Guest Feature: Nader Ihmoud
One happy thing up top before we get started: The NBA playoffs are here!
And who’s excited about it? This guy!
The Boston Celtics take on the Atlanta Hawks in Game 1 of their first-round matchup Saturday, April 15th at 3:30pm EST.
And let’s be real, the Celtics are winning it all this year. It’s our time!
Okay friends, let’s get right into it. I am so excited to introduce this week’s guest feature: Nader Ihmoud!
Nader is a journalist, ball player, educator and insurance agent based in Chicago. His family’s roots stem from Palestine. His mother’s family was forced out of Ellar and her father resettled in Turmusaya near Ramallah where she met Nader’s father.
He received his broadcast journalism degree from Columbia College Chicago. It was his intention to become a sports reporter, but once he experienced censorship for his writing about Palestine, Ihmoud was inspired to create his own publication.
Ihmoud launched Palestine in America—a print and digital magazine that highlights Palestinians who are thriving in the United States—in 2014. Most recently, they printed the Film Edition featuring Cherien Dabis and Lexi Alexander. The magazine has also published sports, music and politics editions, which are accompanied by podcast episodes that Ihmoud hosts.
The next edition Ihmoud is working on will center around the Palestinian national baseball team, which Nader has been a part of since the team’s inception in 2021. A large portion of the team is based in the United States because of the Nakba. Ihmoud plays second base and outfield and serves as the team’s media liaison. He also did play-by-play announcing for the team during their run in the West Asia Cup where the team finished in second place and qualified for the Asia Cup later this year.
A fierce advocate for Palestine and an avid Bulls fan (much to my chagrin as a Celtics fan), Nader continues to be instrumental in cultivating a community for Palestinians across the United States. A true friend in every sense of the word, I had to have him come through to share some of his go-to songs:
1. What is your favorite song right now?
“Ferdy” by Emsallam and Dave Coresh’s “Driveway”.
Lately, these two songs are on repeat during my commute to the office or picking up my daughter Jenin from daycare. “Ferdy” is a gritty Arabic rap song, which I stumbled upon while gathering intel for the last music edition Palestine in America published.
Dave Coresh’s vibe is totally different from Emsallam. Dave's sound reminds me of The Black Kids whom I discovered the first time I attended Lollapalooza (2008). The song “Driveway” is one of those songs you don't need to have a great singing voice to sing along to. Go ahead and scream the lyrics as you drive alone to your next destination.
2. What’s your go-to song for all your feels?
“Too Fast” by Sonder and “Can I” by Drake
Sonder’s “too fast” and “Can I” by Drake are the top two songs on my “songs for all your feels" playlist. It’s hard to act like Drake isnt the master at heartbreak tracks and with a sprinkle of Beyonce the track is perfect for a drive when you’re sad and the rain won't let up.
3. Name a song that reminds you of home.
“Westside Bound 3” by Saba Featuring Joseph Chilliams and “Sundown Town” by Vince Staples.
The lyrics speak for themselves. Saba and Joseph Chilliams paint a vivid picture of growing up on Chicago’s westside. Saba and Joseph are two of my favorite rappers and they happen to be two of the brightest acts in Chicago’s rap scene
Vince Staples is a magnificent story teller. This song is clearly not about Palestine, but the minute the song begins I’m taken back to vivid memories from my late night runs in Turmusayya last time I visited in 2021. Despite warnings about doing such activities because of threats from illegal settlers that might break into town with terrorist intentions, I still went on runs once the sun set.
4. Name a song you know all the words to.
“Fly Me to the Moon” by Frank Sinatra and “Let Me Drive My Van into Your Heart” by Steven Universe.
I’m not a fan of memorizing songs word for word. I like to just enjoy my tunes and maybe act as a backup singer by repeating the end of verses. However, there are a few tracks that I’ve memorized because of my daughter.
The first song Jenin learned word for word was Frank Sinatra’s “Fly Me to the Moon.” She used to do the cutest rendition. Then there’s Steven’s Universe—one of her favorite cartoons. Whenever “Let Me Drive My Van into Your Heart” comes on in the car we have to belt the lyrics.
5. Name a song that gets you really hype and ready to go.
“Haagen Dazs” by Ghetto Sage and “When I Get Rich” by L.A. VanGough (Galaxy Francis)
Ghetto Sage is a rap group made up of Smino, Saba and No Name. This track’s production mixed with the rappers’ vivid word play make head banging mandatory. This song immediately forces me out of my seat. I dream of seeing them perform this song live.
L.A. Vangough goes by a different stage name these days (Galaxy Francis) but his best song was released before the name change.. His song “When I Get Rich” will always get me hype. Especially his verse, “I’m gone get so rich that I can start my own health care. Probably colonize my own European country. My companies got companies, they gone come for me.”
Big shout out to Nader for joining and sharing his song selections! All of Nader’s songs will be included in this week’s playlist, so be sure to take a listen. Make sure you follow Nader on Twitter and Instagram, and check out Palestine in America immediately!
What I’m Listening To
Full Playlist
🎧 Middle Eastern, North African, & Diaspora Flows 🎧
One Love - NORDO
intro - KA7LA
1 fois pas 2 - Zaho featuring Banx & Ranx
Ech Sayer - RedStar featuring Souhail Al Hafi
Tenere Den - Tinariwen featuring Fats Kaplin
GHADAR - Numidia Lezoul
Au Bout De La Nuit - Hamza
El Hob Jnoon - Reina Khoury
I’m Blue - Faouzia
🎤 Latinx & Hispanic Vibes 🎤
Aprovecha - Rosemarie
EL TONTO - Lola Indigo featuring Quevedo
Ojalá - Juanes
Volar - Boza featuring Dalex
Rumores - Kenia OS featuring Gera MX
Urau - Ir Sais
Pa’ Ti Ya - Kiko el Crazy featuring Angel Dior
Obsesión - Lali
Fantasmeo - Ñejo
Sagitario - Valentina Rico
🎼 Other Good Music 🎼
141827 (the only one) - King Isis
Aang - Pivot Gang
13 Going On 30 - Cristale
Don’t Trip - Trina featuring Lil Wayne
Try Me - Jorja Smith
How Many Times - DJ Big N featuring Ayra Starr and Oxlade
Back In Office - Saba & No I.D.
