Best Swana Podcasts (2024)

1
Episode 67: Star Wars: The Acolyte Season 1 Review 1:14:04

21d ago1:14:04

1:14:04

Leslye Headland's The Acolyte, streaming on Disney+, is unique in more ways than one. As one of the most diverse Star Wars series, in front of and behind the scenes, with writers like the SWANA and Turkish Kor Adana, it presents a bold story in the era of The High Republic, showcasing the mistakes made by those in power and the reverberations for o…

1
We're on a break! 1:53

3M ago1:53

1:53

Hi everyone, we’re on hiatus for a bit! Our next season will be focused on queer spirituality, broadly defined. Thank you to everyone who made Season 2 such a success and so much fun, from our brilliant guests to all of you, who have listened and passed these episodes along. It’s great to hear your feedback. You can find us on Substack or write us …

1
Episode 66: 'We Are Lady Parts' Season 2 Review 1:17:23

3M ago1:17:23

1:17:23

Our favorite costume designer Isa joins us once again to review one of our all-time favorite series, Nida Manzoor's We Are Lady Parts, starring a British Muslim women punk band comprising of frontwoman Saira (Sarah Kameela Impey), lead guitarist Amina (Anjana Vasan), bassist Bisma (Faith Omole), drummer Ayesha (Juliette Motamed), and band manager M…

1
Episode 65: Author Rania Hanna on 'The Jinn Daughter' 50:25

3M ago50:25

50:25

In her debut novel, The Jinn Daughter, Syrian-American author Rania Hanna weaves together a family tale based in stories of oral tradition across the Arab world. In telling stories with the Jinn, she seeks to tell a fundamentally human story. We discuss Rania's foray into the book world, how she aimed to tell stories on her own terms, and what she …

1
Mayssa Jallad on Falafel Frequencies with Noha Mohamed 35:22

3M ago35:22

35:22

Mayssa Jallad on Falafel Frequencies with Noha MohamedIn our conversation with singer/songwriter Mayssa Jallad on Falafel Frequencies, we talk about her music and how she blends architecture into her latest album ‘Marjaa: The battle of the hotels’We talk about the theme of loss and belonging ‘ana meen yalahwy’ for SWANA diaspora individuals.And, of…

1
Ep2. This is NOT the Noha Show 25:21

5M ago25:21

25:21

In this episode of This is NOT the Noha Show, we talk about the vision behind our new radio station: Falafel Frequencies. We also discuss how our hybrid Arab identity manifests itself in our SWANA music, and share your stories of the cultural impact of code-switching. Sign up for our newsletters to follow our latest news here: http://eepurl.com/iHV…

1
Episode 64: LIVE at Awesome Con (Washington D.C.)! 48:29

5M ago48:29

48:29

Joined by our friends Darya Bajestani, Roxana Hadadi, Ali Nasser, and Zaina Ujayli (while sadly missing Mae!), we're live at D.C.'s premier comic-con, Awesome Con! In this panel of SWANA writers, scholars, artists, and actors, we will discuss how we grew up feeling or not feeling represented, how Hollywood has constantly Orientalized our peoples, e…

1
Episode 63: 'Dune: Part Two' Review 1:21:16

6M ago1:21:16

1:21:16

Roxana Hadadi joins us once again to review the Dune franchise, now with Dune: Part Two in theaters. In a franchise that appropriates so much from SWANA and Muslim cultures, does the second installment improve on that regard, or does it continue to appropriate and Orientalize? But even beyond that, does Denis Villeneuve effectively convey the meani…

1
Episode 62: 'Assassin's Creed Mirage' Review and Updates on Gaza 1:36:36

6M ago1:36:36

1:36:36

We welcome back our friends Jasmin and Isa to discuss Assassin's Creed Mirage, a sprawling action-adventure game from Ubisoft set in 9th Century Abbasid Baghdad, that tells the story of Basim Ibn Ishaq (Lee Majdoub) and his mentor Roshan (Shohreh Aghdashloo). We go into detail on why this game is the the best Iraqi, Arab, Persian, Muslim, and SWANA…

1
The Longest One-Night Stand Ever 1:02:17

7M ago1:02:17

1:02:17

I'm excited to be on today with two longtime friends. They met in medical school in Beirut and have been together for 18 years. I jokingly call their story the worst one night stand ever– because 18 years, two countries, several cities, and two children later, they’re still going strong. Their story is beautiful, and it has it all – from years of o…

1
Episode 61: ‘The Persian Version’ Review on the Eve of Yalda 1:07:02

8M ago1:07:02

1:07:02

On the eve of Yalda, the Iranian Winter-Solstice, we review writer-director Maryam Keshavarz's The Persian Version with our friends Arezou and Samira. How well does Keshavarz do at portraying a unique yet universal experience through Leila (Layla Mohammadi) and her mother Shireen (Niousha Noor)? How does intergenerational trauma shape our familial …

1
The Lost Voice - Aurora Mardiganian: Part 3 34:38

9M ago34:38

34:38

After Aurora Mardiganian fainted in 1920, she not only disappeared from public life, but the film disappeared and is now officially considered a lost film. It took 70 years to finally get some news, where an Argentinian-Armenian found something promising… In this episode, we also go into Aurora’s life after the film, and talk to people who knew her…

1
The Lost Voice - Aurora Mardiganian: Part 2 36:16

9M ago36:16

36:16

After a harrowing two years under Ottoman occupation, Aurora Mardiganian finally manages to escape to America. But her story doesn’t stop there… Aurora is suddenly thrown into Hollywood, where she becomes the lead actress of the film based on her own life. This episode was produced and sound designed by Maxim Saakyan. Editorial support from Al Shai…

1
The Lost Voice - Aurora Mardiganian: Part 1 41:00

9M ago41:00

41:00

Uncovering Roots presents its first ever episode in this three-part mini series. Arshaluys Mardigian, also known as Aurora Mardiganian, was just 14 years old when she lost everything during the horrors of the Armenian Genocide. This episode follows her journey where she was kicked out of her home, and forced on a death march for hundreds of miles t…

1
Welcome to Uncovering Roots! 1:05

9M ago1:05

1:05

Welcome to Uncovering Roots! My name is Maxim Saakyan, and I’m really excited to kick off this storytelling journey with you. Uncovering Roots is a new storytelling podcast that aims to tell stories that are often overlooked. Our goal is to spotlight stories that need attention, with a primary focus on the South West Asia and North Africa region an…

1
Episode 60: "Squire" Through the lens of Palestine with Nadia Shammas 1:20:54

9M ago1:20:54

1:20:54

We welcome back Palestinian-American Harvey award winning comic and video games writer, Nadia Shammas, to discuss their critically acclaimed graphic novel Squire, which takes place in an a SWANA/MENA fantasy setting, through the lens of Palestine in the midst of the IDF's ongoing genocide of Palestinians in Gaza. We discuss Nadia's upbringing in bo…

1
🇵🇸 Mx. Yaffa, Part II 🇵🇸 41:42

9M ago41:42

41:42

In this episode, I continue my conversation with Mx. Yaffa, a queer, indigenous, displaced Palestinian person who currently serves as the executive director of the Muslim Alliance for Sexual and Gender Diversity. In this episode, we talk more about the challenging and necessary work that they do with queer muslims and Palestinians. I am struck by Y…

1
Episode 59: "The Marvels" Review 1:09:08

10M ago1:09:08

1:09:08

The Marvels is here, bringing our favorite superhero Kamala Khan (Iman Vellani), AKA Ms. Marvel, into the cinematic spotlight! But how well does it do her journey as a character, and how do the other leads of Carol (Brie Larson) and Monica (Teyonah Parris) fare? Our friends Isa and Maryam join us once again on the podcast to review the film, analyz…

1
🇵🇸 Mx. Yaffa, Part I 🇵🇸 41:34

9M ago41:34

41:34

My guest today is Mx.Yaffa, Executive Director of the Muslim Alliance for Sexual and Gender Diversity, or MASGD. Yaffa is a queer Palestinian poet, author, activist, and death doula whose family history of multiple displacements goes back 3-4 generations. In this episode, Yaffa shares their and their family’s history of displacement and movement. I…

1
Episode 58: Free Palestine, with Hannah Moushabeck 1:05:48

9M ago1:05:48

1:05:48

In the midst of Israel's ongoing bombardment and genocide of Palestinians in Gaza, with currently over 9,000 dead and over 30,000 more more injured, under the pretense of taking out Hamas leadership since their attack on Israel on October 7th, we have on Palestinian-American kidlit author and activist Hannah Moushabeck to discuss the ongoing crisis…

1
Episode 57: Maryam Keshavarz on Telling "The Persian Version" 20:44

10M ago20:44

20:44

Before anything else, we would like listeners to know we have an episode on Palestine coming soon. In the meantime we're sharing donation links as we have done before. As writer-director Maryam Keshavarz's The Persian Version has finally made its way to wide release in US theaters, we sit down with Keshavarz to discuss her semi-autobiographical dra…

1
Online educator @paulnmatthis on Palestine, queer SWANA history, & more (double episode) 1:35:51

10M ago1:35:51

1:35:51

My guest today is Paul Nabil Matthis, whom you can find on Instagram and TikTok as @paulnmatthis. Paul is an author, musician, social media educator (among other things). Paul’s channel is great- he posts a variety educational videos, ranging from topics in middle eastern/SWANA history to nerdy videos about different percussion styles in the Arab w…

1
A queer Palestinian speaks out 39:02

10M ago39:02

39:02

I'm happy and also sad because of the circumstances to welcome back Ali for a conversation about what is happening Gaza right now. Ali previously spoke with us in Season 1 episodes 9 and 10, and shares his perspective as a queer, Muslim, Palestinian man. We recorded this episode on October 19, 12 days after the attack by Hamas on Israeli civilians,…

1
Episode 56: 'My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3' Review, Tragic News in Morocco, Libya, and Artsakh, and One Year of Iran Protests 1:08:24

11M ago1:08:24

1:08:24

It's a week of heavy and tragic news across the SWANA region, from a 6.8 earthquake in Morocco, devastating floods in Libya, another Armenian genocide underway in Artsakh, and the commemoration of Jina Amini's murder and its sparking of the "Woman, Life, Freedom" movement in Iran and Kurdistan and the diasporas. We discuss all of these topics and w…

1
"On which side of the door do I fit?": Selma Abinader on Community and Ancestral Wisdom 23:10

1y ago23:10

23:10

In this episode, Raeshma talks to Selma Abinader, an organizational consultant who has dedicated her career to working with nonprofits and public institutions. Hers is also a journey of self-discovery, from her upbringing in a small coal mining town to embracing her Lebanese heritage…along the way finding power in the significance of ancestral wisd…

1
Finding the "antidote to imposter syndrome": Shalini Agrawal on cultivating affinity spaces and decolonizing architecture 23:32

1y ago23:32

23:32

Sometimes soup is much more than soup. In this episode, Shalini Agarwal describes how her creative practice blossomed beyond the conventional confines of architecture, leading her to the heart of her ancestral heritage through cooking. Along the way, we’ll spice this conversation with talk of decolonization, imposter syndrome and affinity spaces. M…

1
Dr. Eman Abdelhadi: queer Muslim activist, academic, and artist 1:02:59

1y ago1:02:59

1:02:59

My guest today is Dr. Eman Abdelhadi, professor at the University of Chicago, author of a forthcoming academic book called Impossible Futures: Why Women Leave American Muslim Communities, as well as the co-author of a speculative fiction novel called Everything for Everyone. Eman is also the subject of a documentary called Coming Around that is now…

1
Lamya H, author of Hijab Butch Blues 43:04

1y ago43:04

43:04

A conversation with Lamya H, author of Hijab Butch Blues, which came out earlier this year. Lamya is South Asian and grew up in a wealthy Arab Gulf state. The book is a series of memoir essays drawn from their life, told alongside beautifully personal, queer readings of stories of the prophets from the Quran. Find Layma on: Instagram @lamyaisangry …

1
Episode 55: Indiana Jones Dials Up the CGI and Orientalism 1:30:56

1y ago1:30:56

1:30:56

With Indiana Jones and The Dial of Destiny's release, and taking place in Morocco, we simply have to review it. Our friends Nadia Osman and Zaina Ujayli join us once again to discuss Dial of Destiny, and whether it does better by North African peoples than it did in the past (spoiler alert: not so much.) Why does this keep happening, and why did di…

1
Mohammad Mertaban, Part II 42:44

1y ago42:44

42:44

My guest today is Mohammad Mertaban, a proud, publicly out, queer Muslim man. He’s a physician, a father, and a devoutly religious person who always knew he was gay but followed the path laid out by his community’s interpretation of his faith. He was married for 8 years, and only came out in his mid-30s. And, because of his standing in the communit…

1
Mohammad Mertaban, Part I 43:43

1y ago43:43

43:43

My guest today is Mohammad Mertaban, a proud, publicly out, queer Muslim man. He’s a physician, a father, and a devoutly religious person who always knew he was gay but followed the path laid out by his community’s interpretation of his faith. He was married for 8 years, and only came out in his mid-30s. And, because of his standing in the communit…

1
Poppies, activism, and Odissi: Barnali Ghosh on home and homeland 27:11

1y ago27:11

27:11

Have you stopped and smelled the flowers today? Today’s guest most definitely has! In this episode, Raeshma talks to Barnali Ghosh about her art and activism, more specifically her project 'Unfaithful Re/creations,' a series of self portraits that honor California native flowers using sari fabrics and Odissi dance from India. Barnali Ghosh (@berkel…

1
Bushra Rehman, author of Roses, in the Mouth of a Lion 38:54

1+ y ago38:54

38:54

Join me for a conversation with Bushra Rehman, author of Roses, in the Mouth of a Lion, out recently from Flatiron Books and already up for a number of literary awards and accolades! I greatly appreciated Bushra's warmth, expansive way of thinking and being, and generosity of spirit, and found so many resonances with the book and in this conversati…

1
Episode 54: The Palestinian Ingenuity of Nadia Shammas 58:14

1+ y ago58:14

58:14

Nadia Shammas is a Palestinian-American Harvey award winning comic writer for their incredible groundbreaking graphic novel Squire, created with Jordanian-American artist Sara Alfageeh, and the co-creator of Where Black Stars Rise with artist Marie Enger. In Squire, Nadia wrote a story inherent to the lived experiences of SWANA peoples across the r…

1
From the "ideal" to the "real": Sheetal Gandhi on Challenging Notions of Womanhood through the Sitayana 23:37

1+ y ago23:37

23:37

Sheetal Gandhi is a Los Angeles based director/choreographer and multi-hyphenated artist (singer, dancer, actor, percussionist). As a performer and interdisciplinary artist, Sheetal’s career has spanned genres and disciplines. In 2021, Sheetal was cast in a one-woman play - a transposition of the Hindu epic The Ramayana - called The Sitayana (Or Ho…

1
Episode 53: 'Polite Society' Review with Roxana Hadadi 1:13:18

1+ y ago1:13:18

1:13:18

Rocky joins us once again to discuss Nida Manzoor's debut feature film, Polite Society. What did we love about this film and Nida's creative vision? How did Priya Kansara and Ritu Arya do so well at conveying this vision and the Khan sisters' love for one another? How did the action and dance sequences propel the plot? Just how outright hilarious w…

1
Sarah Cypher, author of The Skin and its Girl 1:05:13

1+ y ago1:05:13

1:05:13

Sarah Cypher is the author of The Skin and its Girl, out now from Ballantine Books! The novel follows the blue-skinned, queer second-generation Palestinian-American protagonist Betty Rummani, as she navigates difficult questions in her own life by turning to her memories of her great-aunt Nuha for guidance. The fictional Rummani family are in exile…

1
Episode 52: Senzel Ahmady on Playing Princess Jasmine in Disney's 'Aladdin' 29:41

1+ y ago29:41

29:41

Senzel Ahmady has made history as the first actress of SWANA/MENA descent to play Princess Jasmine in a major Aladdin production in North America, starring in the tour of the acclaimed musical. In our wide ranging conversation, we discuss Senzel's upbringing and Afghan and Filipina background, her foray into musical theater, why she finds Jasmine s…

1
"When Stories Get Real": Denmo Ibrahim on Creativity and Healing 19:57

1+ y ago19:57

19:57

By Denmo Ibrahim

1
Welcome Professor Vagistan! 55:24

1+ y ago55:24

55:24

In this episode I welcome the brilliant Dr. Kareem Khubchandani, Professor of Theater, Dance, and Performance Studies at Tufts University also known as their drag persona, LaWhore Vagistan! You can find them on Twitter at: @lawhorevagistan and @kareempuff and on Instagram at: @lawhorevagistan @kareempuff @auntologies Watch their TED Talk, "How to b…

1
Woman, Life, Freedom: Iranian-American culinary and visual artist Parisa Parnian on tradition, activism, and community 36:29

1+ y ago36:29

36:29

Tradition is something we often talk about in the Squad... In diaspora do we maintain it, change it, run from or celebrate it? What does it mean to be traditional when you’re uprooted? Today’s guest, Parisa Parnian, addresses tradition in her work…but not in the way you think. Parisa Parnian is an Iranian-American multi-disciplinary visual artist a…

1
Season 2 trailer! New episodes coming soon 2:07

1+ y ago2:07

2:07

We're out with new episodes on April 17th! The (loose) theme this season is family-- queering family, queer family, and of course, queer found family. Join me for exciting conversations with a range of amazing people. We have merch! Take a look at https://www.queereverything.com/shop ! Find us ! Instagram: @queereverythingpodcast Website: http://ww…

1
Episode 51: Indiana Jones and The Nexus of Orientalism 55:44

1+ y ago55:44

55:44

With Indiana Jones and The Dial of Destiny coming out soon, we discuss the long and torrid history of the franchise's use of Orientalism and racism against Southwest Asian, North African, and South Asian (SWANASA) peoples, and whether we think the new film will continue that trend. Why is Orientalism and white saviorism so foundational to this popu…

1
Woman, Life, Freedom: Iranian Filmmaker Sabereh Kashi on finding herself through film 23:30

1+ y ago23:30

23:30

“Woman, life, freedom” - Zan, zendegi, azadi - has been the rallying cry for the revolution in Iran that began with Mahsa Amini’s murder. This movement has been led by women and girls from the start. During this conversation with Iranian filmmaker Sabereh Kashi discusses her upcoming documentary project, which discusses the notion of womanhood from…

1
Woman, Life, Freedom: Iranian nonprofit leader Leva Zand on the healing power of art 30:23

1+ y ago30:23

30:23

To what extent can art provide healing? Today’s guest is nonprofit leader Leva Zand, who has dedicated her career to answering this question. Leva has been committed to refugees, human rights, social justice activism and advocacy. She is the founder and executive director of ARTogether, which provides welcoming, creative spaces and workshops for lo…

1
Episode 50: 'Blue Caftan' Review, the Earthquake, and an Update on Palestine 41:59

1+ y ago41:59

41:59

In our 50th (!) episode, we review Moroccan director Maryam Touzani's beautiful film Cannes-award winning film"Blue Caftan," which is a nuanced and heartfelt display of Moroccan life, culture, and queer identity. What are married couples willing to sacrifice? Why is it so refreshing to watch a nuanced and quiet story like this from North Africa? We…

1
Trailer: Woman, Life, Freedom, + Iranian Artists 1:35

1+ y ago1:35

1:35

We are kicking things off with a miniseries uplifting the voices of our Iranian-American members: Parisa Parnian, Leva Zand, and Sabereh Kashi. Each episode will highlight a different aspect of the Woman, Life, Freedom revolution taking place in Iran, and spotlight the creative, community-grounded work of our guests. Stay tuned! The Shahrazad Squad…

1
Intro to "In Conversation" 0:47

1+ y ago0:47

0:47

Introducing the Shahrazad Squad’s podcast, In Conversation. Host Raeshma Razvi will explore creativity, diaspora, and transformation with members of the Shahrazad Squad, a group of women and nonbinary creatives, cultural producers, and change agents working to transform themselves and their communities. The Shahrazad Squad is a community of MENASA/…

1
Episode 49: 'Farha' Review and the Resistance of Palestine 47:59

1+ y ago47:59

47:59

In our first episode of 2023, we finally review Palestinian and Jordanian filmmaker Darin J. Sallam's visceral masterpiece Farha, now streaming on Netflix, which details the first events of the Nakba in 1948, which saw the expulsion and killing of over 700,000 Palestinians. With such an unflinching and brutal eye in showcasing these events, Sallam …

1
Episode 48: Tala Ashe on Her Career and the Situation in Iran 58:19

1+ y ago58:19

58:19

Like us, you know her, you love her as Zari Tarazi on Legends of Tomorrow, it's Tala Ashe on the podcast! Mae has a riveting conversation with Tala on her life and career, her time as Zari on Legends, what she learned about herself playing the role, her theater roles in the SWANA plays English and The Vagrant Trilogy, and much more! We also discuss…

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