21. Kelechi Okafor On the Illusion of Political Choice

24. Filmmaker Sonali Gulati Breaks Down Propaganda

Sonali Gulati is a Brown, caste-privileged, agnostic, queer, cis-woman, documentary filmmaker, activist, educator and first-generation Indian immigrant to Turtle Island. She is a Guggenheim fellow who has been making award-winning documentary and experimental films for over two decades that have screened at over 500 film festivals, and public & cable television worldwide. Gulati was born and raised in New Delhi by a single mother who believed that good girls studied hard, kept long hair, and found nice Indian husbands through penpalship. Sonali studied hard, got admission at Mount Holyoke College, majored in Critical Social Thought, graduated in 3 years, shaved her head, and came out as lesbian. You can follow her on Instagram @sonalifilm [https://www.instagram.com/sonalifilm/]. Sonali and Saira discuss the role of Hollywood and Bollywood in creating and distributing propaganda worldwide, plus the connections between so many tragedies in our world and the rich and powerful. In this episode, Saira also announces that this podcast will be pausing new episodes after the decision by producer Heath Racela to step back from his role. Heath has been producing podcasts and sharing his writing for more than five years and he has decided he needs some space to process grief at the state of our world. You can read more about Heath’s decision to take an extended break on his recent Substack post [https://heathracela.substack.com/p/an-announcement-pausing-and-grieving]. Get full access to The Connections at theconnections.substack.com/subscribe [https://theconnections.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

23. Reporter Afeef Nessouli's Accounts from Lebanon

Today, Saira welcomes Lebanese-American reporter and producer Afeef Nessouli to the podcast. As you’ll hear in today’s conversation, Afeef’s work has brought him to the front lines of the conflicts in Palestine and Lebanon, giving him a first-hand understanding of the current situation. Afeef has produced for The Wall Street Journal, The Daily Show, and CNN. He’s also a contributor to The Slow Factory. Afeef shares what’s happening on the ground in Southern Lebanon, how he and other diaspora Lebanese are getting through their days amidst an expanding genocide, and how the queer scene of Beirut gives him hope. Please make sure to follow him on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/afeefness/] and TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@afeefnessouli?lang=en].  Get full access to The Connections at theconnections.substack.com/subscribe [https://theconnections.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

22. Indigenous Australian Joe Williams on Reconnecting with the Earth and Each Other

Today, Jo Lorenz interviews Joe Williams, a Wiradjuri/Wolgalu First Nations Aboriginal man from Australia.  Joe began his career as a professional rugby player and boxer. Although forging a successful professional sporting career, Joe battled the majority of his life with mental health challenges. Along the way, Joe felt his purpose was to help people who struggled with similar obstacles. He founded The Enemy Within [https://www.joewilliams.com.au/speaking], a mental health & wellbeing organization. In this conversation, Joe will discuss how all Indigenous struggles around the world are connected, plus he describes how a reconnection with the Earth and a deep presence is the antidote to so many of the problems with our modern world. Joe’s autobiography is Defying The Enemy Within [https://www.amazon.com/Defying-Enemy-Within-silenced-negative-ebook/dp/B074FC66Z4/ref=sr_1_1?crid=34JXK21L9GH8A&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.FliJWsWBo8PWKujChlqfNyM0M_G6XMagN4rrpZasWizGjHj071QN20LucGBJIEps.dhcv11bA5B--CHoG01Ul-RxyaHxeS7QjE2infv4fttA&dib_tag=se&keywords=joe+williams+defying+the+enemy&qid=1729125912&sprefix=joe+williams+defying+the+enemy%2Caps%2C95&sr=8-1]. Please make sure to follow him on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/TheEnemyWithinJoeWilliams?fref=ts] and X [https://x.com/joewilliams_tew].  Get full access to The Connections at theconnections.substack.com/subscribe [https://theconnections.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

21. Kelechi Okafor On the Illusion of Political Choice

Today, Saira welcomes London-based actor, writer, and podcaster Kelechi Okafor to the podcast. Kelechi and Saira discuss how in both American and British politics, opposing political parties ultimately represent the same goals. They also talk about the British Monarchy, the role of AI in our internet discourse, and how to keep moving through a world on fire. Kelechi’s book Edge of Here [https://www.amazon.com/Edge-Here-author/dp/1398713007/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=]˛combines the ancient and the ultramodern to explore tales of contemporary Black womanhood, asking questions about the way we live now and offering a glimpse into our near future.  Get full access to The Connections at theconnections.substack.com/subscribe [https://theconnections.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

19. Dr. Mohamed Abdou Connects 1492 to the Gaza Solidarity Encampments

Today, Saira welcomes author and academic Dr. Mohamed Abdou to the podcast. Abdou describes himself as an interdisciplinary scholar of Indigenous, Black, critical race, and Islamic studies, as well as anti-racism, feminism, gender, sexuality, women, decolonial and post-colonial studies with extensive fieldwork experience in the Middle East-North Africa and Turtle Island. He most recently was a professor at Columbia University and was an outspoken advocate for the students participating in the Gaza Solidarity Encampment this past spring. He was called out in front of Congress during testimony by then-university president Minouche Shafik, becoming the target of harassment. He was fired from Columbia and lost his American work visa, causing him to flee the U.S. Abdou recently filed a wrongful termination suit against Columbia University. From the press release dated August 26th: “Author and scholar Dr. Mohamed Abdou filed a wrongful termination suit against Columbia University yesterday evening, citing prejudice surrounding his anti-colonial academic discourse and vocal support of Palestine. The public awareness campaign, WeAreMohamed, launched today to share Abdou’s story and spotlight the institutional repression and slander faced by those who publicly challenge the United States government’s unconditional support of Israel, and settler-colonialism in Israel and the U.S.” Dr. Abdou is the author of the book Islam and Anarchism: Relationships and Resonances [https://www.amazon.com/Islam-Anarchism-Relationships-Mohamed-Abdou/dp/0745341926/ref=sr_1_1?crid=4X088RG4ALZX&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.eIyMdsCeCkimq6bdCX_o4MCI5WH-29N7Jon3kZF8xlqMxHd12vRhWdvqAzqGzvKsJek6LbOfXf8o6Y8-g74A5dBHUkRGAdqgmo4zYTzKwq7ITuP7Vf16AzmMg8XPihX5do1a3AeDKsk7SN0VIYizjL1-Ek2ZIOlarCdYj0pbRk6MUWnh43hCZYWT13PBTB9jJw1KXfcAAIzlOXs7GnNUHQ.AWrHdyFohReApn6ArGvWypGqJzJtKtHbCGxLv6lEC5E&dib_tag=se&keywords=mohamed+abdou&qid=1725499162&sprefix=abdou+moh%2Caps%2C117&sr=8-1]. You can connect to his work and social handles through his website [https://www.mabdou.net]. Get full access to The Connections at theconnections.substack.com/subscribe [https://theconnections.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]