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Hollywood trailblazers Walid and Kavita welcome a truly extraordinary guest to this episode! Join us in a fascinating conversation about casting and the incredible journey of Lebanese-American actor and CSA Casting Director, Hamzah Saman.Hamzah, the visionary behind Arab American Casting and MENASA Actors, humbly boasts a portfolio of over 40 films and TV shows. His pioneering work has played a pivotal role in reshaping the portrayal of Arab and Middle Eastern talent in the heart of the entertainment industry.Embark on Hamzah's compelling immigrant odyssey, from a war-torn Lebanon to the vibrant landscape of Los Angeles, where he luckily discovered his passion for the arts. He opens up about the highs and lows that paved the way to his current success, offering invaluable insights for actors seeking guidance on representation, networking, and finding their own sense of belonging in the industry. Don't miss this chance to be inspired by Hamzah's remarkable story.ABOUT HAMZAH SAMAN:Hamzah Saman is a CSA Casting Director and a proud member of the Casting Society of America. He is also the owner of Arab American Casting and MENASA Actor. Originally from Beirut, Lebanon, Saman moved to the U.S. at the age of 15. He is among the first MENASA and Arab American Casting Directors to establish a significant online presence, boasting over 80,000 members worldwide on the ArabAmericanCasting.com and MENASAactors.com platforms.Saman's notable credits include working in the LA Casting Unit on the documentary "He Named Me Malala" (2015) directed by the Oscar-winning filmmaker Davis Gugenheim, as well as contributing to the casting process of "Argo" (2012). Committed to reshaping the perception of Arab and Middle Eastern artists in Hollywood, Saman has made significant strides through his casting and acting endeavors.As a Casting Director, he has been involved in over 40 feature and short films, commercials, and television productions. In 2019, he showcased his acting talents in "General Hospital" and secured four roles in feature films. Additionally, Saman took on the role of "Inmate 093" in Tom Six's horror film trilogy, "The Human Centipede III (Final Sequence)" (2015), delivering a memorable performance alongside Eric Roberts. Furthermore, he lent his voiceover skills to films like "X-Men: Days of Future Past" (2014) and "Escape Plan" (2013), among others. Follow Hamzah on Instagram @hamzahsaman_csa for more info.WATCH THIS EPISODE:youtube.com/@LightsCameraConversationFOLLOW US AND LET'S CHAT:instagram.com/lightscameraconversationtiktok.com/@lightscameraconversationDISCLAIMER: The content in this podcast episode is provided for general informational purposes only. By listening to our episode, you understand that no information contained in this episode should be construed as advice from LIGHTS CAMERA CONVERSATION (LCC) or the individual author, hosts, or guests, nor is it intended to be a substitute for research on any subject matter. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by LCC. The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. LCC expressly disclaims any and all liability or responsibility for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential or other damages arising out of any individual's use of, reference to, or inability to use this podcast or the information we presented in this podcast.

In this episode of "Student Affairs Voices from the Field," Dr. Jill Creighton discusses transitions in Student Affairs with her guest, Dr. Chrissy Roth Francis, who made the leap from student affairs to a career in the tech industry. The episode highlights the challenges and opportunities faced by student affairs professionals considering a pivot into adjacent roles. Dr. Creighton emphasizes the importance of this discussion, acknowledging the diverse experiences within the field. Dr. Chrissy Roth Francis shares her journey through higher education, starting as an involved undergraduate student, pursuing a master's degree at New York University, and eventually landing a dream job at the University of Southern California, where she worked with international students. She later became the Director of New Student Services at UC Berkeley, overseeing orientation for a growing number of students. However, the transition to a "welcome week" structure became a significant challenge and contributed to her decision to pivot out of higher education. The conversation delves into why Dr. Roth Francis chose to pivot into the corporate world, specifically in talent development at LinkedIn. She highlights the transferable skills gained in higher education, such as problem-solving, strategic planning, and public speaking, which have proven valuable in her new role. Dr. Creighton discusses the various options available to student affairs professionals, including staying in the field, changing the field from within, or pursuing opportunities outside higher education. Dr. Roth Francis emphasizes the need for clear boundaries and work-life balance in her new career, a departure from the long hours and weekend commitments common in student affairs. She discusses the practicality of her decision, citing the desire for a better lifestyle and higher income as motivating factors. Both hosts express appreciation for student affairs professionals and the essential work they do in supporting students. The episode concludes with a discussion of career trajectories, with Dr. Roth Francis sharing her experience of initially taking a step down in her career to gain experience in the corporate world. She highlights the importance of recalibrating and expanding one's skill set while also acknowledging the financial benefits of her decision. Dr. Creighton emphasizes the need for higher education to adapt and connect with industry to prepare students with the skills necessary for success. She encourages SA professionals to explore all available options, connect with others who have made similar transitions, and conduct thorough research before making career decisions. In summary, this episode provides valuable insights for student affairs professionals considering career transitions, whether within or outside higher education, and highlights the importance of self-care and financial well-being in making such decisions. Please subscribe to SA Voices from the Field on your favorite podcasting device and share the podcast with other student affairs colleagues! TRANSCRIPT Dr. Jill Creighton [00:00:02]: Welcome to Student Affairs Voices from the Field, the podcast where we share your student affairs stories from fresh perspectives to seasoned experts. This is season nine on transitions in Student Affairs. This podcast is brought to you by NASPA. And I'm Dr. Jill Creighton. She her hers your essay, Voices from the Field. Host today's episode of Essay Voices from the Field is one for all of you who are considering a pivot into an industry that takes your well earned and well honed student affairs skills into adjacent roles.  Dr. Jill Creighton [00:00:37]: So I'm pleased to introduce you today to Dr.Chrissy Roth Francis, who is a loud and proud former student affairs professional. In 2018, with a master's, a doctorate and eleven years of higher ed experience, she packed up her diplomas, conference name tags and pictures of orientation teams. She shed some tears and then ventured into the tech industry with her eyes and ears wide open. Chrissy is now the Director of Talent Development at LinkedIn, where she leads a team that onboards and develops the company's 3500 people managers. Chrissy has been an outspoken voice on LinkedIn for higher ed expats and for those still working on college campuses, but considering a pivot elsewhere. I want to acknowledge the importance of today's episode in Centering, the total experience of being a student affairs professional. For all of us who are thriving on our campuses, this is an episode that we're hoping you can hear where others are positioned for transition. And for those of you who are figuring out that maybe you are looking for other opportunities, maybe this one can be practical for you. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:01:33]: But to all of you, we appreciate you and all of the work you're doing to support our students on all campuses worldwide. Chrissy, we're so glad to have you on SA voices today. Chrissy Roth Francis [00:01:43]: So happy to be here. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:01:44]: We know each other through a mutual friend, dDr. Kelly Alvarado Young. So I'm going to give her a shout out right now. Kelly and I work together at WSU. So Kelly, if you're listening, hello. Chrissy Roth Francis [00:01:54]: Hey, Kelly, Chrissy, we really love to. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:01:56]: Start with getting to know our guests through your very excellent come up story. We'd love to hear your journey through higher ed and also the journey to your position now. Chrissy Roth Francis [00:02:06]: So happy to share it. Jill thank you for having me. My journey starts like almost everybody's journey in Student affairs. I was an undergrad. I was a super involved student. I love doing all the things at my college. And at some point I had that moment where somebody pulled me over and said, I think you should consider this as a professional. Go get a master's degree. Chrissy Roth Francis [00:02:26]: And I didn't know anything and I said, okay, let's go for it. Right? Like that story is very true for so many of us. Ended up getting a master's degree from New York University. Fantastic way to continue my involvement in a college and a university setting. Learned so much working all across that area. And then I ended up getting an incredible job at the University of Southern California. I really think this was the dream job that any entry level professional like me could only hope for. It was in the orientation space, but specifically it was working for international students. Chrissy Roth Francis [00:03:04]: So I had the honor of getting to onboard every new student to that university, but having a focus on students coming from all over the world and learning so much from them as they shared with me their cultures. I stayed several years at USC, and then I was ready for the big job. Ended up getting the big job at UC Berkeley, where I was the director of New Student Services. So still in the orientation space, which I really loved, this was the space that I focused on as an undergrad. Stuck with it all throughout my time in higher education. So when I was at UC Berkeley, I oversaw orientation for what started out as about 6000 students when I got there in 2013, 6000 students annually. By the time I left in 2018, we were onboarding about 10,000 students annually. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:04:00]: That's quite a scale up. Chrissy Roth Francis [00:04:02]: Yeah, it was a big transition over several years. But the biggest transition of that time was that when I got there, we had a summer orientation. So you all know the glory. Small groups cranking out session after session all throughout the summer. And at one point our higher up administration decided, let's go ahead and change it to a welcome week. Typically, welcome week orientations are only seen on very small campuses, medium campuses at the biggest. Definitely not common among large public universities. That was, I believe, to this day, one of the biggest challenges I will ever see in my career was shepherding our entire campus through a two year transition to get us to be able to successfully onboard 10,000 students in a welcome week structure. Chrissy Roth Francis [00:04:56]: It was a great endeavor. I had so much fun learning how to do it. And I'm not going to lie, it took everything out of me. And it is not at all a coincidence that I left soon after doing that. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:05:07]: So I think you're talking about what a lot of us are facing in higher education, which is extraordinary shifts in our work, high expectations from all of those around us, and likely working with some fairly limited resources. And this is all pre pandemic. Chrissy Roth Francis [00:05:24]: Yes. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:05:25]: So thinking about that and your journey, can you talk a little bit about what led you to pursuing the Pivot that you did? So we hear about higher education professionals going all sorts of places, customer success, sales, talent and development. The list is actually fairly long because our skills end up being quite transferable if we package them well. So how did you decide on L and D? Chrissy Roth Francis [00:05:48]: Yes, so you're absolutely right. When I was in higher education, I saw all those constraints all the constraints that probably all of us feel and see in the field and throughout my time there. Because of those constraints, I very much attribute my skills and my experiences to those constraints. So because of those constraints, I built up this massive portfolio of skills problem solving, navigating, tough times, working with stakeholders, public speaking. What about large scale programming with very little money, training leaders, switching directions because of politics or because of a strategic change in the university? All those things, right? Because of constraints and because of the skills and experiences that I accumulate, I believe it helped me be quite successful pivoting into the corporate world. So I now work, as you know, at LinkedIn in learning and development, talent development, where I get to leverage many of those skills that I use on a daily basis in higher education. So when I think about onboarding new students, we onboard new employees to LinkedIn every single week. When I think about training those student leaders on a weekly or a monthly basis at UC Berkeley and University of Southern California, I get to train people at LinkedIn also on a weekly basis. Chrissy Roth Francis [00:07:10]: When I think about problem solving, event planning, strategic planning, all the things that we used to do, I get to do that at LinkedIn all the time. So what I learned was that the skills were very much transferable. If anything, I very truly, strongly believe that we develop more skills in higher ed than probably any other industry. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:07:33]: That's a bold statement. Chrissy Roth Francis [00:07:34]: Oh, I mean it. I really do mean it, because given those constraints, we wear so many hats, and we have learned to be so successful and so resourceful with very few resources. And in other industries where you have the resources, you don't need to be that scrappy. You don't need to be so resourceful. You don't need to stretch yourself in all the different directions. So I do mean it, Joel, and I know it is a bold statement. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:07:59]: I really appreciate kind of hearing the confidence boost of the transferability of skills. I'm wondering if we can back up a little bit and talk about you said that it had taken everything out of you, and I think a lot of us can relate to how that feeling is. Sitting with many parts of the profession right now. There are some of us that are choosing to persist forward and power through that exhaustion. There are some of us who are looking to change the profession from within to make that not a thing as part of the culture of student affairs and higher education. And there are some of us who are going maybe there is greener grass in other places. I'm wondering if you can tell us about your decision to go for that third option rather than one of the first two. Chrissy Roth Francis [00:08:39]: Those are a great way to map out the three options. I have definitely been very public about my opting out for greener grass. And I think that all those options are fitting and perfect for whichever one that you want to choose. For me, it was a matter of I was recognizing that I wasn't living the lifestyle that I wanted to live. Meaning I had two little kids that I birthed when I was at UC Berkeley and I was struggling to find time with them between weekend trainings or night trainings, weekend retreats, or the three weeks straight where I nearly lived in the office because it was time for a welcome week. I also didn't make enough money, frankly, to really pay for my family and our growing needs. So for me, it was very practical. We were not able to do the things that we wanted to do. Chrissy Roth Francis [00:09:31]: I had been paycheck to paycheck my entire career, and now that I'm no longer paycheck to paycheck, I feel much more comfortable saying I was paycheck to paycheck. But back then, I don't think I was ever really free to verbalize how much of a struggle it was for me and my family to sustain on a higher education income. I also think about the people who are like, let's stay in, let's rise to the top, let's make it better, let's really fight to make higher education what it can be. And there are incredible people in higher education who I worked with closely, I adore, and they are in very high up positions, and I know that they are going to make the best that they can possibly do with the situation at hand. And by the way, I never even worked in higher education since COVID so I know it's only gotten more difficult for those people to be able to turn it around. For me, aside from the practicality of wanting a better lifestyle, I really left higher education because I didn't see a path forward for me, I loved working in orientation and I also knew that I wanted to keep climbing or keep moving around. And as I looked moving around, different types of jobs, not physically moving around, which also is very common in higher education. So when I thought about what could be next for me, I scanned my university, I scanned all other universities in the Bay Area, and I couldn't see or envision any jobs out there that would have been a pay increase, a level up, and that I would have appreciated or that I would have enjoyed. Chrissy Roth Francis [00:11:08]: So I looked at our Dean of Students, our VPSA, other high ups who I think most up and coming student affairs professionals aspire to become. And the more I worked with them and the closer I watched what their job was, the more I wanted to run away from that job. I just didn't want the crisis, I didn't want the budget woes, I didn't want a lot of the yuck that comes along with those jobs. And it takes a really special person to do those jobs and it simply wasn't for me. And that was how I really decided it was time to go find that greener grass outside of higher education. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:11:44]: Sometimes I call my portfolio trauma and drama. Chrissy Roth Francis [00:11:47]: It's a great description. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:11:48]: I wish it were not true. But part of the joy of the work is getting to hold space for students who really need an ear for their development. And then part of it too is caring for my well being and those things sometimes can't align, and then the question is what gives? And I think that's very true for a lot of people sitting in the CSAO or the Dean of Students seat. For me especially, I know that working with families of students who have passed away is the number one thing that weighs really heavy on my mind, on my heart, and on my mental health. And that is something they don't teach us how to do in graduate school. We figure it out along the way. And that is a special skill set and honestly, one that I wish I didn't have to have had developed over time because of what comes with it. Chrissy Roth Francis [00:12:33]: Jill, it's the perfect description of why you and people in like positions are so incredible and why I needed to bow out. I knew I didn't want to do it. I knew it wasn't right for me, and I don't even know if I would have been good at it because I didn't even want to give it a try. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:12:50]: So that transition space for you. I've heard you talk about this on a different podcast about being okay with a squiggly line for a career trajectory. Because in higher ed we often measure success by did you up level. And I don't know that that's a great measure of success because I also think in student affairs especially, we don't necessarily do a good job of succession planning from a skills up level. We teach people how to do their jobs and then we say, you're really good at your job. That means you must be ready for the next thing. We didn't necessarily develop the talent from a truly skills basis, whether it be management skills, leadership skills, scaling skills, all of those things. And so you've talked about it's okay to move, quote unquote, down a level or left, right, sideways, diagonally. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:13:38]: Tell us about that. Chrissy Roth Francis [00:13:39]: Absolutely. When I was in higher ed, as evidenced by my previous answer, I felt like I had to move up, had to out of pride, had to out of continually expanding my skill set and my opportunities, and also had to simply to garnish a higher salary. And what I learned was that there are other ways to be successful. And jumping outside of higher education, I knew that I was going to have to take at least a step down because I didn't have corporate industry experience. I didn't have the direct learning and development experience that HR professionals of six years had, even though I was much older and experienced than them. So I knew that I had to take a step down. I was a director and assistant dean at UC Berkeley when I left, and I knew that I wasn't going to become a director right away or I wasn't even going to be able to manage a team of individuals in the corporate world. So what stepping down allowed me to do was look at a variety of positions, take a lot of pressure off of me, and allow me to learn a brand new industry, expand my skill set, and really get comfortable in another space and also prove myself. Chrissy Roth Francis [00:14:56]: So I feel quite confident that because of the step down I took, I was able to launch myself a lot stronger and faster than other folks. So, yes, I needed the time to step down and recalibrate, but it very much paid off in the end. I will also say that my step down from higher education into the corporate world was leaps and bounds higher of a salary than anything I ever would have been making in higher education. So that, of course, made my step down a lot more palatable. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:15:29]: Thinking about all of the things that you did to transition, I know you've written a blog post I referenced, so I'll let folks know. Please check out Chrissy's blog on LinkedIn. It's called how higher ed pros can find greener grass by Dr. Chrissy Roth Francis. If you just Google for that, you'll be able to pull that blog up easily. Chrissy gives some really practical advice for those of you who are pivoting and if you want to go back and listen I think it was almost three or four seasons ago now. We did a crossover episode with the podcast pivoting out of with Dr. Jamie Hoffman, dr. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:15:58]: Tom Stuttert. They're both pivoters who took their doctoral degrees and entered the corporate worlds very, very successfully. So if this is you, please check those things out. Chrissy, I'm wondering if you can give us any advice for those that are persisting through the profession and know it's the right home for them. Things that you wish higher ed was doing now that you know what the corporate world is also doing. Chrissy Roth Francis [00:16:21]: There's just so many things, and I think for me, it starts out with folks in higher ed like me went to college, went to grad school, got all their jobs, and never left a college campus. So they don't have any clue what else is out there unless they have close friends or a spouse possibly, that work in the corporate world. So I've been quite surprised, happily surprised, by what I've seen outside of higher education. Things like people's well being are actually taken care of. Like, I shut down my laptop at 05:00 every day, and I don't worry about an on call or I don't have to work a weekend retreat. So for me, the work boundaries are much more firm and I don't have to worry about my student affairs life bleeding into my personal life. So that's a big deal is having people really be able to honor their boundaries and take care of themselves in a much more holistic way. You've heard me talk about salary quite a few times and when I was in higher education, I wasn't comfortable thinking that I deserved or that I needed a higher salary. Chrissy Roth Francis [00:17:34]: That to me was anti higher ed. Higher ed where we believe that we are sacrificing everything, including our family's lifestyles and our salaries to do the job. I would love to see people throughout all levels of higher education or education in general get paid much better commensurate with the work that they are actually doing, because the work is valuable and necessary and requires such a tremendous skill set and education that people should be paid accordingly. And I want to see that happen, which really means higher education needs to be restructured financially. And that's many more podcasts for you, Jill. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:18:13]: I think we just had an interesting conversation with Eric Stoller on kind of an adjacent topic and it was all about the transition and transformation of the digital space for higher education. And those two things for higher education to keep up with industry is going to be critical, especially because of the gradual but continual loss of faith in the value of higher education as a market for what people need to pursue after high school. We're seeing that decline happen in a lot of places, and for me, I believe that is because we've done a poor job of really telling the story of what an education can do or working in higher education can do. I'm still a firm believer. Higher education has a huge ROI, and that is because of the way it teaches you how to think about problems and solve problems with elasticity that you can't see if you go straight for other types of training. So that's the value for me, but we don't sell it well and we also aren't really connecting with industry well on what are the skills that students need to come out with with their degree in order to make it happen for them. Chrissy Roth Francis [00:19:10]: I think you hit it on the head right at the end there. It's that higher education is not connecting it with the industry. So we know what various industries need and are looking for, and higher education sometimes is a bit old school and traditional compared to what tech or other industries want. And when I think about a well rounded liberal arts education as a human being, I think that is absolutely the right way to go. I want someone who knows how to problem solve, who understands the history and who understands culture and different types of people. And when it comes to doing a job, some companies just want someone who knows how to code for example. And that's a gap, right? And I don't think either one is more right, but it is a gap that somebody needs to go ahead and be able to fill or at least sell how they're filling it. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:20:01]: And I'll give it a shout out to our career services colleagues because I know that they are doing it and creating that bridge. Yes, for sure. Chrissy Roth Francis [00:20:07]: Absolutely. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:20:08]: Chrissy, any other thoughts for our SA pros who are both persisting through the profession or those who are really thinking that maybe it's time for a shift? Chrissy Roth Francis [00:20:17]: When I started thinking about leaving higher education, I believe I knew about five people who had successfully left higher education because nobody talked about it back then. So I left in 2018, and back then I wasn't able to have conversations with people and let them know, this is what I want to do, help me build the skills or help me build a network to get there. Now, I hope that higher education is at a place where it's more open and even this podcast is evidence of that, that we can talk openly about people's needs and desires or even just thoughts about leaving higher education. So what I want people to know is there are hundreds, if not thousands, of people who currently work in the corporate world from higher education. And you might not know us all because you're in your higher education bubble, but we are out there and we are thriving, and we are showing folks across various sectors that higher ed expats can do really well, and if anything, that we are incredible and we have an incredible skill set. So reach out to folks, get to know folks, learn what is out there. I didn't know any types of jobs. I didn't know different companies. Chrissy Roth Francis [00:21:32]: I didn't know anything when I was trying to get out there. And I wish back then that I had the network of higher ed expats that I do have now. So do your research. Take it as a second job for a few months and get to know people. Ask them what they do. Ask them about their company. Start learning about what you might want to do or what's important for you as you are looking to pivot out of higher education. And in those conversations, you might learn that, yes, indeed, it is time for you to jump out and you're going to learn some strategies on how to get out. Chrissy Roth Francis [00:22:07]: Or you might learn that you really love working in higher education and you do not want to leave. I've talked to people who were interested in Pivoting, and by the end of my conversation, I'm like, they are never going to leave, and they shouldn't leave because they got it going and they've figured it out. You need to make the best decision for you. And I just hope that you are able to make that decision based on all the data that you can accumulate. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:22:31]: And whether you are persisting in the profession or looking elsewhere. I want to express my gratitude to you personally for everything that you're doing to make student affairs and higher education a place that's really being the catalyst of change on our campuses and the safest places for the students. So thank you to all the out there. Chrissy Roth Francis [00:22:50]: Great job, everybody. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:22:51]: Keep it up. It's time to take a quick break. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:22:53]: And toss it over to producer Chris. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:22:55]: To learn what's going on in the NASPA world. Christopher Lewis [00:22:57]: Thanks, Jill. So excited to be back again in the NASPA world and as always, lots of things happening in this association really want to focus a little bit on some of the focus areas of NASPA. And many of you have been members of NASPA for a long time. You may think you know all that NASPA does, but I'll bet you that there are some things you might not know and some focus areas that you might not always be thinking about. Today, I would highly encourage you to go onto the NASPA website and there is a link at the top of the webput site, at the top of the website that says Focus Areas. If you go there, you're going to see that there are eight different areas that are focused on and NASPA is working to serve as a leading role in the innovations that are shaping the future of student affairs in many different areas. The focus areas that you're going to see on the website include career and workforce development, civic engagement, justice, equity, inclusion and diversity, student financial, wellness, health, safety and well being, policy and advocacy, student success, and supporting the profession. If you go under that tab on the website and you click on any of those different focus areas, you're going to learn more about each of the different areas. Christopher Lewis [00:24:23]: Each of those will be broken down and will allow for you to see different types of resources, different types of events, different types of blogs and awards that are available for you as a professional. So, for example, you click on Career and Workforce Development, you're going to see what that focus area is all about. You'll see some books that tie into that. You're going to see events that are specific to that specific focus area, some articles in the blog that are tied directly to that specific focus area, as well as some awards and initiatives that the association has that to encourage you to think about these focus areas in a different way. Again, not all of us are working in all of these different areas. Not all of us are thinking about these different areas. But through this resource on the NASPA website, you're going to be able to find out a lot more about what NASPA is doing, but also about resources that are available to you so that you can become more adept at these areas, as well as a better support for students in these areas. The other thing today that I'm going to talk about is a little bit of a breakdown of how NASPA is structured. Christopher Lewis [00:25:39]: All of you live in different areas of the world, and each of those areas is broken down into different regions and areas. And if you don't know what region you're in or what area that you are in based on where you live and what you do, I highly encourage you to go again to the NASPA website, click on Communities and go to Regions and Areas. And if you go to that, you're going to see that NASPA is broken down into regions within the United States that range everywhere from region one to region six. And you're going to find that of those regions, there are seven different areas because region four is broken down into east and west. Beyond that, there are two international areas that are broken down. The first is called the Lac or Latin America and Caribbean. And the other is Menasa, which is Middle East, North Africa and South Asia. If you want to find out more about what's happening in your region or what states are in your region, if there's specific things that are happening in the states that you live in, I encourage you to go and check out the regions or your area and learn more. Christopher Lewis [00:26:57]: Because there are directors of those regions, there are other leaders in those regions and areas that can help you, to connect you, to get you involved in different ways based on what's happening. And it's a great way to connect with people in your area that you can work with, on common goals, common vision, try to identify best practices, and more. Every week we're going to be sharing some amazing things that are happening within the association. So we are going to be able to try and keep you up to date on everything that's happening and allow for you to be able to get involved in different ways. Because the association is as strong as its members and for all of us, we have to find our place within the association, whether it be getting involved with a knowledge community, giving back within one of the centers or the divisions of the association. And as you're doing that, it's important to be able to identify for yourself where do you fit, where do you want to give back? Each week. We're hoping that we will share some things that might encourage you, might allow for you to be able to get some ideas that will provide you with an opportunity to be able to say, hey, I see myself in. That knowledge community. Christopher Lewis [00:28:18]: I see myself doing something like that. Or encourage you in other ways that allow for you to be able to think beyond what's available right now, to offer other things to the association, to bring your gifts, your talents to the association and to all of the members within. The association, because through doing that, all of us are stronger and the association is better. Tune in again next week as we find out more about what is happening in NASPA. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:28:48]: Chris, once again, you're always such a wonderful voice for our NASPA World segment. Thank you for teaching us what's going on in and around NASPA. Chrissy, we have reached our lightning round on the show, which is about seven questions in 90 seconds. You ready to go? Chrissy Roth Francis [00:29:03]: It's timed. You didn't warn me it was timed. Okay, here we go. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:29:09]: We don't put like a 60 minutes ticker on the back end or anything. Chrissy Roth Francis [00:29:12]: I'm going to accept the challenge here. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:29:14]: All right. Number one, if you were a conference keynote speaker, what would your entrance music be? Chrissy Roth Francis [00:29:18]: Thunder. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:29:19]: Number two, when you were five years old, what did you want to be when you grew up? Chrissy Roth Francis [00:29:23]: A mail Judy. And by that I mean our mail person. Her name was Judy, and I wanted to be her. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:29:29]: Number three, your most influential professional mentor. Chrissy Roth Francis [00:29:32]: I'm not going to say one. I'm going to say there are a collection of people that I look to for different reasons and in different capacities who all have inspired me in very different ways. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:29:43]: Number four, your essential higher education. Read. Chrissy Roth Francis [00:29:46]: You know what? I was always a very big fan of Schlossberg. We're talking about transition, and I worked in orientation, so for me it was all about schlossberg. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:29:54]: Number five, the best TV show you binged during the pandemic. Chrissy Roth Francis [00:29:57]: I just finished watching. Is it still the pandemic? Does that count? Dr. Jill Creighton [00:30:02]: I think so now. Chrissy Roth Francis [00:30:04]: Okay. I just finished watching Suits. I have never binged such a long show because it is multiple seasons, multiple years. Great to actually learn what that show was all about. I loved it. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:30:15]: Number six, the podcast you've spent the most hours listening to in the last year. Chrissy Roth Francis [00:30:19]: I am a big fan of Reed Hoffman's masters of Scale. Reed Hoffman is the founder of LinkedIn, and he features different companies who have really figured out how to get big very quickly. So it's been a great education for me to learn more about the corporate world. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:30:35]: And finally, number seven, any shout outs you'd like to give personal or professional. Chrissy Roth Francis [00:30:39]: Shout out to everybody who is doing all the great work in higher education. Shout out to all those folks who have helped me along the way. Get out. And like you talked about Dr. Tom Stutter, so didn't mention earlier, he was actually my very first boss outside after I graduated with my master's. So it's quite fun that we have both ended up on this side. I'm going to give another shout out. I'm just going to go through all my people. Chrissy Roth Francis [00:31:04]: Andreen Kaibi, who was my very first boss, who actually encouraged me to go into higher education. And then lastly, I will say Dr. David Serat, who was a critical person for me in higher education as I considered leaving higher education. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:31:19]: It's been such a pleasure to have this conversation with you today, Chrissy. I'm sure that there are many others that would like to connect with you. How can folks find you after the show airs? Chrissy Roth Francis [00:31:28]: Y'all can find me on LinkedIn. You can find me at Dr. Chrissy Rothfrancis. I post a good amount on LinkedIn. A lot of it is targeted toward folks in higher education considering to get out of education. So find me on LinkedIn. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:31:41]: Thank you so much, Chrissy, for sharing your voice with us today. Chrissy Roth Francis [00:31:44]: It's been my pleasure. Thank you so much for having me. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:31:47]: This has been an episode of SA Voices from the Field brought to you by NASPA. This show is always made possible because of you, our listeners. We are so grateful that you continue to listen to us season after season. If you'd like to reach the show, you can always email us at savoices@naspa.org or find me on LinkedIn by searching for Dr. Jill L. Craighton. We welcome your feedback and topic and especially your guest suggestions. We'd love it if you take a moment to tell a colleague about the show. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:32:16]: And please like rate and review us on Apple podcasts, Spotify or wherever you're listening now. It really does help other student affairs professionals find the show and helps us become more visible in the larger podcasting community. This episode was produced and hosted by Dr. Jill L. Creighton SAP Mi. Produced and audio engineered by Dr. Chris Lewis. Guest coordination by Lu Yongru. Dr. Jill Creighton [00:32:37]: Special thanks to Duke Kunchan University and the University of Michigan, Flint for your support as we create this project. Catch you next time.

Hollywood trailblazers Walid and Kavita welcome a truly extraordinary guest to this episode! Join us in a fascinating conversation about casting and the incredible journey of Lebanese-American actor and CSA Casting Director, Hamzah Saman.Hamzah, the visionary behind Arab American Casting and MENASA Actors, humbly boasts a portfolio of over 40 films and TV shows. His pioneering work has played a pivotal role in reshaping the portrayal of Arab and Middle Eastern talent in the heart of the entertainment industry.Embark on Hamzah's compelling immigrant odyssey, from a war-torn Lebanon to the vibrant landscape of Los Angeles, where he luckily discovered his passion for the arts. He opens up about the highs and lows that paved the way to his current success, offering invaluable insights for actors seeking guidance on representation, networking, and finding their own sense of belonging in the industry. Don't miss this chance to be inspired by Hamzah's remarkable story.ABOUT HAMZAH SAMAN:Hamzah Saman is a CSA Casting Director and a proud member of the Casting Society of America. He is also the owner of Arab American Casting and MENASA Actor. Originally from Beirut, Lebanon, Saman moved to the U.S. at the age of 15. He is among the first MENASA and Arab American Casting Directors to establish a significant online presence, boasting over 80,000 members worldwide on the ArabAmericanCasting.com and MENASAactors.com platforms.Saman's notable credits include working in the LA Casting Unit on the documentary "He Named Me Malala" (2015) directed by the Oscar-winning filmmaker Davis Gugenheim, as well as contributing to the casting process of "Argo" (2012). Committed to reshaping the perception of Arab and Middle Eastern artists in Hollywood, Saman has made significant strides through his casting and acting endeavors.As a Casting Director, he has been involved in over 40 feature and short films, commercials, and television productions. In 2019, he showcased his acting talents in "General Hospital" and secured four roles in feature films. Additionally, Saman took on the role of "Inmate 093" in Tom Six's horror film trilogy, "The Human Centipede III (Final Sequence)" (2015), delivering a memorable performance alongside Eric Roberts. Furthermore, he lent his voiceover skills to films like "X-Men: Days of Future Past" (2014) and "Escape Plan" (2013), among others. Follow Hamzah on Instagram @hamzahsaman_csa for more info.WATCH THIS EPISODE:youtube.com/@LightsCameraConversationFOLLOW US AND LET'S CHAT:instagram.com/lightscameraconversationtiktok.com/@lightscameraconversationDISCLAIMER: The content in this podcast episode is provided for general informational purposes only. By listening to our episode, you understand that no information contained in this episode should be construed as advice from LIGHTS CAMERA CONVERSATION (LCC) or the individual author, hosts, or guests, nor is it intended to be a substitute for research on any subject matter. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by LCC. The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. LCC expressly disclaims any and all liability or responsibility for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential or other damages arising out of any individual's use of, reference to, or inability to use this podcast or the information we presented in this podcast.

Stacey and Kanani are joined by Murph Murphy, the Director of Queer Student Services, and Ron Mansolilli, the Director of the Veterans Resource Center, to talk about the many resource centers and services available to students at Portland State. Students are supported by the University's 12 resource centers – from the Cultural Resource Centers, to the Disability Resource Center, to the Resource Center for Students with Children, and more. Aimed at building community within and between groups, these centers serve as a space for students to relax in a safe space, talk to each other, host events, do advocacy work, and much more.

This week on SA Voices From the Field, we interviewed Omneya Badr about her own experiences working in student affairs as well as directing efforts of student affairs professionals working in the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia. Omneya Badr is the current director of MENASA NASPA. MENASA is the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia region of NASPA. She is a Student Affairs enthusiast who sees a huge potential for growth in the region. Omneya Badr holds the position of Senior Academic Advisor at Qatar University and previously was a lecturer and faculty advisor at NYIT Bahrain (New York Institute of Technology). Omneya has gained a culturally diverse experience studying, teaching, and working for over 20 years in the USA, UK, Egypt, Bahrain, and Qatar. Omneya is a frequent presenter at NASPA and NACADA conferences. Her research interest is culturally based on Academic Advising, branding higher education, MENA First-generation students, cross-cultural communication, Student Success initiatives, FYE, and education as a soft power. Omneya holds an MBA from the University of Bath – UK, a Certificate of Entrepreneurial & Small Business Operation from the Academy of Arts, California - USA, and a BA in Management from the American University in Cairo - Egypt. In addition, she recently acquired a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the Workplace Certificate from the University of South Florida - USA.  As an educator, Omneya is highly interested in developing professional development venues in the MENA regions and encouraging Student Affairs Professionals to research and share knowledge. Please subscribe to SA Voices from the Field on your favorite podcasting device and share the podcast with other student affairs colleagues!

Whether it be MENA, MENASA, or SWANA or any other acronym, the several Middle Eastern, African, and Asian countries that constitute a version of "brown", so to speak, are coming more and more in prominence. This is evidenced with LA local favorite Lynn Maleh and her MENA based stand-up show Hilarious Habibis that she runs with Gena B. Jones at the Hollywood Improv. We talk with Lynn about working her way through producing beloved house shows in LA for years to making space and highlighting Middle Eastern and North African comedians and working towards being inclusive of even more shades of "brown". Follow Lynn @heylynnmolly on IG and get tickets for the upcoming Hilarious Habibis on Dec. 5th at The Hollywood Improv that will benefit The Abdorrahman Boroumand Center for Human Rights in Iran. The Comedy Bureau @thecomedybureau across platforms and please, please support TCB via GoFundMe, Patreon, or on Venmo (@jakekroeger). Produced by Jake Kroeger Music by Brian Granillo Artwork by Andrew Delman and KT Photo by Kelly Dwyer @kellydwyerphotographer

Dalia Khamissy talked to Mohamed Somji about her approach in photography and her numerous projects that portray ongoing events happening in Lebanon and her personal life.Dalia Khamissy is a Lebanese photographer based in Beirut, Lebanon. She received a diploma in photography from the Université Saint-Esprit de Kaslik in 1999. Her work since then has revolved around social and political stories in the Middle East. In 2010, Khamissy started her ongoing project The Missing of Lebanon, documenting the families of the estimated 17,000 people who went missing during Lebanon's 1975-90 civil war and whose fate is still unknown, collecting their stories, following their traces and taking photographs of what they left behind. Created by Mikey Muhanna, afikra Hosted by Mohamed SomjiEdited by: Ramzi RammanTheme music by: Tarek Yamani https://www.instagram.com/tarek_yamani/About Double Exposure:Double Exposure focuses on photography and photographers in and of the Arab world. The series is a collaboration with Gulf Photo Plus (GPP), Dubai's center for photography and a community organization cultivating visual practices and cultural production locally in the UAE, and internationally, across the wider MENASA region. Each session, moderated by either Mohamed Somji, Director of GPP, or Mikey Muhanna, Executive Director of afikra, will host two photographers who will run a discussion together. The name “Double Exposure” comes from the structure of the series wherein the two photographers are paired to talk to each other about their work, to discuss and interrogate their motivations, stories behind their photos, and their catalogue. Following the interview, there is a moderated town-hall-style Q&A with questions coming from the live virtual audience ‎on Zoom.‎ Join the live audience: https://www.afikra.com/rsvp   FollowYoutube - Instagram (@afikra_) - Facebook - Twitter Support www.afikra.com/supportAbout afikra:‎afikra is a movement to convert passive interest in the Arab world to active intellectual curiosity. We aim to collectively reframe the dominant narrative of the region by exploring the histories and cultures of the region- past, present, and future - through conversations driven by curiosity. Read more about us on  afikra.com

Ghada Almuhanna talked about her work in storytelling, cultural preservation and cultural exchange.After graduating with a master of laws (LL.M.), Ghada spent several years working as a researcher within the security and political sector. Over time, she noticed the perceptions revolved around the Arabian Peninsular culture, and shifted my work towards media and public diplomacy to give a better perspective on the region's rich heritage.Created by Mikey Muhanna, afikra Hosted by Tasneem AlsultanEdited by: Ramzi RammanTheme music by: Tarek Yamani https://www.instagram.com/tarek_yamani/About Double Exposure:Double Exposure focuses on photography and photographers in and of the Arab world. The series is a collaboration with Gulf Photo Plus (GPP), Dubai's center for photography and a community organization cultivating visual practices and cultural production locally in the UAE, and internationally, across the wider MENASA region. Each session, moderated by either Mohamed Somji, Director of GPP, or Mikey Muhanna, Executive Director of afikra, will host two photographers who will run a discussion together. The name “Double Exposure” comes from the structure of the series wherein the two photographers are paired to talk to each other about their work, to discuss and interrogate their motivations, stories behind their photos, and their catalogue. Following the interview, there is a moderated town-hall-style Q&A with questions coming from the live virtual audience ‎on Zoom.‎ Join the live audience: https://www.afikra.com/rsvp   FollowYoutube - Instagram (@afikra_) - Facebook - Twitter Support www.afikra.com/supportAbout afikra:‎afikra is a movement to convert passive interest in the Arab world to active intellectual curiosity. We aim to collectively reframe the dominant narrative of the region by exploring the histories and cultures of the region- past, present, and future - through conversations driven by curiosity. Read more about us on  afikra.com

Advocating for minorities and challenging stereotypes is important in every industry, including Hollywood. Don't wait for someone else to make the changes you wish to see, take the action yourself! Hamzah Saman is a MENASA actor, CSA Casting Director, and owner of Arab American Casting. Hamzah was born in Lebanon and came to the U.S. when he was 15 years old. This has fueled his career in Hollywood as he is actively working to change the perception of Arab and Middle Eastern artists. Some of Hamzah's acting roles include working on General Hospital in 2019, booking 4 roles in feature films in 2019, and starring as "Inmate 093" in the The Human Centipede III. As a Casting Director he worked on Argo in 2012 in addition to over 40 feature and short films, commercials, and television shows. In this episode, Hamzah shares the prominent events that have paved the way for his Hollywood career as an actor and a Casting Director. You will hear how his time working on the film, Argo, inspired his idea for Arab American Casting, what his experience has been in the industry as a Middle Eastern man, his opinion on type-casting, how actors can get connected with him for casting, and more. Tune in to Episode 61 of Hollywood Dream Maker to hear how Hamzah Saman made his Hollywood dreams come true!In This Episode You Will Learn:When Hamzah knew he wanted to become an actor (2:25)How Hamzah came up with the idea for Arab American Casting (17:53)Hamzah's thoughts on type-casting and Arab stereotypes (30:00)How actors can get connected to Hamzah for casting (41:11)Hamzah's advice for actors (48:39) Connect with HamzahIMDb Let's Connect: Manhattan Actor Studio Website Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.

Here are the 3 Segments of the interview : 1) Past lessons learned or not in Afghanistan 2) Rough transition period and what's at stake. 3) Way forward and choices/opportunities & region/great powers role. Bio of Ambassador Samad: Omar Samad is a nonresident senior fellow with the Atlantic Council's South Asia Center. He is also the founder and president of Silkroad Consulting, LLC. Prior to joining the Atlantic Council, Samad was a senior Afghan expert in-residence with the Center for Conflict Management at the US Institute of Peace from January 2012 to January 2013. He also served as Ambassador of Afghanistan to France from 2009 to 2011 and Ambassador to Canada from 2004 to 2009. Samad was the former spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Kabul and Director General, Information and Media Divisions from 2001 to 2004. He also served as an advisor and speech-writer to the foreign minister, and as a member of the ministry's reform committee. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s he advocated for freedom and democracy in Afghanistan. As founder of the Afghanistan Information Center, in 1996 he launched Azadi Afghan Radio and its website based in Virginia. He has been a contributor to Afghan and international media since the 1980s and has published in the United States, Canada, Europe, and Afghanistan. He is a founding member and advisor to the online platform Afghan Analytica, a member of the US-Afghan Women's Council, on the advisory boards of The Kitson, the Fletcher School's MENASA advisory group, the Afghan Higher Education Student e-Mentoring Program, and Initiative to Educate Afghan Women. Samad holds an MA in International Affairs from Tufts University. He is fluent in English, French, and Dari-Farsi, and proficient in Pashto. Source : Atlantic Council --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/mediterranean-sustainable/message

Here are the 3 Segments of the interview : 1) Past lessons learned or not in Afghanistan 2) Rough transition period and what's at stake. 3) Way forward and choices/opportunities & region/great powers role. Bio of Ambassador Samad: Omar Samad is a nonresident senior fellow with the Atlantic Council's South Asia Center. He is also the founder and president of Silkroad Consulting, LLC. Prior to joining the Atlantic Council, Samad was a senior Afghan expert in-residence with the Center for Conflict Management at the US Institute of Peace from January 2012 to January 2013. He also served as Ambassador of Afghanistan to France from 2009 to 2011 and Ambassador to Canada from 2004 to 2009. Samad was the former spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Kabul and Director General, Information and Media Divisions from 2001 to 2004. He also served as an advisor and speech-writer to the foreign minister, and as a member of the ministry's reform committee. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s he advocated for freedom and democracy in Afghanistan. As founder of the Afghanistan Information Center, in 1996 he launched Azadi Afghan Radio and its website based in Virginia. He has been a contributor to Afghan and international media since the 1980s and has published in the United States, Canada, Europe, and Afghanistan. He is a founding member and advisor to the online platform Afghan Analytica, a member of the US-Afghan Women's Council, on the advisory boards of The Kitson, the Fletcher School's MENASA advisory group, the Afghan Higher Education Student e-Mentoring Program, and Initiative to Educate Afghan Women. Samad holds an MA in International Affairs from Tufts University. He is fluent in English, French, and Dari-Farsi, and proficient in Pashto. Source : Atlantic Council --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/mediterranean-sustainable/message

Laila Binbrek was the 72nd CreativeMornings in Dubai speaker! Laila Binbrek is the Coordinating Director of the UAE National Pavilion, which presents the United Arab Emirates' annual exhibition at the Venice Biennale.Since joining in 2013, Laila has worked to set the pavilion's ongoing strategy and vision in collaboration with its commissioner, the Salama bint Hamdan Al Nahyan Foundation, and manages its operations and team. For each edition of the Venice Biennale, Laila convenes the curatorial selection committee and collaborates with local and international curators, artists and cultural practitioners to develop exhibitions and research publications that tell untold stories about the UAE's art, architecture and cultural heritage.Laila has significant experience within the region's cultural industry. Before joining the UAE National Pavilion, she spent 6 years at The Third Line, one of Dubai's leading contemporary art galleries, where as gallery director she worked to develop a platform for MENASA artists from across the region. Prior to that, Laila managed the Art Centre at the Dubai Community Theatre & Arts Centre (DUCTAC), with the goal of promoting community engagement within the local community of the UAE.A Canadian of Yemeni descent, Laila is passionate about promoting arts and culture within the Canadian Arab community and has held positions on the boards of the Canadian Arab Federation, Community Arts Ontario, and the Toronto Arts Council. She holds an BFA (Hons.) from the University of Waterloo, Canada, with a special focus on drawing and sculpture. She has participated in solo and group exhibitions across Canada and her work “Mirror, Mirror” is on permanent display at the Canadian History Museum in Ottawa. She has lived in Canada, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and England. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/podaholiks/message

This was a wonderful talk with Laila Binbrek about culture, art and storytelling through her very particular lens! Laila Binbrek was the 72nd CreativeMornings in Dubai speaker! Laila Binbrek is the Coordinating Director of the UAE National Pavilion, which presents the United Arab Emirates' annual exhibition at the Venice Biennale. Since joining in 2013, Laila has worked to set the pavilion's ongoing strategy and vision in collaboration with its commissioner, the Salama bint Hamdan Al Nahyan Foundation, and manages its operations and team. For each edition of the Venice Biennale, Laila convenes the curatorial selection committee and collaborates with local and international curators, artists and cultural practitioners to develop exhibitions and research publications that tell untold stories about the UAE's art, architecture and cultural heritage.Laila has significant experience within the region's cultural industry. Before joining the UAE National Pavilion, she spent 6 years at The Third Line, one of Dubai's leading contemporary art galleries, where as gallery director she worked to develop a platform for MENASA artists from across the region. Prior to that, Laila managed the Art Centre at the Dubai Community Theatre & Arts Centre (DUCTAC), with the goal of promoting community engagement within the local community of the UAE.A Canadian of Yemeni descent, Laila is passionate about promoting arts and culture within the Canadian Arab community and has held positions on the boards of the Canadian Arab Federation, Community Arts Ontario, and the Toronto Arts Council. She holds an BFA (Hons.) from the University of Waterloo, Canada, with a special focus on drawing and sculpture. She has participated in solo and group exhibitions across Canada and her work “Mirror, Mirror” is on permanent display at the Canadian History Museum in Ottawa. She has lived in Canada, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and England. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/thejamescast/message

Nadia Bseiso & Farah Foudeh talked about their different approaches to photography.Nadia Bseiso is a Jordanian documentary photographer based in Amman. She completed a degree in photography from Florence, Italy in 2011, returning for a residency in Fondazione Fotografia in Modena, in 2015. She concentrates on long term projects, based on personal research in geopolitics, history, anthropology and environmental degradation. In 2016, she was selected for the Arab Documentary Photography Program, funded by The Arab Fund for Arts and Culture, Magnum Foundation and the Prince Claus Fund, for her project “Infertile Crescent”. Selected as Time – Light Box female photographers to follow from around the world, March 2017. She is working with several local and international NGO's since 2011. Clients include The New York Times, The Telegraph, Reuters, Zeit magazine, the Intercept, The Globe and Mail, U.S News & World Report.Farah Foudeh was born in Lagos to Palestinian Jordanian parents and spent her early years between Lagos and Amman. Growing up between contrasting worlds led her to develop an interest in cultural identity, and with that she later pursued a BA in International Studies at American University in Washington, DC. Upon graduation, she returned to Amman, where she soon began working in tourism development. Her experience in tourism working with imagery, combined with a personal interest in photography eventually led Farah to complete an MA in Photography and Design at ELISAVA, Barcelona, where she is currently based. Her artistic practice explores themes of identity and representation while studying the role of imagery and travel in shaping both.Created by Mikey Muhanna, afikra Hosted by Rama GhanemEdited by: Ramzi RammanTheme music by: Tarek Yamani https://www.instagram.com/tarek_yamani/About Double Exposure:Double Exposure focuses on photography and photographers in and of the Arab world. The series is a collaboration with Gulf Photo Plus (GPP), Dubai's center for photography and a community organization cultivating visual practices and cultural production locally in the UAE, and internationally, across the wider MENASA region. Each session, moderated by either Mohamed Somji, Director of GPP, or Mikey Muhanna, Executive Director of afikra, will host two photographers who will run a discussion together. The name “Double Exposure” comes from the structure of the series wherein the two photographers are paired to talk to each other about their work, to discuss and interrogate their motivations, stories behind their photos, and their catalogue. Following the interview, there is a moderated town-hall-style Q&A with questions coming from the live virtual audience ‎on Zoom.‎ Join the live audience: https://www.afikra.com/rsvp   FollowYoutube - Instagram (@afikra_) - Facebook - Twitter Support www.afikra.com/supportAbout afikra:‎afikra is a movement to convert passive interest in the Arab world to active intellectual curiosity. We aim to collectively reframe the dominant narrative of the region by exploring the histories and cultures of the region- past, present, and future - through conversations driven by curiosity. Read more about us on  afikra.com

Writer and actress, Kausar Mohammed, joins Tariq Raouf to talk about the identity and representation of queer Muslims in entertainment. You can find her on social media @kausartheperson and Tariq over at @tariq_raouf.

"I never wanted to make it a culture clash." Welcome to the Minefield, where we explore the secret lives of Middle Eastern, North African, and South Asian artists. In this episode we're joined by award winning writer and director Geeta Malik, to chat about her new film India Sweets and Spices. If you haven't seen it, it's the perfect family movie for the holidays, and it's now streaming on Amazon Prime.  Be sure to follow Geeta @shetanifilms and check out India Sweets and Spices and her other films. If you have comments or questions on this episode, let us know on social media @minefieldpod or email us at minefieldpodcast@gmail.com. This episode was produced and hosted by Katherine Ally Zaslavsky. Our music is by Tasneem Nanji, edited by Quincy Surasmith. Alexander Catedral is our sound designer and engineer. Social media is by Mackenzie Gannon. Minefield is a community effort, and we thank you for being part of our community.

In this Double Exposure event, we talked to Tanya Habjouqa and Tasneem Alsultan about their work, to discuss and interrogate their motivations, stories behind their photos, and their catalogues. Hazem's work explores the notion of the land, whereas Sama's work is concerned with issues of war and exile.Created by Mikey Muhanna, afikra Hosted by Mikey Muhanna & Mohamed SomjiEdited by: Ramzi RammanTheme music by: Tarek Yamani https://www.instagram.com/tarek_yamani/About Double Exposure:Double Exposure focuses on photography and photographers in and of the Arab world. The series is a collaboration with Gulf Photo Plus (GPP), Dubai's center for photography and a community organization cultivating visual practices and cultural production locally in the UAE, and internationally, across the wider MENASA region. Each session, moderated by either Mohamed Somji, Director of GPP, or Mikey Muhanna, Executive Director of afikra, will host two photographers who will run a discussion together. The name “Double Exposure” comes from the structure of the series wherein the two photographers are paired to talk to each other about their work, to discuss and interrogate their motivations, stories behind their photos, and their catalogue. Following the interview, there is a moderated town-hall-style Q&A with questions coming from the live virtual audience ‎on Zoom.‎ Join the live audience: https://www.afikra.com/rsvp   FollowYoutube - Instagram (@afikra_) - Facebook - Twitter Support www.afikra.com/supportAbout afikra:‎afikra is a movement to convert passive interest in the Arab world to active intellectual curiosity. We aim to collectively reframe the dominant narrative of the region by exploring the histories and cultures of the region- past, present, and future - through conversations driven by curiosity. Read more about us on  afikra.com

In this Double Exposure event, we talked to Tanya Habjouqa and Tasneem Alsultan about their work, motivations, stories behind their photos, and catalogues.Created & Hosted by Mikey Muhanna, afikra Edited by: Ramzi RammanTheme music by: Tarek Yamani https://www.instagram.com/tarek_yamani/About Double Exposure:Double Exposure focuses on photography and photographers in and of the Arab world. The series is a collaboration with Gulf Photo Plus (GPP), Dubai's center for photography and a community organization cultivating visual practices and cultural production locally in the UAE, and internationally, across the wider MENASA region. Each session, moderated by either Mohamed Somji, Director of GPP, or Mikey Muhanna, Executive Director of afikra, will host two photographers who will run a discussion together. The name “Double Exposure” comes from the structure of the series wherein the two photographers are paired to talk to each other about their work, to discuss and interrogate their motivations, stories behind their photos, and their catalogue. Following the interview, there is a moderated town-hall-style Q&A with questions coming from the live virtual audience ‎on Zoom.‎ Join the live audience: https://www.afikra.com/rsvp   FollowYoutube - Instagram (@afikra_) - Facebook - Twitter Support www.afikra.com/supportAbout afikra:‎afikra is a movement to convert passive interest in the Arab world to active intellectual curiosity. We aim to collectively reframe the dominant narrative of the region by exploring the histories and cultures of the region- past, present, and future - through conversations driven by curiosity. Read more about us on  afikra.com

In this Double Exposure event, we talked to Tanya Traboulsi and Tamara Abdul Hadi about their work, motivations, stories behind their photos, and catalogues.Created & Hosted by Mikey Muhanna, afikra Edited by: Ramzi RammanTheme music by: Tarek Yamani https://www.instagram.com/tarek_yamani/About Double Exposure:Double Exposure focuses on photography and photographers in and of the Arab world. The series is a collaboration with Gulf Photo Plus (GPP), Dubai's center for photography and a community organization cultivating visual practices and cultural production locally in the UAE, and internationally, across the wider MENASA region. Each session, moderated by either Mohamed Somji, Director of GPP, or Mikey Muhanna, Executive Director of afikra, will host two photographers who will run a discussion together. The name “Double Exposure” comes from the structure of the series wherein the two photographers are paired to talk to each other about their work, to discuss and interrogate their motivations, stories behind their photos, and their catalogue. Following the interview, there is a moderated town-hall-style Q&A with questions coming from the live virtual audience ‎on Zoom.‎ Join the live audience: https://www.afikra.com/rsvp   FollowYoutube - Instagram (@afikra_) - Facebook - Twitter Support www.afikra.com/supportAbout afikra:‎afikra is a movement to convert passive interest in the Arab world to active intellectual curiosity. We aim to collectively reframe the dominant narrative of the region by exploring the histories and cultures of the region- past, present, and future - through conversations driven by curiosity. Read more about us on  afikra.com

Theater Twitter was on fire this week.... Notable News: The Museum of Broadway has announced the museum will open in Summer 2022. The first museum dedicated to telling the history of Broadway will open at 145 West 45th Street, next door to the Lyceum Theatre. The TONY Awards will be held at the Winter Garden Theatre. PASS OVER will open three weeks earlier on Sunday, Aug 22, 2021. Camille A. Brown will direct and choreograph an upcoming Broadway production of for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf. Brown will be the first Black woman to serve as both director and choreographer on Broadway in more than 65 years. Casting:  Come From Away will return to the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre on September 21. The Broadway cast will feature De'Lon Grant, Joel Hatch, Caesar Samayoa, James Seol, Q. Smith, Pearl Sun, Olivier nominee Rachel Tucker, and more. Quentin Earl Darrington, Whitney Bashor, and more will join the previously announced Myles Frost (who is replacing Ephriam Sykes) in MJ on Broadway when it opens this fall at .   Tituss Burgess also joins the ANNIE Live cast as Rooster. The production is set for Thursday, Dec. 2 at 8pm EST on NBC. Heather Headley, Sara Bareilles, Christian Borle, and Ashley Park will star in NY City Center Encores! Into The Woods. Disney's Aladdin the Musical will return on September 28 at the New Amsterdam Theatre and for the first time ever, the leads will both be played by MENASA actors. Michael Maliakel in the title role and Shoba Narayan as Jasmine.  The Lion King Musical will return on September 14 at the Minskoff Theatre and star Brandon A. McCall, who starred as Simba in the North American tour. Camille A. Brown will direct and choreography and upcoming Broadway production of for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf. Brown will be the first Black woman to serve as both director and choreographer on Broadway in more than 65 years. Red Carpet Interviews from The Show Must Go On movie premiere: Tamika Lawrence Cody Renard Richard Salisha Thomas Jay Armstrong Johnson Sammi Cannold Ali Ewoldt Eva Noblezada and Reeve Carney Thanks to @MaxCrumm for this episode's title. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode features Megan Sandberg-Zakian, Evren Odcikin, Kareem Fahmy and Pirronne Yousefzadeh, the four incredible forces behind Maia Directors. The organization is a consulting service for organizations and artists engaging with MENASA stories – those from the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia. These change makers discuss trends in the theatre field, the importance of being of service (and valuing that work) and collaborations on projects like Madhuri Shekar's The House of Joy, the premiere of Ismail Khalidi and Naomi Wallace's adaptation of The Corpse Washer, and the Big Bridge Theatre Consortium's commission of Rohina Malik.

This week we sit down with the Multicultural Student Center to discuss shared experiences and resources for students of color at PSU. This episode will wrap up our series with the Cultural Resource Centers; please continue to engage with them and support their work. View the transcript here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/14zTzw2vGLXv4DOMc3AII3FYlD3PVXChKTK6eHJ1bMyw/edit?usp=sharing Resources: Check out MCC's Instagram @multicultural_PSU and website: https://www.pdx.edu/cultural-resource-centers/multicultural-student-center Donate to help the MENASA initiative secure a physical center: https://giving.psuf.org/menasa Watch the TedTalk "How Racism Makes Us Sick": https://youtu.be/VzyjDR_AWzE ______________________________________________________________________________________________________ For SHAC Counseling Services, please call 503-725-2800 or visit the website: https://www.pdx.edu/health-counseling/counseling Have any questions or feedback? Fill out our google form, feel free to shoot us an email, or slide into our DMs on Instagram! Google Form for Questions: https://forms.gle/obDVnDMGWPKUtJVm6 Email: what@pdx.edu // Instagram: @psu_what (www.instagram.com/psu_what/) WHAT Website: https://www.pdx.edu/health-counseling/what Virtual Mind Spa: https://www.pdx.edu/health-counseling/virtual-mind-spa

Huge thank you to the UC Davis MENASA Resources Center (@ucdavismenasa) for having us as guest speakers! Following our presentation on the (brief) history our podcast, what we've learned along the way, and an overview of queer organizing in the SWANA region, we recorded a live Q&A with some awesome attendees.   Our discussion included pre- and post-9-11 racial perceptions of us as Arabs in the US, finding queer SWANA and Muslim community (in various locales and online), what brings us Queer Arab joy (from cooking to listener DMs to messy chosen families). View the full presentation here:  https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/12xpDI01x3YU6KHZpedTu0TwzVy6sWf0orqVmVXGggnU/edit?usp=sharing 

In this week's episode, Bella (she/her) sits down with Ahmed El Mansouri (he/him), Program Coordinator of the MENASA Inititaive, which is the newest cultural center representing students from the Middle Eastern, North African, and South Asian region. They discuss some history behind the emerging cultural identity, how the center has grown, and what they're doing now. Stay tuned to learn more about this center and the MENASA community at PSU. View the transcription here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1dkEUHO4FHWRcIdLdxRLsK4dWmVHK_XmaF5cPdTyCbrk/edit?usp=sharing Resources: Donate/Share to help raise money for a physical center: https://psudayofgiving.org/s/1904/cf20/interior.aspx?sid=1904&gid=2&pgid=681 MENASA Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/menasa_initiative/?hl=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/psumenasainitiative Visit their website: https://www.pdx.edu/cultural-resource-centers/middle-east-north-africa-south-asia-initiative Contact Ahmed El Mansouri at elman@pdx.edu or menasa@pdx.edu for questions & collaborations ______________________________________________________________________________________________________ For SHAC Counseling Services, please call 503-725-2800 or visit the website: https://www.pdx.edu/health-counseling/counseling Have any questions or feedback? Fill out our google form, feel free to shoot us an email, or slide into our DMs on Instagram! Google Form for Questions: https://forms.gle/obDVnDMGWPKUtJVm6 Email: what@pdx.edu // Instagram: @psu_what (www.instagram.com/psu_what/) WHAT Website: https://www.pdx.edu/health-counseling/what Virtual Mind Spa: https://www.pdx.edu/health-counseling/virtual-mind-spa

This episode is a podcast-only feature! Do also visit us at https://10leaves.ae/publications/difc/new-difc-venture-capital-funds-regime Why setup a Venture Capital Fund in the DIFC? The DIFC is a leading financial hub in the region. Besides offering a wide range of financial service activities, the centre also provides an integrated environment and world-class standard of living. It is well regarded in the international community as well. The Dubai Financial Services Authority, or DFSA, acts as the independent regulator of fund managers and investment funds setup in the DIFC, which provides a high degree of comfort to individual and professional investors. The DIFC offers both Domestic Fund Manager and External Fund Manager licenses, both of which allow for the management of Public, Exempt and Qualified Investor Funds. The DIFC Registrar of Companies (ROC) offers multiple fund structures, included open-ended and closed ended investment companies, and GP-LP structures. With DIFC Funds, Fund Managers can target the GCC market, and the wider MENASA region, taking advantage of the numerous Double Taxation Avoidance Treaties that the UAE has in place. Zero-rate personal and corporate tax also make the DIFC an attractive destination to setup and manage investment funds.

This episode is also available as a blog post: https://10leaves.ae/publications/difc/cost-of-setting-up-a-regulated-firm-in-the-difc DIFC is one of the world's top ten onshore financial centers and offers a secure and efficient platform for businesses and financial institutions to reach into and out of the emerging markets of the region. The quality and independence of DIFC's regulator, the prevailing common law framework, excellent infrastructure and tax efficiencies make it the perfect base to take advantage of the rapidly growing demand for financial and business services in the MENASA region. DIFC fills the time-zone gap for a global financial centre between the leading financial centres of London and New York in the West and Hong Kong and Tokyo in the East. Why setup a financial services firm in the DIFC? The DIFC is a leading financial hub in the region. Besides offering a wide range of financial service activities, the centre also provides an integrated environment and world-class standard of living. It is well regarded in the international community as well. There exist opportunities for startups as well. The recent focus on fintech led to the DIFC Fintech Hive initiative, that serves as an accelerator for fintech firms to test their products and pitch it to prospective investors. Sarwa is one such success story.

This episode is also available as a blog post: https://10leaves.ae/publications/difc/investment-funds-in-the-difc Why setup an investment fund in the DIFC? The DIFC is a leading financial hub in the region. Besides offering a wide range of financial service activities, the centre also provides an integrated environment and world-class standard of living. It is well regarded in the international community as well. The Dubai Financial Services Authority, or DFSA, acts as the independent regulator of fund managers and investment funds setup in the DIFC, which provides a high degree of comfort to individual and professional investors. The DIFC offers both Domestic Fund Manager and External Fund Manager licenses, both of which allow for the management of DIFC Public Fund, DIFC Exempt Fund and DIFC Qualified Investor Fund. The DIFC Registrar of Companies (ROC) offers multiple fund structures, included open-ended and closed ended investment companies, and GP-LP structures. With DIFC Funds, Fund Managers can target the GCC market, and the wider MENASA region, taking advantage of the numerous Double Taxation Avoidance Treaties that the UAE has in place. Zero-rate personal and corporate tax also make the DIFC an attractive destination to setup and manage investment funds.

This episode is also available as a blog post: https://10leaves.ae/publications/difc/difc-exempt-funds The DIFC is a leading financial hub in the region. Besides offering a wide range of financial service activities, the centre also provides an integrated environment and world-class standard of living. It is well regarded in the international community as well. The Dubai Financial Services Authority, or DFSA, acts as the independent regulator of fund managers and investment funds setup in the DIFC, which provides a high degree of comfort to individual and professional investors. The DIFC offers both Domestic Fund Manager and External Fund Manager licenses, both of which allow for the management of DIFC Public fund, DIFC Exempt fund and DIFC Qualified Investor Fund. The DIFC Registrar of Companies (ROC) offers multiple fund structures, included open-ended and closed ended investment companies, and GP-LP structures. With DIFC Funds, Fund Managers can target the GCC market, and the wider MENASA region, taking advantage of the numerous Double Taxation Avoidance Treaties that the UAE has in place. Zero-rate personal and corporate tax also make the DIFC an attractive destination to setup and manage investment funds.

This episode is also available as a blog post: https://10leaves.ae/publications/difc/difc-qualified-investor-funds Why setup an investment fund in the DIFC? The DIFC is a leading financial hub in the region. Besides offering a wide range of financial service activities, the centre also provides an integrated environment and world-class standard of living. It is well regarded in the international community as well. The Dubai Financial Services Authority, or DFSA, acts as the independent regulator of fund managers and investment funds setup in the DIFC, which provides a high degree of comfort to individual and professional investors. The DIFC offers both Domestic Fund Manager and External Fund Manager licenses, both of which allow for the management of Public, Exempt and Qualified Investor Funds. The DIFC Registrar of Companies (ROC) offers multiple fund structures, included open-ended and closed ended investment companies, and GP-LP structures. With DIFC Funds, Fund Managers can target the GCC market, and the wider MENASA region, taking advantage of the numerous Double Taxation Avoidance Treaties that the UAE has in place. Zero-rate personal and corporate tax also make the DIFC an attractive destination to setup and manage investment funds.

This episode is also available as a blog post: https://10leaves.ae/publications/difc/new-difc-venture-capital-funds-regime With DIFC Funds, Fund Managers can target the GCC market, and the wider MENASA region, taking advantage of the numerous Double Taxation Avoidance Treaties that the UAE has in place. Zero-rate personal and corporate tax also make the DIFC an attractive destination to setup and manage investment funds. The DIFC has also now proposed a Venture Capital Fund regime, that aims to attract VC firms from all over the world, into the centre.

RAWx RadioYour weekly dose of SEXY Urban music1pm PDT, 4pm EDT, 10pm CEST @ iHeart RadioInquiries: info@wearerawx.comPromotional Use OnlyAll rights go to the respective artists.YEARMIX 2020 TRACKLIST1. Its Natascha - Intro2. RAWx Radio - Intro3. Burna Boy - Odogwu4. Timaya - Born To Win5. Hoodcelebrityy - Run Di Road6. Lina Ice - Dyuku7. Ella Banks - Dribbelen8. Quincy Wilson x SHQQ - Bootycall (Ring Ring)9. Team Rush Hour x Giorgio Sanches x Jasha Rudge - Mañana10. Ms. Banks - NOVIKOV11. City Girls feat. Doja Cat - Pussy Talk12. Lil Mosey - Blueberry Faygo13. Tyga feat. Mozzy - Too Fast14. Ty Dolla $ign feat. Roddy Ricch & Mustard - Real Life15. Jeezy feat. Yo Gotti - Back16. Tinashe - Rascal17. Roddy Ricch feat. Mustard - High Fashion18. Johnny 500 feat. Sevirio, Ghetto Flow & Nixon Joseph - A$$19. FlyCharlie feat. Gaby Metalico & Conep - Demasiau20. Aya Nakamura - Tchop21. Wiley feat. Mike Kalle & Sarita Lorena - Gozela22. Aluna feat. Princess Nokia & Jada Kingdom - Get Paid23. Its Natascha x Energizer x Brad Braxton - Mi Feel Bashy24. Team Rush Hour feat. Jason Imanuel - Fayaman25. Team Rush Hour & JR Kenna - Trailer Load26. Lxg - Kpeh Kpeh27. Cashh feat. WSTRN - Wag128. Demarco - Fix Things 29. Tekno - Sudden30. Konshens & Afro B - Vibrate 31. Burna Boy - Onyeka32. Fiokee feat. Simi & Oxiade - Koni Koni 33. DJ Tunez & Wizkid - Cool Me Down34. ValsBezig - Na Ny - Am35. Toobss - I Gotta go36. Stiekz feat. Finest Sno, Lina Ice & Tranga Rugie - Tequila Party (Official)37. Lina Ice feat. Finest Sno - Boss A Wine38. Saweetie feat. Jhené Aiko - Back To The Streets39. Ty Dolla $ign feat. Jhené Aiko & Mustard - By Yourself40. Tyga feat. Megan Thee Stallion - FREAK41. Young T & Bugsey feat. Rauw Alejandro - Don’t Rush (Remix) 42. Afro B feat. Ozuna & Chosen Few - Drogba (Joanna) (Global Latin Version) 43. Terri - Ojoro44. Rema - Woman 45. Pop Smoke feat. Davido - Tsunami 46. El Crok & Freddy Moreira - Ass47. Yemi Alade - True Love48. Master KG feat. Nomcebo - Jerusalema 49. Cardi B feat. Megan Thee Stallion - WAP50. Drake feat. Lil Durk - Laugh Now Cry Later51. Chris Brown feat. Young Thug - Say You Love Me52. Megan Thee Stallion feat. Young Thug - Don’t Stop53. Omarion feat. T-Pain - Can You Hear Me54. Internet Money feat. Don Toliver, Gunna & NAV - Lemonade 55. DaniLeigh feat. DaBaby - Levi High 56. Lil Uzi Vert feat. Young Thug - Got The Guap57. Justin Bieber feat. Quavo - Intentions58. Jack Harlow feat. DaBaby, Tory Lanez & Lil Wayne - What’s Poppin 59. Future & Lil Uzi Vert - Over Your Head60. Joyner Lucas & Will Smith - Will (Remix)61. Ty Dolla $ign feat. Future & Young Thug - Lift Me Up62. Mulatto feat. Gucci Mane - Muwop 63. Migos feat. YoungBoy Never Broke Again - Need It64. Kanye West - Nah Nah Nah 65. Migos feat. Travis Scott & Young Thug - Give No Fxk66. Justin Bieber - Yummy 67. August Alsina feat. Rick Ross - Entanglements 68. Russo & Bryan MG - Van Mij Af69. Bilal Wahib x Bizzey - Video Vixen 70. John Legend - Actions71. Megan Thee Stallion feat. Beyoncé - Savage (Remix)72. Busta Rhymes - The Purge 73. DJ Khaled feat. Drake - Greece 74. DaBaby feat. Young Thug - BLIND75. Pop Smoke - What You Know Bout Love76. 21 Savage x Metro Boomin feat. Drake - Mr. Right Now77. Trey Songz feat. Summer Walker - Back Home78. Megan Thee Stallion - Girls In The Hood79. Conkarah - Everybody Switch (Fatty Fatty)80. Its Natascha - Batty Rider81. Koffee - Lockdown82. DyDy - Big Bad Buddy83. Vybz Kartel feat. Sikka Rymes - Skate84. Konshens - Backaz85. Popcaan - Mamakita86. DJ Dylvn feat. Jhorrmountain & Scarface - Uhh87. Team Rush Hour feat. James Francis & M3RON3 - Ride Or Die88. Vic G On The attack feat. Hamilton, Felo Beats & Jaze Rozey - Que Me Diste89. De La Ghetto feat. Nicky Jam - Sube La Music90. J. Balvin - Amarillo 91. Karl Wine x Kybba x Tribal Kush x Young F - Ram Pam92. Play-N-Skillz feat. Daddy Yankee, Zion & Lennox - Bésame93. Dopebwoy feat. Jonna Fraser - Vakantie94. SXTEEN - Lawdamercy95. Aya Nakamura - Jolie Nana96. Rico Greene feat. Digitzz & Midas Hutch - Go There97. Chris Brown feat. Young Thug - Go Crazy98. Tyga - Ayy Macarena 99. Lil Wayne feat. Doja Cat - Shimmy 100. Saweetie feat. Post Malone, DaBaby & Jack Harlow - Tap In (Remix)101. Ty Dolla $ign feat. Post Malone - Spicy102. Menasa x Fito Music - Pide Mas103. Its Natascha x Tribal Kush - Position (Bubble Pon Design)104. Kalibwoy feat. Leftside - Backshot105. K. Sling - Expensive Whine 106. Its Natascha - A Suh Wi Dweet107. Gaza - Gwoaning108. DJ Dylvn feat. Numidia & Yxng Le - My Lova109. SHQQ x Brooklyn x Karlyn - Bobbelen110. Jason Imanuel feat. Patexx - Whining Good111. Broederliefde feat. BerryR - Zagalo 112. DJ Lizzy & David Jay - Bubble113. King Promise feat. Shatta Wale - Alright 114. Sleazy Stereo - Hip Hop Harry (Who’s Next) (Remix)115. Its Natascha - Gud Gyal Bad Gyal (Buzkilas Remix)116. Jason Imanuel feat. Dalicia Larosa - Enrico117. Gualtiero - Choocoo Riddim (ANS Remix)118. Young D feat. Ayo Jay & Ir-Sais - Te Gusta119. Ceky Viciny x Puri x El Bloonel x Bulin 47 x Bulova x Quimico Ultra Mega x El Tonto - Coño (Remix)120. Jason Derulo x Puri x Jhorrmountain x Adje - Coño (Remix)121. Puri x Lus - Baila 122. RudeBoy - Woman 123. Mr. Eazi feat. emPawa Africa & King Promise - Baby I’m Jealous124. Buju Banton feat. Pharrell Williams - Cherry Pie125. Ty Dolla $ign feat. Kanye West, FKA twigs & Skrillex - Ego Death 126. Tyga x Curtis Roach - Bored In The House 127. Tory Lanez - Broke In A Minute128. Beyoncé - Black Parade129. Teyana Taylor feat. Ms. Lauryn Hill - We Got Love130. Jack Harlow - Tyler Herro 131. DJ Khaled feat. Drake - Popstar

Mozhdah and Sofia interview Azita Ghanizada, a successful Afghan-American actress who has appeared on screens both big and small.  She had a leading role opposite David Strathairn in Syfy's "ALPHAS."  In 2016, she starred opposite Michael Shannon and Rachel Weisz in the Amazon feature, "Complete Unknown," where she was named one of the "Seven Sundance Breakout Actresses You Must Know," (2016).  She recently recurred on both HBO's "Ballers," and Freeform's "Good Trouble," and will next be seen in the feature "The Friend," which had its world premiere at TIFF (2019).  Azita is here to talk to the Girls about being an Afghan actress in Hollywood, her struggle to overcome the adversity she has faced within the community, and how she became ad advocate for the Middle Eastern and South Asian community within Hollywood. Learn more and connect with Azita Ghanizada!  TedxTalk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGKp-G_YGoI Reel: https://activepitch.com/flat/flat.php/activepitch/front/share/video?id=1341343  MENA Arts Advocacy: https://www.menaartsadvocacy.com Socials: Instagram: @azitagram Twitter: @AzitaGhanizada    Be sure to subscribe, rate, and review The Girls of Wisdom podcast on Apple iTunes! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/girls-of-wisdom/id1501231780 Send your questions to the girls at thegirlsofwisdom@gmail.com. You just might get your question or comment featured in an upcoming episode! If you loved today's show, be sure to screenshot the episode, share it in your Instagram stories, and tag the girls @thegirlsofwisdom. The girls just might share your share! Instagram: @thegirlsofwisdom Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thegirlsofwisdom/ Twitter: @WisdomGirls Email: thegirlsofwisdom@gmail.com Website: www.thegirlsofwisdom.com

In the context of shifting definitions surrounding the role that the artist plays in nation building and place-making, Stephen Hobbs (Director of Johannesburg’s The Trinity Session) and Laila Binbrek (Coordinating Director of the National Pavilion UAE la Biennale di Venezia) unpack insights that reflect on current trends and possible futures. Moderated by Kevin Jones. Laila Binbrek Laila Binbrek is the Coordinating Director of the National Pavilion UAE, which presents the United Arab Emirates’ annual exhibition at the Venice Biennale. She has worked to set the pavilion’s ongoing strategy and vision in collaboration with its commissioner, the Salama bint Hamdan Al Nahyan Foundation, and manages its operations and team. Additionally, she oversees the development of the Venice Internship, a training program that to date has sent around 200 interns to Venice as ambassadors for the UAE and its rich culture. Laila has significant experience within the region’s cultural industry. Before joining the National Pavilion UAE, she spent 6 years at The Third Line, one of Dubai’s leading contemporary art galleries, where as gallery director she worked to develop a platform for MENASA artists from across the region. Prior to that, Laila managed the Art Centre at the Dubai Community Theatre & Arts Centre (DUCTAC), with the goal of promoting community engagement within the local community of the UAE. Stephen Hobbs Since 1994, Johannesburg has served as a critical reference point for Stephen Hobbs’ artistic and curatorial insights into the apartheid city turned African city - with a particular interest in the impact of defensive urban planning and architecture on the behavioural aspects of city and society. The resultant urban decay that develops in such conditions evolved Hobbs' practice into consultative processes on the role of art in public space relative to urban renewal and place making initiatives commissioned by the city. Hobbs’ near 10 year relationship with David Krut Projects has broadened his artistic repertoire through print making, book making and publishing. In addition David Krut Projects New York has produced a variety of Hobbs’ talks, presentations and workshops in numerous Universities and Institutions through-out the USA. Stephen Hobbs was the curator of the Market Theatre Galleries (Johannesburg) from 1994 to 2000, Co-Director of the purpose-built Gallery Premises (2004-2008) at the Joburg Theatre. Since 2001, he has co-directed the artist collaborative and public art consultancy – The Trinity Session. And since 2004 has co-produced a range of multi-medium urban and network-focused projects with Marcus Neustetter, under the collaborative name Hobbs/Neustetter. In 2017, Hobbs joined the Graduate School of Architecture at the University of Johannesburg, as Unit Leader and resident critic.

In the context of shifting definitions surrounding the role that the artist plays in nation building and place-making, Stephen Hobbs (Director of Johannesburg's The Trinity Session) and Laila Binbrek (Coordinating Director of the National Pavilion UAE la Biennale di Venezia) unpack insights that reflect on current trends and possible futures. Moderated by Kevin Jones. **Laila Binbrek** Laila Binbrek is the Coordinating Director of the National Pavilion UAE, which presents the United Arab Emirates' annual exhibition at the Venice Biennale. She has worked to set the pavilion's ongoing strategy and vision in collaboration with its commissioner, the Salama bint Hamdan Al Nahyan Foundation, and manages its operations and team. Additionally, she oversees the development of the Venice Internship, a training program that to date has sent around 200 interns to Venice as ambassadors for the UAE and its rich culture. Laila has significant experience within the region's cultural industry. Before joining the National Pavilion UAE, she spent 6 years at The Third Line, one of Dubai's leading contemporary art galleries, where as gallery director she worked to develop a platform for MENASA artists from across the region. Prior to that, Laila managed the Art Centre at the Dubai Community Theatre & Arts Centre (DUCTAC), with the goal of promoting community engagement within the local community of the UAE. **Stephen Hobbs** Since 1994, Johannesburg has served as a critical reference point for Stephen Hobbs' artistic and curatorial insights into the apartheid city turned African city - with a particular interest in the impact of defensive urban planning and architecture on the behavioural aspects of city and society. The resultant urban decay that develops in such conditions evolved Hobbs' practice into consultative processes on the role of art in public space relative to urban renewal and place making initiatives commissioned by the city. Hobbs' near 10 year relationship with David Krut Projects has broadened his artistic repertoire through print making, book making and publishing. In addition David Krut Projects New York has produced a variety of Hobbs' talks, presentations and workshops in numerous Universities and Institutions through-out the USA. Stephen Hobbs was the curator of the Market Theatre Galleries (Johannesburg) from 1994 to 2000, Co-Director of the purpose-built Gallery Premises (2004-2008) at the Joburg Theatre. Since 2001, he has co-directed the artist collaborative and public art consultancy – The Trinity Session. And since 2004 has co-produced a range of multi-medium urban and network-focused projects with Marcus Neustetter, under the collaborative name Hobbs/Neustetter. In 2017, Hobbs joined the Graduate School of Architecture at the University of Johannesburg, as Unit Leader and resident critic.

SJANNIES MIXTAPE 1 ██████████████████████ STAY CONNECTED: https://www.instagram.com/sjannies_nl/ ██████████████████████ INFO & BOEKINGEN: BEN@MOOVEXXL.NL ██████████████████████ TRACKLIST: 1. Sjannies - Intro 2. Adje - DM's (instrumental) 3. Cutty Ranks - Limb by Limb (edit) 4. Poke - Lekker He 5. Madrik - Sambo (edit) 6. N-fasis - Tra Tra 7. Party Squad & Freddy Moreira - Guitarra (DaPhonk edit) 8. Bizzey & Ronnie Flex - Maria 9. Gama - Saken La Moiz 10. Jamsha - Abrete 11. Nicky Jam & J Balvin - X 12. Dj Snake - Taki Taki 13. Drake & Bad Bunny - Mia 14. Spice - So Mi Like It (edit) 15. Big Sean - Ass (edit) 16. Blockparty - Huts 17. Yung Felix & Poke - Loco 18. Cho - Popalik (Gualtiero Remix) 19. Khia - My Neck (Hato Remix) 20. Menasa & Iski - Have A Heart 21. Mr. SM - Baboul 22. Pyramids - Me Gusta 22. Freddy Moreira - Rutte No Jave 23. Team Rush Hour -Roko Ta Ta

Welcome back to the latest episode of This Week in Aruba, which covers the events from Friday, December 14th to Thursday, December 20th also known as timeshare week 50. On this episode, we will bring you the latest events and happenings in Aruba.   The shout-out for this week goes to Sherry “Jello” Pence who booked some weeks down in Aruba for the Christmas season which is pretty amazing. I’m jealous but in a good way. If you’re listening to this, very happy for you, Sherry! Now we’re gonna jump into the events section. SPECIAL EVENT Aruba Fashion Week When: 14-16 December (Fri-Sun) / all day Where: Aruba Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino For more info: https://www.facebook.com/ArubaFW/   Aruba Fashion Week – a yearly fashion, entertainment and lifestyle event.   Enjoy the best program schedule of Aruba Fashion Week including fashion shows, social events, cocktails, the latest fashion trends, trunk shows, celebrations and a Fashion Talks Conference!   Under the sun of Aruba will shine the collections of local and international designers.   This year, all the runway shows will be held outdoors at the iconic Marketplace Pier.   A grand pier that turns into an incredible runway with over 100 meters in length and which portrays to the world the unique Aruban architecture, its sea, its wind, its heritage mixed with this front-row destination of luxury tourism and high fashion.   For the purpose of achieving a commercial connection behind the runways, the event incorporates its AFW TRUNK SHOW, a trade show with two days of sales and promotion before elite visitors and global press. A business, database, and networking platform that will manage to connect the brands with shoppers, boutique owners, and local distributors, generating retail and wholesale sales, alliances, and future purchase orders for its participants.   This year, the select calling will gather an approximate of 15 runway shows of local and international designers and over 30 participating brands at the trade fair, in segments of fashion, beauty, luxury, nutrition, art, health, real estate, and business, just to state some of them.   We expect an estimated affluence of 3,000 visitors during these three continuous days of fashion and great business opportunities as well as an undisputed promotional value for the sponsors, designers, and brands that accompany us.   Book your best stay at the amazing Aruba Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino and join us in this fashion festival!       FOOD/DINING   Korteweg Pop Up When: 15 December (Sat) / 5:00-9:00pm Where: Korteweg (Oranjestad, Aruba) Source: https://www.facebook.com/events/390208694853770/'   Join us at KORTEWEG in Main Street, Oranjestad for a night of local art/artisans, snacks, drinks and music by Wine It Up!     Aquarius Holiday Lunch Buffet When: Daily until 29 December / 12:00nn-3:30pm Where: Aquarius (L.G. Smith Boulevard 82, 0000 Oranjestad, Aruba) Source: https://www.facebook.com/events/1928084600643024/   Celebrate the Holidays with a Festive Lunch Buffet.   Aquarius will be serving a Holiday Lunch for just $28.99 excluding service charge and local taxes. The perfect lunch for a corporate lunch celebration or Friends Holiday gathering.   The Holiday Lunch Buffet includes a market style salad bar, main dishes including 'Ayacas', Carving Station with Holiday Ham and Roasted Turkey, action Station and dessert station.   For more information or reservations, please call 5236156. Reservations are highly recommended.   Christmas Dinner at Mi Dudu! When: Daily until 25 December / 4:00-11:00pm Where: Mi Dudu Bar Restaurant (Moko 10d, 297 Oranjestad, Aruba) Source: https://www.facebook.com/events/1986408608132737/   Make your plans now for your group #ChristmasDinner here at Mi Dudu Bar Restaurant with two special #Christmas menus you will love! We open daily at 4pm (closed Mondays). Reserve a table by calling 592-7445! #LocalFoodAruba #RestaurantAruba   Dinner Under The Stars at Renaissance Island When: 19 December (Tue) / 7:00-10:00pm Where: Renaissance Private Island Source: https://www.facebook.com/events/733603930319983/   Take a boat trip to Renaissance Island and let your taste buds travel to paradise.   Enjoy our 4-course dinner menu consisting of succulent Herb Crusted New Zealand Lamb Chops or locally caught Snapper, while your toes get pampered in our white secluded sand.   Our private dinner setting includes a welcome cocktail at Lucy's Dock (across the Renaissance Mall), boat trip to Renaissance Private Island, dinner on the beach and live entertainment for only $65 per person. Children from 5 to 12 yrs pay $32.50.   For more information or reservations, please contact one of our Navigators at 5236115   Barefoot Beach BBQ When: 20 December (Thu) / 6:00-10:00pm Where: Renaissance Ocean Suites Source: https://www.facebook.com/events/726451334376295/   If you're not barefoot, then you're overdressed. Join us for the Barefoot Beach BBQ on the Renaissance Ocean Suites Beach!   A delicious BBQ made to order will be prepared for you accompanied by a build your own salad station, your choice of marinate, side dishes and a decadent dessert station.   Have some Family Fun around the grill with live music and a Beach Bar ready to serve you.   The all you can eat BBQ on the beach is only $35 per person and kids from 5 to 12yrs $17.50   Reservation is not required. Just walk-in and lets have some fun! LIFESTYLE Winter Wonderland When: Daily until December 23 / 6:00-10:00pm Where: Renaissance | Mall & Marketplace Source: https://www.facebook.com/events/296180380988358/   It’s the most wonderful time of the year.   Renaissance Marketplace is ready to take you once again to the magical world of WINTER WONDERLAND!   Discover all the magic that this season has to offer during the Winter Wonderland days at Renaissance Marketplace.   December 1st till December 23rd with daily LIVE Musical entertainment, The famous Ice Skating court, Meet & Greet with Santa and his Elves, the Wonderful village with Christmas cottages offering Seasonal delights. Starting at 6PM till 10PM every night.   Join us as we fill you with Christmas spirit for this Joyous season.   *All proceeds of the Ice Skating Court will go to charity.   Aqua Windie's Open Day 2018 When: 16 December (Sun) / 10:00am-4:00pm Where: Aqua Windie's Aruba (Dr. Horacio E Oduber Boulevard #4, Oranjestad, Aruba) Source: https://www.facebook.com/events/342748836556388/   Aqua Windie's organizes Scuba Diving demo's, Aqua Fitness classes, Kids games, Family pool activities, Vendor fair, food and drinks! Just walk in, the entrance is free of charge. See you there!       Rancho Walking Tour When: 17 December (Mon) / 5:30-8:00pm Where: Centro Di Actividad Rancho (Koningstraat 38, Oranjestad, Aruba) Source: https://www.facebook.com/events/291730234678143/   At the moment, the refugee problem on the islands is increasingly being brought to the surface by the media. Often in a negative way.   The role of the migrant and the cultural knowledge that it has brought to the islands is not mentioned much. For this reason, Stichting Rancho will organize 5 days of activities with the purpose to promote exchanges between communities and to highlight the role and impact of migrants on the island of Aruba.   You are invited to join us on the 17th of december. Rancho Walking Tour Starting Point Centro Di Actividad Rancho Fee: 15,- Awg (Registration starts 5.30PM)   International Migrants Day in Rancho When: 18 December (Tue) / 5:30-9:30pm Where: John. G Emanstraat 9, Oranjestad Source: https://www.facebook.com/events/467797567077010/   At the moment, the refugee problem on the islands is increasingly being brought to the surface by the media. Often in a negative way.   The role of the migrant and the cultural knowledge that it has brought to the islands is not mentioned much. For this reason, Stichting Rancho will organize 5 days of activities with the purpose to promote exchanges between communities and to highlight the role and impact of migrants on the island of Aruba.   You are invited to join us on the 18th of december. We will celebrate International Migrant Day 2018. With music by DJ Caleto, streets vendors, Art & local food. Don't miss this!   (This event is free)   International Migrants Day   Through the history of mankind, migration has been a courageous expression of the individual's will to overcome adversity and lead a better life. Today, globalization, together with advances in communication and transport, has significantly increased the number of people with the desire and ability to move to other places.   This new era has created challenges and opportunities for societies around the world. It has also served to underline the clear link between migration and development, as well as the opportunities it offers for co-development, that is, the joint improvement of economic and social conditions at both origin and destination.   Source: www.un.org   www.stichtingrancho.org | stichtingrancho@gmail.com       Creative Expression When: 19 December (Wed) / 6:30-9:00pm Where: Hope Civic Center, L.G. Smith Boulevard # 128 Source: https://www.facebook.com/events/1907655772685655/ Hosted by: Regal Experience (https://www.facebook.com/RegalExperience/)   “Regal Experience” creates Workshops, Activities & Seminars for Adults, Kids, Elderly & Families dealing with Life Situations.   Learn how to: Become aware of your Emotions & Release them Know yourself better Feel Free after expressing yourself!   We trust that our Sessions & Programs will Empower and Effectively lead you towards Building a Future full of Possibilities through the Art Form of Creative Expression!   So, if you’re looking for a Relaxing, Fun and Life Changing Experience, Creative Expression is for YOU!   Sign up NOW! Limited Space Available!   Unwrap Christmas - Shop, Play, Win & Drive! When: Daily until 31 December Where: Renaissance | Mall & Marketplace Source: https://www.facebook.com/events/361717411067267/   Unwrap Christmas in style this year!   Shop, Play, Win & Drive this Holiday Season and #Unwrap your brand new Lincoln MKC 2018.   With every purchase of $50 or more spent at the Renaissance Mall or 50 base points at Wind Creek Crystal Casino or Seaport Casino between December 1st and December 31st, 2018 you'll will get a raffle ticket by showing your receipt at our promo booth or exchange your points at the casino players services.   15 Lucky Winners will be chosen on January 3rd, 2019 and on January 4th, 2019, all winners will #Unwrap their winning gift box.   *Prizes including the keys of a brand new Lincoln will be randomly wrapped in gift boxes that will be selected by our lucky winners. *Participants need to be 18 yrs or older. *Casino Players must be a valid member of Wind Creek Crystal Casino or Wind Creek Seaport Casino. *Management reserves the right to change or cancel the campaign anytime. Prizes are not transferable, negotiable, exchangeable nor redeemable for cash.   ARTS   Intention Mala Making Workshop When: 15 December (Sat) / 10:00am-2:00pm Where: Centro Quivit (Hospital 5, Oranjestad, Aruba) Source: https://www.facebook.com/events/345680212861615/ Hosted by: Malamaruba Artisan Accessories (https://www.facebook.com/Malamaruba/)   It will be a great get-together with like minded women and men over crystals, tea, coffee and a light lunch.   In this workshop you'll be guided on how to design and create your own personal 108 hand knotted Mala infused with Discernment, Breakthrough or Inner reflection, with a guru and with or without a tassel. You get a nice storage box and an crystal information card.   You can choose one of these three packages carefully put together.   Package A; Discernment, the ability to make a smart judgement and keen insight about a decision * Lapis lazuli, Clear Crystal, Malachite   Package B; Breaktrough, whether in love, prosperity or spirituality, turning life's trials into opportunities for growth * Moonstone, Obsidian, Turquoise   Package C; Inner reflection, finding the temple within to see yourself for who you truly are without judgement and with whole hearted acceptance *Rose Quartz, Rhodonite, Amethyst   Ages 18+ or younger with an adult   Pre-registration is needed to order your Mala Kit. Don't forget to mentioned which package you prefer.   Cost is $60 per person, a $30 deposit (2 weeks prior event date) is required to secure your space.   Register your name (WhatsApp 594 1163), pay the deposit as soon as possible, choose your package.   There are only 20 spots available. Local Art Market When: 18 December (Tue) / 5:00 - 9:00pm (weekly recurring event until May 2019) Where: Catalog Aruba's Hands by Gaby Source: https://www.facebook.com/events/2184167588280935/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/catalogarubashands/   Find Local Art every Tuesday at Aruba's Hands with Gaby!   We have Murano Glass or Sea Glass that are just unique and different. Looking forward to see you there my friends! ENTERTAINMENT   SKALE Live at On The Rocks! When: 14 December (Fri) / 7:00-10:00pm Where: On The Rocks Cafe (Adriaan Lacle blvd 19, 00000 Oranjestad, Aruba) Source: https://www.facebook.com/events/300846700546860/   Skale is a live band performing a wide variety of musical genres. Visit their page here: https://www.facebook.com/pg/skaleband/   The Nutcracker When: 15-16 December (Sat-Sun) / 7:00-9:00pm Where: Cas di Cultura - Aruba's Cultural Platform since 1958 (Vondellaan 2, 0000 Oranjestad, Aruba) Source: https://www.facebook.com/events/1456704904432601/   The Nutcracker is one of the most beautiful, theatrical, staged ballets. The popularity of the ballet is immense and it provides an unforgettable spark to everyone's holiday season. Ticket Afls. 35 sold at Van Dorp Bookstore & Kozlov Dance Academy     KashDenCas : DJ Kash Invites ADJE! When: 15 December (Sat) / 10:00pm-5:00am Where: RainWeststraat (WestStraat 3, Oranjestad, Aruba) Source: https://www.facebook.com/events/349399992529423/   DJ Kash INVITES Adje (Adjedonnie)! Join us on the 15th of December at RainWeststraat for #KashDenCas featuring ADJE straight outta NL.   Lineup   ADJE (Hele Meneer, Coño, Op De Weg) Kash (Exclusive 2 hour set) Nutzbeatz Phattunez & VERY special guests.   FREE Candy and Shots for the Ladies   TICKETS : 15 AWG for Ladies till 1am 25 AWG for Men all night long   MUSIC: Hiphop/Urban/Dancehall/Dutch Urban   VIP: Send a whatsapp to +2975936362   Brought to you by : DJ Kash Yega Pega Frega RainWeststraat Blame It On Events Presidente Beer Hennessy ARUBA TRADING COMPANY       Musica Ta Bida When: 16 December (Sun) / 5:00-8:00pm Where: Centro Kibrahacha (Oranjestad, Aruba) Source: https://www.facebook.com/events/2197962233857861/   When people with demencia hear music, they come alive, they remember the past. Music is Life.   This concert is a once only concert, a joint venture between SABA, Scol di Musica and Centro Kibrahacha. Our elderly will be performing with the music school, using professional and self-made instruments, performing classical local compositions.   Menasa Monday Madness When: 17 December (Mon) / 10:00pm-3:00am Where: HotShotz (Weststraat 7, Oranjestad, Aruba) Source: https://www.facebook.com/events/512120555937367/   Making that one December Monday unforgettable.   Straight from Curacao the man with the magic moves and the 24karat gold beats pulsing internationally on the worldstage.   From rocking Tomorrowland and cruising with the Barong family.   Menasa will be seducing an innocent Monday for the 3rd consecutive year at Hotshotz.     Energy Fusion When: 15 December (Sat) / 8:30pm Where: Divi & Tamarijn Aruba All Inclusives Source: https://www.facebook.com/events/214208455864915/ Hosted by: POPCORN CLUB & DANCERS ARUBA ENERGY FUSION is performed at the Tamarijn Hotel by the Popcorn Dancers, one of Aruba's best Youth Dance groups. During the show the performers will entertain you with the most popular Modern, Caribbean, Latin & Local dance rhythms on the island. The Popcorn Dancers & magicians Jovi & Tridini are determined to bring pleasure for your eyes, ears, heart & soul.   Joy of Aruba When: 17 December (Mon) / 9:00 - 10:00pm Where: Divi & Tamarijn Aruba All Inclusives Source: https://www.facebook.com/events/978687098958111/ Hosted by: POPCORN CLUB & DANCERS ARUBA   Joy of Aruba is performed at the Divi Divi Hotel by the Popcorn Dancers, one of Aruba's best Youth Dance Group. The performers will be presenting the most popular folkloric & modern music and dance of the island of Aruba. The Popcorn Dancers are determined to bring pleasure for your eyes, ears, heart & soul.   Bon Bini Festival When: 18 December (Tue) / 6:00 - 9:00pm Where: Fort Zoutman Source: https://www.facebook.com/events/395323790955574/ Hosted by: POPCORN CLUB & DANCERS ARUBA   At the Bon Bini Festival the visitors will enjoy an evening filled with history, local arts & crafts, local food & drinks, poetry, film, live performance of folkloric & carnival music. The Popcorn Dancers will be presenting the folkloric dance rhythms & the carnival rhythm of Aruba   Guy Bavli: Master of the Mind When: 18 December (Tue) / 8:00pm (recurring event) Where: Alhambra Casino & Ballroom Source: http://www.masterofthemind.com/aruba/   MASTER OF THE MIND - LIVE WEEKLY IN ARUBA! A LIVE INTERACTIVE MIND READING AND TELEKINESIS EXPERIENCE.   Come join hilarious mentalist, Guy Bavli, also known as KINETIC MAN from Stan Lee's Superhumans. Take a journey into the mysteries of the human mind.   Bavli starred in over 400 television shows, toured in 60 countries worldwide and headlined more than 1200 shows at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.   Bavli is headlining in Aruba with his Award-Winning show – NOW APPEARING WEEKLY AT THE ALHAMBRA CASINO & BALLROOM - every Tuesday & Wednesday.   Very FUNNY. Very INTERACTIVE. Very INNOVATIVE. And always INCREDIBLY AMAZING!   Reserve your tickets today! Tickets are also available for walk-in at the door if there are available seats left. We recommend to pre order as we tend to sell out every show! (Come early at 7:00 for tickets at the door).   Doors open: 7:30 pm (Open seating – unless you have VIP package, then reserved VIP seating will be kept for you!) Show time: 08:00 pm Show is about 2 hours long, with short intermission. Cash Bar is available at the lobby.   LEAVE YOUR LOGIC AT THE DOOR... AND TAKE A WALK ON THE MIND!   Aruba Sinatra Dinner Show at The Old Cunucu House Restaurant When: 20 December (Thu) / 7:30 pm - 9:30 pm Where: The Old Cunucu House (Palm Beach 150, 0000 Palm Beach, Aruba) Source: https://www.facebook.com/events/968899453248017/   Are you searching for things to do in Aruba? Aruba Sinatra Shows started 6 years ago and we would like to celebrate it with you while enjoying the good things of life any time this year. After more than 300 weekly performances Aruba Sinatra Shows is one of the longest running productions in Aruba!   Experience beautiful composed, orchestrated and arranged music with wonderful romantic lyrics sung by Fred de Jong. Order local food and delicious drinks while watching our Aruba Sinatra Dinner Show at The Old Cunucu House Restaurant or ask for our Dinner Special Menu.   Live entertainment every Thursday from 7:30 till 9:30 pm featuring songs like:"Fly Me To The Moon", "I've Got The World On A String", "I've Got You Under My Skin", "My Way", "New York - New York", "The Way You Look Tonight" and many more...   The Show Ticket is only $15.00 per person (food and drinks, transportation, gratuities not included). During the show you can eat and drink something a la carte.   KARAOKE/SPECIAL NIGHTS   Barney’s Restaurant (Palm Beach 21 A Palm Beach, Aruba) Website: https://barneysaruba.com – Karaoke Nights every Fridays, starting at 10:00 pm   Soprano’s Piano Bar (Lloyd G. Smith Boulevard 370, Noord, Aruba) Website: http://www.sopranospianobararuba.com/ – Unplugged Nights every Saturdays, starting at 8:00 pm   Matthew’s Beachside Restaurant (J.E. Irausquin Blvd 51, Oranjestad) Website: https://www.matthews-aruba.com/ – Karaoke Nights every Wednesdays, 9:00 – 11:00 pm   7 Club Lounge Bar (Windstraat 32, Oranjestad, Aruba) Page: https://www.facebook.com/7arubacom/ – Karaoke Nights every Wednesdays, 7:00 pm – 2:00 am   Rock’n'Rock(Caya Taratata, Coral Plaza 15 L-3, Pos Abao, AW Oranjestad) Page: https://www.facebook.com/rocknrockaruba/ – Rockaoke every Wednesdays, 10:00 pm - 1:00 am   Ricardo’s Restaurant & Bar (J.E. Irausquin Blvd 53, Aruba) Website: http://ricardosaruba.restaurant/ – Karaoke Dance Party! every Thursdays, starting at 9:00 pm   The Rose Bar & Lounge Restaurant (Boegoeroei 11-Z, Noord) Page: https://www.facebook.com/therosearuba/ – Karaoke Happy Hour every Thursdays, starting at 6:00 pm   What goes on at Bugaloe? J.E. Irausquin Blvd. 79, Palm Beach, Aruba   Friday, 14 December: Travel Session Band & Lieke Every Friday Bugaloe invites you on the dance floor with catching tunes of all time hits! Live music by the Travel Session Band joined by Bugaloe singer Lieke between 7-10pm. This is how life is supposed to be: Fun, Friends and Happiness! See you on Friday! Saturday, 15 December: Spareribs and Karaoke Night Every Saturday we welcome you to enjoy our delicious falling off-the-bone tender Spareribs for only $12,50! Later that night it’s karaoke! Hosted by Aruba’s number one entertainer Giovanni Trim! We will see you on Saturday between 8.30 pm and 11.30 pm for karaoke! Don’t be afraid to enter the stage, the stage is yours! Free entrance. Sunday, 16 December: Travel Session Band Sunday night means Travel Session Night! Every week the Travel Session Band is performing live on stage at Bugaloe, with your all time favorite hits from the 80’s, 90’s and nowadays. So, come on and dance, sing, swing... but most of all: have fun! Sunday night is your night out! Live music from 7 till 10 pm. Tuesday, 18 December: Joyride Band Every Tuesday from 7 till 10 pm Joyride Band live with a variety of 80’s, 90’s and all time hits!  Ease out your day and enjoy your cocktail while the sun sets from Bugaloe’s pier. Most of all: have fun! Tuesday night is your night out! Wednesday, 19 December: Salsa Night Bugaloe hosts a weekly FREE Salsa & Merengue workshop! Every Wednesday from 8.30-9.30 pm we will show you the ins and outs of Latin dancing. Our Motto: Everybody can dance! The whole night Salsa music will be played to set the mood. Whether you want to dance the night away or just relax and enjoy the tunes of salsa music, it's a perfect night out!   What goes on at MooMba?JE Irausquin Blvd. 230, Palm Beach, Aruba   Friday/Sunday, 14/16 December (6:00pm):All you can eat BBQ Buffet at MooMba Beach   A fantastic BBQ buffet awaits you on Fridays and Sundays..   Fridays and Sundays at MooMba are fantastic: there is a BBQ buffet with All-u-can-eat ribs, chicken saté, sausages, beef steak, chicken legs, a salad bar, corn on the cob, rice, potato wedges and various home-made sauces. The buffet is open from 6 pm until 10 pm. At the bar you will find on Friday a Happy Hour from 6 - 7 pm and from 10 - 11 pm. On Sunday there is live music at the bar as well from 7 pm until 10 pm and from 10 - 1 am the resident DJ’s will be playing.   Expect spectacular sunsets and enjoy wearing your coolest beach outfits and flip flops for the MooMba BBQ. Be prepared to dance... You'll love it!   Friday, 14 December (8:00pm): Latin Night with C-Zar Olarte LIVE Friday nights are for the Latin lovers as C-Zar Olarte takes the lead by singing and plating the hottest Latin beats. His distinctive voice is amazing, and his highest notes can put a lady's pipes to shame. Singing a wide variety of styles, such as merengue and salsa, C-Zar is popular among locals as well as visitors.   Everyone's sandy feet are itching to dance when hearing C-Zar perform at MooMba Beach. The always mellow vibes at MooMba, the relaxed atmosphere and terrific cocktails make even the timidest of us lose their inhibitions, but on Friday Nights, it is Latin party-time from the word go.   So, come on down to MooMba Beach to see international star C-Zar in action, dance and have fun! Latin Night starts at 9pm and the entrance is free   Saturday, 15 December (2:00pm): Salty Grooves Beach Party at MooMba Beach ATTENTION ALL PARTY GOERS: MooMba Beach is the location of a fabulous party that should not be missed. This Saturday, the Salty Grooves Beach Party is on: starting at 2 pm with top DJ's, the Chill (bucket) specials and the foam bath will be live in action. Oh, and don't forget all the sexy people going wild at MooMba... get ready!   Sponsored by Chill, the fun will continue until 7 pm.   So, all you Party Animals, you are invited to join the party – no entrance fee. Just bring yourself in your best party mood. Enjoy!   Thursday, 20 December (4:00pm): Thursday's Karaoke Party Have you ever wanted to grab the mic and belt out a song?   Most people love to sing in the shower - there, in the privacy of this super small venue, they are superstars. But now they can take their aspirations one step further: sing their hearts out during Thursday afternoon’s Karaoke Party at MooMba Beach. It is a weekly event, held from 4 to 6 pm, and everyone can join in free of charge. Rasta Alvin is the host of the party, which features bucket specials on Heineken, Amstel Bright, Chill and Balashi beer.   Be bold, break the mould, step out of your comfort zone and grab the microphone. Just do it - it will be one more great memory of your trip to Aruba. And who knows: you might be discovered at MooMba! Let’s look into the cruise ships schedule portion for this week.   DEC 7-13 CRUISE SHIPS   Cruise Ship Cruise Line Port Arrival- Departure Pax 14 December (Friday) [TOTAL: 2,490] SERENADE OF THE SEAS Royal Caribbean Intl. Oranjestad 7:00 - 23:00 2,490 15 December (Saturday) [TOTAL: 7,662] SEA CLOUD II Sea Cloud Cruises Oranjestad 8:00 - 15:00 96 CELEBRITY REFLECTION Celebrity Cruises Oranjestad 8:00 (arrival) 3,046 STAR FLYER Star Clippers Oranjestad 10:00 - 18:00 170 AIDAperla AIDA Cruises Oranjestad 6:00 - 18:00 4,350 16 December (Sunday) [TOTAL:  3,406] CELEBRITY REFLECTION Celebrity Cruises Oranjestad 18:00 (departure) 3,046 FREEWINDS Intl. Shipping Partners Oranjestad 23:15 (departure) 360 17 December (Monday) [TOTAL: 2,642] CARNIVAL SUNSHINE Carnival Cruise Line Oranjestad 13:00 - 22:00 2,642 18 December (Tuesday) [TOTAL : 1,924] MARELLA EXPLORER Marella Cruises Oranjestad 8:00 - 23:00 1,924 19 December (Wednesday) [TOTAL: 3,150] MEIN SCHIFF 5 TUI Cruises Oranjestad 7:30 - 19:00 2,790 FREEWINDS Intl. Shipping Partners Oranjestad 6:00 (arrival) 360 20 December (Thursday) [TOTAL : 3,960] CARNIVAL HORIZON Carnival Cruise Line Oranjestad 8:00 - 16:00 3,960 A small topic for discussion this week are the different mapping apps you can use in Aruba to navigate the island without wi-fi or a hotspot. I typically use Google Maps. Now you may ask how can you use Google Maps without connectivity? You simply have to download the Aruba section from the map prior to losing connectivity. Once you do that, you have basic lead directions for a period of 30 or 90 days before you have to re-download the map. I use it all the time and it has never failed me.   If you want to be a co-host of this show or simply want to relay feedback, please do send me an email at curt@onehappypodcast.com, message me on Facebook, drop a voice message on our hotline number (302) 635-0815.

