Across Her Table Podcast

Zarqa Nawaz is a Canadian icon. When she produced the award-winning show ‘Little Mosque on the Prairie’ in 2007, the show became a household name. An avowed fan of Nora Efron, Zarqa created an all-Canadian sitcom that had funny and well-rounded Muslim characters. This was a far cry from the stereotypical cookie-cutter Muslim characters that the West had been churning out. And the timing was critical too. In 2007, post 9/11 Islamophobia was at its peak. A Muslim point of view in the arts was practically nonexistent and there was little portrayal of Muslims beyond the tired tropes of either ‘terrorist’ or ‘victim’. It’s been 15 years since then and Zarqa Nawaz is ready for 2022 with two offerings- her first pop fiction novel ‘Jameela Green Ruins everything’ and a web series on CBC Gem called ‘Zarqa’. Her new book is a noir comedy about Jameela who wants to be on the New York Times bestseller list, but instead gets unwittingly entangled in an international conspiracy around a missing Imam. To add to the comical escapades, her CBC web series ‘Zarqa’ is about a shallow, self-centered Muslim woman who will stop at nothing to create her own wellness empire- much like Gwyneth Paltrow’s ‘Goop’. Hilarity ensues as she also tries to get even with her ex-husband for dating a White yoga instructor half her age! Join us as we talk about her producing one of Canada’s most successful sitcoms, her immigrant upbringing (“Failure was never an option!”), and growing up as a bullied brown kid in Canada. Do send in your comments or feedback about this episode by tweeting them to @acrosshertable or e-mailing them at feedback@acrosshertable.com  or send us a voice message at http://www.anchor.fm/acrosshertable/message Don't forget to follow Across Her Table on Instagram @acrosshertable (https://www.instagram.com/acrosshertable) Music credit: Oh My - Patrick Patrikios

What happens when an Indian and a Pakistani meet in Canada? We discover our Desi ways! Join us as we rediscover our quintessential South Asian roots and explore the question: What does it mean to be a ‘Desi’? In this mini- series from Across Her Table, Mifrah Abid and Mehreen Shahid talk about our common connections, laugh (and really laugh) at our shared cultural tropes and dig deep into OUR DESI WAYS!  Over the next few episodes, we will talk about Desi culture, the social norms we grew up with, Bollywood, pop culture, food, history and so much more! The more we talk, the more we realize how similar the Desi experience is across borders.  Music Credit: Upbeat Funk Pop by Scott Holmes 

January 29 marks a tragic day. It was on this day in 2017 that a shooter barged into a mosque in Quebec city and massacred 6 worshippers. The shooting left 17 children fatherless, 6 women widowed and one man paralyzed for life. We also lost a first responder to the trauma of this attack. The Govt of Canada declared Jan 29 as the National Day of Remembrance of the Quebec City Mosque Attack and Action against Islamophobia. The shooter was fueled by Islamophobia and his deep seated hate of Muslims. To get a deeper look at the trauma and everyday aggressions faced by Canadian Muslims, I talked to Reyhana Patel from Islamic relief Canada. To commemorate the Quebec city mosque victims, IR has released an extensive report called ‘In their words: Untold stories of Islamophobia in Canada’. The report explores first-hand accounts of victims of Islamophobia, including one from Aymen Derbali, who was left paralyzed in the mosque attack. Apart from these heart breaking stories, the report also includes recommendations on how readers can appropriately respond to Islamophobia and be an ally against hate. Reyhana is Head of Communications and Government Relations at Islamic relief Canada. She was also a broadcast journalist and producer at the BBC. She was also named one of Apolitical’s Top 100 Influencers in Gender Policy in 2021. Report Link : https://www.islamicreliefcanada.org/what-we-do/research/ Do send in your comments or feedback about this episode by tweeting them to @acrosshertable or e-mailing them at feedback@acrosshertable.com  or send us a voice message at http://www.anchor.fm/acrosshertable/message Don't forget to follow Across Her Table on Instagram @acrosshertable (https://www.instagram.com/acrosshertable)  Music credit: The Introvert - Michael Kobrin

Dr. Muna Saleh is an Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Education at the Concordia University of Edmonton. She is also the author of several academic papers and the book, ‘Stories We Live and Grow By: (Re)Telling Our Experiences as Muslim Mothers and Daughters’. Dr. Saleh has long been an advocate for social justice. She talks about ‘generational trauma’ - something her family faced when they were displaced by the ‘Nakba’* (or the ‘Catastrophe)’ in Palestine. Muna recalls how her family was forced to flee the ethnic cleansing and move countries as refugees. She reflects on the nature of oppression and harm and how it persists in our curricula and education systems to this date. Muna looks back on the stigma of being ‘Palestinian’, and the challenges of settler-colonial oppression that erases so many indigenous people- both in Palestine and even in Canada. As an educator, she also talks about ‘curriculum violence’. She urges teachers to be mindful of the harmful narratives that continue to oppress learners and offers a simple solution for missteps: ‘When you know better, you do better.’ There is more to Dr. Saleh though. She refuses to be ‘pigeon-holed’ into any stereotype, and you can see her fun side on social media as she pokes fun at racist trolls, and sometimes even her sisters! Tune in to listen to this multifaceted scholar. Follow her on Twitter: @DrMunaSaleh *To know more about the ‘Nakba’: https://bit.ly/33KQiML Also, check out some of Muna’s incredible work: https://amzn.to/3KCccCF https://bit.ly/3GYbEEL Do send in your comments or feedback about this episode by tweeting them to @acrosshertable or e-mailing them at feedback@acrosshertable.com. Don't forget to follow Across Her Table on Instagram @acrosshertable (https://www.instagram.com/acrosshertable)  Music credit: Oh My - Patrick Patrikios

Author Asmaa Hussein is a very popular writer. When a tragedy unceremoniously killed her husband, Asmaa took to writing to channel her grief. Her raw and candid essays were shared thousands of times the world over, turning her towards writing full time. She is now the owner of the indie publishing house ‘Ruqaya's Bookshelf’, advocating for authentic representation of story-telling around Muslim children. Asmaa talks about processing grief, about why people insist on her ‘getting over it’ and how mental health is so important in these conversations. Asmaa also speaks of how her faith kept her afloat, of being a single mother and what she thinks about people sharing pirated and unlicensed copies of her books. Tune in to know more! Follow Asma Hussein on Facebook and Instagram: @ruqayas.bookshelf. If you want to buy any of her books, please visit www.ruqayasbookshelf.com Do send in your comments or feedback about this episode by tweeting them to @acrosshertable or e-mailing them at feedback@acrosshertable.com. Don't forget to follow Across Her Table on Instagram @acrosshertable (https://www.instagram.com/acrosshertable) Music credit: Oh My - Patrick Patrikios

Welcome to our cross over episode with Waterloo Region’s favorite podcasters Sarah Geidlinger and Marshall Ward. Keep listening to join the discussion, which was both, light hearted and deep. Do send in your comments or feedback about this episode by tweeting them to @acrosshertable or e-mailing them at feedback@acrosshertable.com. Don't forget to follow Across Her Table on Instagram @acrosshertable (https://www.instagram.com/acrosshertable) Music credit: Oh My - Patrick Patrikios

Iqra Khalid was a 20 something brown Muslim woman with immigrant parents when she decided to run for the House of Commons in 2015. Even with an exceptional record as a lawyer and a human rights advocate, she put her name on the ballot ‘not really expecting to win’. But she won, not once but twice- from the riding of Mississauga Erin Mills- and she has never looked back since. She introduced for the much debated Bill M- 103- which asked the government to condemn Islamophobia and all forms of religious and racial discrimination. Why did this motion receive so much hate and resistance? How are things different now, 4 years later? Tune in to listen to this trailblazer as she talks about how advocacy and politics CAN be combined. Bonus question: What is the one secret Desi thing that MP Khalid does that not many people know about? :D Listen to find out! Do send in your comments or feedback about this episode by tweeting them to @acrosshertable or e-mailing them at feedback@acrosshertable.com. Don't forget to follow Across Her Table on Instagram @acrosshertable (https://www.instagram.com/acrosshertable)  Music credit: Oh My - Patrick Patrikios

Acclaimed author Uzma Jalaludin is on a roll! Her first book, 'Ayesha at Last' was a runaway hit and has now been optioned for Hollywood. This 'Muslim edit' of Pride and Prejudice explores the love lives of second generation Toronto Muslims. Her new book 'Hana Khan Carries On' is a retelling of the cult romcom 'You've Got Mail'. Tune in to hear this fun author where she explains the 'Rishta' system of finding a spouse- "the most awkward blind date ever". You will also enjoy listening about her lovable characters and why she believes representation matters so much for her community. Do send in your comments or feedback about this episode by tweeting them to @acrosshertable or e-mailing them at feedback@acrosshertable.com  or send us a voice message at http://www.anchor.fm/acrosshertable/message Don't forget to follow Across Her Table on Instagram @acrosshertable (https://www.instagram.com/acrosshertable) Music credit: Oh My - Patrick Patrikios , Santa Teresa - Patiño

