Arabs in Media explores the controversy surrounding acclaimed author Ta-Nehisi Coates and his interview on CBS This Morning to discuss his new book The Messenger.

The episode exposes the bias of institutional media outlets, which, in the past, often went unchallenged for their narratives, style, and side swipes on figures like Coates.

Coates, known for his thought-provoking books like Between the World and Me and The Water Dancer, has often challenged the narratives around race, history, and identity in America. We discuss the roots of the controversy of the interview with CBS based on Coates experience witnessing apartheid in the occupied territories of Palestine and Israel, and we unpack the internal fallout at CBS, and the political and racial factors a part of that interview.

Thanks for supporting independent media, join the conversation at the Arabs in Media Substack.

Special thanks to co-host on this episode to Najwa Jamal

Remember, habibi, genocide is always wrong.

Hazem Jamal

Send a text message with any feedback. I won't see your number, and I can't reply, but it is a way to leave a comment. Or, you can send a message on Substack or IG @ ArabsinMedia

Hazem Jamal is a first-generation Iraqi-American who worked in as a programming exec in American radio for many years. After witnessing limited voices and shrinking consumption in linear media, Hazem founded Arabs in Media to offer a platform for fresh stories, information, and entertainment.

To join the Arabs in Media community, sign up at the free Arabs in Media Substack for more multi-media content, and email notifications for new episodes dropping.

https://arabsinmedia.substack.com/

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Support Operation Olive Branch, providing humanitarian assistance to families devastated by g-cide:

https://linktr.ee/opolivebranch

"How can our electorate be informed if we are blocking - intentionally blocking access to information about such a crucial issue?" - Lesley Williams

Just north of Chicago, in Evanston Illinois, 20-year veteran librarian Lesley Williams became the center of a controversy that involved an invitation to Palestinian author and scholar Ali Abunimeh to speak at a series at the Evanston Public Library. Lesley was then told to "postpone" the reading by her boss. What ensued was a series of public-facing PR gaffes and political maneuvers that eventually brought the author to the library for an engagement, but not before the damage had been done.

In the current world of censorship and job separations based on the genocide in Gaza and suppression of Palestinian voices, this might come across your feed as something as a sad "new normal," but the Evanston library incident happened in 2014, and culminated with Lesley's departure from the library three years later.

Ten years later, Lesley joins Arabs in Media to share not only the personal side and timeline of what happened at the Evanston Public Library, but exposes in a fascinating talk how the "innocent ol' library" - the original medium for accessing knowledge intellectual freedom - are not just hotspots for book banning the ways we may or may not understand it, but are places where open discussions and knowledge exchanges are also being essentially doxxed.

If you followed the story when it first happened, you'll get more depth and perspective on the details surrounding the controversy from that time.

As an active member of Jewish Voices for Peace and champion for justice, Leslie shares great insights on everything from the library ethos and Bill of Rights, to why it's so hard to find books about Palestine by Palestinian authors, to how big chain bookstores do a disservice on how they hide the few Palestinian stories they do carry.

How are your books placed? How are your community programs programmed? How does this relate to library censorship, the one place you expect information to be accessible? How can you re-think what free-thinking is in this world where people get fired for standing up against genocide?

Finally, if you are a book lover and/or someone interested in reading some recommended works, you can't miss this episode.

Here are some links from the podcast, as promised in the recording:

We Refuse : A Forceful History of Black Resistance, by Kellie Carter Jackson

https://www.kelliecarterjackson.com/we-refuse

A radical reframing of the past and present of Black resistance—both nonviolent and vi

Send a text message with any feedback. I won't see your number, and I can't reply, but it is a way to leave a comment. Or, you can send a message on Substack or IG @ ArabsinMedia

Hazem Jamal is a first-generation Iraqi-American who worked in as a programming exec in American radio for many years. After witnessing limited voices and shrinking consumption in linear media, Hazem founded Arabs in Media to offer a platform for fresh stories, information, and entertainment.

To join the Arabs in Media community, sign up at the free Arabs in Media Substack for more multi-media content, and email notifications for new episodes dropping.

https://arabsinmedia.substack.com/

Instagram @arabsinmedia

Featured media and social links here:

https://linktr.ee/arabsinmedia

Support Operation Olive Branch, providing humanitarian assistance to families devastated by g-cide:

https://linktr.ee/opolivebranch

In this episode of Arabs in Media, we connect with Palestinian activist Salah Said from Germany to shed light on the chaotic scenes unfolding on the ground. From media narratives to police brutality against protesters, to arms shipments and the rise of far-right extremism, we explore the political environment in Germany.

Even if you're not deeply engaged with the Palestine issue, it's crucial to understand the broader political implications in Germany, including censorship, government bans on protest, and the suppression of free expression.

Salah Said also delves into how media coverage in Germany, often not accessible to non-German speakers, shapes public opinion. What are the connections between the Palestinian struggle and global liberation movements, including those in Congo and Sudan, and that for climate justice? All discussed in this episode.

Through Salah's personal journey as well, we confront the emotional toll of witnessing daily atrocities while remaining committed to the fight for Palestine and global justice.

For more images and discussion, check out our Substack @ArabsinMedia

This week's links:

Salah's IG https://www.instagram.com/salah_said90/
Threads: salah_said90

Support Salah and Manar's fight against misinformation: https://donorbox.org/support-salah-and-manar

The article you'll want to share forever and ever:
https://lithub.com/making-space-for-palestinian-happiness/

Thanks for listening, habibi, and remember, gen0cide is always wrong.

-Hazem Jamal

Send a text message with any feedback. I won't see your number, and I can't reply, but it is a way to leave a comment. Or, you can send a message on Substack or IG @ ArabsinMedia

Hazem Jamal is a first-generation Iraqi-American who worked in as a programming exec in American radio for many years. After witnessing limited voices and shrinking consumption in linear media, Hazem founded Arabs in Media to offer a platform for fresh stories, information, and entertainment.

To join the Arabs in Media community, sign up at the free Arabs in Media Substack for more multi-media content, and email notifications for new episodes dropping.

https://arabsinmedia.substack.com/

Instagram @arabsinmedia

Featured media and social links here:

https://linktr.ee/arabsinmedia

Support Operation Olive Branch, providing humanitarian assistance to families devastated by g-cide:

https://linktr.ee/opolivebranch