Born and raised in Iran, and having attended the University of Tehran where she received a BS in Industrial Design, Shiva is an entrepreneur.  She later moved to the US, where she received her Masters in Industrial Design at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California.   Shiva currently lives in Portland, Oregon, where she is working on a host of projects including in-it, a video-based social media campaign that’s intended to help individuals spread awareness about issues they are passionate about. I’m excited to have Shiva on the show today to discuss her work, as well as the continuing development of Iran-US relations.    You can support our podcast by donating to the gofundme. Here's the link Our music is composed by Basim Usmani, one of the lead vocalists of the punk band "The Kominas."  

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Jon Aragón is an entrepreneur who specializes in multidisciplinary design and branding. Intriguingly, Jon is also a preacher, which is a rather unconventional combination in my opinion. As a second-generation Colombian-American and as a part of the Afro-Latinx community, Jon’s background allows him to offer a unique perspective when approaching design and problem-solving. Jon’s spiritual identity wholly informs his work as a designer; he sees himself as a servant of Christ and works with the goal and intention of using his talents to assist organizations and individuals to the best of his ability. Jon has named his own design company “Jon Doulos”, with “Doulos” meaning slave or servant in Greek. Jon serves on the teaching and preaching team at his church and mentors young men, empowering them to perceive and pursue their calling. Jon is also the co-founder of Native Supply, a clothing brand whos apparel takes contemporary street style and meshes it with messages relating to one’s devotion to God You can support our podcast by donating to the gofundme. Here's the link Our music is composed by Basim Usmani, one of the lead vocalists of the punk band "The Kominas."

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Aymann Ismail is an award-winning podcast host, video editor, photographer, and writer at Slate whose work focuses on identity and religion. As a kid of Egyptian Immigrants, Ayman's early childhood experiences reflect reconciling with the duality of his identity. He wrote and produced "Who's Afraid of Aymann Ismail?" a video series that negates stereotypes of both American Muslims, and those are scared of them. He currently hosts "Man Up," a weekly interview podcast about men, relationships, family, race, and sex. You can support our podcast by donating to the gofundme. Here's the link Our music is composed by Basim Usmani, one of the lead vocalists of the punk band "The Kominas"  

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Yousef Bashir is the author of the memoir “The Words of My Father.” Yousef’s story is one that showcases the inherent complexities of what it means to be a Palestinian American, particularly one that grew up in the Gaza Strip. From a young age, he was brought face to face with the harsh realities of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and that experience has very much informed the work that he does today. In an op-ed that he wrote in the New York Times this spring, Yousef says that his father taught him “that seeking peace is not only a prayer but also an obligation.” As an adult, Yousef works every day to fulfill this obligation, whether that is through his work on Capitol Hill or as a member of the Palestinian Diplomatic Delegation to the United States. You can support our podcast by donating to the gofundme. Here's the link Our music is composed by Basim Usmani, one of the lead vocalists of the punk band "The Kominas"  

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Jennifer Asif's story was first reported by the Huffington Post. Her husband was recently deported by ICE due to an apparent error in their system. Jennifer is trying to reunite with her husband! You can support our podcast by donating to the gofundme. Here's the link Our music is composed by Basim Usmani, one of the lead vocalists of the punk band "The Kominas"    

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Malaka Gharib is a journalist at National Public Radio. She reports on topics such as the humanitarian aid sector, gender equality, and innovation in the developing world. She is also the founder of Runcible spoon food zine and She has written a graphic memoir "I was Their American Dream" about family, identity, and fitting in as a Filipino Egyptian American kid of Immigrants.   You can support our podcast by donating to our gofundme https://www.gofundme.com/manage/the-alien-chronicles-pod

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Basim Usmani is one of the founders of the punk band "The Kominas" that was born out of Massachusetts in the early 2000s. Since their inception, the Kominas were lauded for breaking cultural boundaries and turning that which is unexpected into a new reality. Saadia Khan talks to Basim about his music, sense of belonging within and outside immigrant communities, and how he balances his American and Pakistani identities. You can support our podcast by donating to our gofundme https://www.gofundme.com/manage/the-alien-chronicles-pod

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Saadia Khan talks to Saadia Faruqi. Saadia is a Pakistani American author, essay writer, and interfaith activist. She writes children's early reader series "Yasmin" published by Capstone.  She has also written "Brick Walls: Tales of Hope & Courage from Pakistan" a short story collection for adults and teens. As part of her activism, Saadia trains various audiences, including faith groups and law enforcement on topics about Islam. She was featured in Oprah Magazine in 2017 as a woman making a difference in her community. She is the editor-in-chief of Blue Minaret, a magazine for Muslim art, poetry, and prose. She resides in Houston, TX, with her husband and children. They talk about religion, culture, and integration! You can support the pod by clicking on the link below https://www.gofundme.com/the-alien-chronicles-pod

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Today's guest Nevsah Fidan is a spiritual healer committed to personal enlightenment.  Her focus is optimal breathing for improving health and performance. She is an internationally renowned breath expert, a meditation teacher, a well-known author of 9 best seller books, a mother and a wife. She was born in Izmir, Turkey, she is an architect who decided to create her org focused on breathing and thinking habits in 2004. She is a global citizen who travels between London, Istanbul, and NewYork. Nevsah grew up with a Sufi master, in Sufi tradition. This is the foundation of Nevsah’s work with the breath. She created the breath coaching system with her spiritual gifts and scientific education. We talk to Nevsah about her work as a breath expert and ask her how people from different cultures have different breathing habits. You can support the pod by clicking on the link below https://www.gofundme.com/the-alien-chronicles-pod

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I recorded my interview with Gosia Labno, a couple of months ago, but I am releasing it today because of its relevance to the current discourse on immigration. When I spoke to Gosia, The Dream and American Promise ACT HR 6 was introduced. We spoke briefly about its impact. Recently the House Judiciary Committee passed HR6. With the Democratic majority in the house, it will most like pass the chambers but not move forward in the GOP controlled Senate. Nevertheless, I am excited to publish the episode at the time of a historic victory for immigration advocates and DACA recipients! Gosia Łabno is a DACA recipient, but she is rarely taken for one because she does not match the American narrative of what a DACA recipient should look like, she is a blonde blue eyed immigrant from Poland. She is also a communications specialist at a firm in Chicago and the co-founder of KULTURA, an online magazine profiling changemakers to inspire those "who will undoubtedly follow." Gosia holds an M.A. in Middle Eastern Studies from the University of Chicago and a B.S. in Media and Cinema Studies from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. We talk to Gosia about the challenges she faces as a DACA recipient and her hope for the future.  You can support the pod by clicking on the link below https://www.gofundme.com/the-alien-chronicles-pod

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