guest is Aisha Visram. She is Head Trainer for the L.A. Kings' American Hockey League affiliate in Ontario, California. On January 13, 2022, the Los Angeles Kings scored a 6-2 victory against the Pittsburg Penguins. The crowd roared in celebration– and so did the int...
May 24, 2022•41 min•Season 14Ep. 174
Today we are sharing an episode from "Bad Table Manners," a podcast that pushes the boundaries of food storytelling in South Asia, produced by our friends at Whetstone Radio Collective. Enjoy! Thanks to the cool-ification of Indian food, traditional ingredients from the subcontinent, like turmeric and ghee, are now repackaged and resold in Western and Westernized markets as if they were “new” discoveries. Cleaned up, minimalistic design labels are often employed to give the familiar and unfamili...
May 17, 2022•35 min
Sports are undoubtedly one of the most prominent cultural phenomena in the US. They enjoy tremendous popularity and are considered a means to promote fair play, teamwork & camaraderie. But how have our perceptions of the games and players evolved? What does it mean to be a South Asian Basketball player on the court? How do race and identity intersect within the sports realm? And what does it mean to explore sports beyond the jock culture and from an academic lens? We have invited Dr. Stanley...
May 10, 2022•57 min•Season 14Ep. 173
Our guest is Josefa Velasquez, a senior reporter for The City, a digital publication focused on the New York area. Josefa has been featured in The Guardian, The New York Times, Business Insider, New York Magazine, and Politico, to name a few. We're bringing her onto this season of Immigrantly because she co-wrote a recent article with fellow city reporter Clifford Michel. Titled "NYC to Pick Up Two State Senate Seats Under Albany Redistricting Plan," the report dives into redistricting efforts i...
May 03, 2022•47 min
Season 14 of Immigrantly, titled “People’s Choice,” launches today. Our first guest of the season is Ali Noorani, the president and CEO of the National Immigration Forum. Prior, he was the director of the Massachusetts Immigrant and Advocacy Coalition. As the author of two books, one of which - "Crossing Borders: The Reconciliation of a Nation of Immigrants" was recently published, Ali is recognized by many as a thought leader and activist in immigration policy. His experiences are far from just...
Apr 26, 2022•42 min•Season 14Ep. 171
For season 13 finale, our guest is someone who defies the conventional boundaries of musical expression. Arooj Aftab, is a Grammy-winning Pakistani singer, composer, producer, and editor whose music has gained international recognition for its infusion of many genres. Her song, “Mohabbat,” was featured on Barack Obama’s list of favorite songs for the Summer of 2021 & won the 2022 Grammy for "Best Global Music Performance". Her music is usually described as “Neo Sufi” as it heavily draws from...
Apr 12, 2022•37 min•Season 13Ep. 170
Our guest today is Maria Akopyan. Maria is a family lawyer, divorce coach, and the founder of Dignified Divorce Coaching. Born in Armenia and immigrated to Los Angeles, California at only ten months old, Maria focuses on helping recently divorced women smoothly transition to a single life in a healthy, positive way. Her work challenges the notion that divorce is lonely and painful. Maria proposes that it’s also an opportunity for rediscovery and empowerment. Maria’s expertise stems from her expo...
Apr 05, 2022•38 min•Season 13Ep. 169
Our guest today is Frances Tang, the founder, CEO, of Awkward Essentials, an innovative personal hygiene company. Their most well-known product is called the dripstick, a post-sex cleanup tool that absorbs excess fluid leftover from a partner. During her work in developing this product, Frances immediately became passionate about deconstructing taboo conversations about sex. One of the most exciting ways to support us is by becoming a member of our Patreon by going to patreon.com/immigrantly. Fo...
Mar 29, 2022•30 min•Season 13Ep. 168
Dating can be a rocky ride at the best of times, especially in this day and age when narratives and how-tos are thrust upon us by the media, culture, and even friends. It becomes hard to filter what we want out of a relationship from what society expects us to enjoy. And then there is the issue of ignoring narratives that aren't as common or flashy. Today's episode looks at power and privilege with ability and disability. Then, we apply those concepts to the world of dating, unpacking questions ...
Mar 22, 2022•42 min•Season 13Ep. 167
Today's guest, Dr. Bushra Sabri, teaches at Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing & is a recognized expert in exposure to violence and psychosocial outcomes caused by experiencing health inequities among minority and immigrant women. She currently leads Its WeWomenPlus, a research study for immigrant women's health, safety, and empowerment funded by the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities. We talked about implicit assumptions about pain, pre and post-migration s...
Mar 18, 2022•43 min•Season 13Ep. 166
Today's guest is family in all senses of the word. Tina Khan (A.K.A Shahjehan khan's mom) describes her journey into marriage and how love is nurtured in her life. Tina shares stories of heartbreak, love letters, & socio-cultural distinction in the context of arranged marriage, with great sage and sass. This episode will make you feel all the feels. So let's jump right in!! One of the most exciting ways to support us is by becoming a member of our Patreon by going to patreon.com/immigrantly....
