On The Square

In this episode of On The Square, Sapelo Square’s Executive Director Latasha Rouseau talks with Tiffany Green-Abdullah, author of The Bean Pie: A Remembering of Our Family’s Faith, Fortitude and Forgiveness.

Tiffany starts by sharing how her great aunt, Daisy Kennon, crafted the original bean pie recipe for the Nation of Islam, which would later become a staple in the Black Muslim community. Tiffany grew up learning about the integral role her aunt played in the bean pie through family oral tradition. Spurred by a desire to dig deeper, she began a journey that would require much reflection on the lives of her aunt, grandmother and mother. Delving into her family’s history reopened old wounds and uncovered past traumas that were lying beneath the surface. The results of her efforts is a testament to the healing power of faith and forgiveness.

Guest Bio:

Tiffany Green-Abdullah is a visionary leader and speaker in learning innovations, community development, and life coaching. Hailing from Chicago, she was a first-generation college student and has obtained multiple degrees, including a Bachelors in economics and a Masters of Education, both from Vanderbilt University.

When she isn’t writing, Tiffany is the Chief Executive Officer at her consulting firm, Tiffany Green Consultants as well as giving back to the community through committee and board involvement. She lives in Atlanta with her son. Tiffany dreams of turning her writings into movies and television shows.

In this episode of On The Square, Sapelo Square’s Executive Director Latasha Rouseau sits down with Salima Suswell.

Salima is the CEO and President of Evolve Solutions and founder of the Philadelphia Ramadan and Eid Fund.

Salima shares how her upbringing provided the foundation for her love of community and civic engagement. Her father, Imam Asim Abdur-Rashid (may Allah be pleased with him) was the imam for Masjid Mujahideen in Philadelphia until his passing in 2022. Her mother, Majeedah Rashid, has been a community organizer throughout her life. Both were influential in shaping the woman she has become today. A self described daughter of the Dar-ul-Islam movement, Salima draws from her roots steeped in love of faith, activism and community engagement as she moves in the world today. The conversation begins with the question “Who is Salima?” and proceeds to touch on topics pertaining to the history of Black Muslims in America, the importance of remaining civically engaged no matter the obstacles or political climate, voter suppression and the role that everyone must play to achieve the best outcome for all of society. This episode is a reminder that there is strength in community and power in our shared history.

In this episode of On The Square, Sapelo Square’s Senior Editor Ambata Kazi talks with Aaliyah Bilal, author of the new book, Temple Folk, a collection of short stories portraying the lived experiences of Black Muslims grappling with faith, family, and freedom in America.
Aaliyah shares her literary influences and how her interests in American Muslim history, especially the history of the Nation of Islam and its role in shaping the nation, inspired her to write the stories that comprise her collection. Ambata and Aaliyah discuss the challenges of being a Muslim writer: writing about difficult or taboo subjects, without fear or a need for approval, and away from the traps of the outside gaze. Aaliyah also shares advice for new and interested writers on how to nurture their own unique voices and perspectives and write with confidence.
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Aaliyah Bilal was born and raised in Prince George’s County, Maryland. She has degrees from Oberlin College and the University of London School of Oriental and African Studies. Her stories and essays have been published with The Michigan Quarterly Review, The Rumpus and The Chicago Quarterly Review. Temple Folk is her first book. Her website is www.aaliyahbilal.com

Juvaria Khan is the founder and executive director of the Appellate Project, a non-profit that strives to empower law students of color to not only work, but thrive in the appellate field. Appellate courts, (also referred to as the court of appeals), review cases that have been appealed to ensure that the initial proceedings were fair and the proper law was applied correctly. These are the highest courts in our nation that make decisions on all aspects of our lives, including healthcare, religion and policing. As you can imagine, communities of color are often disproportionately impacted by many of the rulings that are made due to a lack of diversity within these spaces. In this episode, Latasha Rouseau, executive director of Sapelo Square, speaks with Juvaria about the flaws of the appellate court system but also the opportunities that exist to change its racial makeup, including the lane she has created to lead the way. As you listen, you will realize that Juvaria is no joke. She is knowledgeable and passionate about ensuring that the persons making decisions in our highest courts reflect the people they represent. As we commemorate Black August and honor the political prisoners, activists and freedom fighters, past and present, let us also remember and highlight the persons within our courts fighting to protect the freedoms of those putting their lives on the line so that justice is served to all.

