An Interview With Saadia Khan, Host of The Alien Chronicles Podcast

1.Hi Saadia! It's a pleasure to interview you on my blog. Can you please tell us about yourself and what it is that you do?

I moved to the US over a decade ago. Since I have moved here I lived in three different cities; Boston, Denver, and New York.

During my initial years in the US I focused on raising my girls and doing community and interfaith work. I also worked as a research consultant/interpreter for Human Rights First.

In 2014, I decided to go back to graduate school. I graduated from Columbia University’s Graduate School of Arts and Sciences with an MA in Human Rights with a focus on women’s rights.

After graduating from Columbia University, I worked as a Policy Specialist at the Global Network of Women Peacebuilders (GNWP), a civil society organization working on advocacy for women across different regions. My regional focus was South Asia and the Middle East.  I have worked extensively with UN entities including UN Women.

I like to travel and hike. I am an avid Podcast listener! I consider myself an intersectional feminist.

I recently created and launched my Podcast called "The Alien Chronicles". Now I work full time on my Pod and also host the show myself.

2. I listened to episode #4 of your podcast, The Alien Chronicles, and found it to be really informative, especially for the immigrants. What is the inspiration behind The Alien Chronicles?

The Alien Chronicles is a 30-45-minute long weekly podcast that will focus on people's’ journeys to America, specifically in NYC and surrounding areas. Every week the podcast invites people who are unique in their own right, global citizens of sorts. People who have come to call America home, whether from Europe, Africa, Asia, Latin America all different age groups; who carry the legacy of their ancestors while being as American as can be. Guests talk food, cultural norms, politics etc. in the context of different cultures and ethnicities. Our goal is to create empathy for “the other” through relatable narratives. In the current climate of polarization and divisiveness, I decided to launch a podcast that focuses on celebrating representation and inclusion in America. The Alien Chronicles is a diverse space where we talk about our similarities but also value our differences. 

3. Where can my readers find you and your podcast online?

The Podcast is available on a number of Platforms including Anchor, iTunes, Spotify, Breaker, Podbean, Google Podcasts, Radio Public and Stitcher. You can look it up under “The Alien Chronicles”. You can also follow us on Twitter, our twitter handle is @ChroniclesAlien and you can find us on Instagram @thealienchronicles. Our Podcast is supposed to be interactive, so if you have a story to tell and would like to be featured on our Pod, you can reach us at thealienchronicles@gmail.com. And if you like what you hear, please share it with like-minded people and subscribe to it. We need your support to grow our listeners.