See Something Say Something

This month, we're sharing with you   part two Ahmed's reporting for America's Test Kitchen where he followed the Pakistani mango trade in the United States. The story first started on SSSS and eventually moved to ATK's PROOF podcast.   Find more info on PROOF here: https://www.americastestkitchen.com/proof . "In part two of this investigation, reporter Ahmed Ali Akbar explores the underbelly of th...

This month, we're sharing with you Ahmed's reporting for America's Test Kitchen where he followed the Pakistani mango trade in the United States. The story first started on SSSS and eventually moved to ATK's PROOF podcast.   Find more info on PROOF here: https://www.americastestkitchen.com/proof . "Pakistani-American communities in the U.S. rely on dealers on WhatsApp to gain access to their most...

Jack Ryan, Amazon's TV show based on the Tom Clancy character of the same name, features drone strikes, a Black American "good Muslim" character, and many of the tropes that have been around since Homeland and 24. So Ahmed decided to swallow his pride and try to watch it to see what he could learn. First, we talk to Salimah about the appeal of the show for your average Muslim TV binge watcher. The...

Happy Halloween! Jinn, those mischievous beings made of smokeless fire, are one of three races featured in the Qur'an (humans and angels being the others). They're important figures in folklore too and a common indicator of the religion's adaption to local culture. Assistant Professor of History Ali A. Olomi joins the podcast to tell some spooky stories and to help us understand what the jinn real...

  You know that catchy jingle that starts our show? That's by The Kominas, a punk band that's been influential in South Asian and Muslim scenes. One of the guitarists, Shahjehan Khan, is a longtime friend of the show who has been open about his issues with mental health and addiction. There's a new Kominas album too this month, "The Systems Are Down," so we bring on Shahj to discuss about his stru...

Over the past few years, China has increased its internment and surveillance of the Uyghur people for expressing their culture and Muslim religion. This has spread to the diaspora, where the community lives in fear of retaliation for family members back home, even for something as basic as teaching the Uyghur language itself. So, Ahmed talks to journalist Megha Rajagopalan about her groundbreaking...

The July 30th and 31st Democratic debates had 20 (TWENTY!) candidates on stage. So, what do Muslim folks working in PR think about how the candidates fared? We invited on Firdaus Arastu, political consultant and activist, to discuss her work, how American Muslims can reclaim the narrative, and to break down the debates.   Donate to the Patreon to help support the show: https://www.patreon.com/ahme...

Ahmed talks to Ramy Youssef, the writer and creator behind the Hulu show "Ramy" and the HBO Comedy Special "Feelings." They discuss representation, future Muslim TV shows they hope to see, and why it's important to resist being "the first."   Donate to the Patreon to help support the show: https://www.patreon.com/ahmedaliakbar . Your support means the world to us. $10 donors get access to the show...

Journalist Hussein Kesvani's new book, "Follow Me, Akhi: The Online World of British Muslims" covers the many ways British Muslims use the internet. So Ahmed invites Hussein on for a cross-Atlantic conversation on growing up online. They talk about confronting Islamophobic trolls, No-Fap groups, and Muslim dating apps. It's as wild and weird as the internet itself.   Buy "Follow Me, Akhi": https:/...

Ramadan and Eid zoomed by and in the meantime, Ahmed watched the new live-action Guy Ritchie Aladdin movie… and turns out kind of enjoyed it?   Controversial, yes, but you have to speak your truth. So we're joined this week by Nida Abbasi and Maryam Adamu to discuss Eid traditions and why we had fun in Aladdin despite how flawed the movie is. Also making an appearance:   jinn-human romances, Heba...

American Muslims have long participated in the struggle against mass incarceration, and this Ramadan, we speak to three people who can help us make sense of where things stand now. First, we talk to Sadiq Davis on his reentry journey through Muslim communities in Chicago and L.A. after 25 years in prison. Then, Justin Mashouf, the filmmaker who captured Sadiq's story in the documentary "The Honest...

Ramadan Mubarak! We're happily loopy from our first week of fasting. In this episode, Ahmed talks to New York Times best-selling novelist, Fatima Farheen Mirza. Her novel, "A Place For Us," explores the relationships between the children and parents of a Hyderbadi Muslim family and what happens when a brown boy doesn't meet family and community expectations. It's kind of like that Warsan Shire twe...

