See Something Say Something

Burying a loved one is never easy. But for Muslims New Yorkers, the price of land, gentrification, and ritual practices complicates an already difficult process. As a result, most Muslims in the 5 boroughs tend to be buried hours away from their homes, at cemeteries in Long Island or New Jersey. With the death rate in NYC soaring due to COVID-19, Muslim funeral homes have borne the burden of a crisis that developed long before quarantine. How does one grapple with saying goodbye to our loved ones when burial is less than ideal? To answer these questions, we speak to housing policy expert Lena Afridi about losing and burying her father over a year ago. Then, Imam Khalid Latif of ICNYU shares some of the pressures that funeral homes in New York are facing during the COVID-19 crisis. M Train releases bi-weekly and each episode focuses on New York City metro area and the stories of American Muslims that can be found on and off the subway.  Donate to ICNYU’s Coronavirus Financial Hardship Grants: https://www.laun

Corona has thrown M Train (and all of society) for a bit of a loop. So we threw the script out for this episode and called up Dr. Ahmed Hozain, a surgical resident and researcher currently working in NYC, to talk about COVID-19, convincing your boomer parents to stay home, and virtual jum’ahs. Then, we returned to a simpler time before pre-isolation, when we interviewed North African dance teacher Esraa Wardah about her work decolonizing dance classes and building spaces that decenter whiteness.   Because of Corona, M Train may experience some delays. Please be patient.   M Train releases bi-weekly and each episode focuses on New York City metro area and the stories of American Muslims that can be found on and off the subway.   Follow Ahmed Hozain on twitter @AhmedHozain Follow Esraa Warda on Instagram @wardadance   Follow Ahmed on twitter @radbrowndads.  Follow our producer Shirin @Shebe86.  Follow our editor Myra @MBasilRahim, and follow our Executive Producer Sachar Mathias @sacharmathias.  Follow SSSS on

This episode, we head to Brooklyn to eat some Trinidadian food and talk about the dialogue between Black, Desi, Carribbean, and Muslim cultures within the island and its diaspora. We pick up some dhalpuri, buss-up-shot, and doubles and then wash it all down with sorrel, a tart, hibiscus flower drink. Throughout the episode, we talk about the way Trinidadian cuisine is a dialogue between Indian and African cultures and why the roti shop is as much an icon of NYC Muslim culture as the halal cart. Featuring: Johnny Ali and Kerrie Bissoon of the Utica Avenue Ali’s Roti and fashion designer Nzinga Knight of Brooklyn Brewed Sorrel.  Follow Nzinga on Instagram @nzingaknight and @brooklynbrewedsorrel. Head to www.nzingaknight.com to learn about her fashion work and head to www.brooklynbrewedsorrel.com to order Brooklyn Brewed Sorrel.  Follow Ali’s Roti Shop on Instagram: @alisrotishop or give them a visit at 337 Utica Avenue in Brooklyn. M-Train releases bi-weekly and each episode focuses on New York City metro area

We’re coming to you live! For the second episode of M-Train —the new six-part miniseries from See Something, Say Something and BRIC Radio — we hosted a panel discussion at the BRIC Ballroom centered on Muslims in politics. Our guests for the night were Shahana Hanif, New York City Council Candidate, Sadaf Jaffer, Mayor of Montgomery County in New Jersey (and first Muslim woman elected mayor in America), and Mohammad Missouri, Executive Director of JetPAC.  We talked about the Muslim bloc swinging leftwards, confronting Islamophobic trolls who live in your communities, and the challenges of representing a group as diverse as American Muslims.   M Train is released bi-weekly and each episode focuses on the New York City metro area and the stories of American Muslims that can be found on and off the subway.   Learn more about New York City Council Candidate Shahana Hanif here: https://shahanafrombk.com/ Learn more about Mayor Sadaf Jaffer here: https://www.sadafjaffer.com/ Learn more about Jet-PAC and Muhammad’s

Welcome aboard the M Train! A new six-part miniseries from See Something, Say Something and BRIC Radio– a Brooklyn-based audio network that amplifies community with podcasts ranging from LGBTQ stories and radio plays to a monthly audiovisual magazine celebrating our beloved #Brooklyn. Each of the six episodes of M-Train focuses on New York City metro area and the stories of American Muslims that can be found on and off the subway. Our debut focuses on the work of two sex educators redefining the place of sex and intimacy in Islam.  For our first stop, we head to Brooklyn to speak to Sid Azmi about her journey from radiation therapy to business woman and sex educator, running a “educated pleasure shop” in Park Slope.. Here’s where to find it, in case you want to visit: https://www.pleasenyc.com/ Then, we speak to Wazina Zondon about navigating queerness, sex, and Islam. Wazina is a sex-ed teacher and co-creator of the storytelling performance Coming Out Muslim: Radical Acts of love. Check it out here https://c

This month, we’re sharing with you  part two Ahmed’s reporting for America’s Test Kitchen where he followed the Pakistani mango trade in the United States. The story first started on SSSS and eventually moved to ATK’s PROOF podcast.  Find more info on PROOF here: https://www.americastestkitchen.com/proof. “In part two of this investigation, reporter Ahmed Ali Akbar explores the underbelly of the secretive mango distribution industry. He uncovers the historical and economic reasons that importing mangoes from Pakistan has been so difficult — from regulation to irradiation. And he finally traces product to supplier.” Our show is crowdfunded and made possible by our beloved listeners. Subscribe our Patreon for as little as $1 a month to help support the show: https://www.patreon.com/ahmedaliakbar. At $10, you get access to behind the scenes content like a newsletter and bonus episodes. You can find other ways to support here: https://moneyyy.me/$ahmedaliakbar Your support means the world to us. Plus, we’re doing

This month, we’re sharing with you Ahmed’s reporting for America’s Test Kitchen where he followed the Pakistani mango trade in the United States. The story first started on SSSS and eventually moved to ATK’s PROOF podcast.  Find more info on PROOF here: https://www.americastestkitchen.com/proof. “Pakistani-American communities in the U.S. rely on dealers on WhatsApp to gain access to their most coveted treasure: Pakistani mangoes. And they pay a premium for it. In part one of this two-part investigation, reporter Ahmed Ali Akbar searches for answers. Why are Pakistani mangoes so hard to find? And why is the Pakistani community resorting to deals on WhatsApp to procure them?” Our show is crowdfunded and made possible by our beloved listeners. Subscribe our Patreon for as little as $1 a month to help support the show: https://www.patreon.com/ahmedaliakbar. At $10, you get access to behind the scenes content like a newsletter and bonus episodes. You can find other ways to support here: https://moneyyy.me/$ahmeda

Jack Ryan, Amazon’s TV show based on the Tom Clancy character of the same name, features drone strikes, a Black American “good Muslim” character, and many of the tropes that have been around since Homeland and 24. So Ahmed decided to swallow his pride and try to watch it to see what he could learn. First, we talk to Salimah about the appeal of the show for your average Muslim TV binge watcher. Then, we speak with Professor Evelyn Alsultany, author of "Arabs and Muslims in the Media: Race and Representation after 9/11," to help give historical context to the depiction of Muslims in Terrorism TV. Also featured:  the return of Halal or Not!   Our show is crowdfunded and made possible by our beloved listeners. Subscribe our Patreon for as little as $1 a month to help support the show: https://www.patreon.com/ahmedaliakbar. At $10, you get access to behind the scenes content like a newsletter and bonus episodes. Last month, we released a bonus jinn episode. You can find other ways to support here: https://moneyyy.

Happy Halloween! Jinn, those mischievous beings made of smokeless fire, are one of three races featured in the Qur’an (humans and angels being the others). They’re important figures in folklore too and a common indicator of the religion’s adaption to local culture. Assistant Professor of History Ali A. Olomi joins the podcast to tell some spooky stories and to help us understand what the jinn really are.   Our show is crowdfunded and made possible by our beloved listeners. Subscribe our Patreon for as little as $1 a month to help support the show: https://www.patreon.com/ahmedaliakbar. You can find other ways to support here: https://moneyyy.me/$ahmedaliakbar Your support means the world to us.   Follow Ali @aliaolomi. Read one of his viral threads on jinn here:https://twitter.com/aaolomi/status/1161724366456905728?lang=en. Follow Ahmed on Instagram and Twitter: @radbrowndads. Follow the show on Twitter @seesomething and facebook.com/seesomethingpodcast. Email the show at info@seesomethingpodcast.com. Our mus

  You know that catchy jingle that starts our show? That’s by The Kominas, a punk band that’s been influential in South Asian and Muslim scenes. One of the guitarists, Shahjehan Khan, is a longtime friend of the show who has been open about his issues with mental health and addiction. There's a new Kominas album too this month, "The Systems Are Down," so we bring on Shahj to discuss about his struggles with addiction, how he’s turned around his life, and releasing the album on September 11th. Warning: we discuss include depression, suicidal ideation, addiction, and related topics. Also--We’re bringing “Halal Or Not?” back, but this time we’re helping our listeners make halal not decisions. Call (646) 50-HALAL and tell us what you need help figuring out--we may call you back to figure it out live on the show.  Follow Ahmed on Instagram and Twitter: @radbrowndads. Buy the new Kominas album here: https://kominas.bandcamp.com/album/the-systems-are-down Our music is by The Kominas, follow them at @TheRealKominas.

