“Depriving me from Arabic was limiting” Publisher Yasmina Jraissati on unlocking the potential of the Arabic language and how she accidentally became a rebel with a cause.

The Lighthouse Conversations with Hashem Montasser

Hashem catches up with publisher Yasmina Jraissati, who manages content strategy and acquisition at Storytel MENA. They explore the commonalities of growing up in Arab homes with a French-speaking parent, and the implications of language on societal participation in the Middle East. Hashem and Yasmina also discuss the lack of Arabic content and attainability—specifically for young adults—and the potential for valuing critical thought and social sciences in Arabic university curriculums. Yasmina also shares her stance on technology and the role of digital content, as well as the challenges facing Arab authors— including schismatic audiences; a lack of archiving and metadata; and inconsistent censorship. Hashem and Yasmina also delve into the nascent world of Arabic audiobooks… and Hashem’s future as a voice actor!