Immigrantly

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 of a recent article she co-wrote 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 in Brooklyn and Queens that will change the district's constituent makeup. Josefa is here to explain the basics of redistricting and why we should care! One of the most exciting ways to support us is becoming a member of our . For the price of an overpriced oat milk latte, you're entitled to special shoutouts, automatic submission to our raffles, and an opportunity to interact with our team. Host: Saadia Khan l Executive Producer: Saadia Khan l Creative Producer: Kylee. C Roberts l Content Writer: Ashley Lanuza & Saadia Khan l Editor: Bronte Cook l Immigrantly Theme Music: Evan Ray Suzuki l Other Music: Rephonic Sounds You can find us on Twitter  & IG

Today's guest, Thea Pham, shares her journey in discovering and defining what mental health means to her, how it fits in the complicated puzzle of her upbringing, and why she has felt immense emotional and psychological strains being the first generation. As an accomplished biotech entrepreneur, Thea was the youngest in her class to graduate with a Ph.D. in neuroscience at UCLA and currently works for a biotech venture capital start-up in LA. She has won numerous awards for her research and was featured in the LA Business Journal's 20 entrepreneurs in their 20s.    A month ago, Thea received viral attention after sharing an emotional TikTok about her challenges as the daughter of Vietnamese parents. In that video, she highlighted some common expectations that fall on children of immigrants, such as academic excellence and financial support. But in Thea's case, they have caused guilt, mental illness, and more. Atlhough, Thea and I come from diametric points of view in our status as daughter and mother, respectively but our dialogue was fruitful. I want you to stay after, to hear me unpack this conversation with our content editor and this script's writer, Yudi Liu, who is an immigrant daughter herself. Join the conversation: Instagram @immigrantlypod | Twitter @immigrantly_pod |  Please share the love and leave us a review to help more people find us! Host & Executive Producer: Saadia Khan I Content Writer: Yudi Liu I Sound Designer & Editor: Manni Simon I Immigrantly Theme Music: Evan Ray Suzuki I Other Music: Epidemic Sounds

For Neda Toloui-Semnani, our today's guest, understanding who her parents were and what motivated them to participate in the 1979 Iranian Revolution as young Iranian activists became a crucial step to making sense of her own present. Born to a nation marked by political upheaval and now a Brooklyn-based emmy-winning writer & reporter, Neda is no stranger to the fabrics of social change and the equally important need to document such history.   Her father was imprisoned and killed by the Islamic Republic, while her then-pregnant mother and three-year old Neda escaped Iran for America. After her mother passed away, Neda tried to comprehend why her parents did what they did, which could be argued as both brave sacrifices and selfish risks. Her book, THEY SAID THEY WANTED REVOLUTION: A Memoir of My Parents, published this past February, details her rediscovering of personal history against a larger political backdrop.  Neda works for Vice News Tonight and has appeared in numerous publications such as The Washington Post, Kinfolk, and The Week as well as platforms like The Rumpus and This American Life. We had a fantastic conversation where we talked about the literary and emotional journey behind the memoir and what intersections exist between journalism and storytelling and how they are tools for uncovering the truth and preserving memory.  Join the conversation: Instagram @immigrantlypod | Twitter @immigrantly_pod |  Please share the love and leave us a review to help more people find us! Host & Executive Producer: Saadia Khan I Content Writer: Ashley Lanuza & Saadia Khan I Editorial Review IYudi Li I Sound Designer & Editor: Manni Simon I Immigrantly Theme Music: Evan Ray Suzuki I Other Music: Epidemic Sounds

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 first ever podcast interview, we thought it would be fun to re-share our fantastic conversation, especially for listeners who recently became part of the Immigrantly community. So enjoy! Libsyn is the sponsor of this episode. Click on Libsyn.com and use code Friend to get your discount! Join the conversation: Instagram @immigrantlypod | Twitter @immigrantly_pod |  Please share the love and leave us a review to help more people find us! Host & Executive Producer: Saadia Khan I Associate Producer: Kinza Muzahir I Content Writer: Yudi Liu I Sound Designer & Editor: Manni Simon & Tom Whelan I Immigrantly Theme Music: Evan Ray Suzuki I Other Music: Epidemic Sounds