On this episode of On The Square, Sapelo Square’s News Editor Dr. Nisa Muhammad speaks with Yaya Fanusie, creator of The Jabbari Lincoln Files. The Jabbari Lincoln Files is an international spy thriller presented in a 10-episode podcast series. The protagonist is a Black Muslim CIA Financial Analyst who takes listeners on the ride of a lifetime through intriguing narratives and audio effects that will have you on the edge of your seat. Fanusie spent seven years as both an economic and counterterrorism analyst in the CIA. He brings his knowledge and background to life through Jabbari Lincoln, weaving the Black experience and Islam into the storyline. Without giving away any spoilers, this podcast will introduce you to your next favorite listen. It’s that good.

In this episode of On The Square, it’s all about our Black boys! Sapelo Square’s Executive Director, Latasha Rouseau, speaks with Atiba Saleem Jones, the founder and Executive Director of SAVE Institute, which offers middle and high school programs to young Black boys as an alternative to a traditional school setting. Located in Atlanta, Georgia, the mission of SAVE Institute is “to SAVE black boys from cycles of poverty, crime, incarceration and lack of purpose through engagement in Service, Agriculture, Vocational training and Entrepreneurship”. As you will learn, Atiba has dedicated his life to positively impacting the lives of young men. The conversation flows from Atiba’s roots in Philly, his epiphany while in Syria and his maturation on the campus of Morehouse College. Atiba and Latasha touch on issues that include the school to prison pipeline, mental health, practicing Islam and rites of passage for young Black males. In a society where we are constantly confronted with negative depictions of Black lives, this is a dialogue for anyone ready to be inspired by the work and commitment of a group of men dedicated to seeing Black boys not only succeed, but thrive.
Make sure you stay until the end so you can hear briefly from a very special guest and student at SAVE Institute.

Aïdah Aliyah Rasheed, Special Projects Lead sits down with Bee Walker, photographer, filmmaker and one-half of Paper Monday. Within this episode, Aïdah and Bee talk about the beginning stages behind the collaborative project between Sapelo Square and Paper Monday, Preserving the Legacy Portraits and Stories Capturing Black Muslim Life.* Bee shares a specific experience that occurred when Aïdah invited her to attend Jumu’ah (Friday prayer service) at Masjid Khalifah in Brooklyn, New York. Additionally the two discuss specifics about the creative process and balancing paying bills while simultaneously honoring their main intentions as creatives in the world, striving to “make art that matters.”

This conversation serves as an encouragement to Black creatives and storytellers who, like most people, have doubts about their abilities, whether they will secure adequate resources for their projects or cultivate an audience who will appreciate their gifts, to continue to push forward when obstacles may seem insurmountable. This episode also touches on the importance of telling our stories with intentionality, having faith and persevering through it all.

You can keep up with Paper Monday on Instagram: @papermonday

*Within the introduction of the podcast episode the website link mentioned was incorrect. The correct link is: https://www.preservinglegacy.online

In this episode of On The Square, our host Dr. Su’ad is joined by members of the Sapelo Squad for a 2021 Year-in-Review.

On The Square’s theme music was created by Fanatik OnBeats.
Artwork for On The Square was created by Scheme of Things Graphics.

In this episode of On The Square, we talk with Gilary Massa-Machado a community activist from Canada, Tahir Fuzile Sitoto, a lecturer from South Africa, and Ismael Lea South, a community and youth consultant from United Kingdom on the differences and the shared experiences of being Black and Muslim in the 21st century.

Credits:
On The Square’s theme music was created by Fanatik OnBeats.
Artwork for On The Square was created by Scheme of Things Graphics.

In this episode of On The Square, we talk with Dr. Aliyah Khan, author of Far from Mecca: Globalizing the Muslim Caribbean, about the deep Muslim history of the Caribbean and how the Muslim experience is shaped by the complex racial dynamics of the region.
Credits:
On The Square’s theme music was created by Fanatik OnBeats.
Artwork for On The Square was created by Scheme of Things Graphics.