When we talk about mothers and their teenage daughters, we think of typical tropes: the constant arguments, the difference in world views, and diametrically opposite opinions. But what if it doesn’t have to be that way? What if mothers and daughters sat down to listen to what the other has to say? What if, they could become each other’s strongest allies? This Women’s Day join us as we talk to mother-daughter duo Abiha and Madiah Syed as they share how they made a conscious effort to overcome their differences,  what Women’s Day means to each generation, what they admire about each other, and what they each believe will truly empower women. Abiha Syed is the Co-Chair and founding member of the Muslim Women of Cambridge, a nonprofit dedicated to bridging intercommunity dialog and engagement. Madiha Syed is her 18-year-old daughter, who is studying architecture at the University of Toronto You can check out the Muslim Women of Cambridge on mwcambridge.net or follow them on Facebook and Instagram @mwcmuslimwomenofcambridge Do send in your comments or feedback about this episode by tweeting them to @acrosshertable or e-mailing them at feedback@acrosshertable.com  or send us a voice message at http://www.anchor.fm/acrosshertable/message Don't forget to follow Across Her Table on Instagram @acrosshertable (https://www.instagram.com/acrosshertable) Music credit: Oh My - Patrick Patrikios , Santa Teresa - Patiño

Raufikat Oyawoye-Salami arrived in Canada in November 2017 in the town of Milton, Ontario. In less than 3 years she had been selected to be on the Great Canadian Baking show- TWICE. With the fourth season now in full swing, Raufikat is all charged up, rediscovering her love for baking. Listen in as she talks about her experience as a newcomer to Canada, her Nigerian heritage, her baking journey, and of course, the defining moments in that iconic TENT! Tune in to hear her also talk about Nigerian cuisine and her very strong opinions on Jollof rice! To see her delicious creations, you can follow her on Instagram @lanisbakebox Message Do send in your comments or feedback about this episode by tweeting them to @acrosshertable or e-mailing them at feedback@acrosshertable.com  or send us a voice message at http://www.anchor.fm/acrosshertable/message Don't forget to follow Across Her Table on Instagram @acrosshertable (https://www.instagram.com/acrosshertable) Music credit: Oh My - Patrick Patrikios , Santa Teresa - Patiño

Ginella Massa is an award-winning journalist, who is also the first hijab wearing one ever to host a prime-time TV show in North America. Her daily CBC show ‘Canada Tonight’ is changing how we consume news in the country today. But was it all easy? Ginella talks to Mifrah Abid about: Her Latino-Afro roots and journey to Canada, The scrutiny she faces for her clothing choices, The struggle of picking the right ‘Hijab’ friendly outfit, The seemingly ‘strange’ way of her arranged marriage, Her work ethics in the newsroom and The message of positivity she sends even to her haters! Tune in to listen to this spunky journalist who is rewriting the history books. Do send in your comments or feedback about this episode by tweeting them to @acrosshertable or e-mailing them at feedback@acrosshertable.com  or send us a voice message at http://www.anchor.fm/acrosshertable/message Don't forget to follow Across Her Table on Instagram @acrosshertable (https://www.instagram.com/acrosshertable) Music credit: Oh My - Patrick Patrikios , Santa Teresa - Patiño, Mongrel Dance - Dan Bodan

Sheba Siddiqui is a woman with many roles. A journalist, Global News Radio producer, columnist,  host, and most importantly - a mom of four. She is also a great conversationalist. Being a second generation Canadian helps her look at the two cultures that define her - with some level of neutrality. Listen to our latest episode as we discuss: The culture of stigma in South Asian communities (i.e. “Log Kya Kahenge?”) The need for change in mental health conversations in immigrant families (“Stop being so ‘Bollywood!”) The emotional roller coaster mothers face when restarting their careers The key to keeping sanity with ‘Pandemic Parenting’ and Her take on being the only person of color in the newsroom even in 2021 Also look out for a special mention of Season 1 guest Amira Elghawaby and the connection they share! Do send in your comments or feedback about this episode by tweeting them to @acrosshertable or e-mailing them at feedback@acrosshertable.com  or send us a voice message at http://www.anchor.fm/acrosshertable/message Don't forget to follow Across Her Table on Instagram @acrosshertable (https://www.instagram.com/acrosshertable) Music credit: Oh My - Patrick Patrikios , Santa Teresa - Patiño

Zena Chaudhry likes breaking hijabi stereotypes. She loves the outdoors and is passionate about camping, kayaking, hunting, sailing, and fishing. She has won several fishing tournaments and proudly states that she has never been ‘skunked’- i.e., come back from a fishing trip without catching any. (She has been at it since she was 3!) But Zena is also the founder and CEO of Sakeenah Homes- a network of transitional homes and shelters for those who desperately need it. She recognized gaps in the system that leave out some of the most vulnerable members of society. The need for a safe place can stem from multiple reasons- domestic violence, abuse, poverty, homelessness, immigration… Whatever the reason may be, Sakeenah homes steps in as a salve. Not only do they provide shelters (and the first Muslim foster home in North America),  but they also offer a significant corpus of services like legal, mental health, financial assistance, education, etc.- things that at-risk sections so badly need but don’t necessarily have access to. One of her proudest moments though? Offering reconciliation counseling to those who want a second chance. Zena challenges prevalent tropes surrounding abuse- “Is it better to die than be divorced?’ “Am I just imagining it?” “Am I a homewrecker if I am trying to escape it?” Listen to this gutsy CEO discuss the horrific cases she has encountered, how the pandemic brought a 700% increase in calls for help, and how she and her team managed to stay afloat in the deluge. Link: https://www.sakeenahhomes.com/aboutus Do send in your comments or feedback about this episode by tweeting them to @acrosshertable or e-mailing them at feedback@acrosshertable.com  or send us a voice message at http://www.anchor.fm/acrosshertable/message Don't forget to follow Across Her Table on Instagram @acrosshertable (https://www.instagram.com/acrosshertable) Music credit: Oh My - Patrick Patrikios , Santa Teresa - Patiño

The federal government declared January 29 as the National Day of Remembrance of the Quebec city Mosque Attack and Action against Islamophobia. That doesn't mean that Islamophobia is a thing of the past. Fauzia Mazhar ,the executive director of the Coalition of Muslim Women of Kitchener Waterloo, points out the different ways it still manifests itself and asks some tough questions: -Is Islamophobia only a "Muslim" problem? -What does Quebec's Bill 21 mean for the Muslim woman on the street? -Could we now potentially have refugees fleeing Quebec because of religious persecution? Fauzia tackles these hard issues even as she fights her own battle with breast cancer. Listen in to hear her deeply personal reflections- why she refuses to be called a "survivor" or "warrior" and how she dealt with the most important question of her cancer journey: "Why me"? Link to Coalition of Muslim Women of Kitchener Waterloo - http://www.cmw-kw.org Do send in your comments or feedback about this episode by tweeting them to @acrosshertable or e-mailing them at feedback@acrosshertable.com  or send us a voice message at http://www.anchor.fm/acrosshertable/message Don't forget to follow Across Her Table on Instagram @acrosshertable (https://www.instagram.com/acrosshertable) Music credit: Oh My - Patrick Patrikios , Santa Teresa - Patiño

In a world where everyone wants to be heard, Kanwal listens. Kanwal Ahmed was already a household name in Pakistan when she launched her web talk show ‘Conversations with Kanwal’. The show was a massive hit- not because of any celebrity presence, but because of the stories. Raw, unfiltered stories of everyday people and their struggles. Stories that need to be heard, stories that make you cry, stories that compel you to think. Kanwal probably knows that just telling these stories may be seen as an act of defiance. But that doesn’t stop her. She continues to raise taboo issues women face- like dowry, domestic abuse, colorism, living with disabilities, gaslighting, and even marital rape. Kanwal is intent on building the sisterhood and to create safe spaces for women to talk- one story at a time. With a little help from her fans, she is back with her Season 3!  Listen to her on our latest episode as she talks about her own story- her journey as a leader, her own struggles as a new immigrant in Canada and her message to women content creators. Links:  https://www.youtube.com/user/Kanwalful https://twitter.com/kanwalful https://www.instagram.com/kanwalful/ https://www.deensupportservices.ca/ Do send in your comments or feedback about this episode by tweeting them to @acrosshertable or e-mailing them at feedback@acrosshertable.com  or send us a voice message at http://www.anchor.fm/acrosshertable/message Don't forget to follow Across Her Table on Instagram @acrosshertable (https://www.instagram.com/acrosshertable) Music credit: Oh My - Patrick Patrikios , Santa Teresa - Patiño

