Tell Them, I Am

Anousheh Ansari grows up looking up at the moon and the stars, never expecting to one day float among them. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Imam Khalil Abdur Rashid’s father gifts him a family heirloom at his college graduation -- a watch that ends up putting its new owner’s life at stake. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Alex Fox grows up glued to her mom, and unsure of her relationship to her dad. But after a difficult childhood, she tries to change that dynamic. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

French athlete, Tariq Abdul-Wahad is thrilled to get invited to a prestigious college basketball camp in the United States... Then he gets stranded at the airport. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Wai Wai Nu bonds with her dad by listening to the radio together, but in 1990’s Burma, this is considered a crime. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Away at college, Amrou Al-Kadhi find themselves without supervision for the first time and decides to step out onto the stage as a drag performer. They never expect to be confronted with their own biases, though. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Malala Yousafzai is the youngest winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, but her early success as an activist placed her in a world of serious (and much older) professionals. Which is why, when Malala gets into college, she is determined to make friends her own age and show them a new side of her. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sumayya Usmani rebels against her parents by getting a boyfriend, but ends up finding a freedom within her own family. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Enes Kanter recounts a game of one-on-one from when he was a kid that would determine his entire future as an athlete. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Imagine the legendary tabla virtuoso and composer, Zakir Hussain, getting boo-ed off stage. Well, it happened, and it made him into the artist he is today Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Halima Aden’s “the new kid” in a small, Midwestern elementary school. After years of bullying, she finally snaps, leading to a moment that changes the trajectory of her life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Eight-year-old Sophia Mohammad is excited about her little sister being born, until it actually happens and she realizes her mom’s attentions are elsewhere.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As an English Literature professor during the Iranian Revolution, Azar Nafisi forms a close friendship with a student. Years later, she receives some painful news that puts this friendship into a whole new context.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Alsarah wants desperately to be a musician but suffers from debilitating stage fright. Then, she meets a man named Haig who takes her under his wing. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Fawzia Mirza and Sonal are best friends, and it seems like nothing can tear them apart. But when Sonal leaves the country for med school, Fawzia makes a huge mistake that could jeopardize their relationship.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After a devastating breakup, Yuna Zara'ai — a gigantic pop star — meets a local dance instructor who teaches her more than just a few hip hop moves. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In high school, Latif Nasser thinks science is boring. But all his notions are challenged during a scuba diving excursion with his high school classmates. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jewher Ilham is close to her dad, an Uyghur professor and human rights advocate. But her dismissal of his concerns about the Chinese government is challenged after a terrifying incident at the Beijing International Airport.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As the stress of career goals and inter-family turmoil compounds, Ever-The-Rule-Follower Salma Hindy needs a way to get out of her head. The solution? Shrooms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Moving to the U.S. from Iran as a kid is hard, so Arya Ghavamian tries to relate to his new American friends by playing them some Iranian pop music. But they don’t get it, and Arya determines that Iranian music is “lame”...until one special night at a bar in NYC.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Growing up in a “sweary” household, Nadiya Hussain learns how to drop F-bombs -- in private, of course -- from the best. But the day she swears in front of her dad, she learns a lesson that will stick with her for decades. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Rapper Muhammad “Mvstermind” Austin finds out his partner is pregnant, and decides to prepare himself for fatherhood with a new routine. The routine grounds him, until its power is tested one morning. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Welcome to the second season of Tell Them, I Am. Celebrate Ramadan 2021 with host Misha Euceph as she features stories from 22 special guests, including Enes Kanter, Halima Aden, Yuna, Malala Yousafzai and Zakir Hussain. The voices are all Muslim, the stories are universal. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Akbar Ahmed is an academic, poet, former diplomat, and all-around renaissance man. In Tell Them, I Am’s final story of the season, Ahmed recounts how a single train ride when he was 4 years old changed his life’s direction forever. Hosted by Misha Euceph. Written by Misha Euceph. Edited by Arwen Nicks. Produced by Misha Euceph and Mary Knauf. Sound designed by Misha Euceph and Arwen Nicks. Music by David Linard. Engineering by Shawn Corey Campbell and Valentino Rivera. Illustration by Emmen Ahmed. Graphic Design by Stephanie Kraft. Want a Tell Them, I Am t-shirt? We got you. 

G. Willow Wilson is a novelist and comic book writer, known for her run on the Ms. Marvel series. When 9/11 happened, the world seemed chaotic to say the least — but Willow found that sometimes all you need is a little Neil Gaiman to put you back on track. Hosted by Misha Euceph. Written by James Kim, Arwen Nicks and Misha Euceph. Edited by Arwen Nicks. Produced by Misha Euceph and Mary Knauf. Sound designed by James Kim. Music by David Linard. Engineering by Shawn Corey Campbell and Valentino Rivera. Illustration by Emmen Ahmed. Graphic Design by Stephanie Kraft. Want a Tell Them, I Am t-shirt? We got you. 

Munazza Alam is a Harvard-educated astrophysicist. When she was in college, her dad’s complicated liver replacement opened her eyes to how the universe can feel so full and so empty at the same time. Hosted by Misha Euceph. Written by Arwen Nicks and Misha Euceph. Edited by Arwen Nicks. Produced by Misha Euceph and Mary Knauf. Sound designed by Arwen Nicks. Music by David Linard. Engineering by Shawn Corey Campbell and Valentino Rivera. Illustration by Emmen Ahmed. Graphic Design by Stephanie Kraft. Want a Tell Them, I Am t-shirt? We got you. 

Layla Shaikley is a tech entrepreneur and Instagram influencer. When she was young, she discovered two things. One: that how you dress holds more meaning than you think. And two: that you can definitely use this to your advantage. Hosted by Misha Euceph. Written by Mary Knauf, Arwen Nicks and Misha Euceph. Edited by Arwen Nicks. Produced by Misha Euceph and Mary Knauf. Sound designed by Mary Knauf. Music by David Linard. Engineering by Shawn Corey Campbell and Valentino Rivera. Illustration by Emmen Ahmed. Graphic Design by Stephanie Kraft. Want a Tell Them, I Am t-shirt? We got you. 

Mercedes Iman Diamond has been participating — and dominating — drag competitions and performances since she was 21. She speaks about how a stage became her safe place. Hosted by Misha Euceph. Written by Mary Knauf, Arwen Nicks and Misha Euceph. Edited by Arwen Nicks. Produced by Misha Euceph and Mary Knauf. Sound designed by Mary Knauf. Music by David Linard. Engineering by Shawn Corey Campbell and Valentino Rivera. Illustration by Emmen Ahmed. Graphic Design by Stephanie Kraft. Want a Tell Them, I Am t-shirt? We got you. 

Omar Offendum is a rapper and poet. When he was 15 years old, his affinity for Arabic poetry came to life while reciting a piece during Nizar Qabbani’s memorial at Georgetown University in 1998. Hosted by Misha Euceph. Written by James Kim and Misha Euceph. Edited by Arwen Nicks. Produced by Misha Euceph and Mary Knauf. Sound designed by James Kim. Music by David Linard. Engineering by Shawn Corey Campbell and Valentino Rivera. Illustration by Emmen Ahmed. Graphic Design by Stephanie Kraft. Want a Tell Them, I Am t-shirt? We got you. 

Maz Jobrani is, and apparently has always been, a comedian and actor. As a kid, he was a natural performer, but had a habit of stifling that part of himself. Hosted by Misha Euceph. Written by Misha Euceph and Arwen Nicks. Edited by Arwen Nicks. Produced by Misha Euceph and Mary Knauf. Sound designed by Misha Euceph. Music by David Linard. Engineering by Shawn Corey Campbell and Valentino Rivera. Illustration by Emmen Ahmed. Graphic Design by Stephanie Kraft. Want a Tell Them, I Am t-shirt? We got you. 

Emmen Ahmed is a freelance illustrator and student based in Detroit (shout out to her amazing artwork for Tell Them). Her grandfather had a huge influence on her, and when he passed away a few years ago, she struggled to maneuver through life without him. Hosted by Misha Euceph. Written by Mary Knauf and Misha Euceph. Edited by Arwen Nicks. Produced by Misha Euceph and Mary Knauf. Sound designed by Mary Knauf. Music by David Linard. Engineering by Shawn Corey Campbell and Valentino Rivera. Illustration by Emmen Ahmed. Graphic Design by Stephanie Kraft. Want a Tell Them, I Am t-shirt? We got you. 

Chef Reem Assil owns Reem’s California and Dyafa, two popular middle eastern eateries in Oakland, California. But growing up, she had a knack for filmmaking, and at 12 years old she premiered her first (and only) film on her local public access station. Hosted by Misha Euceph. Written by Arwen Nicks and Misha Euceph. Edited by Arwen Nicks. Produced by Misha Euceph and Mary Knauf. Sound designed by Arwen Nicks. Music by David Linard. Engineering by Shawn Corey Campbell and Valentino Rivera. Illustration by Emmen Ahmed. Graphic Design by Stephanie Kraft. Want a Tell Them, I Am t-shirt? We got you. 

Television actor Iqbal Theba gives us an inside look on a career that many in the entertainment industry know well — service. And this probably won’t come as a surprise, but he was really good at it. Hosted by Misha Euceph. Written by Arwen Nicks and Misha Euceph. Edited by Arwen Nicks. Produced by Misha Euceph and Mary Knauf. Sound designed by Arwen Nicks. Music by David Linard. Engineering by Shawn Corey Campbell and Valentino Rivera. Illustration by Emmen Ahmed. Graphic Design by Stephanie Kraft. Want a Tell Them, I Am t-shirt? We got you. 

Salman Agah is a legendary skateboarder and owner of Pizzanista, a popular L.A. pizza joint. But back when he was a teen in San Jose, he had no reference for what his future might look like or where his ambitions were taking him. Hosted by Misha Euceph. Written by Mary Knauf, Arwen Nicks and Misha Euceph. Edited by Arwen Nicks. Produced by Misha Euceph and Mary Knauf. Sound designed by Mary Knauf. Music by David Linard. Engineering by Shawn Corey Campbell and Valentino Rivera. Illustration by Emmen Ahmed. Graphic Design by Stephanie Kraft. Want a Tell Them, I Am t-shirt? We got you. 

Alia Shawkat is known for her role as Maeby Fünke on Arrested Development, and in between shoots, she loved smoking weed and pushing her dad’s buttons. One trip to Jordan changed that and helped her realize who her father was in the world. Hosted by Misha Euceph. Written by James Kim, Misha Euceph and Arwen Nicks. Edited by Arwen Nicks. Produced by Misha Euceph and Mary Knauf. Sound designed by James Kim and Mary Knauf. Music by David Linard. Engineering by Shawn Corey Campbell and Valentino Rivera. Illustration by Emmen Ahmed. Graphic Design by Stephanie Kraft. Want a Tell Them, I Am t-shirt? We got you. 

Ahamed Weinberg is a comedian with a series on Comedy Central. Once he hit school age, he started realizing that his parents’ values weren’t the same as his peers’. As a result, deciding his own beliefs proved, well, complicated. Hosted by Misha Euceph. Written by Mary Knauf, Misha Euceph, Arwen Nicks and James Kim. Edited by Arwen Nicks. Produced by Misha Euceph and Mary Knauf. Sound designed by Misha Euceph. Music by David Linard. Engineering by Shawn Corey Campbell and Valentino Rivera. Illustration by Emmen Ahmed. Graphic Design by Stephanie Kraft. Want a Tell Them, I Am t-shirt? We got you. 

Sahar Jahani is a TV writer whose relationship to her heritage changed during one agonizing road trip in a Paykan through the Iranian countryside.  Hosted by Misha Euceph. Written by James Kim and Misha Euceph. Edited by Arwen Nicks. Produced by Misha Euceph and Mary Knauf. Sound designed by James Kim. Music by David Linard. Engineering by Shawn Corey Campbell and Valentino Rivera. Illustration by Emmen Ahmed. Graphic Design by Stephanie Kraft. Want a Tell Them, I Am t-shirt? We got you. 

Ryan Harris is an NFL Super Bowl champion who, in one moment, was forced to redefine what it meant for him to be a man in a culture of toxic masculinity. Hosted by Misha Euceph. Written by Misha Euceph and Mary Knauf. Edited by Arwen Nicks. Produced by Misha Euceph and Mary Knauf. Sound designed by Misha Euceph and Arwen Nicks. Music by David Linard. Engineering by Shawn Corey Campbell and Valentino Rivera. Illustration by Emmen Ahmed. Graphic Design by Stephanie Kraft. Want a Tell Them, I Am t-shirt? We got you. 

Amirah Sackett is a hip-hop dancer who learned the art of forgiveness from a swarm of bees. Hosted by Misha Euceph. Written by Mary Knauf, Misha Euceph and Arwen Nicks. Edited by Arwen Nicks. Produced by Misha Euceph and Mary Knauf. Sound designed by Mary Knauf and James Kim. Music by David Linard. Engineering by Shawn Corey Campbell and Valentino Rivera. Illustration by Emmen Ahmed. Graphic Design by Stephanie Kraft. Want a Tell Them, I Am t-shirt? We got you. 

Wazina Zondon is a sex educator and co-founder of the show Coming Out Muslim. She’s been able to understand herself better because of her relationship with one person. Hosted by Misha Euceph. Written by Misha Euceph and Arwen Nicks. Edited by Arwen Nicks. Produced by Misha Euceph and Mary Knauf. Sound designed by Misha Euceph. Music by David Linard. Engineering by Shawn Corey Campbell and Valentino Rivera. Illustration by Emmen Ahmed. Graphic Design by Stephanie Kraft. Want a Tell Them, I Am t-shirt? We got you. 

Reza Aslan is the author of No God But God and Zealot, as well as a known TV personality. His political education and distrust of authority began with a game of chess when he was just 7 years old. Hosted by Misha Euceph. Written by Arwen Nicks and Misha Euceph. Edited by Arwen Nicks. Produced by Misha Euceph and Mary Knauf. Sound designed by Arwen Nicks. Music by David Linard. Engineering by Shawn Corey Campbell and Valentino Rivera. Illustration by Emmen Ahmed. Graphic Design by Stephanie Kraft. Want a Tell Them, I Am t-shirt? We got you. 

Ramy Youssef has his own show on Hulu, but it wouldn’t have happened if it hadn’t been for one single moment brushing his teeth when he was 19 — and half his face went totally numb. Hosted by Misha Euceph. Written by Misha Euceph and Mary Knauf. Edited by Arwen Nicks. Produced by Misha Euceph and Mary Knauf. Sound designed by Misha Euceph and Mary Knauf. Music by David Linard. Engineering by Shawn Corey Campbell and Valentino Rivera. Illustration by Emmen Ahmed. Graphic Design by Stephanie Kraft. Want a Tell Them, I Am t-shirt? We got you. 

Najma Sharif is a writer with bylines in Vice, Teen Vogue, and Broadly — but as a teenager, she was just Najmalicious1000, a player trying to get with as many boys as possible and creating a whole romantic life on the internet. Hosted by Misha Euceph. Written by James Kim, Mary Knauf and Misha Euceph. Edited by Arwen Nicks. Produced by Misha Euceph and Mary Knauf. Sound designed by James Kim and Mary Knauf. Music by David Linard. Engineering by Shawn Corey Campbell and Valentino Rivera. Illustration by Emmen Ahmed. Graphic Design by Stephanie Kraft. Support Tell Them, I Am!

Deana Haggag is the CEO of United States Artists, but her parents still think she’s an interior designer. One moment in college stopped her from ever trying to explain her world to them again. Hosted by Misha Euceph. Written by James Kim and Misha Euceph. Edited by Arwen Nicks. Produced by Misha Euceph and Mary Knauf. Sound designed by James Kim. Music by David Linard. Engineering by Shawn Corey Campbell and Valentino Rivera. Illustration by Emmen Ahmed. Graphic Design by Stephanie Kraft. Support Tell Them, I Am. 

Tan France is the Queer Eye fashion guru to whom people would pay good money to get advice. His love for giving advice traces back to one hot afternoon watching his siblings play Game Boy. Hosted by Misha Euceph. Written by Mary Knauf and Misha Euceph. Edited by Arwen Nicks. Produced by Misha Euceph and Mary Knauf. Sound designed by Mary Knauf and James Kim. Music by David Linard. Engineering by Shawn Corey Campbell and Valentino Rivera. Illustration by Emmen Ahmed. Graphic Design by Stephanie Kraft. You can get the Tell Them, I Am t-shirt here. 

Misha Euceph heard Maz Jobrani’s stand-up comedy when she was 12 years old. One line stuck with her so much that it’s the reason she’s making this show today: “I want to show a Muslim baking a cookie.” Hosted by Misha Euceph. Written by Misha Euceph. Edited by Arwen Nicks. Produced by Misha Euceph and Mary Knauf. Sound designed by Misha Euceph and James Kim. Music by David Linard. Engineering by Shawn Corey Campbell and Valentino Rivera. Illustration by Emmen Ahmed. Graphic Design by Stephanie Kraft. If you'd like to get your hands on a Tell Them, I Am t-shirt you can do that here. 

Tell Them, I Am is about the small moments that define who we are and who we are not. The voices are all Muslim. The stories are universal.  With a new episode every weekday this Ramadan, host Misha Euceph opens a window into the lives of Tan France, Alia Shawkat, Ramy Youssef, Reza Aslan,  Mercedes Iman Diamond and others.