Over the past few years, China has increased its internment and surveillance of the Uyghur people for expressing their culture and Muslim religion. This has spread to the diaspora, where the community lives in fear of retaliation for family members back home, even for something as basic as teaching the Uyghur language itself. So, Ahmed talks to journalist Megha Rajagopalan about her groundbreaking reporting and the context for China’s growing surveillance state. Then, he talks to activist and teacher Irade Kashgary, co-founder Ana Care and Education, a Uyghur cultural and linguistic after-school program for kids and young adults in Northern Virginia.  Special thanks to Munawwar Abdulla for production support and guidance on this episode. Donate to the Patreon to help support the show: https://www.patreon.com/ahmedaliakbar. Your support means the world to us. $10 donors get access to exclusive content Follow Ahmed on Instagram and Twitter: @radbrowndads. Follow Megha @Meghara Follow Irade @IradeKashgary Links

The July 30th and 31st Democratic debates had 20 (TWENTY!) candidates on stage. So, what do Muslim folks working in PR think about how the candidates fared? We invited on Firdaus Arastu, political consultant and activist, to discuss her work, how American Muslims can reclaim the narrative, and to break down the debates.   Donate to the Patreon to help support the show: https://www.patreon.com/ahmedaliakbar. Your support means the world to us. New donors of $5 or more get a handwritten postcards and entered in a raffle to win a SSSS mug if they commit by August 9th  Follow Ahmed on Instagram and Twitter: @radbrowndads. Fill out this survey so we can get some advertising revenue: http://survey.libsyn.com/seesomethingsaysomething. Follow the show @seesomething and facebook.com/seesomethingpodcast. Email Ahmed at radbrowndads@gmail.com. Our music is by The Kominas, follow them at @TheRealKominas and kominas.bandcamp.com.

Ahmed talks to Ramy Youssef, the writer and creator behind the Hulu show “Ramy” and the HBO Comedy Special “Feelings.” They discuss representation, future Muslim TV shows they hope to see, and why it’s important to resist being “the first.”   Donate to the Patreon to help support the show: https://www.patreon.com/ahmedaliakbar. Your support means the world to us. $10 donors get access to the show’s Discord chat server.   Follow Ahmed on Instagram and Twitter: @radbrowndads. Fill out this survey so we can get some advertising revenue: http://survey.libsyn.com/seesomethingsaysomething. Follow the show @seesomething and facebook.com/seesomethingpodcast. Email Ahmed at radbrowndads@gmail.com. Our music is by The Kominas, follow them at @TheRealKominas and kominas.bandcamp.com.

Journalist Hussein Kesvani’s new book, “Follow Me, Akhi: The Online World of British Muslims” covers the many ways British Muslims use the internet. So Ahmed invites Hussein on for a cross-Atlantic conversation on growing up online. They talk about confronting Islamophobic trolls, No-Fap groups, and Muslim dating apps. It’s as wild and weird as the internet itself.   Buy “Follow Me, Akhi”: https://www.hurstpublishers.com/book/follow-me-akhi/   Donate to the Patreon to help support the show: https://www.patreon.com/ahmedaliakbar. Your support means the world to us. $10 donors get access to the show’s Discord chat server.   Follow Ahmed on Instagram and Twitter: @radbrowndads. Follow Hussein: @hkesvani Fill out this survey so we can get some advertising revenue: http://survey.libsyn.com/seesomethingsaysomething. Follow the show @seesomething and facebook.com/seesomethingpodcast. Email Ahmed at radbrowndads@gmail.com. Our music is by The Kominas, follow them at @TheRealKominas and kominas.bandcamp.com.