Change - LAUREL
The Game - Rick Ross featuring Fat Joe and The LOX
Chemical - Post Malone
What I’m Reading
🇱🇧 Lebanon 🇱🇧
Power play: the Lebanese board game with a political point to make - Jenny Gustafson, The Guardian
‘Reformists’ take on the corrupt ‘elite' in a game that recreates the golden age – and invites players to imagine a different history.
‘Saved by a miracle’: Israel rocket attack on Lebanon spurs fears - Mia Alberti, Al Jazeera
People in south Lebanon fear a wider confrontation with Israel after cross-border violence.
"Why don't you leave?" Syrian refugees in Lebanon share their daily struggles - Fatima Charaf Eddine, Raseef22
Hatred isn't limited to verbal and digital violence towards Syrian refugees, but has also escalated into harmful and unjustified reactions on the ground.
Climbing group blazes trail for bouldering in Lebanon - Hallie Mellendorf, L’Orient Today
Lebanon is home to a healthy and growing community of rock climbers. Sit Start — a young, local climbing organization — is now working to popularize bouldering throughout the country.
Battle for public spaces, freedoms in Lebanon continues - Dana Hourany, Fanack
As public spaces projects have never been considered a priority by politicians, it is unsurprising that the current political class seeks to further suppress freedoms in both public and virtual spaces.
🌍 Middle East, North Africa, & Diaspora 🌎
‘We’re losing our identity’: the young Egyptians fighting to save the ancient Nubian tongue - Edmund Bower, The Guardian
They lost the last of their ancestral lands to the Aswan Dam in the 1960s, and now their language is dying too. But a new generation is harnessing the internet to help keep Nubian alive.
Truffle Hunting in Syria, Once a Beloved Pastime, Is Now a Danger - Raja Abdulrahim, The New York Times
A cherished spring tradition has become a perilous gamble to earn a bit of desperately needed income during an economic crisis after 12 years of war. Dozens of foragers have been killed already this year.
In Morocco, no city can match Tangier’s famous cafe culture - Graham H. Cornwall, The Washington Post
Cafes play an outsize role in modern Moroccan society. One city block can have four or five; even a small town will have a few.
Iraq’s Marshes Parched as Government Focuses on Oil - Justin Salhani, New Lines Magazine
The country’s focus on oil production has left water resources in shambles.
What's stopping Yemen's beekeepers from creating a buzz - Austin Bodetti, The New Arab
Yemen's beekeeping industry is 'as old as civilisation itself'. But the ancient tradition is now under threat by the effects of climate change, forcing a hundred thousand enthusiasts into poverty.
🎶 Music, Arts, & Culture 🎶
Layal, the Egyptian Singer on Honing Self-Confidence - Lana Mawlood, SceneNoise
The Egyptian-born singer reflects on self-confidence, musical versatility, and the ups and downs of creative expression in London.
For Latto, explicit lyrics reflect a lived reality - Sidney Madden and Gabby Bulgarelli, NPR
Like her idol Trina two decades earlier, Latto saw her creativity open up when she started rapping explicitly about sex. But with her frankness came harsh new standards to live up to.
Dorothy Ashby was the pioneer harpist who opened up the instrument to Black musicians like me - Brandee Younger, The Guardian
“A contemporary of Alice Coltrane’s, Ashby mixed genres and broke down musical barriers. Now I am proud to be bringing some of her unreleased music to audiences for the first time.”
Photojournalism is dominated by men. Women Photograph seeks to change that lens. - Lydia Chebbine, The 19th
Founder Daniella Zalcman discussed the organization’s work, its first book and the impact representation in visual journalism has on our collective memory and our understanding of history.
Palestinian Chilean singer Elyanna intends to sing entire set in Arabic at Coachella - Leila Fadel, NPR
NPR's Leila Fadel speaks with Palestinian Chilean singer Elyanna ahead of her performance at Coachella. She intends to sing her entire set in Arabic.
📚 Other Reads 📚
Why Were Two Female Running Champions Killed in Kenya? - Alexis Okeowo, The New Yorker
Iten, a small town in the Great Rift Valley, became the long-distance-running capital of the world. Then, within a span of six months, two élite athletes were found dead.
No longer novelties, international MVPs contend to be the face of the NBA - Michael Lee, The Washington Post
If Nikola Jokic, Joel Embiid or Giannis Antetokounmpo is the MVP, the NBA will give the award to a foreign-born player for the fifth straight year.
ICE deported him to Afghanistan, then flew him back to L.A. - Hamed Aleaziz, Los Angeles Times
The man’s deportation and hurried return indicate that ICE is sending people back to other countries, even dangerous ones such as Afghanistan, without complete information about their cases, his attorneys say.
‘I’m ready to start my own story’: Jane Richard and her family reflect on grief and moving forward 10 years after tragedy - David Abel, The Boston Globe
Jane Richards's brother was the youngest victim of the 2013 Boston Marathon tragedy. She's never spoken about what she experienced on Boylston Street on that day — until now. Some of what happened is seared into her. Other memories have faded.
Women are earning more money. But they're still picking up a heavier load at home - Andrea Hsu, NPR
A new report confirms what many already know to be true: Women are bringing home the bacon and frying it up too.