Immigrantly

Malaka Gharib is a journalist at National Public Radio. She reports on topics such as the humanitarian aid sector, gender equality, and innovation in the developing world. She is also the founder of Runcible spoon food zine and She has written a graphic memoir "I was Their American Dream" about family, identity, and fitting in as a Filipino Egyptian American kid of Immigrants.   You can support our podcast by donating to our gofundme https://www.gofundme.com/manage/the-alien-chronicles-pod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Basim Usmani is one of the founders of the punk band "The Kominas" that was born out of Massachusetts in the early 2000s. Since their inception, the Kominas were lauded for breaking cultural boundaries and turning that which is unexpected into a new reality. Saadia Khan talks to Basim about his music, sense of belonging within and outside immigrant communities, and how he balances his American and Pakistani identities. You can support our podcast by donating to our gofundme https://www.gofundme.com/manage/the-alien-chronicles-pod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Saadia Khan talks to Saadia Faruqi. Saadia is a Pakistani American author, essay writer, and interfaith activist. She writes children's early reader series "Yasmin" published by Capstone.  She has also written "Brick Walls: Tales of Hope & Courage from Pakistan" a short story collection for adults and teens. As part of her activism, Saadia trains various audiences, including faith groups and law enforcement on topics about Islam. She was featured in Oprah Magazine in 2017 as a woman making a difference in her community. She is the editor-in-chief of Blue Minaret, a magazine for Muslim art, poetry, and prose. She resides in Houston, TX, with her husband and children. They talk about religion, culture, and integration! You can support the pod by clicking on the link below https://www.gofundme.com/the-alien-chronicles-pod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's guest Nevsah Fidan is a spiritual healer committed to personal enlightenment.  Her focus is optimal breathing for improving health and performance. She is an internationally renowned breath expert, a meditation teacher, a well-known author of 9 best seller books, a mother and a wife. She was born in Izmir, Turkey, she is an architect who decided to create her org focused on breathing and thinking habits in 2004. She is a global citizen who travels between London, Istanbul, and NewYork. Nevsah grew up with a Sufi master, in Sufi tradition. This is the foundation of Nevsah’s work with the breath. She created the breath coaching system with her spiritual gifts and scientific education. We talk to Nevsah about her work as a breath expert and ask her how people from different cultures have different breathing habits. You can support the pod by clicking on the link below https://www.gofundme.com/the-alien-chronicles-pod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I recorded my interview with Gosia Labno, a couple of months ago, but I am releasing it today because of its relevance to the current discourse on immigration. When I spoke to Gosia, The Dream and American Promise ACT HR 6 was introduced. We spoke briefly about its impact. Recently the House Judiciary Committee passed HR6. With the Democratic majority in the house, it will most like pass the chambers but not move forward in the GOP controlled Senate. Nevertheless, I am excited to publish the episode at the time of a historic victory for immigration advocates and DACA recipients! Gosia Łabno is a DACA recipient, but she is rarely taken for one because she does not match the American narrative of what a DACA recipient should look like, she is a blonde blue eyed immigrant from Poland. She is also a communications specialist at a firm in Chicago and the co-founder of KULTURA, an online magazine profiling changemakers to inspire those "who will undoubtedly follow." Gosia holds an M.A. in Middle Eastern Studies from the University of Chicago and a B.S. in Media and Cinema Studies from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. We talk to Gosia about the challenges she faces as a DACA recipient and her hope for the future.  You can support the pod by clicking on the link below https://www.gofundme.com/the-alien-chronicles-pod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Immigration has been a contentious topic in the United States for a few years now. However, the dialogue has, for some time, focused on legal vs. illegal immigration. In very recent years, the focus has shifted not only to criminalizing illegal immigration into the United States but also curtailing legal migration altogether. We see this in the current discussion around asylum seekers, especially those who are migrating from Central America trying to escape horrid conditions. Our next guest is Jorge Valencia. Jorge is the Mexico correspondent from KJZZ Phoenix. He joined the station in August 2016 as it's first senior field correspondent based in Mexico City. His reporting focuses on the business and economics between Arizona and Mexico. He has been the recipient of multiple journalism awards for his work in radio and in newspapers.  Jorge has seen first-hand the hardships that asylum seekers on our Southern border have to face to migrate into the United States. Since my interview with Jorge, two more migrant kids, one of them only 2½-year-old, died after crossing the border, becoming five minors known to have died after being detained by the Border Patrol since December. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"What's in Name" is a special edition of The Alien Chronicles Podcast. It centers on the discussion around how some people who migrate to America change their names to more mainstream American names.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Saadia Khan talks to a Syrian refugee living in Berlin. Thair Orfahli grew up in Syria, in a middle-class family. His childhood was relatively normal, and he was studying law in Lebanon when the Syrian war broke out, what ensued was a series of fateful events which led him to leave everything behind, risk his life by riding a flimsy boat across the Mediterranean to get to Germany and seek asylum. He is a refugee who was granted political asylum in Germany. His story is that of resilience, heroism and unfettered conviction in the face of unprecedented adversity.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Saadia interviews Jade Chang. Jade is the author of The Wangs vs. the World. The book has been named a New York Times Editors Choice as well as best Book of the Year by Amazon, Buzzfeed, NPR, and others. Jade has appeared on national programs and she has spoken to audiences at universities and book festivals. According to NPR "Her book is unrelentingly fun, but it is also raw and profane—a story of fierce pride, fierce anger, and even fiercer love." She is also the contributing writer to The Good Immigrant USA. Her essay titled "How to Center Your Story" is the perfect ending to the book. They talk about her writing, the notion of the American Dream and how Jade felt "othered" after the 2016 elections. Become a supporter of this podcast: Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Priya Minhas is a writer and producer from London. Her writing explores South Asian immigrant identity. Priya is a contributing writer to The Good Immigrant USA, an American edition of an award-winning best-selling anthology exploring race.  Her writing is featured in BuzzFeed, Burnt Roti, Kajal Magazine and Brown Girl Magazine. She is currently based in New York where she works with artists producing and directing original music content at Vevo. Saadia talks to Priya about her writing, her dual identity and things that matter! Become a supporter of this podcast: Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices