Maysoon Zayid: Defending the Homeland With Comedy | Sumud Podcast

Maysoon Zayid: Defending the Homeland With Comedy | Sumud Podcast

Inquire to book Maysoon: ⁠https://www.caa.com/caaspeakers/maysoon-zayid/⁠ [https://www.caa.com/caaspeakers/maysoon-zayid/] Support Maysoon's Work Amplifying Disabled Voices: https://app.thefield.org/home/donation/general/622112/0 [https://app.thefield.org/home/donation/general/622112/0] For more information, please send Maysoon a DM @maysoonzayid 🎙️ In this episode of the Sumud Podcast, we sit down with comedian, actress, author, and activist Maysoon Zayid for a powerful conversation on identity, resilience, representation, and survival. From growing up as a Palestinian Muslim woman with cerebral palsy in New Jersey to breaking barriers in comedy and becoming a leading disability advocate, she reflects on the experiences that shaped her voice. Through humor and sharp social commentary, she discusses Hollywood, stereotypes, discrimination, and the realities facing Arab communities today, and why dignity and truth matter more than ever. 🌍 Maysoon Zayid is a comedian, actress, writer, and disability advocate. She is a graduate of Arizona State University, and a current Georgetown Qatar fellow. She has taught at Princeton University and NYU. Maysoon is the co-founder/co-executive producer of the New York Arab American Comedy Festival and the Muslim Funny Fest. Her Ted Talk, “I Got 99 Problems...Palsy is Just One,” has been translated into 42 languages, and was one of the most popular talks of 2014. As a professional comedian, Maysoon has sold out top New York City clubs and has toured extensively at home and abroad. She was a headliner on the Arabs Gone Wild comedy tour and the Together Live tour. Maysoon has collaborated with Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Famer Dave Matthews, and was a consultant for Disney. Maysoon had a recurring role on General Hospital, has limped in New York Fashion Week, tap-danced on Broadway, and is an ambassador for Huda Beauty. She is the author of the bestselling memoir Find Another Dream and the award-winning Scholastic graphic novel, Shiny Misfits. Learn more at Maysoon.com. 🔑 In this conversation, we explore - Maysoon’s journey growing up Palestinian, Muslim, and disabled in America - How comedy became a tool for resistance, healing, and storytelling - The story behind her viral TED Talk and rise to global attention - Breaking barriers in Hollywood and the entertainment industry - The challenges of navigating identity, safety, and public life - The pressures of assimilation and preserving cultural identity in America - Why humor can be one of the most powerful forms of truth-telling Sponsored by The Karate Attorney (@karateattorney) fighting for justice inside and outside the courtroom. Visit KarateAttorney.com 🎬 Full episode on https://sumudpod.com 📲 Follow @dredhasan | @sumudpod | @maysoonzayid Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

Mosab Abu Toha: Stones of Rubble have Amnesia | Sumud Podcast

🎙️In this episode of the Sumud Podcast, Dr. Ed Hasan sits down with acclaimed poet, writer, and educator Mosab Abu Toha for a deeply personal conversation on literature, displacement, memory, and survival. Mosab reflects on growing up under siege, founding the Edward Said Library, writing through war and family separation, and using poetry to preserve truth amid destruction. He also shares the stories behind his poems, his experience of detention, and why books, memory, and storytelling remain acts of resistance. 🌍 Mosab Abu Toha is a Palestinian poet and writer who was born in Gaza. In 2025, he was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Commentary for his series of essays on Gaza published in The New Yorker. He is the founder of the Edward Said Library, Gaza’s first English-language library, and the author of two acclaimed poetry collections. His debut, Things You May Find Hidden in My Ear (City Lights, 2022), won an American Book Award and a 2022 Palestine Book Award, and was a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award. His second collection, Forest of Noise (Knopf, 2024), was named a New York Times Notable Book of the Year and won the Brooklyn Public Library Book Prize. Abu Toha was also named to the 2026 CULT100 list by Cultured Magazine. His poetry and reporting have appeared in major outlets including The New York Times, The Atlantic, The Washington Post, The Nation, The Paris Review, and Poetry. His work has been further recognized in several Best American anthologies, including The Best American Food and Travel Writing 2024, The Best American Poetry 2025, and The Best American Essays 2025. A frequent guest on international broadcast media, he has been interviewed on CNN by Christiane Amanpour, PBS NewsHour, Democracy Now!, MSNBC with Chris Hayes, and NPR. 🔑 In this conversation, we explore → Growing up in a refugee camp and discovering literature under blockade → Founding the Edward Said Library and building cultural spaces in Gaza → How poetry documents grief, survival, family, and displacement → The story behind Things You May Find Hidden in My Ear → Mosab’s detention, separation from his family, and reunion → Why memory, storytelling, and literature matter during destruction → The dream of creating an international literary festival in Gaza Sponsored by The Karate Attorney (@karateattorney) fighting for justice inside and outside the courtroom. Visit KarateAttorney.com 🎬 Full episode on https://sumudpod.com 📲 Follow @dredhasan | @sumudpod | @mosababutoha Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

Ramsey Hanhan: Palestine Bleeds For You | Sumud Podcast

🎙️ In this episode of the Sumud Podcast, we sit down with Palestinian author and former academic Ramsey Hanhan for a powerful conversation about Fugitive Dreams, Palestine Bleeds For You, censorship, the Nakba, faith, and the responsibility of witnessing. Ramsey reflects on being in Palestine on October 7, writing in real time as Gaza was being destroyed, and why Palestinian voices must continue to speak even when the world tries to silence them. 🌍 Ramsey Hanhan is the author of two books: Palestine Bleeds For You (2026) and the autobiographical Fugitive Dreams (2022). His short stories, essays, and poetry appear in The Harvard Advocate, Fikra magazine, Scene48, Mondoweiss and other publications. He also speaks about Palestine and literature. Formerly a physics professor, Ramsey holds a Ph.D. from the University of Michigan and lives near Baltimore, Maryland. Ramsey's Linktree: https://linktr.ee/ramseyhanhan Ramey's Substack (Renegade Living): https://renegadeliving.us Pre-order 'Palestine Bleeds for You' at your favorite local bookstore using ISBN # 9781967022281 Pre-order at 'Palestine Bleeds for You' on Bookshop: https://bookshop.org/p/books/palestine-bleeds-for-you-ramsey-hanhan/20686de9959e9091?ean=9781967022281&next=t Order 'Fugtive Dreams':https://ramseyhanhan.org/ 🔑 In this conversation, we explore → How Palestine Bleeds For You began on October 7 → Why Palestinian voices are being censored and silenced → What it means to witness genocide in real time → Palestinian Christian identity and the weaponization of religion → The Nakba, the Right of Return, and Palestinian survival → Why “Do you condemn Hamas?” is the wrong question → Ramsey’s message to Palestinians: “Don’t give up, ever” Sponsored by The Karate Attorney (@karateattorney) fighting for justice inside and outside the courtroom. Visit KarateAttorney.com 🎬 Full episode on https://sumudpod.com 📲 Follow @dredhasan | @sumudpod | @RamseyHanhan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