See Something Say Something is officially back, but we need your help! We've shifted to an independent, crowdfunding model; bear with us as we spend a few minutes discussing our new Patreon and how your donations will help us make the show. A big thank you to the all the Patrons who've already donated and help us keep the show going. But also: remember, we're committed to providing this space for...

Ahmed's back for another short SSSS newsbrief! Salimah joins the podcast to talk about the three Somali models featured on April's Vogue Arabia cover, the freshmen Muslim congresswomen, Jordan Peele's "Us," and the attacks on Mali. PLUS: we have a Patreon now. Donate to the show monthly and help us make the show! Head over to  https://www.patreon.com/ahmedaliakbar . More info on the next episode....

Ahmed and Abu are back for a one-off episode processing the murder of 50 people in the Christchurch, New Zealand masjids by a white supremacist. Stay subscribed to the feed and our social feeds for more updates on the future of the show after BuzzFeed News.   Follow Ahmed @radbrowndads. Follow the show @seesomething on Twitter and http:/ facebook.com/seesomethingpodcast on Facebook. 

Ahmed and See Something Say Something are leaving BuzzFeed News — so we're taking a moment to reflect with Bim Adewunmi, Tabir Akhter, and Sara Yasin. Ahmed talks candidly about what the show set out to do, the future of See Something Say Something, and more. Plus, we read mail from our super smart and wonderful fans. Stay subscribed to the feed for future announcements or potential episodes of Se...

Comedian Aamer Rahman's viral stand-up bit on "Reverse Racism" is a sharp, thoughtful, and hilarious take on a microaggression that has always been a struggle to respond to. Aamer joins us on the show this week to continue schooling us on political change, why Muslims have a right to feel angry, and why Desi food and Coke go oh-so-well together. And, some sad news. See Something Say Something will...

This week, we've got an elections update! Ahead of midterm elections, we're checking in with BuzzFeed News reporters on the Muslim candidates that ran for office this year. Talal Ansari gives us an update on everyone from Ilhan Omar to Rashida Tlaib and Abdul El Sayed. He tells us who's still in the running and what they're facing in their respective regions. Then, reporter Hannah Allam returns to...

We're back with the final installment of our food series! Each episode of Mangoes & Memories explores food through the lens of culture and politics. This week's episode is about the Gullah/Geechee community and their fight to maintain their culture and history. First, BuzzFeed News reporter Hannah Allam discusses her reporting on Sapelo Island, Georgia and how the present-day Gullah community is t...

Mangoes are one of the world's most treasured fruit, but for Indian and Pakistani immigrants, it's nearly impossible to get the beloved Alphonso and Chaunsa varietals in America. In this episode, we explore why some people are willing to pay nearly $9 a pop for a taste of home. We talk to food writer Myles Karp about the complications Indian mangos have faced entering the US, from political bans t...

It's a new food mini-series! Each episode of Mangoes & Memories will explore food through the lens of culture and politics. This week's episode is about Eid al Adha and how some American Muslims are taking a more ethical stance towards meat consumption. First, a visit to the farm! Diane Abboushi of Halal Pastures walks us through a day of Eid celebrations at Halal Pastures, where she raises and pr...

This week, we're tackling a sensitive topic: suicide and mental health services in the American Muslim community. A few weeks ago, BuzzFeed News reporter Hannah Allam published a piece on the rise of suicide rates in the community and what can be done in terms of prevention and awareness. Ahmed talks to her about her reporting and also brings in rapper, chaplain, and artist Mona Haydar, who recent...

Fatimah Asghar is a Pakistani-Kashmiri poet, writer, and co-creator of the web series 'Brown Girls,' which is currently in development with HBO. Her new book of poems, 'If They Come For Us,' released this week. Ahmed talks to her about the challenges and joy of creating for your own community, depicting queer love on screen, and what so many people get wrong about being an orphan. Buy Fatimah's ne...

It's time for another pop culture round up! This time, we're checking in with TV Guide's Krutika Mallikarjuna and Condeé Nast's Muna Mire about two queer Muslims currently on TV. First, we discuss *the character Adena El-Amin from the social media-obsessed, openly feminist dramedy, "The Bold Type".* Then, we discuss the *phenomenon* of "Queer Eye" and *the highs and lows of the show's fashion expe...

Have you ever wondered how many Americans are married to their cousin? How hairy the average woman of color is? Well! Data journalist Mona Chalabi has the answers to all your weirdest queries, often with whimsical and witty illustrations. Ahmed and Mona talk about how opinion polling has been used against Muslims, double standards of shame across cultures, and her contentious friendship with Sesam...