Welcome to Immigrantly: a boundary-pushing, border-crossing podcast that gives diverse voices and stories home. Drawing on her own experiences as a rights activist and a first-generation Asian immigrant, creator & host, Saadia Khan tackles the big questions on race, identity & the immigrant experience while challenging mainstream narratives. Through Immigrantly, we are revolutionizing storytelling in America by offering a new kind of intellectual engagement that encourages listeners to learn and unlearn on their terms without fear of judgment. Our vision is to normalize the immigrant identity within the American social discourse for a kinder, more humane world. Covering everything from love and dating to food and faith, each weekly episode explores a theme with inspiring guests such as Grammy-winning singer Arooj Aftab, bestselling author of 'The Kite Runner,' Khaled Hosseini, and comedians Hari Kondabolu and Aparna Nancherla. It's a true celebration of what makes us unique and a timely reminder of all that unites us...
http://immigrantlypod.com
episode 184: Before They Were Your Parents
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
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