Yasmine Mohammed Podcast
This podcast is an opportunity for you to join me in conversation with people you won't hear from anywhere else. Freethinkers from the Middle East whose stories are not heard because they are silenced in oppressive societies-- or because free societies deem their stories to be politically incorrect. Here they are encouraged to share their experiences and insights with a community of podcast listeners who get to engage with them in conversation, not just listen passively. From the young American girl who, at 14, was forced to marry an older man in Iraq, to the young Gazan man who was imprisoned by Hamas for protesting, you will hear from all sorts of inspiring people from restrictive cult-like backgrounds- religious, political, and otherwise- who have fought and who have overcome. They are the unsung heroes. The warriors hidden in the shadows. Come meet them on the Yasmine Mohammed Podcast.
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My Next Guest is
Sarit Gad
March 20th at 9 pm Central European Time
Sarit Gad grew up in a Jewish home in Miami, Florida, always drawn to the nostalgia of her ancestors who came from Afghanistan, Syria and Lebanon. Her family did not pass down stories, but she always knew they had left the region and she carried that quiet history with her.
The old warnings about Jewish hatred felt like distant echoes from another time, shadows she believed the world had already outgrown.
She believed deeply in coexistence and peace. It was not until October 7th, while interning at the United Nations in New York, that the full complexity of reality became impossible to ignore.
Salima Alam
March 27th at 9 pm Central European Time
Salima was born in the UK to a strict Bangladeshi Muslim family. Her parents forced her to memorize the Quran, attend mosque, and wear the hijab from a very young age. She and her siblings were physically abused by their mother and kept isolated from other children their age.
When her parents began discussing a marriage to a cousin, she decided to run away with her sister. Because Salima was under 18, social services became involved and helped the two sisters escape safely. Unfortunately, the abuse continued in the foster system, and she had to leave her foster home to protect herself.
Today, Salima lives a life she once only dreamed of, sharing a home with her partner and their two dogs. She now speaks out about the abuse she endured to shed light on the realities faced by women with backgrounds like hers.
Hamza Howidy
May 1st at 7pm Central European Time
Hamza Abu Howidy is a Palestinian activist, writer, and educator from Gaza. He works to challenge extremism and promote dialogue between Muslims and Jews. A former political prisoner under Hamas, Hamza’s personal journey took him from radicalization to peace advocacy, leading him to dedicate his work to exposing the human cost of ideological warfare. His writings and social media activism combine lived experience with sharp political analysis, focusing on Palestine-Israel, antisemitism, and the future of coexistence.
Past Episodes and YouTube Shorts
Yasmine Mohammed
Iranian Women are Dying for Displaying Their Hair.
Iranian Women are Dying for Displaying Their Hair.
You Can’t Out-Achieve Your Trauma.
I’ve Watched Parts of the LGBT Community Drift into Absurdism.
