Immigrantly

Today I am sharing another gem from the Immigrantly vault. It’s our conversation with Abubakr Ali. He is an actor, writer, and singer. Last year, he landed a significant role in the upcoming Netflix series Grendel as the anti-hero, Hunter Rose. This opportunity is historic because Abubakr is the first Arab Muslim actor to lead in a comic book adaptation. As he steps into the spotlight, Abubakr was recently featured in the New York Times and other significant publications. Since ours was his first ever podcast interview, we thought it would be fun to re-share our fantastic conversation, especially for listeners who recently became part of the Immigrantly community. So enjoy! Libsyn is the sponsor of this episode. Click on Libsyn.com and use code Friend to get your discount! 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 Associate Producer: Kinza Muzahir I Content Writer: Yudi Liu I Sound Designer & Editor: Manni Simon & Tom Whelan I Immigrantly Theme Music: Evan Ray Suzuki I Other Music: Epidemic Sounds   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we have a fellow podcaster in our midst. Ramtin Arablouei is the co-host and co-producer of NPR's podcast Throughline. This show explores history through creative, immersive storytelling designed to reintroduce history to new audiences.  Ramtin embodies this perspective personally and professionally. Born in Iran, he immigrated to the U.S. with his family as a child and later graduated from St. Mary's College of Maryland with a B.A. in psychology and history. Along with hosting and producing, Ramtin is also a trained audio engineer and has written and mixed music for many award-winning podcasts, including TED Radio Hour and Hidden Brain. Ramtin generously offered his time to us to talk about an episode he reported back in early June this year called "By Accident of Birth." It's about the story of Wong Kim Ark, who, after returning from a trip to China in 1895, was barred from re-entering the country according to the Chinese Exclusion Act, which denied citizenship to Chinese immigrants. His subsequent legal battles culminated in the 1897 Supreme Court case, the United States. v. Wong Kim Ark:  the case that would forever change the path of American immigration law and play a pivotal role in the ongoing battle over who gets to be a citizen of the United States. Libsyn is the sponsor of this episode Click on Libsyn.com and use code Friend to get your discount! 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 Associate Producer: Kinza Muzahir I Content Writer: Sana Khan & 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

The first time I introduced today's episode was in September 2020, when we recorded the interview on abortion access with Dr. Meera Shah. She is the Chief Medical Officer of Planned Parenthood Hudson Peconic in New York and the author of "You're the Only One I have Told: The Stories Behind Abortion." Meera is a tireless advocate for accessible, safe abortions. The episode was released only a few days after the passing of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, all while the presidential elections loomed ahead. Fast forward to July 2022, Joe Biden is in the White House, the Democrats have a thin majority in the House, and Senate is split 50-50. In addition, we are freshly reeling from the Supreme Court decision that overturned Roe v. Wade. With this layered perspective in the background and the undercurrent of the U.S. midterm elections up ahead, we thought it would be appropriate to revisit this episode from the past to make sense of the present and mobilize for the future. So, here is an episode from the Immigrantly vault — it provides a compassionate lens to abortion, healthcare in general, how U.S. policies have influenced access to it, particularly for immigrant communities, and the reality of shared experiences around it. We hope it will help you contextualize our continued fight for bodily autonomy. So, let's hit rewind. Libsyn is the sponsor of this episode Click on Libsyn.com and use code Friend to get your discount! 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 Associate Producer: Kinza Muzahir I Content Writer: Sarah Doh I Sound Designer & Editor: Manni Simon & Tom Whelan I Immigrantly Theme Music: Evan Ray Suzuki I Other Music: Epidemic Sounds     Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On June 24th, 2022, the hyper-conservative Supreme Court overturned Roe Vs. Wade and took away a woman's constitutional right to abortion. Thirteen states with trigger laws will ban abortion instantly. As a woman & a mother of two girls, I am angry, annoyed, devastated, and more uncertain about the safety of my kids now than ever before. It feels unreal that my daughters will have fewer rights than I did. However, I am determined to fight this injustice by voting for & supporting organizations and people who believe in women's bodily autonomy and amplifying the stories that must be told on our platform. As for men, please speak up because this is not only a woman's issue. It's a family issue, a human rights issue, and it will impact you too. And on this show today, we are going to make some noise.  Our guest, LaKia Williams, is a Reproductive Justice activist based in the South. At Tulane University, she founded the Big Easy EC, an emergency contraception provider for college students in New Orleans. After graduating from University with a Bachelor's in Neuroscience, she joined SisterSong: The National Women of Color Reproductive Justice Organization as their Digital Organizer. LaKia is also the host of the Black Feminist Rants podcast about reproductive justice and activism.  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 Associate Producer: Kinza Muzahir I Content Writer: Ashley Lanuza 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

In September 2021, when the images of border patrol agents whipping a group of Haitian migrants in Del Rio, Texas, came to light, national outrage broke out. But as all news cycles go, the rage eventually died out. The publications moved on to other stories, and the social media posts changed.  But the reality is, there was so much more to the story.  What happened to these migrants after they were denied their right to seek asylum and forcefully detained? In this episode, we break down the legal framework that allowed the existence of the “Del Rio Encampment” with Sarah Decker. She’s a Staff Attorney at Robert F Kennedy Human Rights, an organization that advocates for human rights issues and pursues strategic litigation to hold governments accountable on both the domestic and international levels. Sarah is also the co-author of “Beyond The Bridge,” a 2022 report documenting abuses toward Haitian immigrants in the Texas-based encampment. 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 Associate Producer: Kinza Muzahir I Content Writer: Sarah Doh I Sound Designer & Editor: Manni Simon I Immigrantly Theme Music: Evan Ray Suzuki I Other Music: Epidemic Sounds Athletic Greens is the sponsor of this episode. To get your discount, go to Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Thimali Kodikara is the series producer of "Mothers of Invention," hosted by former Irish president Mary Robinson and comedian-writer Maeve Higgins. Their platform uncovers stories of climate justice heroes, focused on Black, Brown, and Indigenous women holding up the microphone to climate action in the boardroom, at marches, with their peers, and beyond. In addition to her podcast, Thimali advises on climate strategies and is a recognized public figure for climate advocacy. She has consulted global and regional organizations like Human Rights Watch and BAFTA on how to adopt intersectional-feminist principles in their climate policies.  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 Associate Producer: Kinza Muzahir I Content Writer: Yudi Liu I Sound Designer & Editor: Bronte Cook I Immigrantly Theme Music: Evan Ray Suzuki I Other Music: Epidemic Sounds Athletic Greens is the sponsor of this episode. To get your discount, go to Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's guest, Dr. Anthony Ocampo, was raised in Los Angeles as the only son of two Filipino immigrants. He attended Stanford University for Comparative Race and Ethnicity and later received his master's in Modern Thought and Literature. He eventually received his Ph.D. in Sociology at the University of California, Los Angeles. Dr. Ocampo focuses on race, immigration, and LGBTQ issues as a writer and scholar. His debut book, Latinos of Asia: How Filipino Americans Break the Rules of Race, has been recognized by the Los Angeles Times and NPR. His upcoming book, "Brown and Gay in L.A.," is slotted to release this September. It chronicles the struggle gay men of color face to be seen by their families and the broader society. 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 Associate Producer: Kinza Muzahir I Content Writer: Ashley Lanuza I Sound Designer & Editor: Bronte Cook I Immigrantly Theme Music: Evan Ray Suzuki I Other Music: Epidemic Sounds Athletic Greens is the sponsor of this episode  to get your discount!   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our guest, Stephen Satterfield, has dedicated his career to organizing, activating, and educating people about the origins and cultures of food.  He founded Whetstone Radio Collective, a food magazine and media company that explores the history of American cuisine through the lens of cultural, socioeconomic, and human connections. Stephen's work disrupts the food canon in more ways than a few: writer, publisher, producer, former sommelier, and social entrepreneur. For example, his docuseries on Netflix, "High on the Hog," traces the foundation of American cooking from Texas to Africa and peels the layers of generations across time and geography. In today's episode, beyond flavors & taste, Stephen and I do a deep dive into the journey of African American cuisine in the U.S. and how food can be a catalyst for change. 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 Associate Producer: Kinza Muzahir I Content Writer: Saadia Khan & Yudi Liu I Sound Designer & Editor: Bronte Cook I Immigrantly Theme Music: Evan Ray Suzuki I Other Music: Epidemic Sounds Athletic Greens is the sponsor of this episode. Go to Magic Spoon also sponsors the episode. Go to /IMMIGRANTLY to grab a variety pack and try it today! And be sure to use our promo code IMMIGRANTLY at checkout to save five dollars off your order.     Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In honor of May being the Asian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month (API), the National Hockey League (NHL) and Immigrantly joined forces to bring you two special episodes celebrating the role of the API community in hockey. Today's guest is Jordan Spence. He is a defenseman for the Los Angeles Kings. Now 21, Jordan picked up the puck at 5 years old, and just recently had his history-making debut at NHL. Born in Australia and raised in Osaka, he moved to Prince Edward Island of Canada in his teens. In response to a reporter, Jordan once explained, “In Japan, they don’t think they have hockey over there, but they actually do.” I spoke with him about the responsibilities of performing at this elite level, his family’s role in his hockey career, why we see skewed representation, and the socialization around sports. Jordan is undoubtedly rising the ranks and stirring up the playing field. His passion for hockey is palpable, and I’m so excited to share it with you all. Host & Executive Producer: Saadia Khan I Associate Producer: Kinza Muzahir I Content Writer: Yudi Liu I Sound Designer & Editor: Bronte Cook I Immigrantly Theme Music: Evan Ray Suzuki I Other Music: Epidemic Sounds. Athletic Greens is the sponsor of this episode. Go to  to get your discount. Magic Spoon also sponsors the episode. Go to /IMMIGRANTLY to grab a variety pack and try it today! And be sure to use our promo code IMMIGRANTLY at checkout to save five dollars off your order.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In honor of May being the Asian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month (API), the National Hockey League (NHL) and Immigrantly joined forces to bring you two special episodes celebrating the role of the API community in hockey. Today's guest is Aisha Visram. She is Head Trainer for the L.A. Kings' American Hockey League affiliate in Ontario, California. On January 13, 2022, the Los Angeles Kings scored a 6-2 victory against the Pittsburg Penguins. The crowd roared in celebration– and so did the internet. Because at that particular game, Aisha Visram, our today's guest, was the second woman to work behind the bench at a regular-season NHL game. The first was Jodi Van Rees. Aisha's feat sparked conversation around gender and ethnic representation in hockey. Aisha and I sat down to talk about what it means to be a woman in a male-dominated sport, what authentic representation looks like, and why certain positions (including the athletic trainer position) are examined through a gendered lens. 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 Creative Producer: Kylee. C Roberts I Content Writer: Ashley Lanuza & Saadia Khan I Sound Designer & Editor: Bronte Cook I Immigrantly Theme Music: Evan Ray Suzuki I Other Music: Epidemic Sounds Athletic Greens is the sponsor of this episode. Go to  to get your discount. Magic Spoon also sponsors the episode. Go to /IMMIGRANTLY to grab a variety pack and try it today! And be sure to use our promo code IMMIGRANTLY at checkout to save five dollars off your order. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices