Immigrantly

My today's guest is Gerson Lanza. Born and raised in Honduras, Gerson is a tap dancer and an educator. He is pursuing his Master of Fine Arts in Dance at the University of Maryland. And earlier this year, he finished the coveted Strathmore Artist in Residence Program as part of the Class of 2022. Gerson and I spoke about his passion for tap dancing, the less-known history of tap dancing, and how we can make the space more inclusive.   Join the conversation: Instagram | Twitter |  Please share the love and leave us a review to help more people find us! Host & Executive Producer: Saadia Khan I Content Writer: Michaela Strauther and Saadia Khan I Editorial Review: Yudi Liu  I Sound Designer & Editor: Haziq Ahmad Farid I Immigrantly Theme Music: Evan Ray Suzuki I Other Music: Epidemic Sounds     Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Music has been an integral part of my life; from classical and popular music to rock, you will find an entire gamut on my Spotify playlist. Whenever I feel sad or happy, worried or excited, I put on my favorite track to either calm myself down or lift myself. I don’t know about you, but music has this innate quality that allows people to get in touch with their inner and complicated emotions. It's as if various musical scores are synthesizing the hard-to-articulate thoughts into bite-sized, easily digestible nuggets.   Given my music appreciation, one might think that I listen to or at least know more about hip-hop, mainly due to the global influence of hip-hop culture on music styles, fashion, technology, art, entertainment, language, dance, education, politics, media, and more, but unfortunately, I don’t know much. To satiate my thirst for learning, talk about hip-hop, and discuss food and music in general, we have Zainab Hasnain, a DJ, music producer, and writer based in Brooklyn, New York, who previously worked at Spotify. Born in Pakistan and raised in the states, she plays weekly gigs and headlines shows, including recently DJing for actor Riz Ahmed in Brooklyn. She also writes for many music journals and magazines, interviewing up-and-coming artists in NYC’s hip-hop scene and new artists from around the country. She’s been DJing under the moniker ZEEMUFFIN for over ten years. 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: Saadia Khan & Ziya Jaffrey I Editorial Review: Yudi Liu  I Sound Designer & Editor: Haziq Ahmad Farid I Immigrantly Theme Music: Evan Ray Suzuki I Other Music: Epidemic Sounds     Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How do we harness the power of authentic storytelling to recreate narratives about immigrants? I sat down with Liz Robbins, the director of journalism partnerships at "Define American," to discuss this and other pertinent questions. We also talked about a recent report she co-authored with Sarah E Lowe and Victoria Bouloubasis —“Reimagining Immigrant News: North Carolina’s Case for the Nation.” The information was the outcome of a year-long project in collaboration with the Media Ecosystems Analysis Group and the University of Florida’s Center for Public Interest Communications. The research focused on evaluating the role of news outlets in producing accurate, nuanced portrayals of immigrants and how the stories about immigrants impact public attitudes. In the interview, Liz and I discuss in depth the results of the report, the surprises and learnings, and where we go from here.    Join the conversation: Instagram @immigrantlypod | Twitter @immigrantly_pod |  Please share the love and leave us a review to help more people find us! Host & Producer: Saadia Khan I Content Writer: Yudi Liu & Saadia Khan I Editorial Review: Yudi Liu I Sound Designer & Editor: Haziq Ahmad Farid I Immigrantly Theme Music: Evan Ray Suzuki I Other Music: Epidemic Sounds   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Before turning off your phone for a Thanksgiving digital detox or because the turkey requires your undivided intention, spend a moment with the Immigrantly team and me. Today's episode is on the history of yams and their genetically unrelated, culturally conflated counterpart — sweet potatoes. I'm joined by our content writers, Michaela Strauther and Yudi Liu, as we reflect on the joys and quirks of this holiday while paying heed to the complex history that underlines its traditions, from the facts we tell about this day to the food we eat at the table. Everything is never as simple as it appears, which is very much the case with our society's confusion around yams and sweet potatoes. If it isn't clear already, they are not the same. How so? Listen to find out. After, I hope everyone leans into the things that bring them joy and gratitude. Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours! 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: Yudi Liu, Michaela Strauther I Editorial Review: Yudi Liu  I Sound Designer & Editor: Haziq Ahmad Farid I Immigrantly Theme Music: Evan Ray Suzuki I Other Music: Epidemic Sounds   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why is it that we stumble when we discuss sexuality? It should be a joyous topic rather than one fraught with shame, confusion, and invisibility. Even as we get more shows and movies attempting to tackle stigmas around sexuality and identity, non-white and immigrant communities are often left out of this representation. My today's guest, Dr. Varuna Srinivasan, a sexual health professional, and queer advocate, is switching up the narrative.   She is the founder of Tara Health Media, an online resource for sexual education that emphasizes intersectional and inclusive knowledge. She has also written articles for Parents, Well and Good, Inverse, The Lily, Allure, and Health, where she covers everything from her coming-out journey to anti-racism in sex education.   Join the conversation: Instagram @immigrantlypod | Twitter @immigrantly_pod |  Please share the love and leave us a review to help more people find us! Host & Producer: Saadia Khan I Content Writer: Michaela Strauther I Editorial Review: Yudi Liu I Sound Designer & Editor: Manni Simon I Immigrantly Theme Music: Evan Ray Suzuki I Other Music: Epidemic Sounds   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's episode addresses why voting is not just a right that individuals should exercise; it is also a democratic measure of collective accountability. I sit down with…myself and confront my fears and hopes this election season. While progress is never consistent nor linear, this episode examines how Trump's presidency and the subsequent shifts in the political climate have brought into view existential questions like what it means to be a citizen of this country and what is required to feel like one belongs. Left with more questions than answers, Immigrantly nevertheless wants to encourage everyone who can vote because civil liberties are on the line.  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: Saadia Khan, Yudi Liu, Michaela Strauther I Editorial Review: Yudi Liu I Associate Producer: Kylee Roberts I Sound Designer & Editor: Manni Simon I Immigrantly Theme Music: Evan Ray Suzuki I Other Music: Epidemic Sounds Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hey Immigrantly family! As we are working hard to get you some excellent content in the coming days, I also recognize we have some new listeners. Therefore, I thought, why not share something incredible from the Immigrantly vault? And I couldn’t think of a better episode than my interview with Marla Louissaint. This interview was first published in August 2021, over a year ago. In the interview, you will also hear from our then-associate producer, Kylee Roberts, who no longer works with us but is dearly missed every day. The conversation focuses on religion, racial justice, family values, and much more! I hope you enjoy it. 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: Sarah Doh I Editorial Review: Yudi Liu I Associate Producer: Kylee Roberts I Sound Designer & Editor: Manni Simon & Breanna Steggell I Immigrantly Theme Music: Evan Ray Suzuki I Other Music: Epidemic Sounds Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ruby Jaffrey is a talented, contemporary calligraphy artist who has exhibited her artwork worldwide, including in London, LA, New York, and Karachi. Like many of us who rely on art for expression and play, Ruby describes hers as celebrations of color, spirituality, faith, and stylistic zeitgeist.    Ruby specializes in Arabic script and modern Islamic art. Visual art, calligraphy, and architecture are a massive part of Islamic culture, as seen in the vibrant and striking building designs of mosques and historical sites. However, there is a particular focus within the religion on the beauty of calligraphy and poetry– in Arabic, Urdu, and Farsi. Throughout our conversation, I was struck by how Ruby talked about art. She regarded it as a process with so much power and spirit.     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:  Saadia Khan & Ziya Jaffrey I Editorial Review: Yudi Liu I Sound Designer & Editor: Manni Simon I Immigrantly Theme Music: Evan Ray Suzuki I Other Music: Epidemic Sounds Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our guest, Vanessa Chavarriaga Posada, is a Colombian-American athlete, activist, and environmental sociologist who is always on the move. From the freezing valleys of Alaska to the cloud forests of Colombia, Vanessa spends her days' hiking, skiing, mountaineering, running, and ice skating through beautiful landscapes.  But at the same time, her travels go beyond mere wanderlust. Through her work as an environmental sociologist, Vanessa encourages everyone to remember the social and cultural dynamics of the environment. What is our relationship to the outdoors? How can everyone enjoy what the world offers regardless of identity, location, or economic status? And perhaps most importantly, how do we preserve our planet for the future? 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: Michaela Strauther I Editorial Review: Kylee Roberts I Sound Designer & Editor: Manni Simon I Immigrantly Theme Music: Evan Ray Suzuki I Other Music: Epidemic Sounds Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our guest is Israa Nasir, a psychotherapist, and mental health educator. She is the founder of Well. Guide, a digital mental wellness brand on Instagram. Situated at the cross-section of technology and mental healthcare, Israa specializes in applying her knowledge of working with intersectional identities to improve the framing and delivery of mental healthcare to BIPOC individuals. Israa and I talk about the concept of boundaries or lack thereof in certain cultures but, more importantly, the process of setting boundaries, from boundaries in work life to our relationships, romantic, familial, and beyond. Israa helps me navigate these cultural ties. By the end of this session, I  have a better idea of how to approach these conversations! 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:  Saadia Khan & Ziya Jaffrey I Editorial Review: Yudi Liu I Sound Designer & Editor: Manni Simon I Immigrantly Theme Music: Evan Ray Suzuki I Other Music: Epidemic Sounds Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices