STORIES OF RESILIENCE, Solidarity & HOPE |
Welcome to Our Podcast. We're glad you're here!
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Everyone has a story. The Qissah is a place to delve into these diverse stories of identity, solidarity, justice, and hope. Stories provide a potent means of expression and demonstrate the courage and resilience required to navigate pressing issues. Each episode features influential scholars and activists who share unique perspectives and narratives on racial justice, human rights, and Indigenous Peoples’ issues. Through the power of shared stories, we become catalysts for change—uplifting and empowering. |
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Education.compassion.action
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tell yours!Our stories showcase the diversity, vibrancy, resilience, solidarity, hope & power of connections & we invite you
to be part of this narrative! |
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Watch on YOUTUBE
The views expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of the host.
CHECK OUT SOME VIDEO CLIPS OF EACH STORY ON TIKTOK or INSTAGRAM
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EPISODE 26What can history teach us about the complexities of the Israeli–Palestinian conflict? In this episode, we speak with Ilan Pappé, a leading Israeli historian and professor at the University of Exeter, renowned for his bold, research-driven critiques of mainstream narratives. The author of 24 books—including The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine. In this in-depth interview Prof. Pappé reflects on his academic journey and shares some of the findings about the events of 1948, challenging enduring myths about the Nakba, unpacking overlooked historical dynamics, and offering deeper context for understanding October 7. He also examines the foundations of Zionism as a settler-colonial project and explains why he believes we may be witnessing the beginning of the end of the Zionist project as it has traditionally been understood. The conversation explores his vision for a democratic one-state solution, the expanding global movement for Palestinian liberation, and the broader implications of shifting public opinion worldwide—including the latest proposals for a Gaza peace plan. We also discuss his new book, Israel on the Brink: The Eight Revolutions That Could Lead to Decolonization and Coexistence.
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Part I
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Part II
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EPISODE 25In this episode, we speak with activist Sunita Viswanath, who co-founded ‘Hindus for Human Rights’ to confront Hindutva, the caste system, and other forms of oppression in both the US and India. She discusses how her Hindu faith shapes her lifelong commitment to justice, pluralism, and human rights. Broadly, what Sunita offers is not the false comfort of unguarded optimism but something more necessary: clarity about what the moment demands. She takes fierce moral stands while refusing to demonize and speaking bravely about Gaza and Kashmir in spaces designed to silence such speech.
Sunita’s advocacy spans decades, from co-founding ‘Women for Afghan Women’ to being recognized by President Obama in 2015 as a “Champion of Change.” Her work sits at the intersection of faith, feminism, and liberation. |
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EPISODE 24In this episode, we’re joined by Huwaida Arraf, a Palestinian-American human rights attorney and co-founder of Freedom Flotilla from Michigan, who has organised to break Israel’s illegal naval blockade on Gaza since 2008. Having participated in the two most recent Freedom Flotilla “Handala and Conscious” voyages, she shares what drives her to continue these missions, offering powerful firsthand accounts of her experiences, her time in Israeli detention, and her reflections on the ongoing situation in Gaza. Huwaida stresses the importance of solidarity, resilience, and resistance in the face of the continuing siege and oppression.
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EPISODE 23Our latest podcast features Sahar Aziz, a distinguished Professor of Law, Chancellor's Social Justice Scholar, and author of "The Racial Muslim: When Racism Quashes Religious Freedom," whose voice carries the weight of someone who has spent decades watching the slow erosion of principles she once believed were bedrock American values. Sahar knows a lot about being caught between worlds. As an American Muslim, she experienced what she calls a "double injury" after September 11th — traumatized like any American by the attacks, yet blamed by association for them. That experience set her on a path that would make her one of the country's leading experts on how national security policies reshape civil liberties, particularly for Muslim, Arab, and South Asian communities.
Prof. Sahar discussed the historical roots of Orientalism and Islamophobia, explaining how these concepts have shaped Western perceptions of Muslims and influenced the Palestine-Israel conflict. She also shared her insights on the current political climate and the historical context of immigration policies. |
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EPISODE 22 - PART IIThis is part two of our conversation with Prof Daniel Segal and Malkah Bird, leaders from the Indiana chapter of Jewish Voice for Peace—the world’s largest Jewish organization advocating for Palestinian liberation. Their stories are part of a burgeoning movement—one that refuses to equate Jewish identity with support for a militarized ethnostate and instead embraces a vision of justice rooted in collective liberation. If you haven’t yet listened to Part 1, we encourage you to start there — as it provides essential insights into the work of Jewish Voice for Peace and the important perspectives we will be building upon today. In this second part, we will delve deeper into the broader context by exploring the increasing public support for Palestine, the dynamics of imperialism, and the interconnected struggles while holding space for both hope and collective actions. Let’s continue the conversation.
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EPISODE 22 - PART IIn this podcast interview, we were joined by Prof. Daniel Segal and Malkah Bird, leaders from the Indiana chapter of Jewish Voice for Peace. Their stories are part of a burgeoning movement—one that refuses to equate Jewish identity with support for a militarized ethnostate, and instead embraces a vision of justice rooted in collective liberation. Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP), the world’s largest Jewish organization, is at the heart of that shift. With tens of thousands of members and chapters across the country, JVP is mobilizing Jews and allies to confront U.S. complicity in Israeli apartheid and build a “Judaism beyond Zionism”—one that stands in active solidarity with Palestinians and all oppressed people.
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EPISODE 21In this episode of the Qissah podcast, we sit down with an outstanding award-winning sociologist and author, Bianca Mabute-Louie, who leads us through an unforgettable conversation on the intersection of race and politics and delves into the deeper interconnected issues surrounding them. Bianca is dedicated to the praxis of solidarity and collective liberation, both in her academic work and within the community. She is the author of Unassimilable: An Asian Diasporic Manifesto for the Twenty-First Century, which offers a radical vision of Asian American political identity informed by a refusal of Whiteness and collective care for each other.
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EPISODE 20When we talk about Kashmir, we often hear about territorial disputes, geopolitical tensions, and occasional flare-ups between nuclear-armed neighbors.
What gets lost in these discussions is a fundamental reality that scholar Ather Zia emphasizes repeatedly: Kashmir is home to 8 million people whose voices have been systematically silenced. "We're not talking about a sweater, we're not talking about wool, we're not talking about a region that's a territory between India and Pakistan," she says. "We're actually talking about a region that has been a swath of a region in itself and of itself historically." Kashmir's story is one of strength and resilience, yet it remains one of the world's most overlooked and ignored stories. It deserves to be heard. We are honored to speak with Dr. Ather Zia, who brings remarkable credentials to this conversation, a Kashmiri scholar and associate professor in the Department of Anthropology and Gender Studies at the University of Northern Colorado. |
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EPISODE 19What would it take to challenge the values that shaped your identity? For Miko Peled, a former Zionist raised by key figures in Israel’s establishment as a state, it meant facing uncomfortable truths and breaking societal norms. Miko’s remarkable transformation as a global human rights advocate offers a glimpse into the necessary work that allows one to challenge ingrained beliefs to fight for justice. Miko is a renowned author, speaker, and human rights activist born and raised in Israel. His book, "The General's Son: Journey of an Israeli in Palestine," details his family's history in Palestine and his personal evolution into a defender of Palestinian rights.
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