It’s a 13-hour flight to Dubai. Not the kind of travel to be taken lightly but worth it for the experience of Art Dubai. For visitors like me, Art Dubai represents more than the other fairs like the Armory Show or Miami Basel because the fair was the best excuse I could come up with to visit the Middle East. Like all art fairs, Art Dubai was primarily focused on sales, however, there was a consolidated effort by the fair to extend beyond the walls of the fair itself in order to become an entire art world event representing the region as a whole. Proof of this was in the number of the auxiliary programs, the many parallel events in the city that were directly supported by the fair, and the “Global Art Forum” lecture series that made the fair feel less like a sales driven event and more like an all encompassing cultural event. Art Dubai fully supported the Al Bastakiya Art Fair, the one official fringe art fair, by running a bus between the fairs and encouraging all visitors to spend time at both fairs. Art Dubai even ran programs in other cities like tours of the Sharjah Museum, or programs in Doha. The fair fully supported the START program, a Middle East based program that helps orphans, refugees and street children in the MENASA (Middle East North Africa South Asia) region, through creative development. While at the fair, I participated in one of START’s programs and helped introduce local autistic children to art-making and the fair itself. While the fair is not in charge of what any individual gallery chooses to show, there were some excellent pieces on display. Some of the highlights included El Anatsui’s “In the World But Don't Know the World” piece at London’s October Gallery booth. El Anatsui’s metal sculpture made from tens of thousands of bottle-tops that evoked sublime awe at its sheer enormity while also provoking a dialog about the cultural, social and economic histories of West Africa.By far, the most provoking and stimulating piece at Art Dubai was created by the winner of the Abraaj Capital Art Prize, Kader Attia and his curator Laurie Farrell. The Abraaj Capital Art Prize provides $1 million dollars in funding to three curator/artist pairs from MENASA to produce unique pieces for Art Dubai. Algerian born artist Kader Attia and curator Laurie Farrell produced “History of a Myth: Le Petit Dome du Rocher” which is an installation based in deep understanding of history and philosophy. In the piece, the viewer enters a darkened room to see a live camera feed projecting a sculpture of a bolt and nuts enlarged many times its size. The projection of the sculpture evokes the architecture of the Dome of the Rock and in so doing refers to Arab-Muslim history and all of the complexity of issues that surround representations of that history. The most amazing part of the installation is that it is an installation that cannot be accurately described in words, but a viewer must be in the room itself to feel the piece. Throughout the installation, there is a gentle breeze and sounds of nature that are subtly vibrating the sculpture and thus the projection as well. Kader Attia’s piece provides a peaceful space of contemplation where the viewer can mediate on the myriad of issues surrounding historical, architectural, political or aesthetic interpretations. The piece is simultaneously peaceful and provocative, troubling and soothing, pensive and visceral. Creating a piece that refuses to fit into any preconceived binary is definitely a piece that should not be missed.Next year’s Art Dubai fair should be even bigger and more comprehensive than this years and is definitely worth 13 hour flight.