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Podcast: The Queer Arabs

Episode 217 [in English]: The Legendary X-Knights

Bijhan Agha is a trans Persian-American comic artist living in Uruguay, and second-time podcast guest! This time, she joined us to talk about her latest superhero comic “The Legendary X-Knights” for which the Kickstarter comes out today!

“The Legendary X-Knights” is about a group of diverse people working together to defeat monsters. They are all brought together by messages from the future which guide them in a war against Vampirekind. They get their powers from colored crystals which translate their emotions—especially those typically considered negative—into physical armor and weapons.

We discuss the unique power of comics to reach both children on basic issues of justice and adults on a level of more pointed political critique. We also unpack certain facets of the book as we see them playing out in the real world: the reality that you can shift mass public opinion without shifting how power operates, the insidiousness of the military-industrial complex, and the importance of embracing “negative” emotions as an antidote to political apathy and toxic positivity. 

Comic Kickstarter Campaign: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/jamsheedstudios/the-legendary-x-knights-issue-1-the-legend-begins/

Jamsheed Studios Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/JamsheedStudios

Bijhan’s BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/bijhan.bsky.social

Note!  As of December 1, there are $1 digital comics and discounts for comics bought to US prisoners who requested queer literature.

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Episode 216 [in English]: Creators for Gaza

Sheyam Ghieth is an artist, organizer, Egyptian propagandist, and repeat podcast guest after 4 years! 

Sheyam is a co-founder of Creators for Gaza, a SWANA-led mutual-aid network connecting artists and amplifiers with Palestinian families facing genocide. Check it out to donate or get involved as an artist!

They also discuss their work drawing connections between disease and colonialism in genocidal states, building COVID-19 and Palestine solidarity, especially in the face of mask bans meant to attack pro-Palestine protesters. This work includes their Zine “mask up we need you” (in collaboration with @rimo_skyo).

We also talk about how we’re showing up with our communities lately, and Sheyam highlights @swanarosepdx community center as a home for the SWANA diaspora. We talk about the importance of community care *and* alone time for introverts, and the importance of taking time for trust-building in identity-based spaces.

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