As we talk more and more about race relations, there are some questions that often come up: What is an ally? Can anyone become an ally? Or do you have to be from a dominant group to do so? Do organizations need to have minority ‘quotas’ to be seen as inclusive? Or is that just token allyship? Can newcomers to Canada and Indigenous people have something in common? What does it mean when a person of color (POC) is asked: ‘Where are you *really* from’? And most importantly… What should you do if you witness racial aggression? Meet Uswah Ahsan, founder and Executive Director of Ally Squared. Listen to her answer these questions and what prompted her to start her nonprofit at the age of 21, and how her team hopes to dismantle racial inequities. Want more resources on learning about social equity? Here are some of Uswah’s recommendations: https://www.rethinkingdevelopmentpodcast.com/ https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510312/codeswitch https://open.spotify.com/show/1Y3colnIhnNfvBcK8O9y7p https://www.earhustlesq.com/ And of course… https://www.deensupportservices.ca/ Do send in your comments or feedback about this episode by tweeting them to @acrosshertable or e-mailing them at feedback@acrosshertable.com  or send us a voice message at http://www.anchor.fm/acrosshertable/message Don't forget to follow Across Her Table on Instagram @acrosshertable (https://www.instagram.com/acrosshertable) Music credit: Oh My - Patrick Patrikios , Santa Teresa - Patiño

From the land of Ertugrul - a 24-year-old Turkish woman came to Toronto to learn English. The rest, as they say, is history. Filiz Ozmisir is a registered nurse, who also happened to co-found Refugee Girls Worldwide. Why did she start this initiative? Filiz challenges us to rethink when we hear the word ‘refugee’. With over 30 million refugees on the planet today (and 17 million of them being only underage girls), she wants you to understand the lived experience of those on the receiving end of this term. The reality, she believes, will change your perceptions forever. Remember, she says, how we ourselves reacted when the pandemic first broke out. Listen in as she talks about her journey, her Turkish roots, Ertugrul, and of course her passion project. For more information you can check out these resources: https://www.therefugeegirls.com/ https://idrf.ca/ https://humanconcern.org/ https://www.deensupportservices.ca/ (For Rabia Khedr’s cause) Do send in your comments or feedback about this episode by tweeting them to @acrosshertable or e-mailing them at feedback@acrosshertable.com  or send us a voice message at http://www.anchor.fm/acrosshertable/message Don't forget to follow Across Her Table on Instagram @acrosshertable (https://www.instagram.com/acrosshertable) Music credit: Oh My - Patrick Patrikios , Santa Teresa - Patiño

Season 2 begins with a VERY special guest- Anjum Mukadam from Across the Atlantic! What prompted the creation of this podcast? Which episodes really clicked with the audiences? And of course, listener feedback! Two close friends chat, laugh and look back at Season 1 and how it all began. Tune in to join the light hearted banter as we look ahead to more engaging episodes coming up.

Raw, inspiring, and humbling- Rabia Khedr’s story is something we would like to make recommended listening for everyone.   Rabia Khedr has been blind since birth but that has not stopped her from becoming a super-achiever.  She has spent the better part of her life advocating for people with disabilities and for racial equity. She has founded Diversityworx and DEEN Support Services- both that help her serve the people she represents. She is also a founding member of CAM-D- the Canadian Association for Muslims of Disabilities. She has been the Commissioner of the Ontario Human Rights Commission and the Executive Director of the Muslim Council of Peel. She even ran for public office! While all these are great accomplishments in themselves, this spirited mother of four wins you over with her humility and sense of humor. Follow her on Twitter:  @RabiaKhedr For links to her work: DEEN Support Services: http://www.deensupportservices.ca Canadian Association of Muslims with Disabilities: https://camd.ca Diversityworx: https://www.diversityworx.com Do send in your comments or feedback about this episode by tweeting them to @acrosshertable or e-mailing them at feedback@acrosshertable.com  or send us a voice message at http://www.anchor.fm/acrosshertable/message Don't forget to follow Across Her Table on Instagram @acrosshertable (https://www.instagram.com/acrosshertable) Music credit:  'Storybook' by Scott Holmes & 'Once Upon a Time" by Audiobinger

Schanze Sial has just turned 17 and has already earned a prestigious NASA internship. Tune in to listen how this high school student from Milton, Ontario bagged this opportunity, how other students can plan their careers and what Gen Z thinks about older generations!  Do send in your comments or feedback about this episode by tweeting them to @acrosshertable or e-mailing them at feedback@acrosshertable.com  or send us a voice message at http://www.anchor.fm/acrosshertable/message Don't forget to follow Across Her Table on Instagram @acrosshertable (https://www.instagram.com/acrosshertable)