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 producing, Ramtin is also a trained audio engineer and has written and mixed music for many award-winning podcasts, including TED Radio Hour and Hidden Brain. Ramtin generously offered his time to us to talk about an episode he reported back in early June this year called "By Accident of Birth." It's about the story of Wong Kim Ark, who, after returning from a trip to China in 1895, was barred from re-entering the country according to the Chinese Exclusion Act, which denied citizenship to Chinese immigrants. His subsequent legal battles culminated in the 1897 Supreme Court case, the United States. v. Wong Kim Ark:  the case that would forever change the path of American immigration law and play a pivotal role in the ongoing battle over who gets to be a citizen of the United States. Libsyn is the sponsor of this episode Click on Libsyn.com and use code Friend to get your discount! Join the conversation: Instagram @immigrantlypod | Twitter @immigrantly_pod |  Please share the love and leave us a review to help more people find us! Host & Executive Producer: Saadia Khan I Associate Producer: Kinza Muzahir I Content Writer: Sana Khan & Yudi Liu I Sound Designer & Editor: Manni Simon I Immigrantly Theme Music: Evan Ray Suzuki I Other Music: Epidemic Sounds

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 ahead. Fast forward to July 2022, Joe Biden is in the White House, the Democrats have a thin majority in the House, and Senate is split 50-50. In addition, we are freshly reeling from the Supreme Court decision that overturned Roe v. Wade. With this layered perspective in the background and the undercurrent of the U.S. midterm elections up ahead, we thought it would be appropriate to revisit this episode from the past to make sense of the present and mobilize for the future. So, here is an episode from the Immigrantly vault — it provides a compassionate lens to abortion, healthcare in general, how U.S. policies have influenced access to it, particularly for immigrant communities, and the reality of shared experiences around it. We hope it will help you contextualize our continued fight for bodily autonomy. So, let's hit rewind. Libsyn is the sponsor of this episode Click on Libsyn.com and use code Friend to get your discount! Join the conversation: Instagram @immigrantlypod | Twitter @immigrantly_pod |  Please share the love and leave us a review to help more people find us! Host & Executive Producer: Saadia Khan I Associate Producer: Kinza Muzahir I Content Writer: Sarah Doh I Sound Designer & Editor: Manni Simon & Tom Whelan I Immigrantly Theme Music: Evan Ray Suzuki I Other Music: Epidemic Sounds

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 organizations and people who believe in women's bodily autonomy and amplifying the stories that must be told on our platform. As for men, please speak up because this is not only a woman's issue. It's a family issue, a human rights issue, and it will impact you too. And on this show today, we are going to make some noise.  Our guest, LaKia Williams, is a Reproductive Justice activist based in the South. At Tulane University, she founded the Big Easy EC, an emergency contraception provider for college students in New Orleans. After graduating from University with a Bachelor's in Neuroscience, she joined SisterSong: The National Women of Color Reproductive Justice Organization as their Digital Organizer. LaKia is also the host of the Black Feminist Rants podcast about reproductive justice and activism.  Join the conversation: Instagram @immigrantlypod | Twitter @immigrantly_pod |  Please share the love and leave us a review to help more people find us! Host & Executive Producer: Saadia Khan I Associate Producer: Kinza Muzahir I Content Writer: Ashley Lanuza I Sound Designer & Editor: Manni Simon I Immigrantly Theme Music: Evan Ray Suzuki I Other Music: Epidemic Sounds

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 framework that allowed the existence of the “Del Rio Encampment” with Sarah Decker. She’s a Staff Attorney at Robert F Kennedy Human Rights, an organization that advocates for human rights issues and pursues strategic litigation to hold governments accountable on both the domestic and international levels. Sarah is also the co-author of “Beyond The Bridge,” a 2022 report documenting abuses toward Haitian immigrants in the Texas-based encampment. Join the conversation: Instagram @immigrantlypod | Twitter @immigrantly_pod |  Please share the love and leave us a review to help more people find us! Host & Executive Producer: Saadia Khan I Associate Producer: Kinza Muzahir I Content Writer: Sarah Doh I Sound Designer & Editor: Manni Simon I Immigrantly Theme Music: Evan Ray Suzuki I Other Music: Epidemic Sounds Athletic Greens is the sponsor of this episode. To get your discount, go to

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 global and regional organizations like Human Rights Watch and BAFTA on how to adopt intersectional-feminist principles in their climate policies.  Join the conversation: Instagram @immigrantlypod | Twitter @immigrantly_pod |  Please share the love and leave us a review to help more people find us! Host & Executive Producer: Saadia Khan I Associate Producer: Kinza Muzahir I Content Writer: Yudi Liu I Sound Designer & Editor: Bronte Cook I Immigrantly Theme Music: Evan Ray Suzuki I Other Music: Epidemic Sounds Athletic Greens is the sponsor of this episode. To get your discount, go to

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 been recognized by the Los Angeles Times and NPR. His upcoming book, "Brown and Gay in L.A.," is slotted to release this September. It chronicles the struggle gay men of color face to be seen by their families and the broader society. Join the conversation: Instagram @immigrantlypod | Twitter @immigrantly_pod |  Please share the love and leave us a review to help more people find us! Host & Executive Producer: Saadia Khan I Associate Producer: Kinza Muzahir I Content Writer: Ashley Lanuza I Sound Designer & Editor: Bronte Cook I Immigrantly Theme Music: Evan Ray Suzuki I Other Music: Epidemic Sounds Athletic Greens is the sponsor of this episode  to get your discount!

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 Netflix, "High on the Hog," traces the foundation of American cooking from Texas to Africa and peels the layers of generations across time and geography. In today's episode, beyond flavors & taste, Stephen and I do a deep dive into the journey of African American cuisine in the U.S. and how food can be a catalyst for change. Join the conversation: Instagram @immigrantlypod | Twitter @immigrantly_pod |  Please share the love and leave us a review to help more people find us! Host & Executive Producer: Saadia Khan I Associate Producer: Kinza Muzahir I Content Writer: Saadia Khan & Yudi Liu I Sound Designer & Editor: Bronte Cook I Immigrantly Theme Music: Evan Ray Suzuki I Other Music: Epidemic Sounds Athletic Greens is the sponsor of this episode Magic Spoon also sponsors the episode. Go to /IMMIGRANTLY to grab a variety pack and try it today! And be sure to use our promo code IMMIGRANTLY at checkout to save five dollars off your order.

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 teens. In response to a reporter, Jordan once explained, “In Japan, they don’t think they have hockey over there, but they actually do.” I spoke with him about the responsibilities of performing at this elite level, his family’s role in his hockey career, why we see skewed representation, and the socialization around sports. Jordan is undoubtedly rising the ranks and stirring up the playing field. His passion for hockey is palpable, and I’m so excited to share it with you all. Host & Executive Producer: Saadia Khan I Associate Producer: Kinza Muzahir I Content Writer: Yudi Liu I Sound Designer & Editor: Bronte Cook I Immigrantly Theme Music: Evan Ray Suzuki I Other Music: Epidemic Sounds. Athletic Greens is the sponsor of this episode Magic Spoon also sponsors the episode. Go to /IMMIGRANTLY to grab a variety pack and try it today! And be sure to use our promo code IMMIGRANTLY at checkout to save five dollars off your order.

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 internet. Because at that particular game, Aisha Visram, our today's guest, was the second woman to work behind the bench at a regular-season NHL game. The first was Jodi Van Rees. Aisha's feat sparked conversation around gender and ethnic representation in hockey. Aisha and I sat down to talk about what it means to be a woman in a male-dominated sport, what authentic representation looks like, and why certain positions (including the athletic trainer position) are examined through a gendered lens. Join the conversation: Instagram @immigrantlypod | Twitter @immigrantly_pod | Please share the love and leave us a review to help more people find us! Host & Executive Producer: Saadia Khan I Creative Producer: Kylee. C Roberts I Content Writer: Ashley Lanuza & Saadia Khan I Sound Designer & Editor: Bronte Cook I Immigrantly Theme Music: Evan Ray Suzuki I Other Music: Epidemic Sounds Athletic Greens is the sponsor of this episode Magic Spoon also sponsors the episode. Go to /IMMIGRANTLY to grab a variety pack and try it today! And be sure to use our promo code IMMIGRANTLY at checkout to save five dollars off your order.

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 unfamiliar look and conceal what one can argue is a recolonization of the Global South by the Global North. The U.S.-based academic Rumya Putcha tells us why this hipster Indian food is problematic, while Vidya Balachander, current South Asia editor at Whetstone, helps us unpack the idea of the global supermarket. We’d love for you to be part of the Immigrantly community. Join us on Instagram: @Immigrantlypod Find us on Twitter: @immigrantly_pod Support us via our If you enjoy listening to Immigrantly, please share the love and leave us a review so that more people can find us!