A New Policy: Creating a New Playbook | Sumud Podcast

🎙️ In this episode of the Sumud Podcast, we sit down with former Biden administration officials Tariq Habash and Josh Paul; co-founders of A New Policy — for one of the most candid conversations yet about Washington, political power, and the growing movement demanding accountability in U.S. foreign policy. The conversation goes far beyond headlines. From student protests and free speech crackdowns to arms transfers, ICE training programs, campaign financing, and the future of American politics, this episode explores how the issue of Palestine intersects with nearly every major political debate in America today. Together, they discuss the creation of A New Policy, their strategy for building political power, and why they believe the next decade could completely transform the conversation around Palestine in the United States. 🌍 Tariq Habash, Co-Founder: Tariq Habash resigned from the U.S. Department of Education in January, 2024 due to the Biden Administration’s policy on Gaza and its unrestricted support for Israel’s aggression against Palestinians. Tariq served for three years as a political appointee and policy advisor in the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Planning, Evaluation and Policy Development, where he led the policy office’s student loan portfolio, regulatory policy planning, and budget development process across higher education issues. He was the first political appointee to publicly resign from the Biden Administration. Before entering government, he spent years working on federal policy regarding education finance and racial equity, and co-founded Protect Borrowers. Tariq is a Palestinian-American, and grew up in Middletown, Ohio. He holds degrees from the University of Miami and Harvard Graduate School of Education. 🌍 Josh Paul. Co-Founder: Josh Paul resigned from the State Department in October 2023 due to his disagreement with the Biden Administration’s decision to rush lethal military assistance to Israel in the context of its war on Gaza. He previously spent over 11 years as a Director in the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs, which is responsible for U.S. defense diplomacy, security assistance, and arms transfers. He previously worked on security sector reform in both Iraq and the West Bank, holding additional roles in the Office of the Secretary of Defense, U.S. Army Staff, and as a Military Legislative Assistant for a Member of the U.S. House Armed Services Committee. Josh grew up between London and New York, and holds Masters degrees from the Universities of Georgetown and St Andrews, Scotland. He is a recipient of the 2023 Callaway Award for Civic Courage and the 2024 MedGlobal Award for Courage. 🔑 In this conversation, we explore → Why Tariq Habash and Josh Paul resigned from the Biden administration → How U.S. foreign policy is shaped behind closed doors → The role of lobbying, campaign money, and AIPAC in Washington politics → How Gaza, student protests, and campus crackdowns changed the national conversation → Why Palestine has become central to debates around education, policing, and civil rights → How A New Policy is working to change U.S. policy from within the system → How elections, grassroots pressure, and younger voters are reshaping Congress and the Democratic Party Sponsored by The Karate Attorney (@karateattorney) fighting for justice inside and outside the courtroom. Visit KarateAttorney.com 🎬 Full episode on https://sumudpod.com 📲 Follow @dredhasan | @sumudpod | @tariqhabash_ | @anewpolicy | @anewpolicyorg Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

Rahma Zein: Fearless Journalism & Reclaiming the Narrative | Sumud Podcast

🎙️ In this episode of the Sumud Podcast, Egyptian journalist Rahma Zein discusses journalism, propaganda, resistance, and identity, with a focus on Palestine. She shares her upbringing, experiences covering revolutions and war zones, and insights on media bias and Western narratives. Rahma reflects on reporting from Rafah during Gaza, the viral moment that amplified her voice, and the emotional toll of witnessing injustice. The conversation highlights ethical storytelling, challenges dehumanizing narratives, and explores themes of solidarity, Arab identity, and resilience in a raw and deeply human exchange. 🌍 Rahma Zein is an Egyptian journalist with over a decade of experience in field reporting, media strategy, and public relations. She began her career as an investigative reporter for Egyptian TV and CBC, covering the Arab region during 2011 political changes in Egypt and Libya and interviewing key political figures. Currently Rahma works as a consultant for Tech for Palestine, an incubator for advocacy projects across the world. 🔑 In this conversation, we explore → Rahma’s upbringing in a family of journalists and political thinkers → The power of storytelling in shaping empathy and public understanding → Media propaganda, Western bias, and narratives around Palestine → Her experiences reporting during the Egyptian revolution and Arab Spring → The emotional toll of covering war, including at the Rafah border → The viral Clarissa Ward confrontation and its global impact → Identity, activism, and the role of solidarity in the fight for justice ⏱ Chapters 00:00 Opening message and introducing Rahma Zein 03:30 Growing up in a family of journalists 08:00 Spearfishing, freediving, risk, and life outside comfort zones 17:45 Why journalism must be learned in the field 29:00 Media, self-awareness, values, and the foundation of journalism 38:30 Rafah, bombing, fear, and the moment that changed everything 1:15:00 Tech for Palestine, ethical alternatives, and final message Sponsored by The Karate Attorney (@karateattorney) fighting for justice inside and outside the courtroom. Visit KarateAttorney.com 🎬 Full episode on https://sumudpod.com 📲 Follow @dredhasan | @sumudpod | @zein_rahma Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]