Ramadan and Eid zoomed by and in the meantime, Ahmed watched the new live-action Guy Ritchie Aladdin movie… and turns out kind of enjoyed it?  Controversial, yes, but you have to speak your truth. So we’re joined this week by Nida Abbasi and Maryam Adamu to discuss Eid traditions and why we had fun in Aladdin despite how flawed the movie is. Also making an appearance:  jinn-human romances, Heba Hasan’s love for Eid’s morning coffee, Salimah’s mishap with a mosque bounce house, and The Komina’s song, “Eid Mubarak.”   Also, we were limited in our mic setup this week and only had access to one, so the show will sound a little bit different this week.   Donate to the Patreon to help support the show: https://www.patreon.com/ahmedaliakbar. Your support means the world to us. $10 donors get access to the show’s Discord chat server.   Follow Ahmed on Instagram and Twitter: @radbrowndads. Fill out this survey so we can get some advertising revenue: http://survey.libsyn.com/seesomethingsaysomething. Follow the show @s

American Muslims have long participated in the struggle against mass incarceration, and this Ramadan, we speak to three people who can help us make sense of where things stand now. First, we talk to Sadiq Davis on his reentry journey through Muslim communities in Chicago and L.A. after 25 years in prison. Then, Justin Mashouf, the filmmaker who captured Sadiq’s story in the documentary “The Honest Struggle,” talks to us about prison reform and telling Sadiq's story with mercy and compassion. Finally, we talk to Dr. Suad Abdul-Khabeer about Believer’s Bailout, a community-led effort to bail out Muslims in pretrial incarceration and ICE custody as a form of zakat.   Donate to the Patreon to help support the show: https://www.patreon.com/ahmedaliakbar. Your support means the world to us. $10 donors get access to the show’s Discord chat server.   Follow Ahmed on Instagram and Twitter: @radbrowndads. Follow Justin @Mashouf. Follow Dr. Suad @DrSuad. Watch The Honest Struggle here: http://honeststruggle.co/watch-now

Ramadan Mubarak! We're happily loopy from our first week of fasting. In this episode, Ahmed talks to New York Times best-selling novelist, Fatima Farheen Mirza. Her novel, “A Place For Us,” explores the relationships between the children and parents of a Hyderbadi Muslim family and what happens when a brown boy doesn’t meet family and community expectations. It's kind of like that Warsan Shire tweet — "my dj name is dj eldest immigrant daughter." Plus: Salimah, Fatima, and Ahmed share their favorite suhoor memories. Donate to the Patreon to help support the show: https://www.patreon.com/ahmedaliakbar. $10 donors get access to the show’s Discord chat server. Fill out this survey so we can get some advertising revenue: http://survey.libsyn.com/seesomethingsaysomething. Follow Ahmed on Instagram and Twitter: @radbrowndads. Follow Salimah on Instagram and Twitter: @salimahfm. Follow Fatima @fatimafmirza on Twitter and @ffmirza on instagram. Follow the show @seesomething and facebook.com/seesomethingpodcast. Email

See Something Say Something is officially back, but we need your help! We’ve shifted to an independent, crowdfunding model; bear with us as we spend a few minutes discussing our new Patreon and how your donations will help us make the show. A big thank you to the all the Patrons who’ve already donated and help us keep the show going. But also: remember, we’re committed to providing this space for free and it is totally okay if you can’t support. After that, join us as Ahmed and Salimah discuss how they’re preparing for Ramadan this year.   Donate to the Patreon to help support the show: https://www.patreon.com/ahmedaliakbar. $10 donors get access to the show’s Discord chat server. Fill out this survey so we can get some advertising revenue: http://survey.libsyn.com/seesomethingsaysomething. Follow Ahmed @radbrowndads. Follow Salimah (on Instagram) @salimahfm. Follow the show @seesomething and facebook.com/seesomethingpodcast. Email Ahmed at radbrowndads@gmail.com. Our music is by The Kominas, follow them at @

Ahmed's back for another short SSSS newsbrief! Salimah joins the podcast to talk about the three Somali models featured on April's Vogue Arabia cover, the freshmen Muslim congresswomen, Jordan Peele's "Us," and the attacks on Mali. PLUS: we have a Patreon now. Donate to the show monthly and help us make the show! Head over to https://www.patreon.com/ahmedaliakbar. More info on the next episode. Follow Ahmed @radbrowndads. Follow the show @seesomething on Twitter andhttps://www.facebook.com/seesomethingpodcast on Facebook.

Ahmed and Abu are back for a one-off episode processing the murder of 50 people in the Christchurch, New Zealand masjids by a white supremacist. Stay subscribed to the feed and our social feeds for more updates on the future of the show after BuzzFeed News.   Follow Ahmed @radbrowndads. Follow the show @seesomething on Twitter and http:/facebook.com/seesomethingpodcast on Facebook.