321: 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...
43m Aug 12, 2025
43m
320: 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 jo...
53m Aug 05, 2025
53m
319: 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 an...
9m Jul 29, 2025
9m
318: Why Rajeev Balasubramanyam Says Identity Will Be Our Downfall
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 stop chasing success, stop clinging to culture, and start questioning your own sense o...
49m Jul 22, 2025
49m
317: 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 ...
45m Jul 15, 2025
45m
316: Who Gets to Be American? A History of Birthright Citizenship on Trial
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 does it really mean to be an American? In this riveting episode of Immigrantly, host Saadia Khan takes us o...
42m Jul 08, 2025
42m
Outward And Inward Conversations with Zohran Mamdani (July 2020)
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 In this special re-release, host Saadia Khan sits down with Zohran Kwame Mamdani, recorded back in 2020, just af...
40m Jul 01, 2025
40m
315: Plot Twists, Politics & Love Stories
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 Host Saadia Khan sits down with writer and historian Nishant Batsha to unpack how a pre-med dropout became a fic...
53m Jun 24, 2025
53m
314: Reverse Immigration, Siestas & Sound Design
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 This episode is brought to you by Zocdoc. Stop putting off those doctor appointments and visit http://Zocdoc.com/Imm...
48m Jun 17, 2025
48m
Inheriting Narratives (July 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://immigrantlys-newsletter.beehiiv.com/subscribe⁠⁠ This episode is brought to you by Zocdoc. Stop putting off those doctor appointments and visit http://Zocdoc.com/Im...
48m Jun 10, 2025
48m
313: Food Is Never Just Food
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 This episode is brought to you by Zocdoc. Stop putting off those doctor appointments and visit http://Zocdoc.com/Im...
51m Jun 03, 2025
51m
312: So Many Stars, So Many Ways to Be Free
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 does it mean to belong when your identity defies borders, binaries, and expectations? In this powerful episode, U...
47m May 20, 2025
47m
311: Two Passports and a Punchline
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 This week on Immigrantly, Saadia KhanI sits down with the brilliant and hilarious Derek Smith. He is a comedian, actor,...
50m May 13, 2025
50m
310: Autopsies, Fame, and Scandal: Inside the Life of Thomas Noguchi
What happens when a Japanese immigrant becomes Hollywood’s most powerful and controversial coroner? In this gripping conversation, Saadia sits down with historian and author Anne Soon Choi to unpack the life of Dr. Thomas Noguchi, LA’s former Chief Medical Examiner and the man behind some of the most infamous autopsies in American history—Marilyn Monroe, Robert F. Kennedy, and Natalie Wood, to ...
49m May 06, 2025
49m
Redefining Home: The Journey Back to Mexico (August 2024)
While host Saadia Khan recovers from laryngitis, Immigrantly brings back a standout episode from August 2024 featuring journalists Antonia Cerejido and Lorena Ríos. Originally recorded in the lead-up to the 2024 elections, this conversation explores politics, identity, and the storytelling power that shapes public discourse. Though some references to candidates and timelines reflect the moment...
41m Apr 29, 2025
41m
The Stories We Whisper, The Sounds We Miss
What does it mean to lean into your culture while living in a place that flattens it? In this richly textured episode, Saadia Khan sits down with Sudanese-American journalist and host of The Stoop, Hana Baba, for a wide-ranging conversation on identity, diaspora, and the soundscapes of belonging. From the cacophony of Sudanese weddings to the quiet codes of immigrant survival in the U.S., Hana ...
51m Apr 22, 2025
51m
308: Speaking Imperfectly, Belonging Fully
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—n...
45m Apr 15, 2025
45m
From Spinning Beats to Saving Earth (May 2024)
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 t...
42m Apr 08, 2025
42m
307: Designed to Exclude: How Policy Shaped the Fate of Mexican Immigrants in Texas
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 syste...
51m Apr 01, 2025
51m
306: Too Foreign for Home, Too Foreign for Here
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 privile...
43m Mar 25, 2025
43m
305: Writing Like Nobody’s Watching
What happens when we step outside our own understanding of identity and embrace the messy, beautiful, and sometimes contradictory stories that shape us? In this episode of Immigrantly, host Saadia Khan sits down with writer and television executive Nayantara Roy to explore the intersections of storytelling, belonging, and cultural memory. From navigating multiple worlds as an immigrant to unco...
45m Mar 18, 2025
45m
304: Hearing 'No' Like An Immigrant
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 Bus...
53m Mar 11, 2025
53m
Riding Along with Kareem Rahma: Creating 'Keep The Meter Running' and More (April 2023)
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. Thi...
39m Mar 04, 2025
39m
303: Helicopters, Justice & Magic Tricks??
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 spa...
46m Feb 25, 2025
46m
302: Lost & Found: Search for A Soviet Guardian Angel
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 tra...
57m Feb 18, 2025
57m
301: Birthright, Borders & Bullsh*t!
What 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 deportati...
49m Feb 11, 2025
49m
300: Forgotten Stories
This episode is sponsored by Bilt Rewards- go to JoinBilt.com/Immigrantly to get started Some stories demand to be told. This one, in particular, struck me deeply. I sat down with Nancy Wang, a storyteller, artist, and author of Red Altar, to talk about her ancestors—Chinese immigrants who helped build California’s fishing industry against all odds. Their ingenuity, their fight against racist l...
47m Feb 04, 2025
47m
299: What's Your Legacy?
This year, we’ve tackled deep emotions and intricate journeys of faith, and today, we’re diving into the profound yet personal concept of legacy. Legacy—it sounds monumental, right? But does it have to be? For me, crafting a legacy sometimes feels like another overwhelming to-do list. Yet, what if the legacy isn’t about grandeur but embracing our stories and connections in the here and now? Tha...
49m Jan 28, 2025
49m
298: When a Christian Minister and a Muslim Podcaster Walk Into a Studio…
Talking about religion makes me uncomfortable. Maybe it’s because I practice a faith that’s often misunderstood in this country. But in this episode, I decided to face that discomfort head-on. I sat down with Minister Lydia Sohn, a progressive Christian leader and writer, to have an honest, vulnerable, and surprisingly fun conversation about faith, identity, and shared humanity. We talked about...
49m Jan 21, 2025
49m
297: Immigrantly 2025: Working through the Arc of the Emotions with Anita Rao
Start the year with powerful insights! In this episode, I reflect on Billy Joel’s We Didn’t Start the Fire (catchy or cop-out?) and chat with Anita Rao, host of Embodied. We explore working through emotions instead of discharging them and building emotional intelligence; we talk about Anita embracing her mixed-race identity and rethinking how we judge immigrant parents. It’s an unfiltered, insp...
51m Jan 14, 2025
51m
296: Ponchos, Panther, and Purpose: Bambadjan Bamba Redefines Belonging
Can you believe it? This is the final Immigrantly episode of 2024! As I reflect on this incredible year, I’m grateful for the meaningful stories and conversations we’ve shared. Together, we’ve leaned into curiosity, allyship, and learning, and I can’t wait to bring you even more inspiring voices in 2025. Mark your calendars—our first episode of the new year drops on January 14th! But before we ...
49m Dec 24, 2024
49m
295: I Just Want A Show
Today’s guest is Julio Salgado. Through his bold and unapologetic work, Julio challenges the status quo and uplifts voices that are too often silenced. As a queer, undocumented creator, he uses his art to reimagine visibility, joy, and resistance. In this conversation, we connected on our immigrant experiences, love for art, and his beautiful, poetic way of describing the U.S. If you’re feeling...
47m Dec 17, 2024
47m
294: Tearing Down Tribes: Aymann Ismail on Love, Religion, and Legacy
Today, I'm thrilled to reconnect with Aymann Ismail, award-winning journalist and the visionary behind the PBS documentary American Muslims: A History Revealed. Beyond the groundbreaking stories from the series, our conversation takes a deeply personal turn. Aymann opens up about his new book, 'Becoming Baba,' which explores his journey of self-discovery, his experiences with dating, and how th...
54m Dec 10, 2024
54m
293: Sobriety, Identity & Cat Chats
I’m so excited to share my conversation with Adam Macias on this episode of Immigrantly. Adam is a comedian, writer, and podcaster whose sobriety journey is just one fascinating chapter in his story. We talked about everything—from how he uses humor to connect with people to his thoughts on Joe Rogan and Andrew Tate and how young men today navigate their identities in such interesting and compl...
43m Dec 03, 2024
43m
Feed Drop: Turkeys, Touchdowns, and Tradition: John Madden’s Thanksgiving Legacy-Sportly Thanksgiving Special
Today, I am bringing you something a little different. As we gather with loved ones to celebrate Thanksgiving this week, I am excited to share a special episode from Sportly, one of our sibling podcasts here at Immigrantly Media. Thanksgiving is more than just turkey and pie—it’s about family, connection, and tradition. And for many, Thanksgiving Day football has become a quintessential part of...
19m Nov 26, 2024
19m
292: AI at the Border
In this compelling episode of Immigrantly, we’re joined by Petra Molnar, a renowned lawyer and anthropologist whose work sits at the intersection of migration, technology, and human rights. As Associate Director of the Refugee Law Lab at York University and a Faculty Associate at Harvard’s Berkman Klein Center for Internet and Society, Petra critically examines the role of AI and other technolo...
49m Nov 19, 2024
49m
291: Finding Stillness in a Fast Moving World
In this episode, I’m joined by the incredibly talented Delsy, a Guatemalan-American therapist, visual artist, and co-host of the Tamarindo Podcast. She’s also the creative force behind the Ocu-Pasión Podcast, where she amplifies the voices of Latin American artists and visionaries. But Delsy doesn’t just live in the audio space—she co-founded Encuentro: Creative Retreat, a nurturing haven for a...
55m Nov 12, 2024
55m
290: Election Day Musings: Frustration, Hope, and Showing Up
Today, on Election Day, Saadia Khan shares an honest conversation about the weight of this election cycle. She reflects on the disconnection many feel with the current political landscape, the ongoing genocide in Gaza, and the moral complexities that define our time. Saadia emphasizes why showing up is crucial—not just for us but for those who can’t vote. Join her for a candid discussion about ...
10m Nov 05, 2024
10m
Feed Drop: The Myth of the Deadbeat Dad by Homegoings
A heads up: This episode contains strong language and unbleeped swearing*** "Stereo-anti-types” is a special series from Homegoings examining some of the most troubling, most profound, and most dangerous stereotypes that apply to Black men. In this first episode, host Myra Flynn and colleague Bryant Denton get up close and personal with podcaster Pendarvis Harshaw and comedian Marlon Fisher to ...
35m Oct 29, 2024
35m
289: Cultivating Pacing Replenishing
In this episode, I explore women's pressures while juggling multiple roles, all while hearing the constant message that we should be able to “have it all.” But is that even realistic? For women, especially entrepreneurs, and women of color, the challenges are undeniable—limited resources, systemic barriers, and the constant need to prove ourselves. Joining me is Amina Altai, a holistic leadersh...
48m Oct 22, 2024
48m
288: The Many Faces of America
In today’s episode, I’m joined by the phenomenal Sarah Jones, a Tony Award-winning actress and master of transformation. From outspoken grandmas to Gen Z influencers, Sarah’s ability to embody different characters is unmatched. We’ll explore her creative process, how she channels these voices, and what it all means for understanding identity and belonging in America. This conversation is equal ...
49m Oct 15, 2024
49m
287: Unboxed
Today, I’m talking with Myra Flynn—an incredible singer-songwriter, storyteller, and host of Homegoings. Myra’s work resonates deeply with me because she tackles something that’s so relatable: the struggle to define yourself when the world insists on squeezing you into a box. Whether it’s the “model minority” myth or other stereotypes, she’s pushing back against those limiting roles and creatin...
51m Oct 08, 2024
51m
286: 'The Future Has So Much For Us'
Today’s episode is a heartfelt dive into the meaning of ‘home.’ As immigrants, many of us grapple with the idea that home isn’t just one place—it’s a collection of spaces, memories, and feelings that shape who we are. Our guest today, Robert Hartwell, a celebrated Broadway performer, has taken this concept to new heights—quite literally—as he embarks on restoring a historic home. For Robert, th...
43m Oct 01, 2024
43m
285: Unscripted: Samuel Jamier on Race, Adoption, and Asian Representation in Cinema
In this episode of Immigrantly, we explore the world of cinema, representation, and identity with Samuel Jamier, the Executive Director of the New York Asian Film Festival. Samuel's story is a remarkable transformation from his early life as a shy Korean adoptee in Brittany, France, to becoming a trailblazer in the film industry. He opens up about the complicated dynamics with his foster parent...
33m Sep 24, 2024
33m
284: The Art of Pretend: Karla Cornejo Villavicencio On Her Frst Work Of Fiction, Girlhood, and Pop Songs
This week, in celebration of Latino Heritage Month, we’re bringing you a special conversation with the brilliant Karla Cornejo Villavicencio, author of The Undocumented Americans, and her fiction debut, Catalina. Our Nationly producer, Sofia Sanchez, leads this thoughtful interview as a guest host, where they delve into Karla's first novel, ‘Catalina.’ Recently nominated for the National Book A...
47m Sep 17, 2024
47m
283: Model Minority Makeover
In this thought-provoking episode, I speak with Dr. Ann Anlin Cheng, a renowned scholar and author whose work pushes the boundaries of understanding race, aesthetics, and cultural history. Known for her groundbreaking books, The Melancholy of Race, Second Skin, and her recent publication, Ordinary Disasters, Dr. Cheng challenges conventional narratives around the model minority myth and how it ...
47m Sep 10, 2024
47m
From Headlines to Chaat Dog: Pervaiz Shallwani’s Flavorful Journey (2023)
I’m so excited to bring you a re-release of one of my favorite episodes featuring the incredible Pervaiz Shallwani, the founder of Chaat Dog. Pervaiz’s journey from being a journalist to creating Chaat Dog—a delicious fusion of South Asian chaat and the classic American hot dog—truly captivated me. Since we last chatted, Pervaiz has been making waves in New York City’s food scene, with Chaat Do...
45m Sep 03, 2024
45m
282: Leveling Up: Shahjehan Khan & Rafay Rashid on Fame and Sobriety
I’m beyond excited about today’s episode because we’re catching up with someone who’s been on quite a journey since you last heard from him. Shahjehan Khan, my cohost from our season of Immigrantly on Love and Relationships, is back—and he’s got some incredible stories to share. From appearing on Succession to taking on iconic roles in Mortal Kombat, Shahjehan has been leveling up in the entert...
33m Aug 27, 2024
33m
281: Rebels In the Making
As the host of Immigrantly, I’m always looking for voices that challenge the status quo and push the boundaries of our understanding of identity and resistance. In this episode, I’m thrilled to introduce two extraordinary women whose work does precisely that. Join me as I dive into the inspiring stories of Laura Vergara, a Queer Colombian feminist organizer, and Ayat Mneina, a Libyan researcher...
30m Aug 20, 2024
30m
Feed Drop: Nuances Podcast Conversation with Soo Jin Lee
This summer, I’m sharing original Immigrantly content and highlighting creators who have inspired me. Recently, I shared an episode of The Happiness Lab with Dr. Laurie Santos, and today, I’m excited to bring you another gem—an episode of the Nuances podcast. If you’re a regular Immigrantly listener, you might recall my interview with Sherry Lyn Lee, also known as Lazou, the host of Nuances. Th...
56m Aug 13, 2024
56m