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Assyrian Podcast

Assyrians Everywhere

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The only podcast that takes you deep into the heart of Assyria and brings you back stronger!

Assyrian Podcast

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Acting with Mattico David

Episode 195 - Mattico David is an Assyrian-American actor born and raised in Flint, MI. He is a veteran of the stage and has appeared in numerous Off-Broadway and regional theatrical productions.A graduate of the University of Michigan’s Theatre Performance program, Mattico was a founding member of the Flint City Theatre and a regular performer at Jeff Daniel’s Purple Rose Theatre Co., in Chelsea, MI. In this episode we discuss his upbringing, the audition to rehearsal process, and what working with other Assyrian artists has meant to him.

Geopolitics and Assyria with Dr. George Marano

Episode 194 – Dr. George Marano. Dr. Marano is an esteemed expert in geopolitics and a distinguished writer for the South China Morning Post, Asia's premier English-language newspaper. Throughout our conversation, Dr. Marano shares his unique insights and perspectives on the complex dynamics of geopolitics. With a focus on the Assyrian experience as a dispossessed people, we explore the historical context and contemporary implications of intersecting empires. One of the central themes we discuss is the pursuit of freedom through wealth, drawing inspiration from the empowering message of self-sufficiency and empowerment embodied by movements like the Black Panther movement. Dr. Marano highlights the importance of understanding geopolitics in our quest for personal and collective liberation. Join us as we delve into this captivating conversation, shedding light on the intricate interplay between geopolitics and the Assyrian community's plight. Don't miss out on this thought-provoking episode!

The Assyrians of Iraq: An Indigenous People or a Minority Population?

Episode 193 - Mikhail Benjamin was born in 1969 in the valley of Nahla, in northern Iraq. He is a teacher, human rights activist, and the chairman of the Alliance of Iraqi Minorities Network. He advocates for minority rights and land rights for Assyrians in Iraq. Listen to this episode to learn more about how he works torward real political participation, preservation of heritage, and implementation of educational changes in curricula to highlight the presence of Assyrians in Iraq.

Remembering William Daniel with Dr. Arianne Ishaya

Episode 192 - William D.S. Daniel can be considered an Assyrian icon in our modern day history. He was a prolific Assyrian writer, musician, and composer, credited with creating some of the earliest original Assyrian music and responsible for the artistic and cultural advancement of his people. He also created the “Epic of Kateeni Gabbara” that not only revived a dying Assyrian epic, but also exposed the beauty and potentiality of the modern Assyrian language as a medium of poetry and dramatic expression. The epic is written in three volumes and contains over 7,000 verses. In this episode, Dr. Arianne Ishaya, the author of William Daniel’s biography, “William Daniel, the Portrait of an Assyrian Icon”, takes us through the journey of his life and legacy. About the guest: Dr. Arianne Ishaya was born in Urmia - a town in Northwestern Iran with a large Assyrian population. She obtained her master’s degree in Anthropology from the University of Manitoba, and her Ph.D. from UCLA in Cultural Anthropology. Her publications include: “New Lamps for Old”, which documents the remarkable history of the Assyrian colony in North Battleford, Saskatchewan, Canada. The Assyrians were among the very first settlers of the region. The family histories in this book reveal the success story of a people who built a human chain across thousands of miles and gradually reunited separated husbands and wives, parents and offspring, and reconstituted their families. The detailed family histories in another of her publications, “Familiar Faces in Unfamiliar Places” take the reader to the world at large from where the members of this dispersed refugee nation have come together to form the Turlock-Modesto colony in the heartland of California. It contains poignant accounts of a people who started out with modest beginnings; but whether they came as penniless hopefuls in search of farmland, or traumatized refugees from the Middle East, they worked hard and were able to establish themselves as a stable and even well-to-do part of the Turlock-Modesto community. She wrote the biography of William Daniel titled “William Daniel, Portrait of An Assyrian Icon” published in 2015. Her most recent works are a reprint of the three volumes of “Kateeni Gabbara”, and “Discourse on the Spelling Method in The Assyrian Language” by William Daniel published in 2022. She also translated “The Last Days of Atla Kandi” by Eddie Davoud from Farsi into English published in 2022. Currently, she is working on documenting the post-World War I history of Assyrians in the two towns of Hamadan and Kermanshah, Iran. You can connect with Dr. Arianne Ishaya at arian_ishaya@yahoo.com To inquire about purchasing William Daniel’s poetry books, “The Epic of Kateeni Gabbara”, “William Daniel, Portrait of An Assyrian Icon”, and/or others, please reach out to info@aaasj.org. Episode musical references: Kubelik: Dvorak - Symphony No. 9 "From the New World" William Daniel’s, “Spinning Wheel” sung by Lorraine Davis William Daniel’s, “Nineveh” sung by Janelle Yausif Audio of the Epic of Kateeni Gabbara Outro: Tribute to William Daniel: speech by William Daniel (1986) William Daniel’s, “Marganita” sung by Albert Shahbaz William Daniel’s “Lullaby” sung by Christina (Tina) Boosahda Harrell William Daniel’s, “Shara” sung by Water Aziz Other resources: https://www.assyrianfoundation.org/files/2003-1new.pdf https://www.qeenatha.com/artists/WilliamDaniel/92/ https://www.assyrianfoundation.org/files/2000-3.pdf

Radio, War, Music, and Writing with Obie Yadgar

Episode 191 - Obelit “Obie” Yadgar is an Assyrian-American radio personality from Glendale, Wisconsin. He was born in Baghdad, Iraq. Raised in Tehran, he moved to the United States in 1957. He was drafted into the US Army's 4th Infantry Division, serving as a combat correspondent in Vietnam in 1967 and 1968. In this episode we talk about his time in Vietnam, his connection to music and the radio, the loss of his mom and wife, and the art of shaving.

Taste of Sheekar with Rachel Sarah Thomas

Episode 190 - Rachel Sarah Thomas is an Assyrian American singer and songwriter hailing from the Windy City of Chicago, Illinois. Born to Assyrian parents, she was raised with a deep appreciation for her cultural roots, and grew up speaking and writing in Neo-Aramaic - a language that most people believe is extinct. Immersed in the dance, liturgical, and folk music traditions of her Assyrian family, she soon discovered her passion for music. Thomas spent years exploring her musical identity in the vibrant independent music scene of Chicago. She embarked on her electrifying pop project, KSRA, and collaborated with esteemed artists such as Thelonious Martin and NYLO, and even worked with rap legend Talib Kweli. She also produced a record with the Grammy-winning duo, Tha Bizness. Despite her success, she realized there wasn't a space where she felt fully represented. So, she created her newest project, Sheekar, a bold and dynamic collection of Assyrian folkloric and pop music from Iraq, Iran, and Syria, fused with American musical traditions such as funk, soul, and rock n' roll. Sheekar (pronounced She Cɛr) is a celebration of Rachel's blended identity, a powerful East-meets-West fusion that proudly showcases the beauty and richness of her culture. Her music is a testament to the shared experiences of people from different backgrounds, and she hopes to inspire non-Assyrian people to appreciate and enjoy her culture while also introducing Assyrian people to a fresh and exciting take on their own music. Rachel's first single, "Shara," from her upcoming EP Sheekar, is set to be released in May of 2023 IG: therealrachelsarah Spotify & FB: Rachel Sarah Thomas

Assyrianism & Dutch Politics with Attiya Gamri

Episode 189 - Attiya Gamri is a Dutch politician from the Labour party in the Netherlands. She was born in Arbo, Tur Abdin and has been involved in Assyrian causes from a young age. Attiya was one of the founding members of the Assyrian Federation of the Netherlands and was the first chairwoman of the Assyrian Confederation of Europe.

Listening to Our Body with Stephanie Khio

Episode 188 - Stephanie Khio is a published author and poet. She hosts monthly creative writing & somatic workshops. She has a Bachelor’s of Art in Creative Writing & Philosophy from Roosevelt University (2014) and is certified in MindBody Therapy from Embodied Philosophy.We are excited to have her on the Assyrian Podcast! In this week's episode of the Assyrian Podcast, we’ll be learning more about Stephanie, our bodies, and what it looks like to listen to our body. Website: www.https://stephaniekhio.com/ Insta: @stephaniekhio You can also find Stephanie sharing Assyrian recipes @babasganoush

What is in a Name: The Case for Assyrian Names

Episode 187 - This episode features Dr. Peter, Lily, Sharokina, Ninos, & Marganita who advocate for the usage of Assyrian names. You’ll hear about naming conventions and the historical context for the popularity of certain names among Assyrians during different time periods and how the naming tradition has evolved and continues to evolve to this day. You’ll also learn about a few resources aimed to help anyone looking for Assyrian names - for children, businesses, etc. Assyrian Name Resources: * "One Thousand Assyrian Names" by Raman Bitshamoon (written in the Assyrian language) http://www.lulu.com/shop/raman-bit-shamoon/one-thousand-assyrian-names/paperback/product-20740111.html * www.brikha.net * names.betkanu.com * Assyrian Historical Names for Male and Female” by Michael Younan (written in Assyrian and English) http://assyrianapp.com/portfolio-items/assyrian-book-names/ Assyrian Historical Names for Male and Female by Michael Alexan Younan

Telling Stories Through Song with Prince of Assyria

Episode 186 - Ninos Dankha, professionally known by his stage name, Prince of Assyria, is a musical artist, songwriter, and producer living in Stockholm, Sweden. Born in Baghdad, Ninos and his family fled to Sweden when he was under a year old. He has released three studio albums starting with Missing Note in 2009, Changing Places in 2014, and 3rd Level in 2020. In all three, his music seamlessly fuses together the many layers of his identity and brings to life the stories that he has lived. In this episode, we talk about the face behind Prince of Assyria, the losses he has endured, and the car accident that shifted his focus; leading him on the path of making music. Website: https://princeofassyria.com/ Instagram: @princeofassyria Spotify: Prince of Assyria

Pro Bodybuilding with Katie Acuña

Episode 185 - Katie Acuña is an Assyrian bodybuilder from the Bay Area, California. She began competing in the Spring of 2022 and went pro in October of 2022 after which she was featured on the cover of Inspire Magazine. In this episode, Katie talks about what it takes to become a bodybuilder and some of the difficulties versus rewards. Katie hopes to compete again; potentially in the fall of 2023. We discuss the importance of being active and having proper nutrition, but also having a balance, and the challenges in putting your body through extreme training. Tune in to learn more about the day in the life of a pro bodybuilder!

5 Years of the Assyrian Podcast

Episode 184 - On this episode of the Assyrian Podcast, Steve and Adessa take a walk down memory lane as they reflect on the past five years of the Assyrian podcasting journey. In this special episode, they delve into what worked, what could have been better, and share some fascinating stories that have helped shape the podcast's growth. As part of their celebration, they invite some of the hosts to join in the fun and share their favorite interview moments. Listeners will get to hear the unique perspectives and insights from the show's top contributors. As an added treat, the episode includes the top five most downloaded episodes, providing a glimpse into what topics and conversations resonated most with listeners. Join Steve and Adessa as they celebrate their journey and take you behind the scenes of the Assyrian Podcast.

Major League Baseball with Andre David

Episode 183 - Andre David is a retired Major League Baseball player who played for the Minnesota Twins in the 1980’s. He played in 38 games and had 13 hits with 1 home run and a .245 batting average during his career. His sole home run was hit during his first official at bat in the Major Leagues. Andre currently serves as the assistant hitting coach for the Kansas City Royals.

The Quest for my Assyrian Heritage with Tenise Marie

Episode 182 - Tenise Marie is an Assyrian Canadian singer-songwriter, performer, and recording artist based in Nelson, British Columbia. She grew up in the remote community of Argenta. In this episode, we discuss her and her family’s fascinating journey in putting the pieces together of their Assyrian heritage and what the journey has been like. Her songwriting is influenced by the likes of Joni Mitchell, Amy Winehouse, and Allison Russell. Tenise has been performing for the last ten years, touring Western Canada for the last five, playing instruments since high school, and singing for as long as she can remember. She earned a diploma in Contemporary Music & Technology from Selkirk College, where she studied Vocal Performance. A multi-instrumentalist, but a vocalist first, Tenise primarily sings in Folk, Soul, Jazz, and Pop styles. As a young adult, she sang in two local youth choirs: Corazon and Lalin, where she first developed an affinity for vocal harmony, performed World Music,…

The Struggles and Joys in the Immigration Experience With Carmen Lazar

Episode 181 - Carmen Lazar was born in Tehran, Iran and migrated to Australia in 1971. After teaching at the Assyrian School in Sydney and serving in the Assyrian Australian Association, Carmen then became the lead for the Assyrian Resource Centre (ARC), established by the Association to serve and empower Assyrians recently arrived in Australia. Carmen has worked at the ARC for over 20 years, helping thousands of Assyrian families settle in Australia. In this interview, she discusses the many rewarding moments in her work, as well as challenging topics such as domestic abuse and how she’s created opportunities for more people to feel comfortable to speak up. Socials: FB: Assyrian Resource Centre - Assyrian Australian Association | Facebook Assyrian Resource Centre — Assyrian Australian Association

Policy Writing and Priestessing /Reclaiming Assyrian Stories

Episode 180 - Annukina Warda is a long-time policy analyst from Sydney, Australia. She explores ancestral recollection, recovery and renewal for Indigenous Peoples facing mass displacement from their traditional homelands, and cultural and linguistic erasure. Annukina provokes a cultural re-emergence through storytelling. She grapples with the themes of memory and loss through the famous Assyrian myth “The Descent of Ishtar to the Underworld”. Annukina uses a unique combination of collective storytelling, collage, and decolonial map-making to support a redefinition of Assyrian cultural identity on her own terms. Her passion project, the Assyrian Priestess, can be found on Instagram @the_assyrian_priestess or on Patreon: TheAssyrianPriestess Patreon: patreon.com/theassyrianpriestess/posts Instagram: @the_assyrian_priestess

The How & the Why: Contribution and Volunteerism

Episode 179 - For Assyrians, volunteering is not just something optional but necessary to keep our communities tight knit and allow us to grow closely within our heritage. In this episode, we hear from different perspectives on the how and the whys of contributing and volunteering in the Assyrian community. Guests: Rami Noori, Melissa Farhad, Sargon Younadim, Marna Khamis, Shemeram Khoshaba, and Rochelle Yousefian.

Intersecting Identities with Martin Yousif Zebari

Episode 178 - Martin Yousif Zebari was born in Iraq and immigrated to the US in 2002. While attending Niles North High School in Skokie, IL, he began studying theater and acting, which led him to pursue acting in college, both in Illinois and abroad in England. In this episode, we talk about his upbringing, pursuit-of acting, and broader topics like intersectionality, storytelling, queerness, and his play Laylina, which opens at the Goodman in Chicago in March 2023. martinyousifzebari.com https://www.instagram.com/martinyousifzebari https://www.facebook.com/people/Martin-Yousif-Zebari/1435143504/

Healing and Reconnecting with your Authentic Self with Babylonia Bhugwansing

Episode 177 - Babylonia Bhugwansing is an Assyrian intercultural coach and speaker for women from the Middle East and beyond. She was born and raised in Germany and now lives in Rotterdam, Netherlands with her husband and two kids. They are a mixed family of multicultural backgrounds, Assyrian and Surinamese. During the Covid Pandemic, she quit her corporate job in order to do what she felt she was always meant to do: to work with women, helping them overcome their fears and trauma that stand in their way of feeling confident in expressing their most authentic selves. You can contact her via Instagram: @iambabylonia_b or through her website: www.babylonia-b.world

Sega & Star Wars with Ken Ibrahim

Episode 176 - Ken Ibrahim has worked for over two decades at the emerging intersection of technology and art spanning a career in film, games, Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality and robotics. His career includes being a Visual FX Technical Director at numerous studios on some of the highest grossing movie franchises to date including Star Wars, Star Trek, The Matrix, Pirates of the Caribbean, Transformers and Shrek as well as being a software tool developer for games teams at SEGA on breakout hits such as SEGA Rally Championship for which he also provided the voice. Ken has a computer engineering degree and began his career in Japan where he worked as a programmer and application engineer. In his free time he has joined archaeological teams around the world performing digital scanning of ancient structures for cultural preservation, developed Assyrian-themed Snapchat and Instagram AR filters with over half a million views, created a Japanese word of the day Twitter app with 25K followe…

Episode - 175 Barseen Oshana was born in Sydney, Australia and heads the Assyrian Students Association of Australia. The ASAA is an independent student-led organisation that facilitates the presence of Assyrians at universities in Australia, as well as coordinating external events to bring Assyrian students together. He also serves as a board member of the Assyrian Australian Association and has been involved in the Assyrian Football community in Australia. Barseen works in the construction sector and enjoys watching his beloved Fairfield Bulls. Socials: FB: @AustraliaASA IG: @asaaustralia Home | Assyrian Students' Association of Australia (square.site)

From Game Winner to Game Changer with Oditte Odisho

Episode 174 - “O.D.”, more simply known as Oditte, is a Certified Personal Trainer in Canada. Prior to becoming a personal trainer, O.D. attended Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on a NCAA Division I Basketball scholarship where she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. From the combined experiences of her athletic life and academic life comes her personal philosophy: to help ourselves, we must work from the inside out - in order to achieve our goals, we must train our mind first and our body second. It’s that same mentality that she brings to personal training, helping her clients combine physical and mental training to achieve their highest potential. Before establishing her fitness brand @bodybyod, Oditte Odisho played at the highest level of College Basketball despite the obstacles in her way. Learn more about how her journey from Tel Tamer to Ontario and all over the US shaped who she is today.

Episode 173 - Dr. Emil Anton is a theologian and author living just outside Helsinki, Finland. He has published four books in Finnish with the last diving into the cultural and religious history of ancient Mesopotamia and modern day Iraq. Through his book “Kahden virran maa” (The Land Between Two Streams) and his many published articles, Emil is unearthing his own past in real time. In this episode we talk about his spiritual awakening in Poland and the many steps that led him on a path of theology and later converged with him discovering his own ancient roots. Website: https://emilanton.com/ Instagram: @emilchristiananton Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/emil.anton Twitter: @EmilAnton5 This episode is sponsored by @theoushanapartners -- a husband and wife real estate team. Are you considering purchasing or selling a home in Arizona or California? John and Reata are available to help make your next real estate decision into a seamless transaction. Contact the Oushana’s at…

Breaking into Comedy with Ramina Rated

Episode 173 - Ramina Odicho is a content creator and comedian born and raised in Chicago IL. She writes, acts, and produces comedy sketches on social media and many of her videos are inspired by Assyrian culture, traditions, and taboos. Many RaminaRated videos are either in Assyrian or a mixture of Assyrian and English. She has recently started performing stand-up comedy and has been traveling to different cities with significant Assyrian populations. Website: RaminaRated.com TikTok: Ramina_Rated Instagram: Ramina_Rated Facebook: Ramina Rated This episode is sponsored by @theoushanapartners -- a husband and wife real estate team. Are you considering purchasing or selling a home in Arizona or California? John and Reata are available to help make your next real estate decision into a seamless transaction. Contact the Oushana’s at 209-968-9519. Get to know them a bit more by checking out their website TheOushanaPartners.com

Environmental Art with Maria Nissan

Episode 171 - Maria Nissan is an Assyrian Environmental Artist. Residing in Jordan, Maria’s passions in art and the environment merge as she turns Jordan’s plastic waste into art. In this episode we discuss Maria’s life and what led her to become an artist and then soon after an environmental artist. Instagram: @marianissanart and @microplasticsjo Facebook: @MariaNissanArt Website: https://www.marianissanart.com/ This episode is sponsored by @theoushanapartners -- a husband and wife real estate team. Are you considering purchasing or selling a home in Arizona or California? John and Reata are available to help make your next real estate decision into a seamless transaction. Contact the Oushana’s at 209-968-9519. Get to know them a bit more by checking out their website TheOushanaPartners.com

Breaking Into Broadway with Dalia Ashurina

Episode 170 - Dalia Ashurina is the current resident director of The Phantom of the Opera on Broadway. She was born in Turlock, CA, and found her love for theater early in life. In this episode, we discuss her Assyrian upbringing, her experiences in theater, and how she hopes to write a musical that showcases the joys of her community. https://www.instagram.com/YOUR_GAL_DAL/ https://www.daliaashurina.com/ https://twitter.com/your_gal_dal This episode is sponsored by The Oushana Partners-- a husband and wife real estate team. Are you considering purchasing or selling a home in Arizona or California? John and Reata are available to help make your next real estate decision into a seamless transaction. Contact the Oushana’s at 209-968-9519. Get to know them a bit more by checking out their website TheOushanaPartners.com

Meet the U.S. Ambassador to Jordan: Henry Wooster

Episode 169 - Henry Wooster is the U.S. Ambassador to Jordan; he also happens to be an Assyrian! In this episode, you’ll hear about his life and upbringing, his work as a diplomat, and how he and and his family have honored his mother and her legacy through the “Rita's First-Gen Scholarship”; a scholarship that is intended to change the life of a student who will be the first in their family to attend and graduate university. https://jo.usembassy.gov/our-relationship/ambassador/ https://bold.org/scholarships/rita-scholarship/ This episode is sponsored by The Oushana Partners-- a husband and wife real estate team. Are you considering purchasing or selling a home in Arizona or California? John and Reata are available to help make your next real estate decision into a seamless transaction. Contact the Oushana’s at 209-968-9519. Get to know them a bit more by checking out their website TheOushanaPartners.com

Infertility Among Assyrians with Poulyana Pazand-Srouji

Episode 168 - Poulyana Pazand-Srouji is a Partner for a Healthcare Organization, Children’s Book Author and Adoption/Fertility Coach. She is a mother to a sweet little boy that she and her husband adopted when he was just a few hours old. Her struggles with fertility over the years encouraged her to be an advocate for couples who are struggling with fertility and to raise awareness around a topic so many shy away from especially within the Assyrian community. In 2020, she returned to school to work towards becoming a Psychotherapist to help support couples and women who are struggling with fertility. She is also the author of the following books; I prayed, GOD ANSWERED which is a children’s story centered around faith, hope and love and My First Assyrian Color Translation Book which offers individuals and families an opportunity to read in Assyrian with an English translation. The book will encourage the younger generation who may not have an opportunity to learn the Assyrian lang…

A Journey Back to the Assyrian Homeland

Episode 167 - This week's guests all recently went on a remarkable journey : a journey to the Assyrian homeland in Iraq. Esther, Dylan, Roxanne, Alan, Stephanie, and Sargon share their feelings and experiences traveling through their ancestral homeland and describe how this journey has changed their Assyrian identity. This episode is sponsored by @theoushanapartners -- a husband and wife real estate team. Are you considering purchasing or selling a home in Arizona or California? John and Reata are available to help make your next real estate decision into a seamless transaction. Contact the Oushana’s at 209-968-9519. Get to know them a bit more by checking out their website TheOushanaPartners.com

Electronic Music Legend: Aril Brikha

Episode 166 - Aril Brikha was born in Tehran, Iran, before migrating to Jönköping, Sweden as a child. He grew up in Sweden and inspired by his parents, Depeche Mode and a keyboard, found himself making electronic music. He got signed onto the famous Detroit techno label Fragile, associated with Detroit legend Derrick May. He found himself regularly touring in front of thousands, with a long list of future releases, remixes and productions. Despite his success in the world of electronic music, Aril remains a passionate Assyrian – and we talk about his family history, his career, and his thoughts on what his Assyrian identity means to him. Aril Brikha - Wikipedia Aril Brikha (@arilbrikha) • Instagram photos and videos Aril Brikha live @ Fuse-In Detroit - YouTube SECRET WEAPONS with ARIL BRIKHA (EB.TV) - YouTube ARIL BRIKHA ▪ FULL LIVE SET at 909 FESTIVAL 2018 | remastered audio - YouTube This episode is sponsored by @theoushanapartners -- a husband and wife real estate t…

International Law & Justice with Evelyn Anoya

Episode 165 - Evelyn Anoya was born in Baghdad, Iraq. Her parents immigrated to the United States in early 1980. She graduated from DePaul College of Law in 2001 with a Juris Doctor and Certificate in International Law. Since graduating from law school, Evelyn spent 20 years as an international civil servant employed with international tribunals in The Hague, Netherlands. She is specialized in international justice with a focus on judicial administration, capacity strengthening and governance of international organizations. From 2017 to 2021, she led the Division of Judicial Services at the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (“STL”). Ms. Anoya initially joined the STL in 2009 to serve as the Registry’s Senior Legal Adviser. Ms. Anoya worked at the United Nation’s International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (“ICTY”) since September 2001, holding various positions within the Registry. She was the Registry Court Officer at the ICTY on the Prosecutor v. Slobodan Miloš…

Storytelling With David Armstrong

Episode 164 - David A. Armstrong is an Assyrian-American cinematographer, film producer and director. He is best known for his work on the first six installments of the Saw franchise, and has also directed the films Pawn and The Assassin's Code. David is also the author of Dragons and Violins, a memoir of war and music. Dragons and Violins tells the story of his grandfather’s journey through life, which covers the Assyrian Genocide, immigrating to American, World War II, and much more. Instagram: assyrian_memoir Website: https://www.dragonsandviolins.com/ This episode is sponsored by @theoushanapartners -- a husband and wife real estate team. Are you considering purchasing or selling a home in Arizona or California? John and Reata are available to help make your next real estate decision into a seamless transaction. Contact the Oushana’s at 209-968-9519. Get to know them a bit more by checking out their website TheOushanaPartners.com

Marrying Into the Assyrian Culture

Episode 163 - This week’s guests all have something in common: they’re all from different cultural backgrounds and married to Assyrians. In this episode, Nick, Atsushi, Lundi, Celia and Dylan reflect on their experiences marrying into the Assyrian culture. We discuss everything from their first impressions to their challenges and everything in between. This episode is not one to miss! This episode is sponsored by @theoushanapartners -- a husband and wife real estate team. Are you considering purchasing or selling a home in Arizona or California? John and Reata are available to help make your next real estate decision into a seamless transaction. Contact the Oushana’s at 209-968-9519. Get to know them a bit more by checking out their website TheOushanaPartners.com

Making Room for Atheism with Mathew Sharif

Episode 162 - Making Room for Atheism with Mathew Sharif Mathew Sharif is a first generation Assyrian-American. He was born and raised in the technologically and culturally rich city of San Jose, California. Mathew’s parents met and married in America and raised Mathew in an Assyrian household. Even though Mathew was raised in an Assyrian church, he went the unconventional route of choosing atheism as his truth. Mathew took his questions beyond the church walls and discovered a more authentic explanation for our existence. He was able to read from like free thinkers and find like minded individuals who helped form and refine his perspective. Having taken Philosophy courses at California State University Stanislaus, Mathew’s understanding of the world continued to evolve and today he is a proud atheist. Mathew loves traveling the world while learning about different cultures and perspectives. Mathew’s mindset is to live for today, plan for tomorrow. He hopes there will be more…

Episode 161 - Robert Noghli is a drummer who began his musical career in Iran before the Islamic Revolution. Under the tutorage of an Armenian drummer, he worked on his craft and began playing with some of the giants of Persian pop music like Ebi, Googoosh, and Dariush. After moving to the United States, he worked with various Assyrian singers like Linda George, Walter Aziz, Shamiram Urshan, and Ogen Betsamo to record some of their most legendary albums in the 1980’s, as he continued to perform and record for various Persian singers as well. In this episode we discuss how he came to play the drums, how his knowledge of Assyrian music has helped shape him into the musician he is today, and what he thinks of the current state of Assyrian music. This episode is sponsored by The Oushana Partners-- a husband and wife real estate team. Are you considering purchasing or selling a home in Arizona or California? John and Reata are available to help make your next real estate decision into a…

Episode 157 – Nineb Toma is best known as Nineb Lamassu. Born in Kirkuk, his family and him fled to Iran in 1986 and later settled in New Zealand. His hardships as a refugee and the culture shock he experienced as an immigrant in New Zealand had a deep impact on him, inspiring him to take pen to paper and write poetry. Poet, organic academic, politician and peace builder, Nineb’s passion is to work for the Assyrian people; a work that was recently put into question by, what Nineb calls, an attempt at character assassination. Tune in to hear more! This episode is sponsored by The Oushana Partners-- a husband and wife real estate team. Are you considering purchasing or selling a home in Arizona or California? John and Reata are available to help make your next real estate decision into a seamless transaction. Contact the Oushana’s at 209-968-9519. Get to know them a bit more by checking out their website TheOushanaPartners.com

Dr. Sargon Donabed

Episode 159 - Dr. Sargon Donabed is an associate professor of history at Roger Williams University. He holds a PhD in Near and Middle Eastern Civilizations from the University of Toronto and a MSci from Canisius College in Anthrozoology/Animal Studies. He also serves as one of the Board of Directors for the Assyrian Studies Association. Donabed is one of the foremost experts on the perennial history of Assyria-Mesopotamia and its heritage. His recent focus consists of indigenous and marginalized methodologies concerning the development of Assyrian Studies as an anti-orientalist and anti-colonialist field, as well as issues of cultural continuity. Currently, his studies in animal studies touch upon storytelling and folklore and issues of re-enchantment of reality through myth and panentheism. In this episode, we discuss his unique and enriching upbringing, his journey into academia, his book, “Reforging a Forgotten History”, the interesting intersection between Assyrian studies an…

Philimon Darmo (ܦܝܼܠܝܼܡܘܿܢ ܖܵܪܡܘܿ)

Episode 158 - Philimon Darmo has spent over 50 years volunteering for Assyrian community in Australia, whether it be teaching Assyrian, running an Assyrian radio programme or translating important announcements. Born in Iraq, Philimon migrated to Australia in the early 60s and while officially retired, still translates to this day. He recently gained wide recognition for his role in translating Government messages and advice relating to the COVID-19 pandemic in Assyrian. How to install Assyrian keyboard: Android: Set up Gboard - Android - Gboard Help (google.com) iOS: https://t.co/klgFG4uuKD" / Twitter Support for this week’s episode of The Assyrian Podcast is brought to you by Tony Kalogerakos and the Injury Lawyers of Illinois and New York. If you know anyone that has been in a serious accident, please reach out to Tony Kalogerakos. Tony has been recognized as a Top 40 lawyer, and a Rising Star by Super Lawyers Publication and has obtained multiple multi-million-dollar awards…

Khlapieel Bnyameen

Episode 157 – William Bnyameen, better known as Khlapieel, was born in 1993 in Sarsink and is one of seven children. He later studied film making in Duhok and became a documentary filmmaker, directing such films as “A Civilization Under the Rubble” and “Rise of Gilgamesh,” both short films giving an exclusive look at Khabour (Syria) and the lives of Khabour's Assyrians post-ISIS. He is currently completing a degree in Administrative Law at the Lebanese-French University, in Erbil. On top of being a documentary film-maker, Khlapieel is a writer, a civil activist and a journalist with a simple mission of highlighting injustices suffered by Assyrians and speaking up about inequalities that exist, and demanding inclusivity and equal rights in order to achieve harmonious coexistence with other ethnic groups in the homeland. I’m this episode, we discuss Khlapieel’s vision of himself as simply a “Nashet Mata,” or “village person,” his journey to becoming Khlapieel, and h…

Episode 156 - Eva Toma is an extraordinary blend of both sides of the brain—encompassing the technical and design skills sets that make her the well-rounded and hard-to-come by professional in the architecture and interior design spaces. With proven acumen in both worlds, Eva has a robust list of clients across the entire hospitality spectrum—from boutique power houses in hotel hospitality to independent, national and global restaurant brands. And when she isn’t found creating a new design concept or next iteration for one of her many longstanding clients, she can be found researching and concepting for another. Outside of architectural and interior design, Eva has successfully built or evolved several high-profile hospitality brands. That work includes complete brand identity packages and full-spectrum brand development work that encompasses everything from visual identity to collateral, to signage and menus, to holistic customer experiential programs that elevate and differenti…

Reverend Qashisha John Badal Piro

Ep. 155 - ܩܫܝܼܫܐ ܝܘܿܚܢܢ ܒܕܠ ܦܝܼܪܘܿ - Reverend Qashisha John Badal Piro was born on February 7, 1973 in Turlock, California to his father Reverend Cor-Bishop Badal S. Piro, and Bereshwa Piro. He completed both his Bachelors of Science and Masters of Science degrees in Physiology from the University of California, Davis. In 2004, he obtained his Doctorate of Pharmacy from the University of California, San Francisco. Fr. John is a long-time practicing pharmacist, which allows him the opportunity to further serve the community which he finds the most rewarding aspect of his professional career. Ordained a priest in 2017, He is currently serving St. Mary’s Mission in Sacramento, California. He recently completed his Masters in Theology from the Antiochian House of Studies. Support for this week’s episode of The Assyrian Podcast is brought to you by Tony Kalogerakos and the Injury Lawyers of Illinois and New York. If you know anyone that has been in a serious accide…

Episode 154 - Brian Patto is the writer and director of a new short film, Grace. The film has been a finalist for numerous film festivals and tells the poignant story of a father attempting to keep his daughter safe in war-torn Iraq. In this episode we talked about Brian’s inspirations behind creating the film, the casting process, and the name of the movie. Instagram for Brian Patto: @brianpatto Instagram for Grace Film: @grace.shortfilm Support for this week’s episode of The Assyrian Podcast is brought to you by Tony Kalogerakos and the Injury Lawyers of Illinois and New York. If you know anyone that has been in a serious accident, please reach out to Tony Kalogerakos. Tony has been recognized as a Top 40 lawyer, and a Rising Star by Super Lawyers Publication and has obtained multiple multi-million-dollar awards. Tony can be reached at InjuryRights.com or 847-982-9516. This episode is sponsored by The Oushana Partners - a husband and wife real estate team. Are you considering…

Episode 153 - Steve Oshana is the executive director of A Demand for Action, which advocates for the rights of minorities in the Middle East. He started his career in Washington DC as an intern and worked his way to becoming a political consultant, or lobbyist. In this episode we talk about what lobbyists do, how he manages to work with US politicians across the aisle on Assyrian issues, how he marched as a teenager with Reverand Jesse Jackson, and the first time he met former President Barack Obama in Chicago. Support for this week’s episode of The Assyrian Podcast is brought to you by Tony Kalogerakos and the Injury Lawyers of Illinois and New York. If you know anyone that has been in a serious accident, please reach out to Tony Kalogerakos. Tony has been recognized as a Top 40 lawyer, and a Rising Star by Super Lawyers Publication and has obtained multiple multi-million-dollar awards. Tony can be reached at InjuryRights.com or 847-982-9516. This episode is sponsored by The Ousha…

Episode 152 - Ninwa Yonan is 29 years old and the former chairwoman of the Assyrian Youth Federation in Central Europe (AJM). She currently works as a psychotherapist in training and resides in Berlin, the capital of Germany. In this episode she shares information about her case study in regards to the Sayfo (or Seyfo) Genocide and transgenerational Trauma, her upbringing, and her perspective on the “name issue” of our people. Tune in to learn more about her experiences in different movements, the work of AJM, and to find inspiration for youth work wherever you live. Instagram: @ninwa.yonan Facebook: Ninwa Yonan Support for this week’s episode of The Assyrian Podcast is brought to you by Tony Kalogerakos and the Injury Lawyers of Illinois and New York. If you know anyone that has been in a serious accident, please reach out to Tony Kalogerakos. Tony has been recognized as a Top 40 lawyer, and a Rising Star by Super Lawyers Publication and has obtained multiple multi-million-do…

Episode 151 - Eleanor Thorn is a first generation Assyrian-American, born in Chicago and currently residing in the north suburbs of Chicago. Early family tragedies didn’t prevent Eleanor from getting a college education, having a long and well-traveled career in accounting, starting her own family, and creating a legacy as the most recent steward of Lake Forest Bookstore. Tune in to learn more about her journey, her family, her book recommendations, and what she hopes is the future of small business and her own bookstore. Instagram: @if_bookstore Facebook: lakeforestbookstore Support for this week’s episode of The Assyrian Podcast is brought to you by Tony Kalogerakos and the Injury Lawyers of Illinois and New York. If you know anyone that has been in a serious accident, please reach out to Tony Kalogerakos. Tony has been recognized as a Top 40 lawyer, and a Rising Star by Super Lawyers Publication and has obtained multiple multi-million-dollar awards. Tony can be reached at Inj…

Dr. Ashurina Ream

Episode 150 - Dr. Ashurina Ream is a clinical psychologist who began to focus on perinatal psychology and education for women, after the birth of her son turned her world upside down. Feeling alone and experiencing postpartum depression, she began cultivating a community online that validates the experiences of other moms struggling with similar issues and educates them and their partners on how to best cope with struggles related to fertility, pregnancy loss, and postpartum. In this episode, we discussed how her page @psychedmommy came to be and discussed lots of topics like boundaries and effective communication that will apply to you, even if you are not a parent. Support for this week’s episode of The Assyrian Podcast is brought to you by Tony Kalogerakos and the Injury Lawyers of Illinois and New York. If you know anyone that has been in a serious accident, please reach out to Tony Kalogerakos. Tony has been recognized as a Top 40 lawyer, and a Rising Star by Super Lawyers Publ…

Episode 149 - Ninus Benjamin is a first generation Assyrian American. He has a twin sister, Shamiran, and older brother, Danny Benjamin. The twins were born in Santa Clara, California. Being raised in an Assyrian home to hard-working immigrants who had to learn things from scratch set a wonderful example for them. Being bilingual has been an added advantage not only in academics, but also when it comes to learning new skills, talents, and technologies. He found his entrance into Google in 2013 where he spent a few years learning the ropes and eventually moving towards his passion, "helping people." Recruiting came easy as he began Recruiting for engineering leadership roles at two of the largest tech companies in the world. He would eventually find his home at Facebook for almost 4 years where he has brought in an enumerable number of people into the "company of their dreams." Learning the technical requirements, understanding how to find them using exhaustive searches, closing candid…

Episode 148 - Afram Yakoub is an Assyrian born in Qamishli, Syria. He migrated to Sweden in 1989, where he has been living since. Afram has been an Assyrian activist for over 20 years; his activism leading to being President of the Assyrian Federation of Sweden. Since leaving the position, Afram has written about his experiences and learnings, with the book Vägen till Assyrien - en uppmaning till nationell förnyelse published in Sweden last year (Tigris Press ISBN: 978-9198154160), before being published in English late 2020, titled The Path to Assyria - A Call For National Renewal (Tigris Press ISBN: 978-9198154160). Support for this week’s episode of The Assyrian Podcast is brought to you by Tony Kalogerakos and the Injury Lawyers of Illinois and New York. If you know anyone that has been in a serious accident, please reach out to Tony Kalogerakos. Tony has been recognized as a Top 40 lawyer, and a Rising Star by Super Lawyers Publication and has obtained multiple multi-million-…

Andrious Mama Jotyar MBE

Episode 147 - Andrious Mama Jotyar, MBE was born in Iraq, grew up in Habbaniya and later moved to London to raise his family. He kept his Assyrian roots alive by establishing the Assyrian Society of Great Britain amongst his peers, starting the longest running magazine called, the Assyrian Observer, and was awarded the Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, which is the third highest ranking Order of the British Empire award (excluding a knighthood/damehood) for all of his humanitarian efforts and projects he has done for the Assyrians and ethnic minorities in London, England. Support for this week’s episode of The Assyrian Podcast is brought to you by Tony Kalogerakos and the Injury Lawyers of Illinois and New York. If you know anyone that has been in a serious accident, please reach out to Tony Kalogerakos. Tony has been recognized as a Top 40 lawyer, and a Rising Star by Super Lawyers Publication and has obtained multiple multi-million-dollar awards. Tony can b…

Firas Fawzi Jatou

Episode 146 - Firas Fawzi Jatou was born in Baghdad, Iraq, leaving Iraq as a teenager, eventually emigrating to Toronto, Canada and later to the United States. Firas has been active in Assyrian affairs for over 30 years, and credits Malfono Ninos Aho and Rabi Alfred Duman for igniting his passion for Assyrians. Some of his accomplishments include publishing the first Assyrian website in 1993 Assyria Online, co-founded the Assyrian International News Agency, also known as AINA and most notably, was an early investor in the Assyrian heartland of the Nineveh Plains. Firas currently resides in Los Gatos, California and is married to Susan Nessan. Susan and Firas are the proud parents to an 11 year old boy, Tatian. Support for this week’s episode of The Assyrian Podcast is brought to you by Tony Kalogerakos and the Injury Lawyers of Illinois and New York. If you know anyone that has been in a serious accident, please reach out to Tony Kalogerakos. Tony has been recognized as a Top 40 law…

A Tribute to the First Assyrian Mass Migration to North America

Episode 145 - Sarah Bennett is the great great granddaughter of Rev. Dr. Isaac Adams - the first Assyrian to lead a mass migration of Assyrians to North America (Saskatchewan, Canada and later California, USA) from Iran in the early 1900s. In this episode, Sarah retells the great story of Dr. Adams and the other Assyrian settlers who helped to build North Battleford, Saskatchewan and later Turlock, California. This episode will help you give a glimpse into our modern Assyrian history and not one to miss! Rev. Dr. Adams publications: Persia by a Persian: Personal Experiences, Manners, Customs, Habits, Religious and Social Life in Persia Darkness and Daybreak A special thank you to Dr. Arianne Ishaya for her book that served as a reference throughout the interview: Familiar Faces in Unfamiliar Places: ASSYRIANS in the California Heartland 1911 - 2010. Support for this week’s episode of The Assyrian Podcast is brought to you by Tony Kalogerakos and the Injury Lawyers of Illinois a…

Episode 144 - Atina 'Tee' Alkhas is the founder of Tee Koffee Co - a Mesoptomaian inspired women-forward coffee retail company based in San Francisco, CA. Tee Koffee is committed to celebrating ancestral history through coffee and conversation. Atina was born in Iran and immigrated to the US in the early '80s through Germany. Along the way, she observed her mother honor and bring with her the Assyrian coffee culture we know as Kahve. Coffee and tea were part of her life, as many of us Assyrians experienced the same with our families. Growing up, she quickly learned that coffee, specifically Kahve, was a way to bring people together and create a sense of community. The art of making Kahve and the time-honored tradition of coffee fortune readings has long been part of her family and her Assyrian background. She founded Tee Koffee in 2017 to bring the Kahve experience home - she created Kahve starter kits and worked with coffee roasters to craft a modern take on the Kahve blend. Four ye…

Episode 143 - Ronnie Joudo is an award-winning country singer based in Sydney, Australia. With a musical career spanning 20 years, Ronnie released his debut single “Cruisin’ Along” in 2020, and has since become a Top 40 Country Artist in Australia. Ronnie recently won the Country Thunder 2020 New Male Artist of the Year award and has worked with prominent Australian Country singer-songwriters Allan Caswell and Ace Fender. Instagram: @ronniejoudomusic Facebook: Ronnie.Joudo Support for this week’s episode of The Assyrian Podcast is brought to you by Tony Kalogerakos and the Injury Lawyers of Illinois and New York. If you know anyone that has been in a serious accident, please reach out to Tony Kalogerakos. Tony has been recognized as a Top 40 lawyer, and a Rising Star by Super Lawyers Publication and has obtained multiple multi-million-dollar awards. Tony can be reached at InjuryRights.com or 847-982-9516. This episode is sponsored by The Oushana Partners-- a husband and wif…

Episode 142 - Narsai David was born in South Bend, Indiana (U.S.A) in 1936. He has had a long and successful career in the food and wine industry, from catering to the most famous Rock & Roll bands to opening the renowned Narsai’s Restaurant. He is a published author, radio and T.V. personality, and a humanitarian; raising millions for Assyrian aid through the prestigious “Narsai’s Taste of Mediterranean”event held annually by the Assyrian Aid Society. In this episode, we discuss his upbringing, his career in food and wine, and his love and connection to his Assyrian heritage. Support for this week’s episode of The Assyrian Podcast is brought to you by Tony Kalogerakos and the Injury Lawyers of Illinois and New York. If you know anyone that has been in a serious accident, please reach out to Tony Kalogerakos. Tony has been recognized as a Top 40 lawyer, and a Rising Star by Super Lawyers Publication and has obtained multiple multi-million-dollar awards. Tony can be reached a…

Shoushan Tower (ܫܘܿܫܲܢ ܬܵܒܼܵܪ)

Episode 141: Shoushan Tower Shoushan Tower was the long-serving Treasurer of the Assyrian Aid Society in Australia. Born in Iraq, Shoushan migrated to Australia as a child in 1969. She grew up in Australia and studied accounting, using her acquired skills and knowledge to support the Australian fundraising arm of the Assyrian Aid Society. She has represented the AAS at high levels in the United Nations, making numerous trips to the homeland in service to recipient communities. She currently advises the Assyrian Australian Association with its financial affairs. Instagram @aas_au (Australia), @assyrianaid (America) Support for this week’s episode of The Assyrian Podcast is brought to you by Tony Kalogerakos and the Injury Lawyers of Illinois and New York. If you know anyone that has been in a serious accident, please reach out to Tony Kalogerakos. Tony has been recognized as a Top 40 lawyer, and a Rising Star by Super Lawyers Publication and has obtained multiple multi-million-doll…

Episode 140 - Lisa Kiorkis, a Chicago Native, is a self-proclaimed “Professional Creative” and wears many, many hats! She is the co-owner of Gemini of Chicago Hair Salon, a self-taught Intimate Dining Chef, blog writer, recipe developer, YouTube Personality for Seven Spice Life, and a Food Network TV Personality. Listen to this week’s episode to learn more about her various experiences, New York Fashion Week, and what it was like to appear on The Food Network. Blog: www.sevenspicelife.com Instagram: @sevenspicelife @thehairdresserlisak Twitter: @lafemmechef YouTube: Seven Spice Life By Lisa K Support for this week’s episode of The Assyrian Podcast is brought to you by Tony Kalogerakos and the Injury Lawyers of Illinois and New York. If you know anyone that has been in a serious accident, please reach out to Tony Kalogerakos. Tony has been recognized as a Top 40 lawyer, and a Rising Star by Super Lawyers Publication and has obtained multiple multi-million-dollar awards. Ton…

Dr. Christine Yalda

Dr. Christine Yalda grew up near Flint, MI with grandparents who immigrated to the United States at the turn of the 20th century. She currently serves as an associate professor at Grand Valley State University, located in West Michigan, where she teaches Criminal Justice and Human Rights courses. In this episode, we spoke about her family’s journey to the United States, her experience growing up Assyrian, her faith, her coming out story, and marriage to her wife. Listen to find out about her grandmother’s incredibly challenging immigration story, her experience as an associate associate professor teaching criminal justice courses, and how her Assyrian identity has influenced everything from her faith to her wedding playlist. Support for this week’s episode of The Assyrian Podcast is brought to you by Tony Kalogerakos and the Injury Lawyers of Illinois and New York. If you know anyone that has been in a serious accident, please reach out to Tony Kalogerakos. Tony has been recogni…

Episode 138 - Ramel Nasseri was born in Tehran / Iran to his parents Nathan Nasseri and Rabi Bertha Shavel Okhsar. At an early age he learned to love and cherish his Assyrian heritage and his Church by the example of his parents and the benefit of growing up at the feet of his Grandfather Rabi Ammanuel Shavel Okhsar of Urmi and his late Holiness Mar Dinkha IV, two Giants of the Assyrian Community. Like many other families, Ramel and his parents left Iran during the war time for their final destination in the United States of America. He spent 8 years in Germany before settling in Plano TX. Here he finished his High school years and attended the University of Texas in Austin and the University of North Texas in Denton, graduating with a Bachelor’s degree in Anthropology and minors in Geology and German. Later he received a Master’s degree in Dispute Resolution and Conflict Management from Southern Methodist University in Dallas. His work and career spans across multiple fields; *…

Episode 137 - Warren Shabaz is the inventor of the American food staple the Pizza Puff, and head man in charge of Iltaco Food Company, which was started by his Grandfather in the 1920s. As a second generation Assyrian-American growing up in the Humboldt Park neighborhood, Warren eventually expanded his family's food empire, keeping it family owned, with his children next in line to take over the family business. Learn what it was like to be a pioneer in food, running a successful business, and being ingrained into the American identity and culture, while not forgetting your roots, at a time when assimilation was deemed a necessity. Support for this week’s episode of The Assyrian Podcast is brought to you by Tony Kalogerakos and the Injury Lawyers of Illinois and New York. If you know anyone that has been in a serious accident, please reach out to Tony Kalogerakos. Tony has been recognized as a Top 40 lawyer, and a Rising Star by Super Lawyers Publication and has obtained multiple mu…

Episode 136 – Benjamin Christophe Yalda is best known as Mr. Erbil. Born a refugee in Iran in 1985, his family and him moved back to Iraq in 1991, a time when the country was at war. Benjamin’s interest in rap took flight in 2004, and he started writing poems and lyrics. His mission: to become the voice of a silenced nation, provoking an awakening through lyrics and beat. Listen to this episode to learn about his experience as Mr. Erbil, his first song about Seyfo, and the next 11 songs he wrote in Spring 2020 during the Covid-19 lockdowns. This episode is sponsored by The Oushana Partners-- a husband and wife real estate team. Are you considering purchasing or selling a home in Arizona or California? John and Reata are available to help make your next real estate decision into a seamless transaction. Contact the Oushana’s at 209-968-9519. Get to know them a bit more by checking out their website TheOushanaPartners.com Support for this week’s episode of The Assyrian Podcast…

Episode 135 - Sumer Homeh is the founder of the humanitarian aid organization “Local Aid” in Kenya. After working several years in the fashion industry in Australia, she decided to leave all that behind to dedicate her life for street children in Nairobi. Local Aid rehabilitates those children and provides them access to education and healthcare. Recently Sumer founded “Tribearth”, which is a socially conscious jewelry business that creates a community of empowered women and youth who produce handmade products in a sustainable and ethical environment. In this episode you will learn more about Sumer´s journey from Australia to Kenya and what led to this life changing decision, the world of humanitarian workers and the ups and downs Sumer went through in order to build a sustainable organization, and what it takes to truly follow your heart and not let doubts get into the way of you and your goals. Facebook: Sumer Homeh Instagram: @sumersoul Website: www.localaid.or.ke , www.…

Dr. Amir Harrak

Episode 134 - Dr. Amir Harrak is a professor of Aramaic and Syriac at the University of Toronto and the President of the Canadian Society for Syriac Studies. In this episode, we discuss the importance of Syriac, Syriac Christianity, and the distinctions between Aramaic, Syriac, Neo-Aramaic, and Assyrian. If you’re a lover of language, history, and religion, this episode is for you. Support for this week’s episode of The Assyrian Podcast is brought to you by Tony Kalogerakos and the Injury Lawyers of Illinois and New York. If you know anyone that has been in a serious accident, please reach out to Tony Kalogerakos. Tony has been recognized as a Top 40 lawyer, and a Rising Star by Super Lawyers Publication and has obtained multiple multi-million-dollar awards. Tony can be reached at InjuryRights.com or 847-982-9516. www.nmc.utoronto.ca/people/directories/all-faculty/amir-harrak a.harrak@utoronto.ca

Qasha Younan Shiba

Episode 133 - Qasha (Pastor) Younan Shiba was born and raised in Kirkuk, Iraq in 1964. His humble beginnings in Kirkuk, and a speech impediment at a young age, led Younan to find his own language through art. Younan received Christ as his Savior in 1990 while serving in the Iraqi army. In 1995, Younan and Layla moved to Amman, Jordan to both obtain their seminary educations at Jordan Evangelical Theological Seminary (JETS). At that time there were approximately 500,000 Iraqi refugees living in Jordan due the Persian Gulf War and the closure of borders by Syria and Turkey. While a student at the seminary, he was asked by the Alliance Mission Christian Church in Amman to consider leading a ministry to Iraqi refugees. Qasha Younan was ordained through the Assyrian Evangelical Presbyterian Church in Baghdad in 2003. After receiving four death threats in three years, and finally, a voicemail from a member of the jihad demanding money and threatening to kill his family, they were forced t…

Episode 132 - Dante is a Life Coach who is passionate about helping people who feel stuck in their jobs, master their mindset so they can get clarity about their next career move and go after it. Her lifelong obsession with all things personal development and her own experience receiving coaching services and the life changing impact it had on her, lead her to create her own coaching business. Dante loves to help people learn new mindset tools and techniques to improve their work and personal lives. She has her B.A. in Sociology from UC Santa Barbara and her M.A. in Organizational Leadership from Fresno Pacific University. Instagram: danterosh Website: www.dantenoelle.com Support for this week’s episode of The Assyrian Podcast is brought to you by @TonyKalogerakos and the @InjuryLawyersofIllinois and New York.

Petrus Afrem-Barsom

Episode 131 - Petrus Afrem-Barsom is an Assyrian living in Duisburg (Germany). Professionally he works as a tax specialist and devotes his free time for the assyrian causes. Petrus is the chairman of the cultural association “Suryoye Ruhrgebiet” and one of the driving forces in the organization “Save Our Souls - 1915.de (SOS)”. In this episode you will not only hear about his volunteer journey, but also what led to the decision to form an activism group like “SOS”, that later also became an humanitarian aid organization, who caught the attention of many media outlets in Germany. You will also question yourself, how far you would go to bring awareness to your cause? Facebook: @1915.de Instagram: sos_1915 Website: www.1915.de Support for this week’s episode of The Assyrian Podcast is brought to you by @TonyKalogerakos and the @InjuryLawyersofIllinois and New York.

Episode 130 - Frank Gilbart was born in Kirkuk, Iraq in the early 80s. From an early age, he realized the importance of language, civic engagement and the cultural arts scene. According to Frank, this mosaic led to a special bond amongst the Assyrian inhabitants of his hometown Kirkuk. Frank’s life led him to study his true passion, directing, film and screenwriting. Completing studies both in Kirkuk, and continuing for another two years in Baghdad. Fueled by a love for his nation and his childhood friend Nineb Yousif Toma, Frank began the rigorous process of filming and producing Journey of Eternity. Between gofundme, Assyrian organizations, a handful of amateur funding raising individuals, and organic donations, Frank was able to muster up roughly $300,000 to film and produce Journey of Eternity. This true story is about the three Assyrian heroes; Youbert Benyamin Shlimon, Youkhana Esho Jajo, and Yousip Toma Hermis, who were imprisoned and later hanged without a fair trial on Feb…

Episode 129 – George Rasho George Rasho, a current Australian, grew up in Chicago, and an early memory of watching the production of Home Alone 3 near his childhood home piqued his curiosity for the creative arts and filmmaking. In this episode we talked to George about Emmanuel, the feature film he’s producing, his involvement with his Church as a deacon, and how he thinks we can move the Assyrian nation forward when it comes to the arts. Support for this week’s episode of The Assyrian Podcast is brought to you by Tony Kalogerakos and the Injury Lawyers of Illinois and New York. If you know anyone that has been in a serious accident, please reach out to Tony Kalogerakos. Tony has been recognised as a Top 40 lawyer, and a Rising Star by Super Lawyers Publication and has obtained multiple multi-million-dollar awards. Tony can be reached at InjuryRights.com or 847-982-9516. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/grasho1 Emmanuel The Film: https://www.emmanuelthefilm.com/

Leona "Rubi" Ruben

Episode 128 - Leona Ruben or "Rubi" is a twenty years old female assyrian rapper from Germany. She writes and produces her own rap songs and has gained thousands of followers on social media and more than two million views on her music videos. She recently released her newest single "Schachmatt,” which means "Checkmate,” where she not only performs in a music video but also created the vision behind it. In this episode you will hear more about Rubi's inspiration, thoughts as a female in a men-dominated rap world, and her connection to the Assyrian community. You can listen to her music on Spotify, Youtube, and Apple Music. YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/LeonaRuben Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0VlrorDSkEbLK1D6VvMgd2 Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/rubi/447828145 Instagram: @dieserubi Support for this week’s episode of The Assyrian Podcast is brought to you by @tonykalogerakos and the @injurylawyersofillinois and New York. If you know anyone tha…

Episode 127– Robin Zirwanda is the founder and front-man of contemporary Assyrian dance-rock worldbeat band Azadoota. Robin was born in Iraq and migrated to Australia at a young age, performing as a percussionist for many notable artists, before forming Azadoota in 1996. This week, we chat about Robin’s history, why he loves music and also discuss the role of patriotism and why it is important to be Assyrian. https://www.azadoota.com/ Instagram: @azadoota Support for this week’s episode of The Assyrian Podcast is brought to you by Tony Kalogerakos and the Injury Lawyers of Illinois and New York. If you know anyone that has been in a serious accident, please reach out to Tony Kalogerakos. Tony has been recognised as a Top 40 lawyer, and a Rising Star by Super Lawyers Publication and has obtained multiple multi-million-dollar awards. Tony can be reached at InjuryRights.com or 847-982-9516.

Episode 126 - Diana Atureta is a Toronto-based businesswoman, self-taught artist, and the founder of Assyrian Circles; an online initiative where Assyrians can speak our native language together with other Assyrians around the world. Its focus is on helping our community learn and preserve the language, including all of our dialects, while utilizing as many existing tools as possible. www.dianaatureta.com IG: @dianaatureta www.assyriancircles.com IG: @assyriancircles Email: assyriancircles@gmail.com Support for this week’s episode of The Assyrian Podcast is brought to you by @tonykalogerakos and the @injurylawyersofillinois and New York. If you know anyone that has been in a serious accident, please reach out to Tony Kalogerakos. Tony has been recognized as a Top 40 lawyer, and a Rising Star by Super Lawyers Publication and has obtained multiple multi-million-dollar awards. Tony can be reached at InjuryRights.com or 847-982-9516.

Dr. Ohara Aivaz

Episode 125 - Dr. Ohara Aivaz. Ohara Aivaz is a proud Assyrian and a board-certified dermatologist practicing in Beverly Hills, California. She completed a combined Internal Medicine and Dermatology residency program at Georgetown University Hospital in Washington, DC, and is now double-board certified in both Dermatology and Internal Medicine. She has lectured nationally, including invitations to speak at the National Institutes of Health, and internationally and has also authored several articles in peer-reviewed journals. In this interview you’ll learn about her journey through medical school and how she came to study dermatology, her parents encouragement from an early age, the importance of Assyrian connection and community, how dermatology requires her to pay the closest attention to her patients, and that time she pulled a parasite from a skull (if you can stomach it, check out her IG post from July 13). Insta: @oharaaivaz.md Support for this week’s episode of The Assyria…

Laresa "Lala" Golpashen

Episode 124 - Laresa “Lala” Golpashen is a singer and composer from Urmi, Iran. She began singing at age 18, and has begun working with Assyrian poet and activist Nineb Lamassu and has recently released a duet with Assyrian singer Emmanuel Bet-Yonan. In this episode, we talk to Lala about her music and singing, Assyrians in Urmi, and what’s next for her music career. Support for this week’s episode of The Assyrian Podcast is brought to you by @tonykalogerakos and the @injurylawyersofillinois and New York. If you know anyone that has been in a serious accident, please reach out to Tony Kalogerakos. Tony has been recognized as a Top 40 lawyer, and a Rising Star by Super Lawyers Publication and has obtained multiple multi-million-dollar awards. Tony can be reached at InjuryRights.com or 847-982-9516 Support for this week’s episode of The Assyrian Podcast is brought to you by Dr. Nahren Khoshaba, an independent Health Mart Pharmacist and owner of Bartlett Pharmacy located in Ba…

Jeremy Bristow & Eli Melki

Episode 123 - Jeremy Bristow, a director who worked for the BBC for 21 years, and Eli Melki, a reporter for BBC Arabic and a BBC World Service Broadcast Journalist and Producer for more than ten years, are the two guests of today's episode. They made the 2019 documentary Last Christians, a film about the plight of Assyrians in Iraq and Turkey since ISIS invaded and terrorized the populous, which also included the Gishru group visiting the homeland in 2018. Jeremy Bristow : jeremybristow2@gmail.com jeremy.bristow1@mac.com jeremy.bristow1@me.com Eli Melki: eli.melki@bbc.co.uk @EliMelkiNews Watch "Last Christians" now on Amazon Prime Video. https://watch.amazon.co.uk/detail?gti=amzn1.dv.gti.90b3d72e-5239-211b-fb1a-a087521e1dd2&ref_=atv_dp_share_mv&r=Web

Episode 122 - Atour Sargon is a Village of Lincolnwood Trustee. Elected in 2019, Atour is serving her first four year term. We discuss her path to politics, women running for office, and the overall importance of Assyrian involvement in the political process. Support for this week’s episode of The Assyrian Podcast is brought to you by Tony Kalogerakos and the Injury Lawyers of Illinois and New York. If you know anyone that has been in a serious accident, please reach out to Tony Kalogerakos. Tony has been recognized as a Top 40 lawyer, and a Rising Star by Super Lawyers Publication and has obtained multiple multi-million-dollar awards. Tony can be reached at InjuryRights.com or 847-982-9516 Support for this week’s episode of The Assyrian Podcast is brought to you by Dr. Nahren Khoshaba, an independent Health Mart Pharmacist and owner of Bartlett Pharmacy located in Bartlett, IL. Bartlett Pharmacy offers free delivery and in home flu shots. At Bartlett pharmacy we know you by your…

Comrade Hermis Yousif

Episode 121 - Comrade Hermis Yousif was born in Nineweh (Mosul) Iraq, on March 6, 1956. From an early age, he yearned for an opportunity to contribute to the betterment of his nation and was influenced by his Father’s love for nationalism, poetry and the Assyrian language. Late in the evening on July 19, 1984, Hermis was arrested by the Iraqi Security Service for his work with Zaw’aa. Hermis and seventeen other members of Zaw’aa were eventually taken to Baghdad to be interrogated and jailed. According to Dr. Sargon Donabed’s Ph.D. Thesis, “...for the first seven days, the individuals were placed in tiny cells of dimensions less than 4x4x4 ft. While food was offered twice daily, the various forms of torture included beatings with wooden rods, having wrists tied at the back and being hung by the same rope while beatings occurred, and, electric shock to the genitals and other areas. Following the initial seven-day period, the detained individuals were placed together in Baghdad…

Episode 120 - Dan David YouTuber and all around creator Dan David brings you laughs, scares, and amazing looking shirts. Find out how Dan went from churning out hilarious YouTube videos, to telling scary stories, to writing scary stories and publishing his own book “The NOPE Collection.” Author of the recently released book “The NOPE Collection: 20 Short Horror Stories” Owner/Founder of Divinity Activewear https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8zsdKMWa-o8 https://www.instagram.com/itsdandavid @NopeTooCreepy @DivinityActivewear NOPE Book Support for this week’s episode of The Assyrian Podcast is brought to you by Tony Kalogerakos and the Injury Lawyers of Illinois and New York. If you know anyone that has been in a serious accident, please reach out to Tony Kalogerakos. Tony has been recognized as a Top 40 lawyer, and a Rising Star by Super Lawyers Publication and has obtained multiple multi-million-dollar awards. Tony can be reached at InjuryRights.com or 847-982-9516.

Episode 119 - Odette Y. Esho was born in Iraq and fled with her family to the US when she was a child. Following her brother’s footsteps, she joined the United States Air Force in 2009 and currently holds the title of Master Sergeant. In this episode you will get to hear Odette’s family’s story of fleeing to Turkey, coming to the US and joining the Airforce, and how she is defying stereotypes in her male dominated field in Cyber Operations as Operations Flight Chief. Support for this week’s episode of The Assyrian Podcast is brought to you by Tony Kalogerakos and the Injury Lawyers of Illinois and New York. If you know anyone that has been in a serious accident, please reach out to Tony Kalogerakos. Tony has been recognized as a Top 40 lawyer, and a Rising Star by Super Lawyers Publication and has obtained multiple multi-million-dollar awards. Tony can be reached at InjuryRights.com or 847-982-9516.

Episode 118 - Juliana Jendo was born in Syria and educated in a French school run by nuns in her city. She completed her Bachelor’s degree at the University of Aleppo in French Literature on a full-ride scholarship from Syria’s Department of Education. She later immigrated to the United States with her family, where she continued her French Literature studies, earning a Master’s Degree from University of Illinois, Chicago. She then began her singing career, which flourished quickly and led her to eventually work with George and John Homeh on the feature film, Wardeh Deesheh. In this episode, we talk about her upbringing, her visit to the old Soviet Union, and what it was like to work with the legendary John Homeh. Support for this week’s episode of The Assyrian Podcast is brought to you by Tony Kalogerakos and the Injury Lawyers of Illinois and New York. If you know anyone that has been in a serious accident, please reach out to Tony Kalogerakos. Tony has been recognized as a…

Episode 117 -Ashur Sada Before there was social media as a way for Assyrians to digitally connect, there was the Assyrian Voice Network (AVN). In 1999, Ashur Sada of Toronto, Canada created the AVN and since then has helped thousands of Assyrians virtually connect with one another from friendships to marriages. www.assyrianvoice.net Support for this week’s episode of The Assyrian Podcast is brought to you by Tony Kalogerakos and the Injury Lawyers of Illinois and New York. If you know anyone that has been in a serious accident, please reach out to Tony Kalogerakos. Tony has been recognized as a Top 40 lawyer, and a Rising Star by Super Lawyers Publication and has obtained multiple multi-million-dollar awards. Tony can be reached at InjuryRights.com or 847-982-9516.

Episode # 116 - Michael Atniel Michael E. "Mike" Atniel grew up in Southern California, and found a way to turn his love for drawing into his dream career. He began his first internship animating when he was only 18 years old and since then he has worked as one of the main animators for major video game creators as well as the hit show The Simpsons. In this episode, you’ll hear about his upbringing, background, love for animation and how he got his start on the Simpsons. Instagram: @idrawhomer Twitch: twitch.tv/idrawhomer Support for this week’s episode of The Assyrian Podcast is brought to you by Tony Kalogerakos and the Injury Lawyers of Illinois and New York. If you know anyone that has been in a serious accident, please reach out to Tony Kalogerakos. Tony has been recognized as a Top 40 lawyer, and a Rising Star by Super Lawyers Publication and has obtained multiple multi-million-dollar awards. Tony can be reached at InjuryRights.com or 847-982-9516.

Episode 115 - Lanah Haddad is a young Kurdish-Iraqi archaeologist, who grew up in Germany and recently moved back to Erbil, to reconnect with her roots. She studied the ancient history of Mesopotamia and worked in several archaeological projects in Iraq, Germany, Syria, Egypt and Jordan. Moved by her desire to bring back the Iraqi people more in touch with their own heritage, she created a strategy board game called “Urbilum - The Assyrian Empire”, which is based on archaeological background information. Her game got fully sponsored by Spotlight Iraq, which is a support program for cultural creators living in Iraq by the Goethe Institute and German Federal Foreign Office. In this episode, you’ll hear about her background in archaeology, her motivation to create the boardgame, and her thoughts on bringing different communities together and embracing diversity. Instagram: @_urbilum_ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/urbilum/ Support for this week’s episode of The Assyrian Pod…

Episode 114 - Ron Susek is best-selling author, evangelist, and television and radio Bible teacher, with fifty years in Christian ministry. A resident of Pennsylvania, he and his wife, a musician and recording artist, have appeared together on TV ministry and spoken at many conferences around the world. His latest book, "The Assyrian Prophecy: A Betrayed and Broken Nation Destined to Rise Anew from the Martyr’s Blood ", explores the often painful history of our people, our current plight, and the Biblical prophecy in Isaiah 19:23-25, which describes a future of unity between the nations of Assyria, Egypt, and Israel. In this episode we discuss Ron’s interest in this cause, what he believes the real world applications of the Isaiah prophecy would look like, and how he thinks His Western readers can be encouraged and challenged to become participants in helping to positively impact the future of the Assyrian people. https://theassyrianproject.org/ https://www.facebook.com/ron.susek…

Peter Esho (ܦܵܛܪܘܿܣ ܝܼܫܘܿܥ)

Episode 113 – Peter Esho was born in Sydney but spent some of his childhood in Kuwait. He is a market commentator and has ventured out on his own to run a real estate investment firm. In this episode he talks about the how and why of investment and business, his religious roots and family’s involvement in the Assyrian community, and his message for young Assyrians in diaspora. https://www.wealthi.com.au/ Instagram: @peter_esho Support for this week’s episode of The Assyrian Podcast is brought to you by Tony Kalogerakos and the Injury Lawyers of Illinois and New York. If you know anyone that has been in a serious accident, please reach out to Tony Kalogerakos. Tony has been recognised as a Top 40 lawyer, and a Rising Star by Super Lawyers Publication and has obtained multiple multi-million-dollar awards. Tony can be reached at InjuryRights.com or 847-982-9516.

Episode 112 - Adnan Rasho was born in Baghdad, Iraq and came to Chicago, Illinois at the age of thirteen. Growing up, Adnan experienced seasons of low self-esteem and shyness. He began self-medicating by drinking alcohol and experimenting with drugs. Over time, his drug use began to escalate until he found his drug of choice, crack cocaine. According to Adnan, the first time he used crack cocaine, he became hooked. After twenty years of drug addiction, homelessness and hardship, he turned his life around for good by the grace of God. Currently, Adnan is gainfully employed at Loyola Academy in Wilmette, Illinois and is in the early stages of scaling his product, QuaPops, a protein powerball. In his spare time, he plays the flute and shares his testimony with churches and prayer groups. Support for this week’s episode of The Assyrian Podcast is brought to you by @TonyKalogerakos and the @InjuryLawyersofIllinois and New York. Facebook: Adnan Rasho floutiest@gmail.com www.quapops.co…

Dr. Ramina Jajoo-Frindrich

Episode 111 - Dr. Ramina Jajoo-Frindrich is a retired Rheumatologist residing in Phoenix where she has been a partner at Arizona Arthritis and Rheumatology Associates, She is currently serving as a strategic consultant and Chairwoman of Seyfo Center, Arizona Chapter where she and her team worked tirelessly to help pass the Assyrian Genocide Rememberence Day Proclamation in the House of Representatives for the state of Arizona. In this episode, you’ll hear about her upbringing in Tehran, her med school experience in Australia, and her involvement with various Assyrian organizations in Boston and her current home state of Arizona. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ramina.jajoo Email: rjajoo@seyfocenteraz.com Support for this week’s episode of The Assyrian Podcast is brought to you by Tony Kalogerakos and the Injury Lawyers of Illinois and New York. If you know anyone that has been in a serious accident, please reach out to Tony Kalogerakos. Tony has been recognized as a Top 40 la…

Shlimon Betshmuel

Episode 110 - Shlimon Betshmuel is a singer, composer, and songwriter who began his singing career at an early age. He sought refuge in Iran when he was in his early 20’s, after singing a patriotic Assyrian song about Simele caused the Iraqi government to be displeased with his work. In Iran, he recorded his first album and continued to perform until he moved to the United States at the start of the Iranian Revolution. In this episode, we discussed his love for books and literature, took a deep dive into 4 of his most famous songs, and learned about the Mesopotamian origins of the piano. https://shlimonbetshmuel.com Support for this week’s episode of The Assyrian Podcast is brought to you by Tony Kalogerakos and the Injury Lawyers of Illinois and New York. If you know anyone that has been in a serious accident, please reach out to Tony Kalogerakos. Tony has been recognized as a Top 40 lawyer, and a Rising Star by Super Lawyers Publication and has obtained multiple multi-million-d…

Episode 109 - John Badal A third generation Assyrian-Chicagoan, John Badal has never had a full connection with the Assyrian community, but that doesn’t mean he’s never known his roots. Just like his Grandfather before him, John is leaving his culinary footprint @northbranchgourmet in a city that prides itself heavily on their world famous food scene. IG: @jbadal4 @northbranchgourmet @northbranchfriedchicken Support for this week’s episode of The Assyrian Podcast is brought to you by Tony Kalogerakos and the Injury Lawyers of Illinois and New York. If you know anyone that has been in a serious accident, please reach out to Tony Kalogerakos. Tony has been recognized as a Top 40 lawyer, and a Rising Star by Super Lawyers Publication and has obtained multiple multi-million-dollar awards. Tony can be reached at InjuryRights.com or 847-982-9516. https://chicago.eater.com/2019/10/17/20919053/urbanspace-loop-north-branch-gourmet-barbece-john-badal

Dr. Ashor Sworesho

Episode 108- Dr. Ashor Sworesho is a Chiropractor and business owner in Hamilton, Ontario. Outside of his work, he has dedicated his life to serving and advancing the Assyrian community in Hamilton through a multitude of areas; all with an emphasis on professionalizing efforts. In this episode, you’ll gain a greater awareness of those efforts, as well as his family’s life in Malta before settling in Canada, and finally, his academic journey that has led him to where he is today. Email: ashor4488@gmail.com Support for this week’s episode of The Assyrian Podcast is brought to you by Tony Kalogerakos and the Injury Lawyers of Illinois and New York. If you know anyone that has been in a serious accident, please reach out to Tony Kalogerakos. Tony has been recognized as a Top 40 lawyer, and a Rising Star by Super Lawyers Publication and has obtained multiple multi-million-dollar awards. Tony can be reached at InjuryRights.com or 847-982-9516.

Scott Christian Sava

Episode 107 - Scott Christian Sava is an animator, illustrator, director, writer, producer and an all around awesome Assyrian! Over the last twenty years, Scott Christian Sava's work has brought some of the world's most beloved characters to life in film, television, comics, and games. From Casper the Friendly Ghost to the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers to Star Trek and Spider-Man. Scott's unique talents and vision have been called upon by Disney, Universal Studios, Nickelodeon, and more. In 2000 he founded Blue Dream Studios, which has produced work for Star Wars, X-Files, Aliens vs. Predator, Spider-Man, and other franchises, in addition to creating its own original content. The studio's first feature film, Animal Crackers, is now in full production. Scott is currently "living the dream" in his hometown of Franklin, TN. Scott’s mission, simply put, is to make “the world a kinder, gentler place, one story at a time.” The world needs a lot more filmmakers like Scott. Instagram: @t…

Yosip Bet Yosip

Episode 106 – Yosip Bet Yosip was born in 1942 to Rabi Korush Bet Yosip and Anna Khoshaba Bet Yosip in the village of Zumalan, a suburb of Urmieh, Iran. Early in his youth Yosip learned about the Assyrian culture through listening to Assyrian folk songs, poetry, and story telling (ܛܲܐܲܠܝܵܬܹ̈ܐ) conducted by the local elders. This is when his love for the Assyrian culture and heritage was originated. In 1968, Yosip, a selected member of the Shooshata Umtanaia; was introduced to the political aspects of the Assyrian history and witnessed the birth of an international political organization to oversee the well- being of his beloved Assyrian nation, the 'Assyrian Universal Alliance (AUA). He joined several Assyrian organizations: - The Society of Assyrian National Progress (Assyrian youth organization ): Shooshata Umtanaia - He assisted Shooshata Umtanaia in assembling the first and largest library of Assyrian books ever collected in modern Assyrian history. - Nineveh Choir gr…

Episode 105 – Awkar arrived in Australia in 2012, as a 16-year old refugee from Iraq via Syria. Not knowing much English, Awkar was subjected to bullying at school, but instead of succumb to the 'haters', Awkar studied intensely and pursued his passion for architecture, inspired by a visit to the iconic Sydney Opera House upon his arrival to Australia. In two years, Awkar graduated from high school as School Captain and went to study architecture at university. He won a Jørn Utzon scholarship in Copenhagen (named after the Danish architect of the Opera House), had work experience in Copenhagen and now works for Grimshaw, a prestigious Architectural firm in Sydney. https://www.awkarruel.com Instagram: @awkar.ruel Support for this week’s episode of The Assyrian Podcast is brought to you by Tony Kalogerakos and the Injury Lawyers of Illinois and New York. If you know anyone that has been in a serious accident, please reach out to Tony Kalogerakos. Tony has been recognised as a To…

Emmanuel Samano

Episode 104 - Emmanuel Samano is a British Assyrian who moved to London, England, from Iraq, in 1972. Born and raised in Kirkuk, he later moved to Baghdad, where he worked as an actor on the radio and the screen for the Iraqi Media Corporation. After the Ba’ath regime tried to pressure him to join their party several times, he fled to London, where he eventually became an Interpreter for the United Kingdom Home Office, interpreting for many Assyrian refugees upon their entry and application for residence in the UK. Facebook: @EmmanuelLSamano Email: e_samano41@hotmail.com

Episode 103 - Joe Snell is a reporter based in Washington, D.C. On track to work in TV development in Hollywood, Joe left the entertainment industry in 2016 to pursue his passion for reporting on the Middle East. Since then, his reporting has taken him from a local newsroom in Texas to across the world from Germany, Paris, Brussels and Iraq. He eventually founded The Assyrian Journal and Assyrian Stories. This year, he launched the Middle East Minute video series. Currently a master's journalism candidate at Northwestern University specializing in Foreign Affairs coverage, Joe most recently completed a reporting practicum at Al-Monitor in Washington. Instagram: @assyrianstories, @theassyrianjournal, @joesnell03 Websites: www.theassyrianjournal.com Support for this week’s episode of The Assyrian Podcast is brought to you by Tony Kalogerakos and the Injury Lawyers of Illinois and New York. If you know anyone that has been in a serious accident, please reach out to Tony Kalogerakos.…

Episode 102 - Zalgai Aho is a fashion designer, world traveler, and the daughter of a revered oomtanaya, the late Malfono Ninos Aho. In this episode, you’ll learn about the western dialect of Assyrian, a glimpse of life in Södertälje, Sweden, the places Zalgai has lived - including the U.S. Virgin Islands, her life in fashion, loss, and how she has continued her father’s legacy of nationalistic work in her own way. Instagram: @__zalgai__ Websites: www.zalgai.com, www.ninosaho.com Support for this week’s episode of The Assyrian Podcast is brought to you by Tony Kalogerakos and the Injury Lawyers of Illinois and New York. If you know anyone that has been in a serious accident, please reach out to Tony Kalogerakos. Tony has been recognized as a Top 40 lawyer, and a Rising Star by Super Lawyers Publication and has obtained multiple multi-million-dollar awards. Tony can be reached at InjuryRights.com or 847-982-9516.

Episode 101: R.C. or Robert Samo began his journalism career in 1996 as a college freshman. He has been published everywhere from Pro Wrestling Illustrated to the Oakland Tribune and Orange County Register. He is the creator of Fanboy and FangirlNation. His vision for both was to return a sense of traditional journalism to a world full of sensationalism and geek rage. If you hadn't noticed, R.C. really hates taking selfies, but loves comics, animation, films and MMA. Instagram: @rcsamo Website: www.fanboynation.com Support for this week’s episode of The Assyrian Podcast is brought to you by Tony Kalogerakos and the Injury Lawyers of Illinois and New York. If you know anyone that has been in a serious accident, please reach out to Tony Kalogerakos. Tony has been recognized as a Top 40 lawyer, and a Rising Star by Super Lawyers Publication and has obtained multiple multi-million-dollar awards. Tony can be reached at InjuryRights.com or 847-982-9516.

Episode 100: Join us on this milestone episode as the voices that bring you the Assyrian Podcast week after week and the social media crew behind it discuss their motivation behind joining AP, their favorite episodes from the past year, what has surprised them the most working on the Assyrian Podcast, and how it has impacted their view of themselves as Assyrians in this roundtable discussion. Support for this week’s episode of The Assyrian Podcast is brought to you by Tony Kalogerakos and the Injury Lawyers of Illinois and New York. If you know anyone that has been in a serious accident, please reach out to Tony Kalogerakos. Tony has been recognized as a Top 40 lawyer, and a Rising Star by Super Lawyers Publication and has obtained multiple multi-million-dollar awards. Tony can be reached at InjuryRights.com or 847-982-9516.

Episode 99 - Ashur Kasrani, also known as “The Great Kasrani” is formerly a magician, who has entertained royalty, oligarchs, celebrities, corporations and private clients around the world. Leaving his career behind, he returned to the homeland and now lives a simple, basic life in the valley of Nahla. He documents the valley life on his social media channels and informs and inspires thousands of people to visit the ancestral homeland and to work on the inner self. Ashur is also an experimental musician, poet and more. Facebook: The Great Kasrani Instagram: @the_great_kasrani Support for this week’s episode of The Assyrian Podcast is brought to you by Tony Kalogerakos and the Injury Lawyers of Illinois and New York. If you know anyone that has been in a serious accident, please reach out to Tony Kalogerakos. Tony has been recognized as a Top 40 lawyer, and a Rising Star by Super Lawyers Publication and has obtained multiple multi-million-dollar awards. Tony can be reached at I…

Episode 98 - Ashur Yoseph joined the Assyrian Aid Society of America (AAS-A) in 1993 as the project manager for the Lifeline Pledge Program. In 2011, with the retirement of Narsai David, Ashur Yoseph was elected as AAS-A President. During his tenure AAS-A has weathered some of its most demanding challenges, such as the rise of ISIS and the fall of Mosul, but has also seen its most successful fundraising years. Administratively, Ashur has given special focus on bringing younger professionals into leadership positions and mentoring them closely over the years to build a strong foundation for the next generation of leaders of the Assyrian Aid Society of America. Professionally, Ashur Yoseph has over 36 years of experience in design, construction, project and program management. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering Technology from Sacramento State University. Ashur currently serves as a Senior Vice President for Infrastructure and Business Development for W…

Episode 97 - Samir Bahi is the creator of The Ashoor Drama Group, and he is responsible for hits like “Say No to Drugs,” “Why You Care,” and so many more legendary Assyrian comedic classics! This episode is an intimate conversation between Samir and his sons as they discuss the start of his music career, how he was inspired to write the various songs, and the music videos that became an iconic part of growing up for so many Assyrians in diaspora. Facebook @samirbahi Instagram: @AshoorDramaGroup Support for this week’s episode of The Assyrian Podcast is brought to you by Tony Kalogerakos and the Injury Lawyers of Illinois and New York. If you know anyone that has been in a serious accident, please reach out to Tony Kalogerakos. Tony has been recognized as a Top 40 lawyer, and a Rising Star by Super Lawyers Publication and has obtained multiple multi-million-dollar awards. Tony can be reached at InjuryRights.com or 847-982-9516.

Dr. Ruth Kambar

Episode 96 - Dr. Ruth Kamber is a second-generation Assyrian American and the author of “Assyrians of Yonkers.” As the eldest grandchild, she inherited artifacts from her family--a collection of family stories, videos, and photographs. Her grandfather Nicolai Benjamin asked her to honor, preserve, and pass down her cultural inheritance, to "Keep it well." Her heritage and family heirlooms served as a springboard for her dissertation as a verbal monument to Assyrian Americans. In this episode you will hear about her great grandfather’s connection to the Dutch Reformed Church, an Assyrian baseball player who played for the New York Yankees, and more about the history of Assyrian Presbyterian community in Yonkers. rkambar580@gmail.com Support for this week’s episode of The Assyrian Podcast is brought to you by Tony Kalogerakos and the Injury Lawyers of Illinois and New York. If you know anyone that has been in a serious accident, please reach out to Tony Kalogerakos. Tony has be…

Episode 95 - Reta Ismail is a broadcast journalist based in London, Canada. She is a weekend anchor, videographer, and weather presenter for Canada's most-watched news organization, CTV news. In this episode we discuss Reta’s journey to and through her career, how she has utilized her platform to draw attention to the Assyrian community, and the realities of parenthood. Website: www.retaismail.com Blog: https://london.ctvnews.ca/pregnancyafterloss Media Moms: Life on Air https://london.ctvnews.ca/media-moms-life-on-the-air-1.4650090?fbclid=IwAR3LFzlhAcPhBToZLEVHjStL8cgBKcdGdSU4ZXjc4oRVTWHqjed_fVwHVJI Social media: @retaismailctv Support for this week’s episode of The Assyrian Podcast is brought to you by Tony Kalogerakos and the Injury Lawyers of Illinois and New York. If you know anyone that has been in a serious accident, please reach out to Tony Kalogerakos. Tony has been recognized as a Top 40 lawyer, and a Rising Star by Super Lawyers Publication and has obtained multiple…

Episode 94 - Suzan Younan has been annually traveling to Iraq since 2008. Expanding on her professional skill set in humanitarian work in the Middle East, she moved to Erbil, Iraq in early 2019. She is currently the Program Director for Access Aid Foundation in Iraq , and directly implements projects in Ninewa for the Assyrian and Yazidis to assist them in reintegrating back into their communities. In 2012, she co-founded Gishru, a 501c3 organization that coordinates educational, and cross cultural trips, to Northern Iraq and Southern Turkey, for American and other international youth. Gishru is a bridge between young professionals in the Middle East young professionals and their next generation counterparts in the West. Along with coordinating the trips for 30+ young professionals annually, Suzan spearheads fundraising efforts and community outreach to raise the profile of the Assyrians and Yezidis in Iraq. Three months after the invasion of ISIS, Suzan and two colleagues returned t…

Dr. Yaacov Maoz

Episode 93 - Dr. Yaacov Maoz is a Jewish professor residing in Jerusalem whose parents left Iraq in the 1950’s. He speaks Assyrian, identifies with his Assyrian roots, and is determined to oversee the revival of the Aramaic language in his Jewish community, create stronger bonds between Assyrians worldwide and Jewish Assyrians (or Aramit-speaking Jews), and create a coalition to support the mission of Assyrians to establish an independent state in their motherland. In this episode, we discuss social justice, biblical connections to Assyrians, and Isaiah 19. Support for this week’s episode of The Assyrian Podcast is brought to you by Tony Kalogerakos and the Injury Lawyers of Illinois and New York. If you know anyone that has been in a serious accident, please reach out to Tony Kalogerakos. Tony has been recognized as a Top 40 lawyer, and a Rising Star by Super Lawyers Publication and has obtained multiple multi-million-dollar awards. Tony can be reached at InjuryRights.com or 847-…

Dr. Erin Hughes

Episode 92- Erin Hughes, PhD is an Assistant Professor and the Director of the Sarguis Assyrian Heritage Project at California State University (CSU), Stanislaus in Turlock, California. In this episode, we discuss her work at CSU Stanislaus and takeaways from her dissertation, “An American Atra? Boundaries of Diasporic Nation-Building Amongst Assyrians and Chaldeans in the United States,” and what she considers the greatest strength of the Assyrian community. About the Sarguis Modern Assyrian Heritage Project: Established in Fall 2017, the Sarguis Modern Assyrian Heritage Project brings new and emerging research in Assyrian studies to Stanislaus State University. Working in collaboration with the Sarguis Modern Assyrian Heritage Collection in Vasche LIbrary, the project facilitates student projects and research documenting Assyrian history and culture with a special emphasis on Assyrians in California. The Modern Assyrian Heritage project offered courses in Assyrian history, host…

Episode 91 - Nahrun Cano is a beard aficionado whose company, Sargon’s Official, specializes in beard products. Taking inspiration from ancient Assyrians and their beard culture, Sargon’s Official boasts as the royal way to get your beard in shape. In this episode, Zalgai Aho, this week’s guest host, talks to Nahrun about his company, entrepreneurship, and his advice for young business owners. https://sargonsoriginal.de/ https://www.instagram.com/sargonsoriginal/ Support for this week’s episode of The Assyrian Podcast is brought to you by Tony Kalogerakos and the Injury Lawyers of Illinois and New York. If you know anyone that has been in a serious accident, please reach out to Tony Kalogerakos. Tony has been recognized as a Top 40 lawyer, and a Rising Star by Super Lawyers Publication and has obtained multiple multi-million-dollar awards. Tony can be reached at InjuryRights.com or 847-982-9516.

Iraq Returnees Roundtable

Episode 90 - In this episode you hear from four young people, who decided to return to the homeland and work as expats in Iraq. The Returnees’ Roundtable is an honest and raw discussion of what you can expect, if you decide to come back and unearth your roots. We talked about the ups and downs, the expectations and the challenges that they faced. If you are thinking of returning and need help, please reach out to our four guests. They will gladly will help you through your journey. IG: @meli_curls FB: www.facebook.com/melinda.khubiar IG: @jjennyyko FB: www.facebook.com/JennyKorkes IG: @mir.zia FB: www.facebook.com/miriam.zia IG: @suzanyounan FB: www.facebook.com/SuzieYounan Support for this week’s episode of The Assyrian Podcast is brought to you by Tony Kalogerakos and the Injury Lawyers of Illinois and New York. If you know anyone that has been in a serious accident, please reach out to Tony Kalogerakos. Tony has been recognized as a Top 40 lawyer, and a Rising Star by Su…

Roseanne Rofaeel

Episode 89 - Roseanne Rofaeel, Founder and CEO – Christmas on the Streets Born and raised in Melbourne, Australia to refugee parents, Roseanne says she has been privileged to have experienced a safe childhood, a healthy upbringing and a comfortable life. Inspired by Mother Teresa, she thought she would complete her studies and travel to live with the “poorest of the poor” forever. She began to donate her birthdays to build water wells instead. From 2013 through to 2015, she donated her 17th, 18th and 19th birthdays to build two water wells for communities in Cambodia, a water well in Ethiopia and a water well in Mozambique. In 2016, Christmas on the Streets was born…accidentally. What seemed like a one-off event, grew to be the not-for-profit organisation known as COTS today. Since the establishment of COTS, the organisation has been involved in projects that she once could only dream of. This includes partnering with charities all around the country to helping build a school…

Episode 88 - Lincoln Malik, the founder of Assyrian Aid Society, was born in Baghdad, Iraq and obtained his education in California, attending UC Berkeley and Stanford. His passion for social and political justice led him to becoming an activist and protesting against the Vietnam war and joining the Black Student Union and championing the Palestinian cause. Tune in to hear about his upbringing, family, and how he directed his passion for activism towards his Assyrian community. Support for this week’s episode of The Assyrian Podcast is brought to you by Tony Kalogerakos and the Injury Lawyers of Illinois and New York. If you know anyone that has been in a serious accident, please reach out to Tony Kalogerakos. Tony has been recognized as a Top 40 lawyer, and a Rising Star by Super Lawyers Publication and has obtained multiple multi-million-dollar awards. Tony can be reached at InjuryRights.com or 847-982-9516. Show Notes - articles written by Lincoln Malik Strategy for leadership:…

Julia Sorisho Rodgers

Episode 87 - Julia Sorisho Rodgers is the author and illustrator of two Assyrian/English children’s books, “Farm Animals” and “My Assyrian Language Alphabet.” As a mother of three, she found a need for children’s sturdy board books for the Assyrian community, so she sought out professionals and used her artistic talent to write and illustrate her board books as a way to teach children the Assyrian language. Tune in to hear about how she became inspired to create for her culture. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/julessrod Support for this week’s episode of The Assyrian Podcast is brought to you by Tony Kalogerakos and the Injury Lawyers of Illinois and New York. If you know anyone that has been in a serious accident, please reach out to Tony Kalogerakos. Tony has been recognized as a Top 40 lawyer, and a Rising Star by Super Lawyers Publication and has obtained multiple multi-million-dollar awards. Tony can be reached at InjuryRights.com or 847-982-9516. Support is al…

Episode 86 - Benjamin, is an Assyrian-American sports business executive and entrepreneur focused on massive sports projects with transformative economic and community impact. Benjamin played a key role in two highly-publicized public-private projects in Sacramento, California. He most recently helped manage Sacramento Republic FC’s successful bid for a Major League Soccer expansion team. As the son of singer/songwriter Walter Aziz, Benjamin’s creativity is inspired by the universal language of music and his father’s dedication to the Assyrian community. Facebook: Benyamin Aziz Instagram: bennyaziz, lecourt.co Support for this week’s episode of The Assyrian Podcast is brought to you by Tony Kalogerakos and the Injury Lawyers of Illinois and New York. If you know anyone that has been in a serious accident, please reach out to Tony Kalogerakos. Tony has been recognized as a Top 40 lawyer, and a Rising Star by Super Lawyers Publication and has obtained multiple multi-million-d…

Nora Betyousef Lacey

Episode 85 - Nora Betyousef Lacey is an accomplished biotech entrepreneur and philanthropist. She founded the company, Cell Marque, which she later sold in 2014, is the co-inventor of two registered US patents, the founder of the non-profit organization Assyrian Arts Institute (AAI), and will be making Assyrian Studies at UC Berkeley in 2020 possible thanks to her generous gift to the university. Website: www.assyrianartsinstitute.org Facebook: www.facebook.com/AssyrianArtsInstitute/ Instagram: @assyrianartsinstitute Support for this week’s episode of The Assyrian Podcast is brought to you by Tony Kalogerakos and the Injury Lawyers of Illinois and New York. If you know anyone that has been in a serious accident, please reach out to Tony Kalogerakos. Tony has been recognized as a Top 40 lawyer, and a Rising Star by Super Lawyers Publication and has obtained multiple multi-million-dollar awards. Tony can be reached at InjuryRights.com or 847-982-9516. Support is also brought to yo…

Rosie Malek-Yonan

Episode 84 - Rosie Malek-Yonan is an Assyrian-American actress, author, director, public figure and activist. Malek-Yonan became a noted pianist at an early age. Having graduated from the University of Cambridge, she settled in the United States, where she pursued a career in music and dramatic arts. As an actress she appeared in well over 30 films and television series, including Up Close & Personal (1996) and Rendition (2007), as well as, among others, Dynasty, CSI: Miami, JAG, ER and Babylon 5. She also authored The Crimson Field, a historical novel set in the times of the Assyrian genocide during World War I; the book is one of the most popular pieces of prose among Assyrians today. Twitter: https://twitter.com/RosieMalekYonan Website: https://rosiemalek-yonan.com Book: https://www.thecrimsonfield.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RosieMalekYonanPage Support for this week’s episode of The Assyrian Podcast is brought to you by Tony Kalogerakos and the Injury Lawyers of I…

Episode 83 - Kinda Haroun and her family left Syria in 2015 and settled in Melbourne, Australia. Kinda has quickly become a volunteer superstar making headway in helping many Assyrians settle in Melbourne following the Syrian war. She won Melbourne’s citizen of the month award. Listen to this episode to learn more about how Kinda helped women and children who fled ISIS and how she has introduced Assyrians to different communities in Melbourne. Kindaharoun7@outlook.com

Marc “Stevens” Afshar is a communicator, minister & rapper. Marc has been leading a ministry for university students for the past ten years. He often speaks at youth camps, conferences, churches, college students, athletes and many more platforms. Marc is also a hip-hop artist and has recently released his debut EP “Marc Stevie Wonder” under his artist name Marc Stevens. Marc is originally from San Jose, CA & currently resides in Sacramento with his wife and two boys. Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1fmn2V2H1bqmwk9SCdnuCd?si=xji4DtAmTiWEQFkfZ-Fp5w Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marcstevensmusic/ Instagram: @marc.stevie Twitter: @marc_stevie Support for this week’s episode of The Assyrian Podcast is brought to you by Tony Kalogerakos and the Injury Lawyers of Illinois and New York. If you know anyone that has been in a serious accident, please reach out to Tony Kalogerakos. Tony has been recognized as a Top 40 lawyer, and a Rising Star by Super Lawyers Public…

Juliana Taimoorazy

Episode 81 - Juliana Taimoorazy is a leading international advocate, speaker and writer advancing awareness of persecution of Christians in the Middle East. She is the founder and president of the Iraqi Christian Relief Council and a senior fellow of the Philos Project. In 2007, Juliana founded the Iraqi Christian Relief Council to shine a light on the plight of Iraqi Christians and raise funds to deliver food, shelter and medicine to Iraq. Her own unique story as a refugee has made her a strong leader and an unshakable voice for Christians in Iraq today. She has been featured on FOX News, BBC, Wall Street Journal Live, Newsmax, Israel Broadcasting Authority (IBA), and Christian radio programs including CBN. In 2016, Taimoorazy was nominated for the prestigious Nansen Award through the United Nations Higher Commission on Refugees (UNHCR). Support for this week’s episode of The Assyrian Podcast is brought to you by Tony Kalogerakos and the Injury Lawyers of Illinois and New York. I…

Episode 80 - Jordan Jonas is the winner of History Channel’s, “Alone in the Arctic” season 6. Jordan grew up on a farm in Idaho and spent his 20s living a nomadic life with the Evenki in Siberia herding reindeer. His skills of hunting, trapping, fishing, and his Assyrian family’s background allowed him to survive 77 days in the Arctic. In this episode you will hear how Jordan killed a moose, battled a wolverine, and now lives to tell about this arctic adventure. Instagram: hobojordo Facebook: Jordan Jonas - Alone YouTube: hobojordo Website: www.jordanjonas.com Support for this week’s episode of The Assyrian Podcast is brought to you by Tony Kalogerakos and the injury lawyers of Illinois and New York. If you know anyone that has been in a serious accident, please reach out to Tony Kalogerakos. Tony has been recognized as a Top 40 lawyer, and a Rising Star by Super Lawyers Publication and has obtained multiple multi-million-dollar awards. Tony can be reached at InjuryRights…

Episode 79 - Robert Oshana is the creator of www.learnassyrian.com, a website that serves as a resource for those interested in learning the Assyrian language through creative avenues like the translation of Assyrians songs as a way to build vocabulary and much more! Listen to learn about how Robert combines his background in Computer Science with his love for the Assyrian language to produce resources that are easy to absorb and learn from. Email: robertoshana@outlook.com Resources: www.learnassyrian.com www.assyrianlibrary.com Youtube channel: Loop oo Malip Support for this week’s episode of The Assyrian Podcast is brought to you by Tony Kalogerakos and the injury lawyers of Illinois and New York. If you know anyone that has been in a serious accident, please reach out to Tony Kalogerakos. Tony has been recognized as a Top 40 lawyer, and a Rising Star by Super Lawyers Publication and has obtained multiple multi-million-dollar awards. Tony can be reached at InjuryRights.com or…

Episode 78 - In 2007, 17-year-old Michael Badal first saw success in dance music when he was discovered by Tiesto, whose support of the single, “Colours” established Michael as a serious contender early in his career. He has since had the honor of officially remixing for Grammy nominated artists such as Ed Sheeran, Coldplay, The Chainsmokers, Kaskade, Timbaland, Kelly Rowland, Nadia Ali, Above & Beyond, and many others. In 2015, Michael released his debut artist album, “Now That We’re Human” on Tiesto’s label, which spawned Michael's first headlining USA tour. The album also saw him tie for a Grammy nomination that year for Best Electronic/Dance Album. Over the years, Michael has had the opportunity to play across the country at festivals and clubs, including EDC Las Vegas and Kaskade’s Sun Soaked festival. Most recently, Michael co-founded a record label with YouTube star and entrepreneur, Matthias. Unlike other record labels, Chill Records brings together traditional m…

Nardin Sarkis and Akadina Yadegar

Episode 77 Nardin Sarkis and Akadina Yadegar co-curated Diaspora in Bloom, an art exhibit featuring the work of contemporary Assyrian artists who focus on bringing Assyrian art into the modern times. In this episode we hear from them about how this exhibition came into fruition. We also discuss art, digital content, and what it means to be an Assyrian in diaspora with Nardin. Support for this week’s episode of The Assyrian Podcast is brought to you by Tony Kalogerakos and the injury lawyers of Illinois and New York. If you know anyone that has been in a serious accident, please reach out to Tony Kalogerakos. Tony has been recognized as a Top 40 lawyer, and a Rising Star by Super Lawyers Publication and has obtained multiple multi-million-dollar awards. Tony can be reached at InjuryRights.com or 847-982-9516.

Paul and Sargon Benjamin

Episode 76 - Paul and Sargon Benjamin are brothers and founders of Base 2 Applications, a start-up that created mobile applications and led to partnerships with companies like Google, Verizon, AT&T, and more. Living in the heart of Silicon Valley, they fully immerse themselves as leaders in the tech world! In this episode, you’ll learn about their upbringing and entrepreneurial spirit, how they have taken their talents and invested them back into the community with Assyrian apps and search engines like SargonSays.com, as well as their active lifestyles that include triathlons and Spartan races. Bonus: tune in to the end to hear a surprise musical performance! www.assyrianapp.com Support for this week’s episode of The Assyrian Podcast is brought to you by Tony Kalogerakos and the injury lawyers of Illinois and New York. If you know anyone that has been in a serious accident, please reach out to Tony Kalogerakos. Tony has been recognized as a Top 40 lawyer, and a Rising Star by Su…

Episode 75 - Ashor Chamoun is the current Western Regional Director for Assyrian American National Federation. He has previously served as the Vice President of AANF, and he has been involved in various national and local Assyrian organizations from Detroit, MI to his current hometown of Phoenix, AZ. In this episode he talks about what activism means to him, the loss of his father, and bridging the gap between the older and younger generation of Assyrian activists. Support for this week’s episode of The Assyrian Podcast is brought to you by Tony Kalogerakos and the injury lawyers of Illinois and New York. If you know anyone that has been in a serious accident, please reach out to Tony Kalogerakos. Tony has been recognized as a Top 40 lawyer, and a Rising Star by Super Lawyers Publication and has obtained multiple multi-million-dollar awards. Tony can be reached at InjuryRights.com or 847-982-9516.

Lilea Eshoo Takvorian

Episode 74 - Lilea Eshoo Takvorian helps run her family’s wholesale bakery known as California Lavash (soon to be Atoria’s Family Bakery) in Gilroy, California. Through lavash, Lilea and her family share a piece of their Assyrian heritage with consumers across the United States. In this episode, you’ll learn about the lineage of inventors, what led her family to bake lavash for the masses, Lilea’s life as a new mother, and her hopes for her daughter. https://www.californialavash.com/atoriasfamilybakery Support for this week’s episode of The Assyrian Podcast is brought to you by Tony Kalogerakos and the injury lawyers of Illinois and New York. If you know anyone that has been in a serious accident, please reach out to Tony Kalogerakos. Tony has been recognized as a Top 40 lawyer, and a Rising Star by Super Lawyers Publication and has obtained multiple multi-million-dollar awards. Tony can be reached at InjuryRights.com or 847-982-9516.

Wilfred Bet-Alkhas

Episode 73 - Wilfred Bet-Alkhas is an Assyrian activist, political observer, and a lecturer of the Assyrian language and history at San Jose State University. He was born in Tehran, Iran and moved to the United States in 1979. He joined the Assyrian American Association of San Jose when his family moved from Connecticut to San Jose in 1982. It was here when he met his Assyrian mentors "Dr. Ashur Moradkhan" and "Raabi William Daniel". Wilfred was a founding member of the Cultural Wave of Nisibin in 1985 and served on the executive committee of the AAA of San Jose. Between 1990 and 1994 he was twice appointed as the Assyrian American National Federation's Secretary of Education. Episode 73- In 1994 Wilfred founded the online newsletter ZINDA, which by 2005 was enjoyed by over 30,000 subscribers from 45 countries. The last issue of Zinda Magazine was published in 2009. Since August 2015 Wilfred has been teaching the Assyrian language and history class at San Jose State Univ. Wilfred is…

Episode 72 - Born and raised in Chicago, Illinois, Joseph Danavi is the Director at GISHRU where he is responsible for steering the operations of the organization. He has been active in the Assyrian community since his undergraduate years when he co-founded the Assyrian Chaldean Syriac Student Movement based in Chicago. Since then, he has held a variety of leadership roles for Assyrian organizations and events including the current chair of education programming for the annual Assyrian American National Convention. Through GISHRU, Dr. Danavi envisions the rising generation in the Diaspora to not only be tangibly connected with the Assyrian ancestral homeland and become effective leaders for Assyrian advocacy, but also one day reside there. We’ll talk about his personal connection to the Assyrian Genocide of 1915, his thoughts on Assyrian advocacy and community empowerment. But what struck me the most were his closing remarks to all of you listeners around the globe.

Episode 71 - Atorina Zomaya is the founder of Assyrian Kitchen. Through food, art, language, and family style settings, Assyrian Kitchen displays so much of our culture for people who are unaware, and offers the familiarity and comfort Assyrians have grown up knowing. Listen to how Atorina got this wonderful idea started, and evolved it into what it is today. Web: AssyrianKitchen.com FB: Assyrian Kitchen IG: @AssyrianKitchen Support for this week’s episode of The Assyrian Podcast is brought to you by Tony Kalogerakos and the injury lawyers of Illinois and New York. If you know anyone that has been in a serious accident, please reach out to Tony Kalogerakos. Tony has been recognized as a Top 40 lawyer, and a Rising Star by Super Lawyers Publication and has obtained multiple multi-million-dollar awards. Tony can be reached at InjuryRights.com or 847-982-9516.

Dr. Ashurina Ream & Nicole Shamon

Episode 70 - The topic of drug addiction is a stigma in our community, but there are people coming together to change that. Dr. Ashurina Ream is a licensed psychologist and Nicole Shamon is an affected family member of drug addiction. Together, they join us in this week’s episode to talk about the opioid epidemic and how to help a loved one that is battling with drug addiction. Dr. Ashurina Ream Instagram: psychedmommy Nicole Shamon Instagram: WoodUBMineDesigns Drug Addiction Hotline: WWW.SAMHSA.GOV 1-800-662-HELP (4357) Support for this week’s episode of The Assyrian Podcast is brought to you by Tony Kalogerakos and the injury lawyers of Illinois and New York. If you know anyone that has been in a serious accident, please reach out to Tony Kalogerakos. Tony has been recognized as a Top 40 lawyer, and a Rising Star by Super Lawyers Publication and has obtained multiple multi-million-dollar awards. Tony can be reached at InjuryRights.com or 847-982-9516.

Episode 69 – Akkad Saadi is a software engineer and lives in Qamishly, Syria. He is the president of BET KANU, an organization that aims to build a foundation to advance the endangered dialects of the Syriac language, by creating all types of media products. In this podcast Akkad talks about life in Syria and the difficulties our people face in the Syrian conflict. He also explains why he returned back to Syria from the US and how important the existence of an organization like BET KANU is for the people in the homeland. Social Media: BET KANU YouTube Channel: BET KANU Website: www.betkanu.com Support for this week’s episode of The Assyrian Podcast is brought to you by Tony Kalogerakos and the injury lawyers of Illinois and New York. If you know anyone that has been in a serious accident, please reach out to Tony Kalogerakos. Tony has been recognized as a Top 40 lawyer, and a Rising Star by Super Lawyers Publication and has obtained multiple multi-million-dollar awards. Tony can…

Episode 68 - Lt. Col. Sargis Sangari turned a twenty-plus year US military career into his own project, the Near East Center for Strategic Engagement (NEC-SE). Listen and find out what motivated him to enlist, and what drives him to work for a free and independent Assyrian nation. Website: https://nec-se.com/about/ceo-biography/

Episode 67 - Francis Dinha This week we meet a highly accomplished visionary Executive with domestic and international experience in operations, P&L management, strategic product positioning, technology development, business planning, and fundraising with both startup and growth organizations! Francis Dinha is a decisive leader with proven success in new market identification, strategic thinking, and problem solving. Proven track record of syndication, joint ventures, product development, and exploring new markets and business opportunities. Tendency to thrive in dynamic and fluid environments while remaining pragmatic and focused. www.openvpn.net pr@openvpn.net Support for this week’s episode of The Assyrian Podcast is brought to you by Tony Kalogerakos and the injury lawyers of Illinois and New York. If you know anyone that has been in a serious accident, please reach out to Tony Kalogerakos. Tony has been recognized as a Top 40 lawyer, and a Rising Star by Super Lawyers Public…

Episode 66 - This week we meet Andrew Nosrati. He grew up in Turlock, CA and after living in Los Angeles and New York City, he decided to move back to Turlock and get involved in local politics. He was elected as a council member in November of 2018 for a four year term. In this episode, he talks about his decision to run for office, politics, governing, leadership, and where he thinks humanity is headed. Support for this week’s episode of The Assyrian Podcast is brought to you by Tony Kalogerakos and the injury lawyers of Illinois and New York. If you know anyone that has been in a serious accident, please reach out to Tony Kalogerakos. Tony has been recognized as a Top 40 lawyer, and a Rising Star by Super Lawyers Publication and has obtained multiple multi-million-dollar awards. Tony can be reached at InjuryRights.com or 847-982-9516.

Dr. Georges and Gary Daniels

Episode 65 - Dr. Ramon Georges is the son on Murassa Daniels - the first Assyrian to produce a record in 1929. Born in 1931 in Chicago, Illinois, he along with his cousin Gary E. Daniels join us to retell the story of their family’s journey starting from Iran, fleeing to the British internment camp of "Baaquba" in Iraq, travelling by boat with stops all over, before finally settling in the U.S. Family history:https://www.geni.com/people/Murassa-Georges/6000000007273176756 Murassa’s music: https://www.qeenatha.com/artists/MurassaUrshanDaniels/3872/ Support for this week’s episode of The Assyrian Podcast is brought to you by Tony Kalogerakos and the injury lawyers of Illinois and New York. If you know anyone that has been in a serious accident, please reach out to Tony Kalogerakos. Tony has been recognized as a Top 40 lawyer, and a Rising Star by Super Lawyers Publication and has obtained multiple multi-million-dollar awards. Tony can be reached at InjuryRights.com or 847-982-95…

Episode 64 - Yasmeen is a rising singer-songwriter currently living in Los Angeles, CA. Her powerful vocal range and impressive songwriting have been on display with the release of her first 5 singles. She has been featured prominently on multiple Spotify Curated playlists and her current single Half of Me (Acoustic) is fast approaching 2 Million Streams on Spotify. She has also garnered great press during the past year including Earmilk, MissInfo, Vibe Magazine, Singers-Room, TIDAL, and Huffington Post. Apple Music has also proven to be a fan featuring her on Ebro’s Discovered on Beats1 Radio as well as their Chart Extra Show with Brooke Reese. Grammy winning superstar Ne-Yo took notice of Yasmeen, posting a video of Yasmeen to his Facebook page garnering over 500k views. Facebook: Yasmeen Instagram: yasmeen_music YouTube: Yameen Music Website: www.yasmeenonline.com Email: info@YasmeenOnline.com Support for this week’s episode of The Assyrian Podcast is brought to you by Ton…

Episode 63 - This week, we feature Marian Kaanon, President & Chief Executive Officer, of the Stanislaus Community Foundation. A first generation Assyrian-American, Marian Kaanon grew up in Modesto, California and graduated from UC Davis. In this episode she talks about her passion for community engagement, overcoming a language barrier and how the Assyrian nation has a call to action. Based in Modesto, Marian joined Stanislaus Community Foundation as their CEO in 2012. Stanislaus Community Foundation is a place-based funder that provides grants and scholarships to community organizations in Stanislaus County. To date, the organization has invested nearly $15 million in local nonprofits and over $2 million in scholarships to students. Marian’s Facebook: Marian Kaanon Marian’s Instagram: Marian Kaanon Email: mkaanon@stanislauscf.org Facebook: www.facebook.com/StanislausFoundation or www.stanislauscf.org

Episode 62 - Adrenna Alkhas is an author, college professor, wife, and mom. She has recently teamed up with Maryam Shamalta of Shamiram Media to offer a talk series aimed at serving women in various cities, bringing together Maryam’s work to empower Assyrian women and Adrenna’s book aimed at empowering young women, based on her book EmpowHer. In this episode she talks about family, feminism, and her hope for the future of the Assyrian nation. Support for this week’s episode of The Assyrian Podcast is brought to you by Tony Kalogerakos and the injury lawyers of Illinois and New York. If you know anyone that has been in a serious accident, please reach out to Tony Kalogerakos. Tony can be reached at InjuryRights.com or 847-982-9516.

Episode 61 - David Younan Australia’s David Younan is a Black Belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ), winning and placing in competitions all over the world, including the Australian and State Championships, Pan Pacific Championships, World Abu Dhabi Pro and the European Open. While David confesses he wasn’t the “perfect” student at school (in fact, far from it), he speaks about the people who changed and influenced his life, including another Assyrian champ @Beneil Dariush, and how they got him to where he is today - at the top of his sport and owner of Legends MMA & Fitness in the heart of Melbourne’s CBD. Social media handles: Instagram: @Davidyounan Facebook: Legends MMA & Fitness https://www.facebook.com/legendsmmafitness/

Episode 60 - Dr. Robby Edo is the founder of Rinyo Inc. You’ve likely heards the songs of Rinyo Toons on YouTube, filling the ears and mind of a child nearby with the sounds of our language in both dialects. Find out how the creative process behind Rinyo works, the inspiration behind it, and what you can expect to see and hear from them in the near future. Facebook: Rinyo YouTube: Rinyo Inc and Rinyo Toons Website: www.rinyo.org

Eidit Choochage

Episode 59 - On this episode we meet Eidit Choochage!@eidit_live2align She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) with over 12 years of experience working in the mental health field. She received a B.A. in Psychology from California State University, Northridge and Master's in Social Work (MSW) from the University of Southern California. She’s an expert at treating depression, anxiety, trauma, including grief and loss. Eidit helps interrupt patterns of psychological pain and suffering. She is passionate about helping people heal and transform their lives. After experiencing her own depression following multiple losses she transformed her pain and started her own business, LIVE 2 ALIGN. She offers counseling, coaching and mental health training services. Eidit will help you release the emotional pain you have been carrying and get you closer to the life you have always imagined for yourself! She is now accepting new clients. Follow her on social media for daily mental health and…

Episode 57 - Mark Elisha, who was diagnosed with MS at the age of 24. Born and raised in Dubai, Mark’s family moved to Australia after his diagnosis to seek the best possible course of treatment for him. Mark is an advocate for people with MS and is involved with a peer support group that helps Australians with MS find others who have the same struggles and provide support to each other. In this episode, he also talks about his job, his family, and what he’s looking forward to doing the most now that he lives in Australia. Link to the fundraising page: https://www.mswalk.org.au/index.cfm?fuseaction=donate.team&TeamID=8395 MS Get Involved Video https://www.facebook.com/MSGetInvolved/videos/542404892946800/

Episode 56 - John Alamshaw is a retired lieutenant of the Las Vegas police department and a retired private investigator. He tells us about his career in law enforcement and how he became the hero of the national bestselling book by John Huddy called “Storming Las Vegas: How a Cuban-Born, Soviet-Trained Commando Took Down the Strip to the Tune of Five World-Class Hotels, Three Armored Cars, and Millions of Dollars.” Email: ja56@cox.net Support for this week’s episode of The Assyrian Podcast is brought to you by Tony Kalogerakos and the injury lawyers of Illinois and New York. If you know anyone that has been in a serious accident, please reach out to Tony Kalogerakos. Tony has been recognized as a Top 40 lawyer, and a Rising Star by Super Lawyers Publication and has obtained multiple multi-million-dollar awards. Tony can be reached at InjuryRights.com or 847-982-9516.

Episode 55 - Malek Younan has been recognized as 2018’s number one residential real estate agent in Australia. This is a massive accomplishment, considering Malek was up against more than 53,000 other real estate agents across the country! Most recently, Malek’s accomplishments also saw him become director of his own agency. Find out what drives Malek to succeed both in his professional and personal life and what’s next in store. Facebook: Malek Younan Ray White Instagram: @Malekyounan01 Support for this week’s episode of The Assyrian Podcast is brought to you by Tony Kalogerakos and the injury lawyers of Illinois and New York. If you know anyone that has been in a serious accident, please reach out to Tony Kalogerakos. Tony has been recognized as a Top 40 lawyer, and a Rising Star by Super Lawyers Publication and has obtained multiple multi-million-dollar awards. Tony can be reached at InjuryRights.com or 847-982-9516.

Episode 54: Ever since she was a child herself, Mona Antwan has spoken up for other children. In 2017 she took another step toward her calling by establishing Mindfulness Leader. Currently a High School elective in Chicago, the program teaches students the art of mindfulness, to help students achieve a clear, and positive mindset. You can learn more at mindfulnessleader.org and follow Mindfulness Leader on Facebook and on IG @mindfulness_leader Support for this podcast comes from Tony Kalogerakos and the Injury Lawyers of Illinois and New York. If you know anyone that has been in a serious accident, please reach out to Tony Kalogerakos. Tony has been recognized as a Top 40 lawyer, and a Rising Star by Super Lawyers Publication and has obtained multiple multi-million-dollar awards. Tony can be reached at InjuryRights.com or 847-982-9516. Support also comes from John Oushana with HomeSmart International. Whether you are thinking about buying or selling Real Estate in Arizona or Califor…

Maryam Shamalta

Episode 53 - Maryam Shamalta is an Assyrian media personality and the founder of Shamiram Media, LLC: an independent Assyria media platform and video production company dedicated to promoting and preserving Assyrian heritage in diaspora and in Assyria. In this episode you’ll learn about Maryam’s life growing up in Iran and the Netherlands, how her talent was discovered, her journey in media and her plans for Shamiram Media. Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBFjDUdo_BxyI3SBUg_0XPQ/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shamirammedia/ Instagram: @shamirammedia Sponsors: Tony Kalogerakos and the injury lawyers of Illinois and New York. If you know anyone that has been in a serious accident, please reach out to Tony Kalogerakos. Tony has been recognized as a Top 40 lawyer, and a Rising Star by Super Lawyers Publication and has obtained multiple multi-million-dollar awards. Tony can be reached at InjuryRights.com or 847-982-9516. John Oushana with HomeSmart International. Wh…

Adessa Kiryakos

Episode 52 - Adessa Kiryakos is the co-founder of the Assyrian Podcast and serves on the board of the Bet Nahrain Assyrian Heritage Centre. In this episode you’ll learn about her educational journey and how it led to her relocation and career path, her love for music, and how her journey to Bet Nahrain changed the course of her life in more ways than one. Email: aekiryakos@gmail.com Support for this week’s episode of The Assyrian Podcast is brought to you by Tony Kalogerakos and the injury lawyers of Illinois and New York. If you know anyone that has been in a serious accident, please reach out to Tony Kalogerakos. Tony has been recognized as a Top 40 lawyer, and a Rising Star by Super Lawyers Publication and has obtained multiple multi-million-dollar awards. Tony can be reached at InjuryRights.com or 847-982-9516. Support also comes from John Oushana with HomeSmart. Whether you are thinking about purchasing or selling your home either in Arizona or California, contact John Oush…

Episode 51 - Steve Netniss is the founder of the Assyrian Podcast and the author of, “Potential: The Assyrian Quest for Identity: What Does It Mean to Be an Assyrian from a Christian Perspective?”. He currently resides in the Bay Area, California and works as a technology specialist. In this episode you will learn about life growing up in Turlock, Steve’s spiritual journey, and what led him to create his book and the podcast. Email: steve@stevenetniss.com Website: www.stevenetniss.com Book: https://www.amazon.com/POTENTIAL-Assyrian-Identity-Christian-perspective/dp/0692500626 Support for this week’s episode of The Assyrian Podcast is brought to you by Tony Kalogerakos and the injury lawyers of Illinois and New York. If you know anyone that has been in a serious accident, please reach out to Tony Kalogerakos. Tony has been recognized as a Top 40 lawyer, and a Rising Star by Super Lawyers Publication and has obtained multiple multi-million-dollar awards. Tony can be reached a…

Reliving the 1st Year Assyrian Podcast

How did the Assyrian Podcast get started? What are we about? Find out on this episode as we tell the story of the first year of the Assyrian Podcast. We’ll learn from our co-founders, Steve & Adessa, how this thing got started, where it went, and where it will go. Thank you to everyone who has been apart of this amazing journey. It has been a blast and we look forward to more episodes of the Assyrian Podcast. The Assyrian Podcast is brought to you by Tony Kalogerakos and the injury lawyers of Illinois and New York. If you know anyone that has been in a serious accident, please reach out to Tony Kalogerakos. Tony has been recognized as a Top 40 lawyer, and a Rising Star by Super Lawyers Publication and has obtained multiple multi-million-dollar awards. Tony can be reached at InjuryRights.com or 847-982-9516. Thank you to John Oushana from HomeSmart for sponsoring the Assyrian podcast. Whether you are thinking about purchasing or selling your home either in Arizona or California, con…

Episode 49 - Brother Awgin is one of the first monks of the Assyrian Church of the East since over 700 years ago. Brother Awgin resides in Phoenix, AZ where his monastic life at St. Peter’s Sub-committee Charity Missionary and Education Center includes prayers, woodwork projects, meditation, fasting, discipleship, ministry, refugee assistance, drug addiction support, prison ministry, healing ministry, family counseling, Assyrian language classes, and religion and history of the church classes. Facebook: @ALmashraqe Facebook Group: The Light from the East YouTube: The Light from the East Email: acaw81@gmail.com Support for this week’s episode of The Assyrian Podcast is brought to you by Tony Kalogerakos and the injury lawyers of Illinois and New York. If you know anyone that has been in a serious accident, please reach out to Tony Kalogerakos. Tony has been recognized as a Top 40 lawyer, and a Rising Star by Super Lawyers Publication and has obtained multiple multi-million-doll…

Episode 48 - Dr. Mariana Markos is an Assyrian Artist and Dentist who is originally from Ankawa but is currently living in Bonn Her family left Iraq because of the political situation and has been living in Germany since 1997. For her, both Dentistry and Painting, are forms of Art. Especially the destruction of ancient Assyrian artifact inspire Mariana to preserve her heritage by painting Assyrian symbols.

Alexander David

Alexander Paul David – Has been an active member of the Assyrian Democratic Movement (Zowaa) since 2009. He is the Illinois Sector Director of the Movement, and participated in the 8th conference of the Assyrian Democratic Movement, which took place on March 2017 in Dohuk, Iraq. He is a Co-Founder and Board Member of the Nineveh Plain Defense Fund, a direct funding organization for the Nineveh Plain Protection Units (NPU). Born and raised in Chicago, Illinois, Alex graduated from DePaul University with a BS in Accountancy and is an avid golfer in his spare time. Email: apdavid0330@gmail.com Twitter: @APDavid33 The Assyrian Podcast is brought to you by Tony Kalogerakos and the injury lawyers of Illinois and New York. If you know anyone that has been in a serious accident, please reach out to Tony Kalogerakos. Tony has been recognized as a Top 40 lawyer, and a Rising Star by Super Lawyers Publication and has obtained multiple multi-million-dollar awards. Tony can be reached at Injur…

Kathryn Pauline

Episode 46 - Kathryn Pauline, of Cardamom and Tea, is a world-renowned food blogger. Her blog was a 2018 finalist for Saveur’s Best Food and Culture Blog award and was featured on Amsterdam Diary’s Top 20 Up and Coming Food Blogs in 2018. In this episode you will learn about Kathryn’s life in Hong Kong and how her passion for baking and cooking led her to create Cardamom and Tea, where she shares Assyrian inspired dishes with the world. Website: www.cardamomandtea.com Facebook: cardamomandtea Instagram: @cardamom.and.tea Support for this week’s episode of The Assyrian Podcast is brought to you by Tony Kalogerakos and the injury lawyers of Illinois and New York. If you know anyone that has been in a serious accident, please reach out to Tony Kalogerakos. Tony has been recognized as a Top 40 lawyer, and a Rising Star by Super Lawyers Publication and has obtained multiple multi-million-dollar awards. Tony can be reached at InjuryRights.com or 847-982-9516.

Lisa & Jacob David

Episode 45 - Lisa and Jacob David are siblings who own/operate the Nineveh Assyrian Food Truck in Olympia, Washington. In this episode, you’ll learn about their family lineage and growing up Assyrian and Jewish, life in Toledo, Ohio and the move to Olympia, and their experiences running their business that allows them to share a piece of our culture with people every day. www.nineveholympia.com IG: @ninevehassyrianfoodtruck FB: www.facebook.com/nineveholympia Support for this week’s episode of The Assyrian Podcast is brought to you by Tony Kalogerakos and the injury lawyers of Illinois and New York. If you know anyone that has been in a serious accident, please reach out to Tony Kalogerakos. Tony has been recognized as a Top 40 lawyer, and a Rising Star by Super Lawyers Publication and has obtained multiple multi-million-dollar awards. Tony can be reached at InjuryRights.com or 847-982-9516.

Abboud Zeitoune

Episode 44 - Abboud Zeitoune is the author of the Assyrian books,“Music Pearls of Bethnahrin”, “Modern Assyrian Music” and others. He has properly documented modern Assyrian music spanning over the last 100 years - an invaluable gift for our nation. He was born in Syria, grew up in Lebanon and fled to Germany as a young man, where he currently resides. He is in the process of working on a book about the Father of Assyrian Nationalism, Naum Faik. He is the chairman of the Mor Afrem Foundation, former chairman of the Assyrian Beth-Nahrin Culture and Sport Association in Wiesbaden and a long time member of the Assyrian Democratic Party. In this episode you will learn about Abboud’s life, what has led him to produce such books, and their importance. Website: www.abboudzeitoune.com Buy Christmas gifts for children in Nineveh: https://www.crowdrise.com/o/en/campaign/christmas-in-nineveh Support for this week’s episode of The Assyrian Podcast is brought to you by Tony Kalogerak…

Episode 43 - Evan Yako is a multi-talented session drummer, drum teacher, and recording artist. He is the founder of the “Healing Through Evan Yako’s Drumming” program, that helps to heal the trauma of school-aged refugees through music. He owns his own recording studio in Fairfield, Sydney, Real Rhythm Studio, where he has produced music for national and international artists, records and teaches music, does community work, and holds dance classes in his studio. In this episode you will learn more about how Evan’s passion for drumming led him to creating this therapy music program. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/evan.yako.3 YouTube: Evan Yako Twitter: evan_yako Instagram: evanyako Website: https://www.realrhythmstudio.com/evan-yako/ Buy Christmas gifts for children in Nineveh: https://www.crowdrise.com/o/en/campaign/christmas-in-nineveh Support for this week’s episode of The Assyrian Podcast is brought to you by Tony Kalogerakos and the injury lawyers of Illinois…

Christina Abraham

Episode 42 - A vivid tale of up-close, government injustice in Bahrain is just one of the highlights in our discussion with immigration lawyer Christina Abraham. We discuss her path into law, and choosing a perhaps less glamorous, yet satisfying field of law. You can read more about Christina and her law practice at abrahamlaw.co Support the Etuti institute by buying Christmas gifts for children in Nineveh: https://www.crowdrise.com/o/en/campaign/christmas-in-nineveh Support for this week’s episode of The Assyrian Podcast is brought to you by Tony Kalagorakos and the injury lawyers of Illinois and New York. If you know anyone that has been in a serious accident, please reach out to Tony Kalogerakos. Tony has been recognized as a Top 40 lawyer, and a Rising Star by Super Lawyers Publication and has obtained multiple multi-million-dollar awards. Tony can be reached at InjuryRights.com or 847-982-9516.

Episode 41 - Nardin Hermiz, RN, BSN, Certified Medical Aesthetic Injector. Live longer by listening to today’s episode. Nardin is committed to creating a unique environment where her clients can explore different aspects of medical aesthetics. She tailors each service to her client’s distinctive features in a manner that will enhance their natural beauty. Nardin graduated with honors from nursing school in the Chicago-land area. Since then she has worked alongside a prestigious team of healthcare providers at Banner University Medical Center’s Trauma and Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit. Her advanced experiences have allowed her to meet each of her client’s individual needs through empathetic appreciation. Now as the owner of Uptown Medispa – Arrowhead Nardin is excited to bring her talents and expertise to the northwest valley. Phone: 224.678.8526 https://www.facebook.com/uptownarrowhead The Assyrian Podcast is brought to you by Tony Kalagorakos and the injury lawyers o…

Episode 40 - Ramos Jakob is a musician and producer who’s talent has gotten him to perform in front of millions on Australia’s hit TV show, “All Together Now.” Ramos has performed in and produced several music videos reaching over 500,000 views on YouTube. He just finished wrapping up a tribute video, “Made for Now” which led him to get a shoutout from the iconic Janet Jackson. In this episode you will learn more about Ramos’ work that he has done in the past years by combining his talent with music and the Assyrian culture. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ramosj.ramosj.50 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClWVROhhAUGxHlbvGj_AM4A Instagram: ramosjofficial Twitter: ramosjofficial Support for this week’s episode of The Assyrian Podcast is brought to you by Tony Kalagorakos and the injury lawyers of Illinois and New York. If you know anyone that has been in a serious accident, please reach out to Tony Kalogerakos. Tony has been recognized as a Top 40 lawyer…

Dr. Helen Malko

Episode 39 - Dr. Helen Malko is an Archaeologist and Anthropologist, working at Columbia University in New York City. In this episode you’ll learn about her life growing up in Iraq and the circumstances that brought her to the US, her love for history, archaeology, and anthropology and how it led to her vocation, as well as how acts of cultural genocide affect our collective and cultural memory. You can connect with her at h_malko@yahoo.com.

Demeel Khananishoo

Episode 38 - In the first Assyrian Podcast recorded in Australia, we speak to Demeel Khananishoo, co-founder of @TheCryptoClass. Demeel left the corporate world to kick start a career in all things cryptocurrency, including his media channel which focuses on spreading awareness of blockchain and communicating great cryptocurrency projects to the world. For more information visit: https://www.facebook.com/TheCryptoClass1/

Patrick Bet-David

Episode 37 - Patrick Bet-David is an entrepreneur who has launched several businesses. He launched a financial firm (PHP Agency) that has over 8,000 agents in roughly 49 states. He’s the host of the #1 channel on youtube for Entrepreneurs called Valuetainment. His video “The life of an Entrepreneur in 90 seconds” has over 31,000,000 views. He’s interviewed Mike Ditka, Mark Cuban, Ric Flair, Vanilla Ice, Jordan Belfort, Kevin Hart, and Magic Johnson. Now he’s on the Assyrian podcast. Enjoy the show! Support for this week’s episode of The Assyrian Podcast is brought to you by Tony Kalagorakos and the injury lawyers of Illinois and New York. If you know anyone that has been in a serious accident, please reach out to Tony Kalogerakos. Tony has been recognized as a Top 40 lawyer, and a Rising Star by Super Lawyers Publication and has obtained multiple multi-million-dollar awards. Tony can be reached at InjuryRights.com or 847-982-9516. Sponsor John Oushana from HomeSmart Inter…

Rabel Betshmuel

Episode 36 - Rabel Betshmuel is an artist who blends modern design with ancient Assyrian art. We discuss his early journey to the United States, his beginnings in art, what inspires him, and what he is doing to nurture and grow the next generation of Assyrian artists. His work can be found on Facebook and Instagram @rabelbetshmuel and at rabelbetshmuel.com

Episode 35 — Dan Shomon is a government consultant and strategist in Illinois. He served as an aide and advisor to then Senator Barack Obama from 1997 to 2006. In this episode, we talk about his grandfather’s migration story, his parents, politics, and his week long trip across Illinois with Obama. https://www.danshomon.com/

Episode 34 - Julian Ibrahim is the co-founder of Assyrian Dishes, alongside her husband, Fadi. She is passionate about preserving and providing resources to an important part of Assyrian culture: food! Her goal is to make Assyrian cooking as easy as possible, and to help anyone from young Assyrians moving out of their home to experienced cooks looking to try a new dish, and everyone in between. To access her recipes in both text and short step by step videos, visit: www.assyriandishes.com Thank you Tony Kalogerakos and the Injury Lawyers of Illinois and New York for sponsoring this episode. If you know anyone that has been in a serious accident, please reach out to Tony Kalogerakos. Tony has been recognized as a Top 40 lawyer, and a Rising Star by Super Lawyers Publication and has obtained multiple multi-million-dollar awards. Tony can be reached at InjuryRights.com or 847-982-9516.

Hannibal Travis

Episode 33 - Hannibal Travis teaches and conducts research in the fields of cyberlaw, intellectual property, antitrust, international and comparative law, and human rights. He’s written numerous books about Assyrians and in this episode we talk about his latest book: Genocide, Ethnonationalism, and the United Nations: Exploring the Causes of Mass Killing Since 1945. For more information visit: https://www.routledge.com/9781138284950 (use 20% discount code FLR40) To order a review copy please visit http://pages.email.taylorandfrancis.com/review-copy-request Here is a link to his contact information: https://www.amazon.com/Hannibal-Travis/e/B0030G6KR8 Thank you Tony Kalogerakos and the Injury Lawyers of Illinois and New York for sponsoring this episode. If you know anyone that has been in a serious accident, please reach out to Tony Kalogerakos. Tony has been recognized as a Top 40 lawyer, and a Rising Star by Super Lawyers Publication and has obtained multiple multi-million-dollar…

Episode 32 - Billy Haido is a board member and former President of the Assyrian Athletic Club, a former Community Relations Commissioner of Niles, a member of the Economic Development Commission of Skokie, a co-founder of Vote Assyrian and the Executive Producer of four Assyrian films including 2016’s Basamtit Reesha. Billy’s support of the Assyrian community manifests itself through the arts, athletics and community service, all while he maintains a career in IT. https://www.assyrianfilms.com/ https://www.facebook.com/basamtitreesha/

Dr. Mona Hanna Attisha

Episode 31 - In this episode, we hear from Dr. Mona Hanna Attisha, a pediatrician, professor, and public health advocate whose research exposed the Flint water crisis. Her research revealed children were exposed to dangerous levels of lead in Flint, Michigan. In this episode, she talks about her family, her work, and her book What the Eyes Don't See.

Episode 30 - Paul Batou, a native Assyrian Iraqi artist, received a degree in pharmacy in 1982 from the University of Baghdad. While in school, Batou worked and was inspired by many teachers and artists studying at the University. In 1980, he had his first art show in Baghdad. During his years spent in Baghdad, Paul Batou placed his art in several galleries, learned to play the guitar, and was forced into service for the Iraq-Iran war as a medic. In 1989, he left Iraq with his family and moved to Los Angeles. In the United States, Batou continues to create art and write poems that inspire all those close to him. www.paulbatou.com

Episode 29 - Efrem Yildiz was elected in 2017 to serve as Vice Chancellor of the University of Salamanca in Salamanca, Spain. He was previously the Chair of Hebrew and Aramaic Studies at the University of Salamanca's Department of Languages. Though he specializes in Semitic languages, he is fluent in Spanish, English, French, German, Italian, Hebrew, Turkish, and modern Aramaic. He obtained his Bachelor's Degree in Philosophy, two degrees in Ecclesiastical and Biblical Studies, and his Doctorate in Biblical Theology. An ethnic Assyrian from the village of Harbule in southeastern Turkey, he has written extensively on Assyrian heritage and identity. @efremyildiz efremy@usal.es http://facultadfilologia.usal.es/la-facultad/profesores/efrem-yildiz-sadak

Tony Kalogerakos

Episode 28 - Tony Kalogerakos is a lawyer at the Injury Lawyers of Illinois, and President of the Assyrian-American Bar Association which he helped co-found in 2017. His desire to work in the legal world came early on in life, and provided the perfect platform for him to give back and help the Assyrian community. He works to cultivate more Assyrian lawyers through the Assyrian-American Bar Association, to better represent the needs of the Assyrian community.

Episode 27 --Meet Noor Matti -- one of the founders of Shlama Foundation and a former Michigan resident, who in 2008, looking for purpose, direction, and happiness, left his life in the suburbs of Detroit and found it all in Ankawa, Iraq, where he currently resides.

Episode 26 - This week we hear from Tatiyana Shaba of Sydney, Australia. Tatiyana is a HUGE soccer fan, and amongst other things, is a presenter for COPA90, a media platform dedicated to celebrating soccer and its fans. We also discuss twitter as a means to connecting the Assyrian diaspora and much more! You can connect with Tatiyana at @tatiyanayitat.

Episode 25 - Simo Parpola, Professor Emeritus of Assyriology at the University of Helsinki. Dr. Parpola received his PhD in Assyriology from the University of Helsinki in 1971. The main focus of his research has been on the study of the Neo-Assyrian Empire in all its aspects, but he has contributed to a number of studies, including that of modern Assyrian identity. He also taught at the University of Chicago, and contributed to the university's Chicago Assyrian Dictionary project until its completion. Dr. Parpola is internationally recognized as one of the foremost scholars on ancient Assyria, and has a long and impressive list of publications on various topics in Assyriology and Assyrian identity.

Alice Abraham & Liz Baley

Episode 24 - In this episode, we hear from two long time Flint, Michigan residents, Alice Abraham and Liz Baley, whose parents were an integral part of growing the community in Flint starting in the 1930’s. Alice and Liz talk about various memories of Assyrians in Flint during the Great Depression and beyond and what became of the once flourishing Assyrian community.

Episode 23 - Reine Hanna is a Co-Founder and Director of the Assyrian Policy Institute. Together with a dedicated team at the policy institute, Reine helps raise awareness of Assyrian issues, and advocates for the Assyrian homeland by guiding and influencing U.S policy. Much of that advocacy began when Reine co-authored the human rights report “Erasing Assyrians,” which catalogued - in detail - her trip to Iraq in 2016 and 2017. In May, 2018 the first ever Assyrian Policy Conference took place in Washington D.C. Reine now splits her time between her hometown of Skokie, IL and working with policy makers in Washington D.C. https://www.assyrianpolicy.org Twitter: @AssyrianPolicy Instagram: @AssyrianPolicy Facebook: Assyrian Policy Institute

Nicholas Al-Jeloo

Episode 22 - This week we hear from Dr. Nicholas Al-Jeloo, the founder of The Assyria Institute (www.facebook.com/AssyriaInstitute). You’ll learn about his journey in pursuing a PhD in Syriac Studies at the University of Sydney, what The Assyria Institute aims to do, as well as his findings and experiences in traveling to the Middle East and documenting precious parts of Assyrian history. You can connect with him at nicholas.aljeloo@gmail.com

Episode 21 - Ben Eil Dariush! The Assyrian Lion, Beneil Khobier Dariush is an Iranian-born Assyrian-American professional mixed martial artist who competes in the Lightweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Dariush began training Brazilian jiu-jitsu in 2007, earning his black belt in just five years. He was a highly decorated competitor, becoming a no gi world champion as a blue, purple and brown belt. During the first three and a half years of his career, he went undefeated with six wins and no losses. He finished all but one of those wins. http://www.sherdog.com/fighter/Beneil-Dariush-56583 https://twitter.com/beneildariush?lang=en https://www.instagram.com/beneildariush/?hl=en https://www.facebook.com/beneildariushmma/

Episode 20 - This week we hear from Reni Stephan, an Assyrian artist, from the Metro Detroit area. Reni focuses on sculptures and oil paintings and he is responsible for the art work displayed inside Ishtar Restaurant in Sterling Heights, MI. You’ll hear Reni talk about his inspirations, past projects, and dreams for the Assyrian arts and the community of artists in this episode. You can learn more about his work via his Facebook page www.facebook.com/reni.stephan Finally, a thank you to our sponsor John Oushana from HomeSmart. Whether you are thinking about purchasing or selling your home either in Arizona or California, contact John Oushana Real Estate Professional at 209-968-9519, on Facebook @JohnOushanaRealtor, or @John.Oushana on Instagram.

Episode 19 - This week we hear from Dr. Evette Haddad, the president of the Bet Nahrain Assyrian Heritage Centre (www.betnahrainahc.com). You'll learn about her PhD research, her work in the Assyrian community, and her experience raising a bicultural family. You can connect with Evette at evette@betnahrainahc.com.

Andrew Davoodian

Episode 18 - Dr. Andrew Davoodian, MD, MBA, was born in Los Angeles and raised in Central California in the Assyrian-dense city of Turlock. He completed his undergraduate studies in Integrative Biology with an emphasis on Human Biology at the University of California, Berkeley. At UC Berkeley, he created, lectured and directed courses in Modern Assyrian Culture, Introduction to Neo-Assyrian/Neo-Aramaic (INANA), and Assyrian Dance–the first such courses on Modern Assyrian Studies at a major academic research university. He also helped advance an “Assyrian/Chaldean” checkbox for the world’s largest educational system, the University of California admissions application, making for the largest-scale state demographic recognition of the Assyrian identity. He then earned his Masters in Business Administration at the Johnson Graduate School of Management with a graduate minor in Real Estate at The School of Hotel Administration at the SC Johnson College of Business at Cornell Univers…

Episode 17 - Born in Madison Heights, MI, Sargon “Seggie” Isho attended Indiana University as a trumpet player. He joined Straight No Chaser, an a cappella singing group associated with the University. In 2009, Straight No Chaser was signed with Atlantic Records, which has been home to artists like Aretha Franklin, Led Zepplin, Bruno Mars, and Ed Sheeran. With 6 studio albums, Straight No Chaser has toured the world and performed on The Today Show as well as Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. For information about tour dates and performances, you can visit www.sncmusic.com

Episode 16 - This week we hear from Aneki Nissan, the founder of the Centre for Canadian-Assyrian Relations (www.ccarofficial.com). You’ll learn more about the work he and the CCAR are doing, including a documentary titled, "The Forgotten Assyrians of Canada." You can connect with Aneki at anissan@gmail.com. If you like what you are hearing on the Assyrian Podcast, please subscribe and review wherever you listen to the podcast. Also, a shout out to our sponsor John Oushana from HomeSmart. Whether you are thinking about purchasing or selling your home either in Arizona or California, contact John Oushana Real Estate Professional at 209-968-9519, on Facebook @JohnOushanaRealtor, or @John.Oushana on Instagram. www.assyrianpodcast.com

Episode 15 - Joseph Hermiz is a first-generation Assyrian-American. Both of Joseph's parents left the Middle East as refugees in the midst of persecution and political upheaval. He attended Arizona State University and graduated with a BA in History and Religious Studies. He served on the board of the Assyrian American Cultural Organization of Arizona from December 2012 to September 2014. He is currently a second-year PhD student in the Department of Near Eastern Languages & Civilizations at the University of Chicago. His research focuses on Assyrians in the late Ottoman Empire (18th to early 20th century) and in Modern Middle Eastern history. Joseph completed his Masters degree at the University of Chicago in 2016, writing on the development of modern Assyrian identity in the 19th century. Arianne Ishaya's book: https://www.amazon.com/Familiar-Faces-Unfamiliar-Places-California-ebook/dp/B079JP7PXF/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1527571485&sr=1-1 The Wilsonian Moment: https://…

Episode 14 - Nathan Kalasho, a Michigan resident, who at the age of 31 is the founder of KEYS, which stands for Kalasho Empowerment of Young Scholars. Nathan and his family opened KEYS Grace Academy in Madison Heights, MI in 2015, and this school is special because in addition to core subjects, it offers an Assyrian language class and it incorporates various cultural components in its classrooms. This is the only K-12 school of its kind in the United States, and you’ll hear Nathan talk about the future plans for KEYS in terms of expansion across Michigan as well as other states. Like what you're hearing? Rate and reviews on the iTunes or Google Play store. Don't forget to subscribe and tell a friend.

Episode 13 - This week we hear from May Ishak, the wife of the Assyrian martyr, Youbert Benyamin. You’ll hear about her life growing up in Iraq and later fleeing oppression to create a new life in Canada. Like what you're hearing? Rate and reviews on the iTunes or Google Play store. Don't forget to subscribe and tell a friend.

Episode 12 - Born in London, England in 1982, he and his family emigrated to Los Angeles when he was 7 years old. He earned his Juris Doctor at Loyola University Law School in Los Angeles and a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics from the University of California Berkeley. For the past several years, he worked as an attorney at a boutique litigation firm in downtown Los Angeles. In the next month, he will be launching his own private law practice out of Los Angeles. Previously, he had served as Vice President of the Assyrian American Association of Southern California from 2014-2016 and as a volunteer in different Assyrian projects. He was elected President of the Association in 2016 and was re-elected to a second term in January 2018. Founded on August 1964, the Assyrian American Association of Southern California is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization whose broad mission is to serve and advance the Assyrian-American community by concentrating on a wide spectrum of areas such as cultur…

Episode 11 - This week we hear from Michael Youash, a PhD candidate in Political Science at the University of Toronto. He is part of the Assyrian Global (Self) Governance Mandate and is the Secretary for the Nineveh Plain Defense Fund (https://ninevehplaindefensefund.org/). You'll learn more about his life in politics and current projects, as well as his experience raising a bi-cultural family. You can connect with Michael at myouash@gmail.com

Kevin Markarian

Episode 10 - Kevin Markarian joins the Assyrian Podcast and tells us all about his journey. Founded in 2014, Marker Real Estate achieved rapid success as one of the nation’s most innovative companies. Word is spreading in industry circles about Marker’s unique approach to digital marketing communications via a transparent, inclusive client-focused strategy. Email Kevin here: kevinmarkarian@markersf.com or look him up on social media!

Episode 9 - This week we hear from Nadia Younan, a PhD candidate at the University of Toronto in Ethnomusicology looking at Assyrian music. You’ll learn about how she selected her PhD topic, her findings thus far, and how it has been like growing up first-generation Canadian with Assyrian & Italian heritage. You can connect with her at nadia.younan@mail.utoronto.ca.

Episode 8 - On this week's episode we get to meet Ray Markarian in the Assyrian trunks (boxing). Ray grew up in Modesto California and currently live in San Francisco where he is a Real Estate Agent, writer, producer, and LOVES boxing! Ray has written for the Sweet Science and also the Bleacher report. We had a great time getting to know Ray and we know you will too. Find him on twitter or instagram @raymarkarian.

Rosemary Georges

Episode 7 - This week’s episode we hear from Rosemary Georges who is of the Syriac Orthodox faith and her journey coming to the Assyrian identity, the challenges she’s faced with marrying someone of a different Christian sect, and about her dissertation covering mental health in the midst of the Syria conflict. You can connect with her on Facebook at Rosemary Georges or through email at rosieyachouh@gmail.com.

Episode 6 - This week we hear from Mar Awa Royel, Bishop of the Assyrian Church of the East overseeing California. I had a blast at his home, getting to know him better and I know you'll enjoy as well. Add him on social media: https://www.facebook.com/marawa.royel

Lidia Bit-Yunan

Episode 5 - This week we hear from Lidia Bit-Yunan, Co-founder and COO of Set Scouter (https://www.setscouter.com/). You’ll learn about how she co-founded her company, growing up in Kazakhstan, and how she rekindled her love for being Assyrian. You can connect with her on any social media outlets at: Lidia Bit-Yunan or lidiabityunan@gmail.com Find Lidia @lidiabetyunan @setscouter

Episode 4 - Get to know the Assyrian activist Savina Dawood. You'll get to hear more about her story and also the etuti institute which provides opportunities in the Assyrian homeland. Check out www.etuti.org

Episode 3 - Jay Mirza joins the Assyrian Podcast. Jay wrote a book called, 'The Assyrian Dream'. Check it out on amazon!

Martin Youmaran

Episode 2 - On this episode I interviewed Martin Youmaran. He is the president of the Assyrian American National Federation (aanf.org) His instagram handle is silverfox121 or you can add him on Facebook. Great guy to talk to and learn more about!

Episode 1 - Linda George joins us on the Assyrian Podcast!

Assyrian Podcast - Trailer Episode