Immigrantly

Immigrantly does an anecdotal dive on Christmas from the perspective of the American immigrant. Sit down with us as we hear three different perspectives on this holiday that holds one of the prime seats as a staple of American culture.  Producer & Host Saadia Khan   Associate Producer & Content writer Sarah Doh   Editor Tom Whelan

Our today's guest is Moumita Ahmed. She is a movement organizer, community activist, civic leader, & a candidate for the New York City Council, District 24. Moumita’s campaign is built around ensuring that working families don’t have to make sacrifices to afford things like education, healthcare, and a home. We spoke about a host of issues, including climate change, the NY housing crisis, opti...

Our today's guests are Cristina Rodriguez and Adam Cox. Cristina is a Professor of Law at Yale Law School. She served as Deputy Assistant Attorney General in the Office of Legal Counsel in the U.S. Department of Justice from 2011-2013. She’s also served as a term member of the Council on Foreign Relations. Adam is the Robert A. Kindler Professor of Law at New York University School of Law, where h...

History is fraught, no doubt. Today on Immigrantly, we seek to draw out its patterns and hold them against the present. In collaboration with Julia Wang and Kathy Lu from and a Professor of Ethnic Studies at UC Berkeley, we unveil immigrant laborers' narratives in the U.S. From the Chinese laborers who built the Transcontinental Railroad to the Mexican migrant workers employed by the Bracero progr...

In collaboration with activist Naelyn Pike (San Carlos Apache Tribe), a spokesperson for Apache Stronghold, an organization that fights to protect Indigenous land, Immigrantly breaks down the truth behind the glorified “Thanksgiving Day” story. We talk about the real history behind this story, along with the themes that play out in the present-day struggle for Indigenous sovereignty. Producer &amp...

Laila Al-Arian is a journalist and the Executive Producer of , a Peabody and Emmy award-winning documentary series covering the US and its role around the world. The conversation mainly focuses on the controversy surrounding the NYTimes Podcast "Caliphate" and how journalists in the US present one-dimensional narratives about marginalized communities esp Muslims.

Krish O Mara has spent decades in public service, including being a clerk for Chief Judge Michael Boudin, advisor for Secretaries of State Clinton and Kerry, & Michelle Obama as the First Lady’s policy director. Her work has largely focused on public and foreign affairs concerning immigration and refugees. That has carried over to her current role as the President and CEO of the Lutheran Immig...

Today, we are sharing a conversation with Vaibhav Jain. Vaibhav is a dental surgeon and public health researcher who grew up in  Delhi, India. He currently works as an independent consultant on global health issues & language access for Asian American minorities, primarily consulting with U.S. Census Bureau and several national, nonpartisan organizations that mobilize Asian Americans and Pacif...

Susanna Barkataki is a renowned yoga speaker, teacher, and therapist. Her mission is to explore and integrate yogic values into our every day and build awareness, equity, and diversity within the yoga community. Susanna Barkataki is the Director of Education for Ignite Yoga and Wellness Institute and the creator of the Honor (don't appropriate) Yoga Summit. 

Imam Khalid Latif is University Chaplain at NYU.  He was the first Muslim chaplain at both NYU and Princeton. He was nominated by Mayor Michael Bloomberg to be the youngest chaplain for the NYPD in history. Khalid has consulted with the U.S. State Department, various institutions, corporations, mosques, and other communities worldwide. He is also the co-founder of Honest Chops, the first organic a...

In a time where the current events in America feel like they’re moving us closer to a dystopian reality, it’s hard not to feel frazzled by it all. Our guest today is someone who has spent a lot of time thinking about this. Hari Kunzru is a British-Indian novelist and journalist. He is the author of the novels The Impressionist, Transmission, My Revolutions, Gods Without Men, and White Tears. His m...

Shafi Hossain is a Bangladesh-born comedian who moved to the United States for college. Now, he calls New York City his home. He’s been navigating the comedy scene for years, with features on festivals like World Series of Comedy and 208 Comedy Fest. His humor and comedic style address cultural dichotomies through personal anecdotes. Produced & Hosted by: Saadia Khan; Written: Sarah Doh, Saadi...

Shariq Ahmad is the Chairman of the Edison Democratic Organization, the fifth-largest municipal Democratic party in NJ & representative of the group, South Asians, for Biden. Saadia & Shariq talk about why we must vote in the 2020 Election, Joe Biden’s political approach, & how to engage young people and progressives. Produced & Hosted by Saadia Khan Written by Sarah Doh, Saadia Kh...

Dr. Meera Shah is the Chief Medical Officer of Planned Parenthood Hudson Peconic, in New York. Meera is a tireless advocate for accessible, safe abortions. She has recently published a book called, “You’re The Only One I’ve Told: The Stories Behind Abortion” which aims to humanize abortions. Each experience reflects the uniqueness of circumstances of the person seeking an abortion. Produced &...

 Paola Mendoza is a critically acclaimed filmmaker, author, a human rights activist who carries her Colombian heritage and immigrant identity with pride and perspective. Paola knows what it is like to feel exhausted and disillusioned as if this country is not for her but against her. But she also knows resilience like it’s her middle name. She is a fierce feminist who is raising her son to be one....

Season 8 launches with a great conversation with Majo Molfino. Majo is taking back the narrative that has been assigned to women for centuries. Her work centers around dismantling tendencies that hold women back from stepping into their power. According to her, these are the “good girl myths.” Myths that societally condition women into acting “good” instead of achieving their most powerful selves....

Today we have a very special guest who is merging the vogue field of technological design with that of social impact. He is reimagining products so they can be accessible and user friendly for all, those who are physically disabled and physically abled. Amin Hasani has his hands in many pots but most notably is the founder, or as I see it, the mind and the machine, behind Blue Heart Hero, a local...

When COVID hit the United States, and DACA decisions were in limbo, the Immigrantly team sought to learn how the two events were being felt by undocumented immigrant communities - in particular, undocumented Asian Pacific Islanders. With guidance from API organizations like RAISE and notable research platforms, we found ourselves absorbed and humbled by this group's unique socio-political existenc...

On the anniversary of Pakistan’s independence from British colonial rule, sit down with Immigrantly as we give you a brief history lesson on British colonialism over India and Pakistan. How exactly did it start? What were the political implications of British colonialism? What was life like under colonial rule? What did it create for generations to come? In this incredibly informative episode, Imm...

Shreya Tanisha is a multi-media artist and the founder of , a London-based film and theatre company promoting artists of color. We spoke about our nomadic lives, discrimination based on race and color within the art world, how patriarchy manifests itself in the Western cultures & what's next for Shreya.   Produced by Saadia Khan   Written by Yudi Liu, Saadia Khan   Edited by Tom Whelan   Music...

Asifa Lahore is Britain’s first out Muslim drag queen. She is a proud British-Pakistani, Muslim, Transgender, Disabled artist, and performer. However, it’s important to understand that Asifa cannot be reduced to her identities. She embraces every part of her, finding the beauty in the intersections of who she is and creating art that validates those who have been misunderstood. Art that gives visi...

Maytha Alhassen is a multi-hyphenated career woman and activist. She writes, she teaches, she is a yogi and reporter, and the list goes on. Her journey is as fascinating as her bold sense of purpose, and along the way, she taught us a few things about artistry, vision, and healing. Produced by Saadia Khan   Written by Yudi Liu, Saadia Khan   Edited by Tom Whalen   Music by Evan Ray Suzuki  

Our today's guest is Maliha Abidi. She is an artist who uses her work to shed light on critical social issues and celebrate the women who are leading them. Last year, she compiled these portraits to honor 50 inspirational Pakistani women from various walks of life in a book titled, Pakistan for Women. She represents the Generation Z mindset in the most eloquent manner. Produced by Saadia Khan   Wr...

 Zohran Kwame Mamdani is an Indian-Ugandan New Yorker, housing counselor, a democratic socialist, and a candidate to represent Astoria, NY in the State Assembly.  Zohran ran his campaign for the State Assembly on the grounds of guaranteeing housing to all New Yorkers, desegregate the schools, fund and fix the MTA, and apply critical changes to the criminal justice system such as eliminating cash b...

Today's guest, DJ Bembona is taking the New York music scene by storm. Her sets are known for their infectious Afro-diasporic tracks. At the core of her work, she is an activist. She uses her sounds to empower by bridging the gap between communities of color, activism, and generations. Her sets offer a space for healing, movement, joy, and liberation for black and brown communities. When she’s not...