Mar 15, 2022•46 min•Season 13Ep. 165
Our guest today is trailblazing a unique approach towards navigating relationships. Jessica Fern is the author of The book takes its readers into an exploration of the relationship between attachment theory and consensual non-monogamy. One of the most exciting ways to support us is by becoming a member of our Patreon by going to patreon.com/immigrantly. For the price of an overpriced oat milk latte, you get special shoutouts, automatic submission to our raffles, and an opportunity to interact wi...
Mar 08, 2022•38 min•Season 13Ep. 164
Did you attend a sex-ed class in middle or high school? If the answer is no, you're not alone. In the United States, only twenty-four states mandate sex education, which leaves nearly half of the country inadequately educated on their sexual health. Justine Ang Fonte, M.Ed, MPH, makes it their mission to provide comprehensive sex-ed, intersecting it with the impacts of colonization, the porn industry, and underfunded schooling. Not only are these essential conversations to have— ones that decrea...
Mar 01, 2022•46 min•Season 13Ep. 163
Sujata Day, the producer of Definition Please and actress on Insecure and Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl, joins us in the studio to discuss her work, a product of what is personal and public. Influenced by heritage, family bonds, and inborn passions, Sujata attributes this specific voice to the Black and Brown collaboration in the entertainment space. So how did she take control of her career, move away from secondary characters to starring in her film? An inspiring patchwork of perseveranc...
Feb 22, 2022•41 min•Season 13Ep. 162
Dear Listener, have you ever had your heart broken? Whether by an ex or a friend, every one of us has felt our stomach drop and our heart collapse into a million shards. The moment feels devastating, and the days that follow are almost unbearable. You feel alone when the world you once knew turns darker and colder. But don't worry—we get it, and so does Joanna Carrillo, host of the podcast, Letter to My Ex. On this special Valentine's episode, we sit down with Joanna and explore how writing out ...
Feb 15, 2022•40 min•Season 13Ep. 161
Today we tackle self-love through a cultural lens. Our guest Tanzila "Taz" Ahmed, is a political strategist, storyteller, and artist based in Los Angeles. She creates at the intersection of counternarratives and culture-shifting as a South Asian American Muslim 2nd-gen woman. She's turned out over 500,000 Asian American voters, recorded five years of the award-winning #GoodMuslimBadMuslim podcast, and makes #MuslimVDay cards annually. Her essays are published in the anthologies New Moon, Pretty ...
Feb 08, 2022•42 min•Season 13Ep. 160
We explore self-love through sexual empowerment. Our today's guest is Anna Lee. Anna is the owner of the wellness company Lioness. Lioness is the first and only intelligent vibrator on the market. But beyond its niche, Lioness is a telling legacy of Anna's journey from a complicated childhood where sex was associated with pain & shame into a position of innovation focused on female pleasure and health. We talked about decoding orgasms, sex toys & self-love. You can support Immigrantly by...
Feb 01, 2022•49 min•Season 13Ep. 159
Today, joining us to speak on dating, comedy, finding, and being the source of inspiration is the oh-so wondrous, deeply hilarious, and boldly thoughtful actress and comedian Aparna Nancherla. She has appeared on several Late Night talk shows, Comedy Central, Inside Amy Schumer, and acted in plays like Crashing and The Great North's animated series. And if you are in New York City, catch Aparna and her deadpan humor at Butterboy Comedy, a weekly stand-up co-hosted with Maeve Higgins and Jo Fires...
Jan 25, 2022•55 min•Season 13Ep. 158
Saadia & Shahjehan sit down for a completely unscripted, unfiltered conversation to test their chemistry as co-hosts for season 13. In short, it is there. They exchange their own dating stories, including the failures and uncomfortable moments. In addition, they find common ground in their Desi culture along with the differences they experienced as they navigated the dating world. Hosts: Saadia Khan & Shahjehan Khan Producers: Saadia khan & Kylee C. Roberts Collaborative Editorial Re...
Jan 18, 2022•32 min•Season 13Ep. 157
It's official: Immigrantly Podcast is on its 13th season! So for Season 13, LOVE is in the air. We're going to explore all things relationships. Our conversations are going to tackle the constructs we've built around relationships. In addition, we'll be exploring how different political and sociological factors affect the relationships we create with each other. To help us tackle these topics and more, we've decided to bring on a guest co-host for Season 13. Shahjehan Khan is the host of King of...
Jan 04, 2022•4 min
Today we are speaking with an Afghan journalist facing threats under a Taliban regime that is becoming more hostile towards the press every day. To protect him, we have concealed all aspects of his identity, including altering his voice, to prevent any person from seeking to harm him. Therefore, we will also call him Follad Ahangar, not his real name. Our goal through this episode is to give you a more holistic view of what's happening on the ground. We want to reiterate here that while we are c...
Dec 21, 2021•52 min•Season 12Ep. 156
