American-ish is a new digital show that brings together two Middle Eastern women with unique and layered backgrounds wanting to untangle what it means to honor their roots while navigating the modern world. The hosts, Adela Cojab and Mariam Wahba, also known as the Daughters of Diaspora, came together to create a space to talk openly and honestly about their faith, culture and religion while transcending ethnic and racial divides.

Cojab is a Syrian-Lebanese Mexican Jewish law student and activist. She was born in Mexico City but raised in the United States. In 2019, she sued NYU for failing to protect Jewish students from harassment. The case resulted in the Title VI settlement that addresses antisemitism as a form of discrimination.

New Digital Show ‘American-ish’ Honors Culture While Navigating the Modern World
Courtesy of Adela Cojab and Mariam Wahba

Mariam is an Egyptian Coptic Christian who serves as the Associate Director of Advocacy with the Philos Project. She graduated from Fordham with a BA in Middle East Studies, Arabic and Jewish Studies. She was born in Menya, Egypt, and now resides in New York City. Previously, she was a Policy Intern at In Defense of Christians, Hertog Political Science Fellow and Tikvah Fund Journalism Fellow.

American-ish explores the hosts’ layered and complex identities while seeking to help their audience do the same. The show’s name comes from their experiences as first-generation immigrants. “I am American…ish,” says Wahba.

The show will cover a wide variety of topics like inter-faith love, immigration, family dynamics, education, feminism, Arab and Jewish culture, rejecting and rejoicing traditions and much more. Episodes are available to watch on YouTube. You can learn more about the show and its hosts by visiting the official American-ish Instagram account.

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