Mississippi Masala (1991)
society + culture
The Global Solidarity from Hazlitt, by Rollie Pemberton and Fariha Roisin who is one of my favorite contemporary writers of all time (!!!) — they discuss her book Who is Wellness For. In the book, Roisin critiques the West’s monopolization and co-opting of traditional and indigenous traditions of healing and wellness. The book is so timely…. and it fills up so much space in the heart.
From Lithub, this article, Not Just a German Word: A Brief History of Schadenfreude, is very thought-provoking as it explores the phenomena that is Schadenfreude, which is the pleasure one feels when they witness the downfall of others. The author argues we are living in the “age of schadenfreude”, where satisfaction over the misfortune of others has become widespread and normalized.
I can't say my own name': The pain of language loss in families from BBC.
world politics + current events
Europe’s Money-for-Migrants scheme is Buying Human Rights Abuses in Tunisia from New Lines Magazine. This piece is a necessary read to understand the ways that Europe has been covertly fueling the anti-migrant and anti-black policies migrant crisis in the Mediterranean in Tunisia (tw: death).
France Protests Over Nahel Merzouk Police Killing Stem From History of Racism and Colonialism from Teen Vogue by Romaissa Benzizoune.
Everyone Knew the Migrant Ship Was Doomed. No One Helped from NYT. This piece makes me sick. Imagining how helpless these migrants must have felt, reading first-hand accounts from survivors, seeing how racism and Arab-supremacy played such a strong role in determining in who lived or not… nothing short of disturbing.
“It burns wild and free up there’: Canada fires force US crews to shift strategy” from The Guardian. Okay, being someone who has worked closely with emergency management experts on the US-side for the last year (it’s my job)…. this article made so much sense. I remember how the smog from the Canadian wildfires ruined several days for us on the Upper East coast of the States. It felt horrible. This article investigates the flaws and failures in Canada’s disaster response strategies.
art + film
“Scoop” is an Indian crime show on Netflix. I honestly love most Indian crime shows that is released on Netflix India. My outstanding favorites are Sacred Games and Delhi Crime — but this show stands out as it focuses on a trailblazing female journalist who is working in the corrupt world of crime reporting in Mumbai.
“The Exchange” is a new Kuwaiti series set in the 70s-80s. It follows two women who navigate the male-dominated industry of investment banking.
“The Cage”, another Kuwaiti series that highlights a conflicted marriage counselor and his troubled clients.
“Amal Faten Harby” (Netflix) — is an Egyptian series, a long one at that. It is a heavy-hearted show that might get you enraged at some points but the scenes of the main character, Amal, being supported by her supportive female friends is quite the lovely sight. Amal navigates oppressive Sharia court rulings in Egypt as she battles a violent divorce case.
“Anotherself” — this is probably one of my favorite Turkish shows to date. A female friend group come together to go on a spiritual journey to heal intergenerational traumatic wounds embedded in their genetic memory, on a coastal Mediterranean town in Turkiye. The show is inspired by the findings in the book “It Didn’t Start With You” by Mark Wolynn.
Other Turkish film genre things I have watched recently which I would rate a solid 10 out of 10: As the Crow Flies, The Tailor, Who Where We Running From?, Love Tactics, , You Do You, My Father’s Violin.
environment + climate + agriculture
From New Towns to new countries: the overlooked history of masterplanning Arabia from Building Design. This piece explores the colonial influences of the UK and US on urban planning and architectural paradigms in the Arabian Gulf.
Innovators in the Gulf Envision Traditional Ways to Reduce Reliance on Air Conditioning from New Lines Magazine.
The growing influence of corporations on the governance of food systems, and how to counter it from iPES Food.
“Genetic havoc”: Five reasons to be concerned about gene-edited teff from African Arguments. Million Belay, an Ethiopian advocate for forestry conservation, indigenous livelihoods and food and seed sovereignty, prompts the interrogation of a new variety of Teff created by the USDA. The US agency formulated a “semi-dwarf” version of the grain native to Ethiopia+Eritrea, but Belay argues that the genetic modifications made to the USDA-version raises a variety of ethical concerns.
faith + spirituality
How Andrew Tate and the Far Right Made Common Cause with Islamists from New Lines Magazine
How the Qur’an Can Become Your Best Friend and Life Companion from Amaliah
Saudi Arabia Wants Tourists. It Didn’t Expect Christians from NYT. Subheading reads “In a fluid new age for the conservative Islamic kingdom, evangelicals have become some of its most enthusiastic visitors..”
Mia Khalifa’s icon status reveals the limits of intersectional feminism from The New Arab
Why Popular Muslim figures facing serious allegations escape accountability from Middle East Eye
music
Okay, confession: I have been listening to the Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara track list nonstop in anticipation of a family Spain trip I have coming up. It prompted me to rewatch the movie too, which is an undeniable classic. My favorite is Senorita, which I loved so much that it played at my wedding haha.
food + recipes
note: don’t deep the title of this newsletter, I was meaning to send this out earlier in the month. I plan on sharing my favorite things more consistently on a weekly basis, with occasional written posts like this one. Feel free to share with me what you found interesting! Stay tuned and thank you.
Mahmoud Darwish, Think of Others
I like the art and film recommendations.