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 Thanaraj, a socio-anthropologist, and professor at the City College of New York, to answer these questions. His research and interests land on race, gender, sexuality, class, ethnicity, and sports in America. While my knowledge of sports is amateur at best, I was fascinated by how Dr. Stan applies race theory, masculinity studies, diaspora studies, and more to this nearly-universal pastime. We’d love for you to be part of the Immigrantly community. Join us on Instagram: @Immigrantlypod Find us on Twitter: @immigrantly_pod Support us via our If you enjoyed listening to this episode, please share the love and leave us a review so that more people can find us! Host: Saadia Khan l Executive Producer: Saadia Khan l Creative Producer: Kylee. C Roberts l Content Writer: Ashley Lanuza & Saadia Khan l Sound design & Editor: Bronte Cook l  Immigrantly Theme Music: Evan Ray Suzuki l Other Music: Rephonic Sounds

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 intersectional; they demonstrate essential truths on how we can address and reconcile our identities with the contradictions we see across sectors in this country. One of the most exciting ways to support us is becoming a member of our . For the price of an overpriced oat milk latte, you're entitled to special shoutouts, automatic submission to our raffles, and an opportunity to interact with our team. Host: Saadia Khan  l Executive Producer: Saadia Khan l Creative Producer: Kylee. C Roberts l Development Producer: Aleeza Kazmi l Content Writer: Yudi Liu l Sound design & Editor: Bronte Cook l  Immigrantly Theme Music: Evan Ray Suzuki l Other Music: Podington Bear, Jahzzar

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 the stylistic and structural components of Sufi music. She uses things like repetition, meters, or the use of specific instruments. But make no mistake, Arooj’s music has no set genre. You can hear hints of jazz, minimalism, and South Asian classical weaved into her songs. Her music is captivating and haunting at times, it feels like it sucks you into the emotion of the song. Her third studio album, Vulture Prince, was released last April, receiving heavy praise from publications like Pitchfork, NPR, and Al Jazeera. Her music was recently featured on Coke Studio Pakistan Season 14-Coke Studio is a very popular Pakistani television show where established and emerging musicians from across all sorts of genres showcase their talents..  We’re so excited to talk to Arooj about artistic expression and the way emotions like love, grief, and longing are conveyed through music. One of the most exciting ways to support us is by becoming a member of our . For the price of an overpriced oat milk latte, you're entitled to special shoutouts, automatic submission to our raffles, and an opportunity to interact with our team. Hosts: Saadia Khan & Shahjehan Khan l Executive Producer: Saadia Khan l Creative Producer: Kylee. C Roberts l Development Producer: Aleeza Kazmi l Content Writer: Sarah Doh l Collaborative Editorial Review: Asad Butt l  Editor: Bronte Cook l  Immigrantly Theme Music: Evan Ray Suzuki l Other Music: Podington Bear, Jahzzar  You can find us on Twitter & IG

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 exposure to family law and her passion for life coaching.   One of the most exciting ways to support us is by becoming a member of our . For the price of an overpriced oat milk latte, you're entitled to special shoutouts, automatic submission to our raffles, and an opportunity to interact with our team. Hosts: Saadia Khan & Shahjehan Khan l Executive Producer: Saadia Khan l Creative Producer: Kylee. C Roberts l Development Producer: Aleeza Kazmi l Content Writer: Ashley Lanuza l Collaborative Editorial Review: Asad Butt l  Editor: Bronte Cook l  Immigrantly Theme Music: Evan Ray Suzuki l Other Music: Podington Bear, Jahzzar  You can find us on Twitter & IG

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. For the price of an overpriced oat milk latte, you can get special shoutouts, automatic submission to our raffles, and an opportunity to interact with our team.   You can find us on Twitter @immigrantly_pod & IG @immigrantlypod.   Hosts: Saadia Khan & Shahjehan Khan l Executive Producer: Saadia Khan l Creative Producer: Kylee. C Roberts l Development Producer: Aleeza Kazmi l Content Writer: Ashley Lanuza l Sound Editor: Bronte Cook l Immigrantly Theme Music: Evan Ray Suzuki l Other Music: Podington Bear, Jahzzar

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 that may be top of mind for some and regrettably novel for others. Our guest Felicia Jadczak breaks it all down for us. Felicia is a tech guru, yes-woman, radical speaker, and consultant for diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts. She is the Co-Founder and Co-CEO of She Geeks Out, an organization committed to helping companies create and foster inclusivity in the workforce and workplace.  One of the most exciting ways to support us is by becoming a member of our . For the price of an overpriced oat milk latte, you're entitled to special shoutouts, automatic submission to our raffles, and an opportunity to interact with our team. Host: Saadia Khan l Executive Producer: Saadia Khan l Creative Producer: Kylee. C Roberts l Development Producer: Aleeza Kazmi l Content Writer: Anoushka Rai & Yudi Liu l Collaborative Editorial Review: Asad Butt l  Editor: Bronte Cook l  Immigrantly Theme Music: Evan Ray Suzuki l Other Music: Podington Bear, Jahzzar  You can find us on Twitter & IG