Assyrian Podcast

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. Tony has been recognized

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 InjuryRights.com or 847-9

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 WSP USA Support for thi

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.

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 been recognized as a Top 40 lawy

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 multi-million-dollar award

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 to their homeland to

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 847-982-9516. 

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, hosts Assyrian speakers on camp

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. 

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 Super Lawyers

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 for children in Nepal. Support

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: A progressive and pragma

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 also brought to you by John Oushana, J

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-dollar awards. Tony can be

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 you by John Oushana, John i