Assyrian Podcast

Episode 144 - Atina 'Tee' Alkhas is the founder of Tee Koffee Co - a Mesoptomaian inspired women-forward coffee retail company based in San Francisco, CA. Tee Koffee is committed to celebrating ancestral history through coffee and conversation. 

Atina was born in Iran and immigrated to the US in the early '80s through Germany. Along the way,  she observed her mother honor and bring with her the Assyrian coffee culture we know as Kahve. Coffee and tea were part of her life, as many of us Assyrians experienced the same with our families. Growing up, she quickly learned that coffee, specifically Kahve, was a way to bring people together and create a sense of community. The art of making Kahve and the time-honored tradition of coffee fortune readings has long been part of her family and her Assyrian background. 

She founded Tee Koffee in 2017 to bring the Kahve experience home - she created Kahve starter kits and worked with coffee roasters to craft a modern take on the Kahve blend. Four years later, Tee Koffee is relaunching with a new logo design and two new coffee blends in honor of Assyrian Queens and Atina's Assyrian background. The relaunch of Tee Koffee was inspired by Assyrian Queens and women leaders of Mesopotamia. 

Atina worked with designer and artist Rabel Betshmuel based in Chicago. They collaborated to create a logo and labels that help bring the story of the brand to life. 

To learn more, please visit www.teekoffee.com and follow @teekoffee

Support for this week’s episode of The Assyrian Podcast is brought to you by Tony Kalogerakos and the Injury Lawyers of Illinois and New York. If you know anyone that has been in a serious accident, please reach out to Tony Kalogerakos. Tony has been recognized as a Top 40 lawyer, and a Rising Star by Super Lawyers Publication and has obtained multiple multi-million-dollar awards. Tony can be reached at InjuryRights.com or 847-982-9516. 

This episode is sponsored by The Oushana Partners-- a husband and wife real estate team. Are you considering purchasing or selling a home in Arizona or California? John and Reata are available to help make your next real estate decision into a seamless transaction. Contact the Oushana’s at 209-968-9519. Get to know them a bit more by checking out their website TheOushanaPartners.com.

Episode 143 - Ronnie Joudo is an award-winning country singer based in Sydney, Australia. With a musical career spanning 20 years, Ronnie released his debut single “Cruisin’ Along” in 2020, and has since become a Top 40 Country Artist in Australia. Ronnie recently won the Country Thunder 2020 New Male Artist of the Year award and has worked with prominent Australian Country singer-songwriters Allan Caswell and Ace Fender.

Instagram: @ronniejoudomusic

Facebook: Ronnie.Joudo

Support for this week’s episode of The Assyrian Podcast is brought to you by Tony Kalogerakos and the Injury Lawyers of Illinois and New York. If you know anyone that has been in a serious accident, please reach out to Tony Kalogerakos. Tony has been recognized as a Top 40 lawyer, and a Rising Star by Super Lawyers Publication and has obtained multiple multi-million-dollar awards. Tony can be reached at InjuryRights.com or 847-982-9516. 

This episode is sponsored by The Oushana Partners-- a husband and wife real estate team. Are you considering purchasing or selling a home in Arizona or California? John and Reata are available to help make your next real estate decision into a seamless transaction. Contact the Oushana’s at 209-968-9519. Get to know them a bit more by checking out their website TheOushanaPartners.com.

Episode 142 - Narsai David was born in South Bend, Indiana (U.S.A) in 1936. He has had a long and successful career in the food and wine industry, from catering to the most famous Rock & Roll bands to opening the renowned Narsai’s Restaurant. He is a published author, radio and T.V. personality, and a humanitarian; raising millions for Assyrian aid through the prestigious “Narsai’s Taste of Mediterranean”event held annually by the Assyrian Aid Society. In this episode, we discuss his upbringing, his career in food and wine, and his love and connection to his Assyrian heritage.

Support for this week’s episode of The Assyrian Podcast is brought to you by Tony Kalogerakos and the Injury Lawyers of Illinois and New York. If you know anyone that has been in a serious accident, please reach out to Tony Kalogerakos. Tony has been recognized as a Top 40 lawyer, and a Rising Star by Super Lawyers Publication and has obtained multiple multi-million-dollar awards. Tony can be reached at InjuryRights.com or 847-982-9516. 

This episode is sponsored by The Oushana Partners-- a husband and wife real estate team. Are you considering purchasing or selling a home in Arizona or California? John and Reata are available to help make your next real estate decision into a seamless transaction. Contact the Oushana’s at 209-968-9519. Get to know them a bit more by checking out their website TheOushanaPartners.com

Episode 141: Shoushan Tower

Shoushan Tower was the long-serving Treasurer of the Assyrian Aid Society in Australia. Born in Iraq, Shoushan migrated to Australia as a child in 1969. She grew up in Australia and studied accounting, using her acquired skills and knowledge to support the Australian fundraising arm of the Assyrian Aid Society. She has represented the AAS at high levels in the United Nations, making numerous trips to the homeland in service to recipient communities. She currently advises the Assyrian Australian Association with its financial affairs.

Instagram @aas_au (Australia), @assyrianaid (America)

Support for this week’s episode of The Assyrian Podcast is brought to you by Tony Kalogerakos and the Injury Lawyers of Illinois and New York. If you know anyone that has been in a serious accident, please reach out to Tony Kalogerakos. Tony has been recognized as a Top 40 lawyer, and a Rising Star by Super Lawyers Publication and has obtained multiple multi-million-dollar awards. Tony can be reached at InjuryRights.com or 847-982-9516. 

This episode is sponsored by The Oushana Partners-- a husband and wife real estate team. Are you considering purchasing or selling a home in Arizona or California? John and Reata are available to help make your next real estate decision into a seamless transaction. Contact the Oushana’s at 209-968-9519. Get to know them a bit more by checking out their website TheOushanaPartners.com

Episode 140 - Lisa Kiorkis, a Chicago Native, is a self-proclaimed “Professional Creative” and wears many, many hats!   She is the co-owner of Gemini of Chicago Hair Salon, a self-taught Intimate Dining Chef, blog writer, recipe developer, YouTube Personality for Seven Spice Life, and a Food Network TV Personality. Listen to this week’s episode to learn more about her various experiences, New York Fashion Week, and what it was like to appear on The Food Network. 

Blog: www.sevenspicelife.com 

Instagram: @sevenspicelife @thehairdresserlisak 

Twitter: @lafemmechef 

YouTube: Seven Spice Life By Lisa K

Support for this week’s episode of The Assyrian Podcast is brought to you by Tony Kalogerakos and the Injury Lawyers of Illinois and New York. If you know anyone that has been in a serious accident, please reach out to Tony Kalogerakos. Tony has been recognized as a Top 40 lawyer, and a Rising Star by Super Lawyers Publication and has obtained multiple multi-million-dollar awards. Tony can be reached at InjuryRights.com or 847-982-9516. 

This episode is sponsored by The Oushana Partners-- a husband and wife real estate team. Are you considering purchasing or selling a home in Arizona or California? John and Reata are available to help make your next real estate decision into a seamless transaction. Contact the Oushana’s at 209-968-9519. Get to know them a bit more by checking out their website TheOushanaPartners.com

Dr. Christine Yalda grew up near Flint, MI with grandparents who immigrated to the United States at the turn of the 20th century. She currently serves as an associate professor at Grand Valley State University, located in West Michigan, where she teaches Criminal Justice and Human Rights courses. In this episode, we spoke about her family’s journey to the United States, her experience growing up Assyrian, her faith, her coming out story, and marriage to her wife. Listen to find out about her grandmother’s incredibly challenging immigration story, her experience as an associate associate professor teaching criminal justice courses, and how her Assyrian identity has influenced everything from her faith to her wedding playlist.

Support for this week’s episode of The Assyrian Podcast is brought to you by Tony Kalogerakos and the Injury Lawyers of Illinois and New York. If you know anyone that has been in a serious accident, please reach out to Tony Kalogerakos. Tony has been recognized as a Top 40 lawyer, and a Rising Star by Super Lawyers Publication and has obtained multiple multi-million-dollar awards. Tony can be reached at InjuryRights.com or 847-982-9516. 

This episode is sponsored by The Oushana Partners-- a husband and wife real estate team. Are you considering purchasing or selling a home in Arizona or California? John and Reata are available to help make your next real estate decision into a seamless transaction. Contact the Oushana’s at 209-968-9519. Get to know them a bit more by checking out their website TheOushanaPartners.com

Episode 138 - Ramel Nasseri was born in Tehran / Iran to his parents Nathan Nasseri and Rabi Bertha Shavel Okhsar. At an early age he learned to love and cherish his Assyrian heritage and his Church by the example of his parents and the benefit of growing up at the feet of his Grandfather Rabi Ammanuel Shavel Okhsar of Urmi and his late Holiness Mar Dinkha IV, two Giants of the Assyrian Community. Like many other families, Ramel and his parents left Iran during the war time for their final destination in the United States of America. He spent 8 years in Germany before settling in Plano TX. Here he finished his High school years and attended the University of Texas in Austin and the University of North Texas in Denton, graduating with a Bachelor’s degree in Anthropology and minors in Geology and German. Later he received a Master’s degree in Dispute Resolution and Conflict Management from Southern Methodist University in Dallas. His work and career spans across multiple fields;

• An IT professional specializing in customer support, project management, process improvement, process analysis and program design.

