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Podcast: The Queer Arabs

Episode 147 [in English]: Amina Shareef Ali

Amina Shareef Ali is a trans, Oakland-based singer-songwriter, therapist, mom, and punk of Egyptian, Turkish, and Filipino descent. She discussed the challenges of retracing cultural heritage lost through her father’s passing and her mother’s assimilation, and the complex pressures of passing identity to the next generation. We also discussed lies we’ve been told about “making it” as an artist under capitalism, the audience base she found after embracing her queer, trans, and mixed-brown identities, what it means to be (folk)punk, and more!

Amina’s new album ‘In the Dark (Awake Of Course)’ is coming out Monday March 29! Follow her on Instagram and Facebook for more updates!

 

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Episode 146 [in English]: Yalla Bye Bitch

With Donald Trump finally out of the White House, Ellie, Alia, and Nadia took this episode to look back on the flurry of damages he’s caused over the last four years, particularly with regards to immigration and LGBTQ rights. (Not lost on us was the irony of Trump using a vague notion of “gay rights” to justify the Muslim ban, while persistently rolling back actual protections for queer and trans Americans.) Many of his executive orders were eventually struck down in court, but not without inflicting serious harm and leaving us psychologically drained. 

We also discuss our tentative hopes, concerns, and criticisms surrounding the new administration (it’s definitely not a quick fix for our prison-, police-, and military-industrial complexes). But as a start, we’re so relieved to see the orange fucker gone!

Thank you to Ellie for the policy research in this episode!

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