Immigrantly

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 Award, the debut novel captures “a year in the life of the unforgettable Catalina Ituralde, a wickedly wry and heartbreakingly vulnerable student at an elite college.” Inspired by autobiographical music, second-wave girlhood, and dark humor, the conversation explores how “Catalina” is written with the cute wink, the rehearsed twirl, and the knowing smile of a pop song by artists like Taylor Swift, Nicki Minaj, or Olivia Rodrigo. (Just how far can she take her performance? Who’s watching?) The two also discuss the Ecuadorian-American writer’s personal journey from girlhood to womanhood, from non-fiction to fiction, and from undocumented to first-time voters. Be sure to tune in next week for another brand-new episode of Immigrantly—with the host Saadia Khan!

Immigrantly is a weekly podcast that celebrates the extraordinariness of immigrant life. We do this by providing our listeners with authentic, accurate insights into the immigrant identity in America. Immigrantly has garnered significant recognition and has been featured in renowned media outlets such as the Nieman Storyboard, The Guardian, The Slowdown, and CNN.

Join us as we create new intellectual engagement for our audience. You can get more information at http://immigrantlypod.com.

Please share the love and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts & Spotify to help more people find us! 

You can connect with Saadia on Twitter @swkkhan Email: [email protected]

Producer: Saadia Khan I Guest Host: Sofia Sanchez I Sound Designer & Editor: Juan Velez I Immigrantly Theme Music: Simon Hutchinson | Other Music: Epidemic Sound

Immigrantly podcast is an Immigrantly Media Production.

For advertising inquiries, you can contact us at [email protected]

Remember to subscribe to our Apple podcast channel for insightful podcasts. Follow us on social media for updates and behind-the-scenes content.

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In this thought-provoking episode, I speak with Dr. Anne 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 intertwines with race, gender, and identity. She and I explore the nuanced relationship between beauty, art, and the human experience, unpacking how cultural constructs shape our perceptions of ourselves and others. It's a transformative conversation that invites you to see the world—and your place in it—in a new light.

Immigrantly is a weekly podcast that celebrates the extraordinariness of immigrant life. We do this by providing our listeners with authentic, accurate insights into the immigrant identity in America. Immigrantly has garnered significant recognition and has been featured in renowned media outlets such as the Nieman Storyboard, The Guardian, The Slowdown, and CNN.

Join us as we create new intellectual engagement for our audience. You can get more information at http://immigrantlypod.com.

Please share the love and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts & Spotify to help more people find us! 

You can connect with Saadia on Twitter @swkkhan Email: [email protected]

Host & Producer: Saadia Khan I Content Writer: Saadia Khan I Editorial review: Shei Yu I Sound Designer & Editor: Haziq Ahmed Farid I Immigrantly Theme Music: Simon Hutchinson | Other Music: Epidemic Sound

Immigrantly podcast is an Immigrantly Media Production.

For advertising inquiries, you can contact us at [email protected]

Remember to subscribe to our Apple podcast channel for insightful podcasts. Follow us on social media for updates and behind-the-scenes content.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 Dog popping up all over and drawing in food enthusiasts from everywhere.

If you missed our conversation the first time around now’s the perfect chance to catch up and hear from the visionary behind this unique culinary sensation. Trust me, you won’t want to miss it! And don’t forget to come back next week for a brand new episode that you won’t want to miss!

Immigrantly is a weekly podcast that celebrates the extraordinariness of immigrant life. We do this by providing our listeners with authentic, accurate insights into the immigrant identity in America. Immigrantly has garnered significant recognition and has been featured in renowned media outlets such as the Nieman Storyboard, The Guardian, The Slowdown, and CNN.

Join us as we create new intellectual engagement for our audience. You can get more information at http://immigrantlypod.com.

Please share the love and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts & Spotify to help more people find us! 

You can connect with Saadia on Twitter @swkkhan Email: [email protected]

Host & Producer: Saadia Khan I Content Writer: Saadia Khan I Editorial review: Shei Yu I Sound Designer & Editor: Haziq Ahmed Farid I Immigrantly Theme Music: Simon Hutchinson | Other Music: Epidemic Sound

Immigrantly podcast is an Immigrantly Media Production.

For advertising inquiries, you can contact us at [email protected]

Remember to subscribe to our Apple podcast channel for insightful podcasts. Follow us on social media for updates and behind-the-scenes content.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 entertainment world, and I can’t wait for you to hear all about it.

But that’s not all—joining us is the amazingly talented Rafay Rashid, an experimental musician with a raw, confessional style that’s impossible to ignore. Rafay is here to dive deep into his battle with drug use and how it’s shaped his music, his life, and his advocacy for sobriety in the arts. This is a conversation about the art of healing and inspiring. 

Immigrantly is a weekly podcast that celebrates the extraordinariness of immigrant life. We do this by providing our listeners with authentic, accurate insights into the immigrant identity in America. Immigrantly has garnered significant recognition and has been featured in renowned media outlets such as the Nieman Storyboard, The Guardian, The Slowdown, and CNN.

Join us as we create new intellectual engagement for our audience. You can get more information at http://immigrantlypod.com.

Please share the love and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts & Spotify to help more people find us! 

You can connect with Saadia on Twitter @swkkhan Email: [email protected]

Host & Producer: Saadia Khan I Content Writer: Saadia Khan I Editorial review: Shei Yu I Sound Designer & Editor: Haziq Ahmed Farid I Immigrantly Theme Music: Simon Hutchinson | Other Music: Epidemic Sound

Immigrantly podcast is an Immigrantly Media Production.

For advertising inquiries, you can contact us at [email protected]

Don't forget to subscribe to our Apple podcast channel for insightful podcasts. Follow us on social media for updates and behind-the-scenes content.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 and writer. Laura is at the forefront of redefining girlhood through the Stories of Girls' Resistance initiative, amplifying the everyday acts of defiance against patriarchy and violence across the globe. Ayat brings her deep commitment to social justice, using her voice to break through oppression and empower the next generation of activists.

Together, we explore the power of collective action and the role of immigrant experiences in shaping their activism. This conversation goes beyond celebrating resistance; it imagines a future where girls live freely, unburdened by the fight for their fundamental rights. Please tune in for an empowering discussion that challenges narratives and redefines what it means to resist.

Immigrantly is a trailblazing podcast that redefines the immigrant experience by diving into the nuanced and multifaceted stories of first and second-generation immigrants. Through intimate and thought-provoking conversations, we explore the intersections of culture, identity, and belonging, shedding light on our world's diverse journeys. Hosted by Saadia Khan, a social entrepreneur passionate about authentic storytelling, Immigrantly breaks down stereotypes and builds bridges across communities, offering listeners a fresh perspective on what it means to navigate life between cultures.

Immigrantly has garnered significant recognition and has been featured in renowned media outlets such as the Nieman Storyboard, The Guardian, The Slowdown, and CNN.

Join us as we create new intellectual engagement for our audience. You can get more information at http://immigrantlypod.com.

Please share the love and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts & Spotify to help more people find us! 

You can connect with Saadia on Twitter @swkkhan Email: [email protected]

Host & Producer: Saadia Khan I Content Writer: Saadia Khan I Editorial review: Shei Yu I Sound Designer & Editor: Haziq Ahmed Farid I Immigrantly Theme Music: Simon Hutchinson | Other Music: Epidemic Sound

Immigrantly podcast is an Immigrantly Media Production.

For advertising inquiries, you can contact us at [email protected]

Remember to subscribe to our Apple podcast channel for insightful podcasts. Follow us on social media for updates and behind-the-scenes content.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. The episode was titled "From Tech to Tunes." Her podcast, Nuances, is an award-nominated audio space where guests from various Asian ethnic groups, careers, countries, and communities delve into the complexities of our cultural relationships and how they shape our identities.

Today's episode features Lazou's conversation with Soo Jin Lee, who, despite never being explicitly told she was undocumented, always had an inherent sense of it. The licensed therapist and author also discusses how healing trauma doesn’t have to adhere strictly to Western methods of health and wellness.

I hope you enjoy this episode and come back for more Immigrantly content next week.

Immigrantly is a trailblazing podcast that redefines the immigrant experience by diving into the nuanced and multifaceted stories of first and second-generation immigrants. Through intimate and thought-provoking conversations, we explore the intersections of culture, identity, and belonging, shedding light on the diverse journeys that shape our world. Hosted by Saadia Khan, a social entrepreneur passionate about authentic storytelling, Immigrantly breaks down stereotypes and builds bridges across communities, offering listeners a fresh perspective on what it means to navigate life between cultures.

Immigrantly has garnered significant recognition and has been featured in renowned media outlets such as the Nieman Storyboard, The Guardian, The Slowdown, and CNN.

Join us as we create new intellectual engagement for our audience. You can get more information at http://immigrantlypod.com.

Please share the love and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts & Spotify to help more people find us! 

You can connect with Saadia on Twitter @swkkhan Email: [email protected]

Host & Producer: Saadia Khan I Content Writer: Saadia Khan I Editorial review: Shei Yu I Sound Designer & Editor: Haziq Ahmed Farid I Immigrantly Theme Music: Simon Hutchinson | Other Music: Epidemic Sound

Immigrantly podcast is an Immigrantly Media Production.

For advertising inquiries, you can contact us at [email protected]

Remember to subscribe to our Apple podcast channel for insightful podcasts. Follow us on social media for updates and behind-the-scenes content.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As the 2024 Presidential Elections approach, reductive narratives around immigrant identities are on the rise. Despite over 70 million first and second-generation immigrants in America, they continue to face vilification. Politicians echo alarming calls for mass deportations, but few capture the humanity of the immigrant experience.

In this episode, my guests and I explore these issues and the often-overlooked stories of those who return to their homeland. Joining me are Antonia Cerejido and Lorena Rios, the brilliant minds behind the podcast Imperfect Paradise, Return to Mexico. They share the powerful journey of Daniel Zamora, an undocumented immigrant sent back to Mexico, revealing a story of grit, vulnerability, and strength.

Antonia, an award-winning producer and journalist from NPR's Latino USA, and Lorena, a distinguished journalist featured in The New York Times and The Guardian, delve into themes of identity, belonging, and the impact of immigration policies. Join us for an enlightening conversation about what it truly means to call a place home.

Immigrantly is a weekly podcast that celebrates the extraordinariness of immigrant life. We do this by providing our listeners with authentic, accurate insights into the immigrant identity in America. Immigrantly has garnered significant recognition and has been featured in renowned media outlets such as the Nieman Storyboard, The Guardian, The Slowdown, and CNN.

Join us as we create new intellectual engagement for our audience. You can get more information at http://immigrantlypod.com.

Please share the love and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts & Spotify to help more people find us! 

You can connect with Saadia on Twitter @swkkhan Email: [email protected]

Host & Producer: Saadia Khan I Content Writer: Saadia Khan I Editorial review: Shei Yu I Sound Designer & Editor: Haziq Ahmed Farid I Immigrantly Theme Music: Simon Hutchinson | Other Music: Epidemic Sound

Immigrantly podcast is an Immigrantly Media Production.

For advertising inquiries, you can contact us at [email protected]

Don't forget to subscribe to our Apple podcast channel for insightful podcasts. Follow us on social media for updates and behind-the-scenes content.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Constant worry and stress are bad for our bodies and our minds, but how can we break the cycle and relax? It turns out scientists have learned a lot from one of America's most stressed-out communities - caregivers. 

In this episode of The Happiness Lab, hosted by Dr. Laurie Santos, Hollywood star Steve Guttenberg talks about the toughest chapter of his life—caring for his dying dad—and Dr. Elissa Epel explains why some caregivers suffer badly from stress, while others seem to find ways to live with the awful situation they find themselves in daily. 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, I have the pleasure of speaking with Mila Atmos, the fabulous host of Future Hindsight. Mila is renowned for her deep understanding of civic engagement and democratic participation. She has spent years amplifying the voices of changemakers and thought leaders who shape our society.

But who is Mila Atmos beyond the microphone? This conversation delves into the lesser-known aspects of her life and career. Did you know Mila was born in Indonesia and raised in Germany before moving to the U.S.? Like me, she embarked on her podcasting journey during the 2016 elections. Mila and I explore how her multicultural background influences her perspective on civic life and democracy. We talk about her diverse career: before stepping into the podcasting world, Mila had a stint on Wall Street and a significant role at Sesame Street, where she was instrumental in launching the show's Indonesian version.

Immigrantly is a weekly podcast that celebrates the extraordinariness of immigrant life. We do this by providing our listeners with authentic, accurate insights into the immigrant identity in America. Immigrantly has garnered significant recognition and has been featured in renowned media outlets such as the Nieman Storyboard, The Guardian, The Slowdown, and CNN.

Join us as we create new intellectual engagement for our audience. You can get more information at http://immigrantlypod.com.

Please share the love and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts & Spotify to help more people find us! 

You can connect with Saadia on Twitter @swkkhan Email: [email protected]

Host & Producer: Saadia Khan I Content Writer: Saadia Khan I Editorial review: Shei Yu I Sound Designer & Editor: Haziq Ahmed Farid I Immigrantly Theme Music: Simon Hutchinson | Other Music: Epidemic Sound

Immigrantly podcast is an Immigrantly Media Production.

For advertising inquiries, you can contact us at [email protected]

Don't forget to subscribe to our Apple podcast channel for insightful podcasts. Follow us on social media for updates and behind-the-scenes content.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today on Immigrantly, I'm excited to welcome the incredible Dr. Amra Sabic-El-Rayess. Amra is an Associate Professor at Columbia University, focusing on essential topics like social cohesion, the radicalization process, and how communities can hurt each other. But beyond her academic work, Amra has an incredible personal story—she survived the Bosnian war and Genocide in the 1990s. She wrote a powerful book about her experience called "The Cat I Never Named: A True Story of Love, War, and Survival." Her recent book is Three Summers, which launched in April 2024. The book is based on her real life and is geared towards young readers.

For those who may not know, the Bosnian Genocide happened between 1992 and 1995 and involved horrific ethnic cleansing and mass killings, especially against Bosniak Muslims. The worst of it was the Srebrenica Massacre in July 1995, where over 8,000 Bosniak men and boys were killed.

Immigrantly is a weekly podcast that celebrates the extraordinariness of immigrant life. We do this by providing our listeners with authentic, accurate insights into the immigrant identity in America. Immigrantly has garnered significant recognition and has been featured in renowned media outlets such as the Nieman Storyboard, The Guardian, The Slowdown, and CNN.

Join us as we create new intellectual engagement for our audience. You can get more information at http://immigrantlypod.com.

Please share the love and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts & Spotify to help more people find us! 

You can connect with Saadia on Twitter @swkkhan Email: [email protected]

Host & Producer: Saadia Khan I Content Writer: Bobak Afshari & Saadia Khan I Editorial review: Shei Yu I Sound Designer & Editor: Haziq Ahmed Farid I Immigrantly Theme Music: Simon Hutchinson | Other Music: Epidemic Sound

Immigrantly podcast is an Immigrantly Media Production.

For advertising inquiries, you can contact us at [email protected]

Don't forget to subscribe to our Apple podcast channel for insightful podcasts. Follow us on social media for updates and behind-the-scenes content.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices