Immigrantly

Do you speak more than one language—but feel truly fluent in none? You’re not alone. In this deeply personal and thought-provoking episode, Saadia Khan is joined by Angela Lin, founder of Real You Mandarin, to explore how language shapes our identities, relationships, and sense of belonging. Angela, a Taiwanese American polyglot, believes language learning should center on cultural connection—not grammatical perfection.We unpack what it means to “feel” fluent, how multilinguals navigate identity through code-switching, and why speaking imperfectly can still be powerful. Angela shares how her platform is changing the game for Mandarin learners who want to express themselves authentically—not just pass a language test.If you've ever lived between languages or felt like your voice changes depending on the one you speak, this conversation will hit home. Bonus: Angela is offering Immigrantly listeners an exclusive 10% discount on all Real You Mandarin courses with code immigrantly10.Learn more: www.realyoumandarin.comWe invite you to join us in creating new intellectual engagement for our audience. For more information, visit 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.comHost & 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 SoundImmigrantly podcast is an Immigrantly Media Production.For advertising inquiries, you can contact us at info@immigrantlypod.comRemember to subscribe to our Apple podcast channel for insightful podcasts. You can also follow us on social media for updates and behind-the-scenes content. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

April is Earth Month — a time to reflect on the state of our planet, address urgent environmental issues, strategize action, and hold ourselves and others accountable. In that spirit, we’re bringing back an essential conversation from the Immigrantly vault.This episode with futurist and climate optimist Amer Jandali originally aired on May 28, 2024. Some references may sound a bit dated, but the message is as fresh and relevant as ever.Join us as we create new intellectual engagement for our audience. You can get 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.comHost & Producer: Saadia Khan I Content Writer: Saadia Khan & Bobak Afshari I Editorial review: Shei Yu I Sound Designer & Editor: Haziq Ahmed Farid I Immigrantly Theme Music: Simon Hutchinson | Other Music: Epidemic SoundImmigrantly podcast is an Immigrantly Media Production.For advertising inquiries, you can contact us at info@immigrantlypod.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What if the barriers to success weren’t personal but structural, intentional, and decades in the making?In this episode of Immigrantly, host Saadia Khan sits down with demographers Jennifer Hook and James Bachmeier, authors of a groundbreaking new book, Texas-Style Exclusion: Mexican Americans and the Legacy of Limited Opportunity, that traces how Mexican immigrant families in Texas were systematically excluded from public education and opportunity throughout the 20th century—and how those policies still resonate today.We unpack why Texas created systems to exploit labor while blocking social mobility, how educational inequality was baked into policy, not culture, what comparing Mexican and European immigrant outcomes means, and the quiet generational cost of being born in the wrong place with the wrong identity. This conversation reframes the myth of meritocracy and compels us to confront the uncomfortable truth: success in America has always depended on who you are, where you’re from, and what you are allowed to access.We invite you to join us in creating new intellectual engagement for our audience. For more information, visit 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.comHost & 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 SoundImmigrantly podcast is an Immigrantly Media Production.For advertising inquiries, you can contact us at info@immigrantlypod.comRemember to subscribe to our Apple podcast channel for insightful podcasts. You can also follow us on social media for updates and behind-the-scenes content. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Identity isn’t always a box you check; it’s a journey. In this episode of Immigrantly, host Saadia Khan sits down with Beatriz Nour, the creator of Inbetweenish, a podcast that unpacks the complexities of belonging across cultures, languages, and traditions. Beatriz shares her personal story of navigating three cultures, four languages, and two religions, reflecting on the struggles and privileges of being in between.From growing up as a minority in Egypt to questioning her Arab identity and redefining what home truly means, Beatriz challenges the idea of fixed identities and explores what we gain when we embrace fluidity. Plus, they discuss code-switching, immigrant nostalgia, and the biases we inherit and how to unlearn them.What does it mean to belong? Are we all living in cultural contradictions? And can we ever feel at home anywhere?Tune in for a thought-provoking conversation about identity, migration, and the universal search for belonging.Listen now on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts!We invite you to join us in creating new intellectual engagement for our audience. For more information, visit 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.comHost & 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 SoundImmigrantly podcast is an Immigrantly Media Production.For advertising inquiries, you can contact us at info@immigrantlypod.comRemember to subscribe to our Apple podcast channel for insightful podcasts. You can also follow us on social media for updates and behind-the-scenes content. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nayantara Roy, a writer and television executive known for her novels, including The Magnificent Ruins, joins for a rich discussion on identity and storytelling. She dives into the power of cultural memory, the intricacies of code-switching, and how her diverse background informs her writing. Nayantara highlights the fluid nature of happiness, the joy in language, and the emotional weight of representation. The conversation also touches on the complexities of feeling like an outsider and the importance of authentic cultural narratives.

How do you go from fleeing your home country to building a Luxury Fashion Empire? Dr. Neri Karra did just that—without the fluff, the nonsense, or selling out. In this episode of Immigrantly, I sit down with Neri to talk about how she built a global brand, teaches at Oxford, and still finds time to write about immigrant entrepreneurship experiences in her book "Pioneers: Eight Principles of Business Longevity from Immigrant Entrepreneurs."We’re unpacking  The wild journey from refugee camp to fashion powerhouse Why hearing “No” a thousand times makes you sharper The truth about “sustainable” fashion (and why she’s not buying it) How ambition and kindness can work together This one’s got wisdom, wit, and just the right amount of Oprah!We invite you to join us in creating new intellectual engagement for our audience. For more information, visit 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.comHost & 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 SoundImmigrantly podcast is an Immigrantly Media Production.For advertising inquiries, you can contact us at info@immigrantlypod.comRemember to subscribe to our Apple podcast channel for insightful podcasts. You can also follow us on social media for updates and behind-the-scenes content.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I am excited to re-drop one of my favorite episodes featuring the incredible Kareem Rahma! When we first recorded this chat, Kareem was all about "Keep the Meter Running." Now, he's taken his journey to new heights with "Subway Takes." It's a series of short videos created by Kareem Rahma that offer his opinions on brands and pop culture, and he is gearing up to launch his very own podcast. This conversation is packed with unexpected twists and insights that you'll love. So, dive in now, and be sure to come back for a brand new Immigrantly episode with engaging guests and fresh perspectives. We invite you to join us in creating new intellectual engagement for our audience. For more information, visit 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.comHost & 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 SoundImmigrantly podcast is an Immigrantly Media Production.For advertising inquiries, you can contact us at info@immigrantlypod.comRemember to subscribe to our Apple podcast channel for insightful podcasts. You can also follow us on social media for updates and behind-the-scenes content. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What does serving in the U.S. military while challenging its norms mean? In this episode of Immigrantly, Saadia Khan sits down with Lieutenant Julie Roland, an active-duty naval aviator and law school graduate who advocates for systemic change. Julie takes us behind the scenes of military life, its hierarchies, recruitment strategies, and the challenges of gender equity in a male-dominated space. She also shares her insights on reimagining military recruitment to address sexual assault, the complex role of the U.S. military in global politics, and the nuanced patriotism that comes with service.Beyond the uniform, Julie is a community advocate and magician (yes, really!). Listen in as she unpacks the intersections of duty, justice, and personal identity.We invite you to join us in creating new intellectual engagement for our audience. For more information, visit 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.comHost & 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 SoundImmigrantly podcast is an Immigrantly Media Production.For advertising inquiries, you can contact us at info@immigrantlypod.comRemember to subscribe to our Apple podcast channel for insightful podcasts. You can also follow us on social media for updates and behind-the-scenes content.Links:Vet Voice Foundation – Elevating veterans' voices in civic engagement and policy advocacy.VoteVets – A progressive veterans' organization advocating for responsible foreign policy and support for veterans.Meals on Wheels – Delivering meals to seniors, including veterans in need. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What happens when a family story takes you on an unexpected journey? In this episode of Immigrantly, I sit down with Jake Warren, founder of Message Heard and the creator of Finding Natasha, a profoundly personal podcast about tracking down the woman who saved his mother’s life decades ago in the Soviet Union.Jake’s mother, a young British ballerina, had a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to train in Russia. But her dream quickly turned into a nightmare when she fell gravely ill, abandoned in an isolation ward until Natasha, a fellow dancer, risked everything to help her escape. Decades later, Jake embarks on a quest to find this woman, uncovering powerful themes of fate, memory, and the ripple effects of human kindness.Join me as we explore the intersection of storytelling, history, and identity and reflect on the ways in which we all have someone in our past worth finding.We invite you to join us in creating new intellectual engagement for our audience. For more information, visit 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.comHost & 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 SoundImmigrantly podcast is an Immigrantly Media Production.For advertising inquiries, you can contact us at info@immigrantlypod.comRemember to subscribe to our Apple podcast channel for insightful podcasts. You can also follow us on social media for updates and behind-the-scenes content. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode is sponsored by Bilt Rewards- go to JoinBilt.com/Immigrantly to get startedWhat happens when a country built by immigrants starts redefining who belongs? In this episode, I sit down with Claudia Yoli Ferla, a Venezuelan-born Latina and the Executive Director of Move Texas to discuss the latest political chaos surrounding immigration, voting rights, and civic engagement.From the new administration's executive orders threatening birthright citizenship to mass deportations, we tackle the fear-mongering narratives shaping policy and why they don’t hold up. Claudia, a DACA recipient, and TPS holder shares how young voters reject political apathy and mobilize for real change.  Is the American Dream just a marketing gimmick? Why do politicians keep using immigrants as political pawns? Can young, diverse voters flip the script in Texas? We’re calling out the myths, exposing the power plays, and showing how you can fight back at the ballot box, in the streets, or by simply sharing this episode.We invite you to join us in creating new intellectual engagement for our audience. For more information, visit 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.comHost & 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 SoundImmigrantly podcast is an Immigrantly Media Production.For advertising inquiries, you can contact us at info@immigrantlypod.comRemember to subscribe to our Apple podcast channel for insightful podcasts. You can also follow us on social media for updates and behind-the-scenes content. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices