

Immigrantly
Saadia Khan | Immigrantly Media
Join Saadia Khan on Immigrantly, the award-winning podcast that dives deep into immigrant narratives and the messy beauty of identity, race, and belonging in America today. Each week, Saadia, a human rights activist, social entrepreneur, and proud cat mom, hosts unfiltered conversations with diverse voices: artists, academics, cultural disruptors, and everyday people with extraordinary cultural stories.At Immigrantly, we go beyond surface-level diversity to explore how culture, immigration, and inclusion shape real lives. We believe identity is powerful, but when unchecked, it can become an ego trap. That’s why every episode unpacks the nuance, humor, and contradictions of what it means to belong.Inclusive storytelling. Immigrant perspectives. Real talk—never flattened.To join this fun, thoughtful, and inclusive community, subscribe!
Producer & Host: Saadia Khan
Editorial Review: Shei Yu
Content Writers: Michaela Strauther, Bobak Afshari, Rainier Harris, Adiba Hussain & Saadia Khan
Sound Design & Content Editor: Haziq Ahmad Farid, Paroma Chakravarty, Steve Martin, Lou Raskin
Theme Music: Simon Hutchinson
Other Music: Epidemic Sound
Follow us on IG @immigrantlypodsTwitter @Immigrantly_podTikTok @ImmigrantlyYouTube: @immigrantlypodsSubscribe to our PatreonImmigrantly podcast is an Immigrantly Media production.For advertising inquiries, please email at info@immigrantlypod.com
Producer & Host: Saadia Khan
Editorial Review: Shei Yu
Content Writers: Michaela Strauther, Bobak Afshari, Rainier Harris, Adiba Hussain & Saadia Khan
Sound Design & Content Editor: Haziq Ahmad Farid, Paroma Chakravarty, Steve Martin, Lou Raskin
Theme Music: Simon Hutchinson
Other Music: Epidemic Sound
Follow us on IG @immigrantlypodsTwitter @Immigrantly_podTikTok @ImmigrantlyYouTube: @immigrantlypodsSubscribe to our PatreonImmigrantly podcast is an Immigrantly Media production.For advertising inquiries, please email at info@immigrantlypod.com
Episodes
Mentioned books

Sep 16, 2025 • 13min
Intuition, Fear And Finding Identity Beyond Work
In this solo episode of Immigrantly, Saadia Khan reflects on the power of intuition, the challenge of separating her identity from the company she built, and why messy, unpolished stories matter.
Drawing from her Eastern cultural roots, Saadia explores how intuition has long guided her personal life, yet often feels harder to trust in her role as an entrepreneur. She unpacks how fear can masquerade as intuition, what it means to stop equating her self-worth with Immigrantly’s ups and downs, and the tools she’s using to reconnect with her intuitive voice.
If you’ve ever felt torn between who you are and what you do, this candid reflection is for you. Tune in for lessons on listening inward, untangling identity from work, and embracing the imperfect middle of the journey.
Join us as we create new intellectual engagement for our audience. You can find more information at http://immigrantlypod.com.
Please share the love and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts & Spotify to help more people find us!
You can connect with Saadia on IG @itssaadiak
Email: saadia@immigrantlypod.com
Host & Producer: Saadia Khan I Content Writer: Saadia Khan I Editorial review: Shei Yu I Sound Designer & Editor: Lou Raskin I Immigrantly Theme Music: Simon Hutchinson | Other Music: Epidemic Sound
Immigrantly Podcast is an Immigrantly Media Production.
For advertising inquiries, contact us at info@immigrantlypod.com
Don't forget to subscribe to our Apple Podcasts channel for insightful podcasts. Follow us on social media for updates and behind-the-scenes content.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sep 9, 2025 • 42min
Taboos, Sex, and Feminism with Sangeeta Pillai (Nov 2023)
In this re-release from the Immigrantly vault, Saadia Khan sits down with Sangeeta Pillai, activist, writer, and creator of the award-winning Masala Podcast and Soul Sutras. From her journey growing up in Mumbai to building one of the most groundbreaking feminist podcast platforms, Sangeeta opens up about identity, feminism, and what it means to challenge cultural taboos around sex, gender, and South Asian womanhood.
Since this conversation, Sangeeta has continued to expand her impact—including the release of her powerful memoir, Bad Daughter (September 2025). This episode is a reminder of how her voice and vision have shaped today’s feminist and immigrant storytelling landscape.
Join us as we create new intellectual engagement for our audience. You can find more information at http://immigrantlypod.com.
Please share the love and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts & Spotify to help more people find us!
You can connect with Saadia on IG @itssaadiak
Email: saadia@immigrantlypod.com
Host & Producer: Saadia Khan I Content Writer: Rainier Harris & Saadia Khan I Editorial review: Shei Yu I Sound Designer & Editor: Steve Martin I Immigrantly Theme Music: Simon Hutchinson Other Music: Epidemic Sound
For advertising inquiries, contact us at info@immigrantlypod.com
Don't forget to subscribe to our Apple podcast channel for insightful podcasts. Follow us on social media for updates and behind-the-scenes content Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sep 2, 2025 • 48min
Why Intuition Matters More Than You Think
In this gripping episode of Immigrantly, Saadia Khan sits down with Mory Fontanez, intuitive coach, author of “Higher Self: Reclaiming the Power of Your Intuition”, and daughter of Iranian immigrants, to dig into the messy, fascinating truth about our inner voice. Their conversation moves from the personal to the cultural to the global: what happens when fear masquerades as intuition, how immigrant stories shape the way we listen to ourselves, why Western culture sidelines instinct while Eastern traditions revere it, and what it means to reclaim your higher self in a world designed to keep us in fear.
Saadia pushes Mory on whether fear can sometimes be a gateway to clarity, shares her own anxieties as a Muslim immigrant in America, and asks whether intuition might be the key to building compassion in a fractured world. Mory, in turn, reveals why intuition is never wrong, how leaders quietly rely on it to make billion-dollar decisions, and why saying your gut instinct out loud might change everything.
If you’ve ever ignored that little nudge and regretted it, or if you’ve wondered whether your gut is wisdom or just anxiety, this conversation will make you rethink the most underrated power you already have.
Join us as we create new intellectual engagement for our audience. You can find more information at http://immigrantlypod.com.
Please share the love and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts & Spotify to help more people find us!
You can connect with Saadia on IG @itssaadiak
Email: saadia@immigrantlypod.com
Host & Producer: Saadia Khan I Content Writer: Saadia Khan I Editorial review: Shei Yu I Sound Designer & Editor: Lou Raskin I Immigrantly Theme Music: Simon Hutchinson | Other Music: Epidemic Sound
Immigrantly podcast is an Immigrantly Media Production.
For advertising inquiries, contact us at info@immigrantlypod.com
Don't forget to subscribe to our Apple podcast channel for insightful podcasts. Follow us on social media for updates and behind-the-scenes content. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Aug 26, 2025 • 40min
I Must Belong Here with Supinder Wraich (February 2024)
Don't forget to subscribe to our newsletter Hyphenly; it's our no-fluff love letter with hot takes, heartfelt stories, and all the feels of living in between cultures. Come for the nuance, stay for the vibes! Link below
https://hyphenly.beehiiv.com
In this special re-release of Immigrantly, host Saadia Khan revisits her January 2024 conversation with acclaimed actress and writer Supinder Wraich, star of the hit CBC series Allegiance. Since their original chat, Supinder’s career has soared, Allegiance has become a breakout success, earning recognition at the 2025 Canadian Screen Awards in Toronto, and production is already underway on Season 3 in British Columbia.
This episode offers a rare time capsule of Supinder just before her big breakthrough. She opens up about growing up between India and Canada, carving out her voice in the entertainment industry, and exploring the messy, beautiful layers of immigrant identity.
Host & Producer: Saadia Khan I Content Writer: Bobak Afshari and Saadia Khan I Editorial review: Shei Yu I Sound Designer & Editor: Haziq Ahmad Farid & Lou Raskin I Immigrantly Theme Music: Simon Hutchinson | Other Music: Epidemic Sound
Join us as we create new intellectual engagement for our audience. You can find more information at http://immigrantlypod.com.
Please share the love and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts & Spotify to help more people find us!
Follow host Saadia Khan on IG @itssaadiak for unfiltered reflections, behind-the-scenes moments, and the occasional cameo from her cat.
Email: saadia@immigrantlypod.com
For advertising inquiries, contact us at info@immigrantlypod.com
Don't forget to subscribe to our Apple podcast channel for insightful podcasts. Follow us on social media for updates and behind-the-scenes content.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Aug 19, 2025 • 54min
Faith, Film And the Power of Telling Muslim Stories Our Way
Don't forget to subscribe to our newsletter Hyphenly; it's our no-fluff love letter with hot takes, heartfelt stories, and all the feels of living in between cultures. Come for the nuance, stay for the vibes! Link below
https://hyphenly.beehiiv.com
Award-winning filmmaker Nijla Mumin joins Saadia Khan for an unfiltered conversation on art, identity, and the freedom to hold multitudes. From the personal truths behind her debut feature Jinn (released in 2018) to the uphill battle for funding authentic Muslim stories, Nijla shares why representation can’t be one-size-fits-all and how media can shift power. A must-listen for film lovers, culture critics, and anyone craving stories that go beyond the cliché.
Join us as we create new intellectual engagement for our audience. You can find more information at http://immigrantlypod.com.
Please share the love and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts & Spotify to help more people find us!
You can connect with Saadia on Twitter @swkkhan
Email: saadia@immigrantlypod.com
Host & Producer: Saadia Khan I Content Writer: Saadia Khan I Editorial review: Shei Yu I Sound Designer & Editor: Lou Raskin I Immigrantly Theme Music: Simon Hutchinson | Other Music: Epidemic Sound
Immigrantly podcast is an Immigrantly Media Production.
For advertising inquiries, contact us at info@immigrantlypod.com
Don't forget to subscribe to our Apple podcast channel for insightful podcasts. Follow us on social media for updates and behind-the-scenes content. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Aug 12, 2025 • 46min
Law, Loyalty And A Billion Dollar Secret
Don't forget to subscribe to our newsletter Hyphenly; it's our no-fluff love letter with hot takes, heartfelt stories, and all the feels of living in between cultures. Come for the nuance, stay for the vibes! Link below
https://hyphenly.beehiiv.com
Launching this September from Pushkin Industries, a new investigative podcast hosted by journalist Lidia Jean Kott uncovers the true story of Tina Wong, a Chinese American mother in 1980s Manhattan who was pulled into a billion-dollar heroin trafficking scheme.
In this exclusive preview, Lidia joins host Saadia Khan to discuss the podcast's backstory, the complex moral terrain of friendship, and her personal connection-her boyfriend’s mother was the lead federal prosecutor on the case. The episode explores how systems of power, race, immigration, and economic survival collided in ways that still echo today.
It’s a layered portrait of immigrant resilience, impossible decisions, and the untold legacy of Chinatown’s exclusion.
Join us as we create new intellectual engagement for our audience. You can find more information at http://immigrantlypod.com.
Please share the love and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts & Spotify to help more people find us!
You can connect with Saadia on Twitter @swkkhan
Email: saadia@immigrantlypod.com
Host & Producer: Saadia Khan I Content Writer: Saadia Khan I Editorial review: Shei Yu I Sound Designer & Editor: Lou Raskin I Immigrantly Theme Music: Simon Hutchinson | Other Music: Epidemic Sound
Immigrantly podcast is an Immigrantly Media Production.
For advertising inquiries, contact us at info@immigrantlypod.com
Don't forget to subscribe to our Apple podcast channel for insightful podcasts. Follow us on social media for updates and behind-the-scenes content.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Aug 5, 2025 • 56min
Hot Takes & Dumpling Folds With Irene Li
Don't forget to subscribe to our newsletter Hyphenly; it's our no-fluff love letter with hot takes, heartfelt stories, and all the feels of living in between cultures. Come for the nuance, stay for the vibes! Link below
https://hyphenly.beehiiv.com
What does it mean to cook with care, lead with equity, and challenge the rules of authenticity? In this episode, chef and entrepreneur Irene Li joins Saadia Khan for a powerful conversation about identity, food systems, and the evolving meaning of tradition. As the youngest-ever James Beard Leadership Award winner and co-founder of Mei Mei Dumplings, Irene has redefined what Chinese American cuisine can be, turning a Boston food truck into a values-driven culinary movement.
The episode explores why dumplings are more than comfort food, how open-book management changed Irene’s business, and why cultural appropriation in food needs a new framework, one that is rooted in reciprocity, transparency, and justice. Whether you're a food lover, a budding entrepreneur, or just hungry for stories that stir the pot, this episode delivers.
Join us as we create new intellectual engagement for our audience. You can find more information at http://immigrantlypod.com.
Please share the love and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts & Spotify to help more people find us!
You can connect with Saadia on Twitter @swkkhan
Email: saadia@immigrantlypod.com
Host & Producer: Saadia Khan I Content Writer: Saadia Khan I Editorial review: Shei Yu I Sound Designer & Editor: Lou Raskin I Immigrantly Theme Music: Simon Hutchinson | Other Music: Epidemic Sound
Immigrantly podcast is an Immigrantly Media Production.
For advertising inquiries, contact us at info@immigrantlypod.com
Don't forget to subscribe to our Apple podcast channel for insightful podcasts. Follow us on social media for updates and behind-the-scenes content.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jul 29, 2025 • 9min
Mangoes, Chaat & Belonging: A Summer Story
Don't forget to subscribe to our newsletter Hyphenly; it's our no-fluff love letter with hot takes, heartfelt stories, and all the feels of living in between cultures. Come for the nuance, stay for the vibes! Link below
https://hyphenly.beehiiv.com
In this solo episode, Saadia Khan reflects on a summer of sensory memories, identity reckonings, and quiet realizations. From savoring mangoes and parathas in a sweltering Pakistan to noticing who gets pulled aside at airport security, she unpacks what it means to belong, especially when systems say otherwise. The episode revisits powerful moments from past episodes featuring Rajeev Balasubramanyam and Sangeetha Kowsik and delves into birthright citizenship to explore how identity can be both grounding and limiting. No guest this week, just Saadia, some inner thoughts, and a gentle invitation to reflect on your own summer.
Join us as we create new intellectual engagement for our audience. You can find more information at http://immigrantlypod.com.
Please share the love and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts & Spotify to help more people find us!
You can connect with Saadia on Twitter @swkkhan
Email: saadia@immigrantlypod.com
Host & Producer: Saadia Khan I Content Writer: Saadia Khan I Editorial review: Shei Yu I Sound Designer & Editor: Lou Raskin I Immigrantly Theme Music: Simon Hutchinson | Other Music: Epidemic Sound
Immigrantly podcast is an Immigrantly Media Production.
For advertising inquiries, contact us at info@immigrantlypod.com
Don't forget to subscribe to our Apple podcast channel for insightful podcasts. Follow us on social media for updates and behind-the-scenes content.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jul 22, 2025 • 52min
Why Rajeev Balasubramanyam Says Identity Will Be Our Downfall
In this engaging discussion, philosopher and author Rajeev Balasubramanyam unpacks the complexities of identity and the impact it has on ambition and self-worth. He challenges the obsession with fixed identities, urging listeners to embrace self-love and spiritual practices. Rajeev highlights the importance of navigating emotions mindfully and fostering compassionate parenting. With insights into the immigrant experience, he warns that without a cognitive transformation, humanity may face self-destruction. This thought-provoking conversation merges introspection with the call for societal change.

Jul 15, 2025 • 45min
Sacred & Seen: Sangeetha Kowsik on Art, Inclusion and Spiritual Pluralism
Don't forget to subscribe to our newsletter Hyphenly; it's our no-fluff love letter with hot takes, heartfelt stories, and all the feels of living in between cultures. Come for the nuance, stay for the vibes! Link below
https://immigrantlys-newsletter.beehiiv.com/subscribe
What happens when you blend Arabic calligraphy with Hindu iconography? This week on Immigrantly, host Saadia Khan sits down with artist, chaplain, and designer Sangeetha Kowsik, the visionary behind Ihsan Ishan Design. From working with Jennifer Lopez and leading design at the Metropolitan Museum of Art to becoming a Hindu chaplain at NYU, Sangeetha’s journey is a testament to spiritual pluralism and creative defiance. She discusses growing up in a multifaith, multicultural environment, challenging Islamophobia in museum spaces, and creating art that bridges faiths, not just for Hindus and Muslims, but for anyone who believes that beauty and compassion are universal languages. Whether you are religious, spiritual, or simply curious, this episode will leave you thinking differently about sacred spaces, inclusive art, and the power of design.
Join us as we create new intellectual engagement for our audience. You can find more information at http://immigrantlypod.com.
Please share the love and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts & Spotify to help more people find us!
You can connect with Saadia on Twitter @swkkhan
Email: saadia@immigrantlypod.com
Host & Producer: Saadia Khan I Content Writer: Saadia Khan I Editorial review: Shei Yu I Sound Designer & Editor: Lou Raskin I Immigrantly Theme Music: Simon Hutchinson | Other Music: Epidemic Sound
Immigrantly podcast is an Immigrantly Media Production.
For advertising inquiries, contact us at info@immigrantlypod.com
Don't forget to subscribe to our Apple podcast channel for insightful podcasts. Follow us on social media for updates and behind-the-scenes content.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices