Muslims of the Melting Pot

Louise Cansington, a Swedish funeral home director, was a former Islamophobe who frequented anti-immigration protests, had a blog that was shut down for racism and bigotry, and promoted hate for Islam. Today, she is a Muslim activist and a fierce defender of Palestinian rights. In this episode, Louise shares the story behind her transformation.

Sarah Ibrahim, a public health student in Washington DC, gets personal about what the unfolding events in Palestine mean to her as a Muslim woman with roots in that land, and how she foresees the future of what's to come.

On the latest episode of Muslims of the Melting Pot, Miko Peled shares his experience living and growing up in Jerusalem as the son of an Israeli general. Now a fierce defender of Palestinian rights, he narrates his journey of activism from his roots to his realizations of the truth behind the Israeli-Palestinian issue.

Best known for her page, “Grow with Marjan,” an Iranian Muslim student walks us through her experience as a hijabi influencer in Hong Kong whose content has inspired people all around the world. Marjan delves into her hijab story, the role models she looks up to, the motivations behind her content, and even the hate she’s received in the process.

On this episode of Muslims of the Melting Pot, Sara Salimi and Sahar Jaber discuss the Islamic viewpoint on femininity and masculinity, contrasting it to modern forms of feminism and controversies surrounding gender roles and women’s rights in society.

From converting to Islam as a 20-year-old DJ and memorizing the Quran in two years, to studying Islam at Cairo’s renowned Al-Azhar university and becoming a scholar who started his own online Hawza (Islamic seminary), Suhaib Webb shares his journey to Islam on this latest episode of Muslims of the Melting.

In the third episode, Nouri Sardar delves deep into his years of experience as a poet and filmmaker, highlighting the pros and cons of working in religious vs. mainstream media. Is Hollywood a more powerful avenue to get the Muslim perspective out there, or is grassroots work the way to go? Watch full episode to hear his thoughts. In Muslims of the Melting Pot series, host Sara Salimi explores a wide range of issues concerning Muslim identity in the West through the lens of a symbol we are all too familiar with: the melting pot. Every episode, a featured guest breaks down one puzzle piece that defines part of the Western Muslim’s journey to God in a society that does not necessarily represent a God-centric lifestyle. Will the puzzle pieces ever come together to create that perfect image?

In the second episode of Muslims of the Melting Pot, Hassan Chami discusses the deeper Islamic values behind the famous Ramadan Suhoor Festival in Dearborn, which attracts tens of thousands of attendees every year! In this series, host Sara Salimi explores a wide range of issues concerning Muslim identity in the West through the lens of a symbol we are all too familiar with: the melting pot. Every episode, a featured guest breaks down one puzzle piece that defines part of the Western Muslim’s journey to God in a society that does not necessarily represent a God-centric lifestyle. Will the puzzle pieces ever come together to create that perfect image?

In this very first episode of Muslims of the Melting Pot, Mohamad, @ThatMuslimGuyy delves deep into what it means for Western Muslims to experience and grapple with multiple identities at the same time. As a content creator who covers religion and politics through the lens of comedy, Mohamad offers a compelling take on the unique challenges Muslims face when attempting to integrate into a society that doesn’t always represent their values.