As a Texas resident of 28 years, he has been active in the Dallas Fortworth area Assyrian community and the larger Texas Assyrian community, helping establish the Saint Jacob Mission of the Holy Apostolic Catholic Assyrian Church of the East in Dallas TX and serving as the Vice President of the organization. He is also a proud member of the Assyrian American Association of North Texas.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rnasseri1

Instagram: @texaswanderlust

Support for this week’s episode of The Assyrian Podcast is brought to you by Tony Kalogerakos and the Injury Lawyers of Illinois and New York. If you know anyone that has been in a serious accident, please reach out to Tony Kalogerakos. Tony has been recognized as a Top 40 lawyer, and a Rising Star by Super Lawyers Publication and has obtained multiple multi-million-dollar awards. Tony can be reached at InjuryRights.com or 847-982-9516. 

This episode is sponsored by The Oushana Partners-- a husband and wife real estate team. Are you considering purchasing or selling a home in Arizona or California? John and Reata are available to help make your next real estate decision into a seamless transaction. Contact the Oushana’s at 209-968-9519. Get to know them a bit more by checking out their website TheOushanaPartners.com

Episode 137 - Warren Shabaz is the inventor of the American food staple the Pizza Puff, and head man in charge of Iltaco Food Company, which was started by his Grandfather in the 1920s. As a second generation Assyrian-American growing up in the Humboldt Park neighborhood, Warren eventually expanded his family's food empire, keeping it family owned, with his children next in line to take over the family business. Learn what it was like to be a pioneer in food, running a successful business, and being ingrained into the American identity and culture, while not forgetting your roots, at a time when assimilation was deemed a necessity. 

Support for this week’s episode of The Assyrian Podcast is brought to you by Tony Kalogerakos and the Injury Lawyers of Illinois and New York. If you know anyone that has been in a serious accident, please reach out to Tony Kalogerakos. Tony has been recognized as a Top 40 lawyer, and a Rising Star by Super Lawyers Publication and has obtained multiple multi-million-dollar awards. Tony can be reached at InjuryRights.com or 847-982-9516.

This episode is sponsored by The Oushana Partners-- a husband and wife real estate team. Are you considering purchasing or selling a home in Arizona or California? John and Reata are available to help make your next real estate decision into a seamless transaction. Contact the Oushana’s at 209-968-9519. Get to know them a bit more by checking out their website TheOushanaPartners.com

Episode 136 – Benjamin Christophe Yalda is best known as Mr. Erbil. Born a refugee in Iran in 1985, his family and him moved back to Iraq in 1991, a time when the country was at war. Benjamin’s interest in rap took flight in 2004, and he started writing poems and lyrics. His mission: to become the voice of a silenced nation, provoking an awakening through lyrics and beat. Listen to this episode to learn about his experience as Mr. Erbil, his first song about Seyfo, and the next 11 songs he wrote in Spring 2020 during the Covid-19 lockdowns.  

This episode is sponsored by The Oushana Partners-- a husband and wife real estate team. Are you considering purchasing or selling a home in Arizona or California? John and Reata are available to help make your next real estate decision into a seamless transaction. Contact the Oushana’s at 209-968-9519. Get to know them a bit more by checking out their website TheOushanaPartners.com 

Episode 135 - Sumer Homeh is the founder of the humanitarian aid organization “Local Aid” in Kenya. After working several years in the fashion industry in Australia, she decided to leave all that behind to dedicate her life for street children in Nairobi. Local Aid rehabilitates those children and provides them access to education and healthcare. Recently Sumer founded “Tribearth”, which is a socially conscious jewelry business that creates a community of empowered women and youth who produce handmade products in a sustainable and ethical environment. In this episode you will learn more about Sumer´s journey from Australia to Kenya and what led to this life changing decision, the world of humanitarian workers and the ups and downs Sumer went through in order to build a sustainable organization, and what it takes to truly follow your heart and not let doubts get into the way of you and your goals.

Facebook: Sumer Homeh

Instagram: @sumersoul

Website: www.localaid.or.ke , www.tribearth.org

Support for this week’s episode of The Assyrian Podcast is brought to you by @TonyKalogerakos and the @InjuryLawyersofIllinois and New York.