Forthcoming
Snatching liberty seemed compelling. Some of us thrived; some of us died. All of us had a taste. from author Toni Morrison, on friendships.
I don't want to see stores looted or buildings burned; but African- Americans have been living in burning buildings for years, choking on smoke as flames burn closer and closer. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
That’s not a chip on my shoulder. That’s your foot on my neck. – Malcolm X
"We must never, ever give up. We must be brave. We must be courageous." John Lewis, activist, congressman. 1940-2020
This is my simple religion. There is no need for temples; no need for complicated philosophy. Our own brain, our own heart is our temple; the philosophy is kindness. ~ Dalai Lama
"Never forget that justice is what love looks like in public." Professor Cornel West.
"Only by learning to live in harmony with your contradictions can you keep it all afloat." Audre Lorde
"The serious function of racism is distraction". 1995, Toni Morrison; Portland lecture, Playing in The Dark
“If I tell the story, I control the version. Because if I tell the story, I can make you laugh, and I would rather have you laugh at me than feel sorry for me.” Nora Ephron
"Freeing yourself was one thing; claiming ownership of that freed self was another." author Toni Morrison (1931- 2019)
“If I tell the story, I control the version. Because if I tell the story, I can make you laugh, and I would rather have you laugh at me than feel sorry for me”; Nora Ephron, author/comedian
"Make your story count". Michelle Obama
"Social pain is understood through the lens of racial animus". Researcher/author Sean McElwee writing in Salon, 2016
"We are citizens, not subjects. We have the right to criticize government without fear." Chelsea Manning; activist/whisleblower
“My father was a slave and my people died to build this country, and I’m going to stay right here and have a part of it, just like you, And no fascist minded people, like you, will drive me from it. Is that clear?” Paul Robeson; activist/singer
“We have a system of justice in this country that treats you much better if you're rich and guilty than if you're poor and innocent”. from civil rights attorney Bryan Stevenson
“This Fourth of July is yours, not mine. You may rejoice, I must mourn. To drag a man in fetters into the grand illuminated temple of liberty, and call upon him to join you in joyous anthems, were inhuman mockery and sacrilegious irony. Do you mean, citizens, to mock me, by asking me to speak today?” Frederick Douglass, WHAT TO THE SLAVE IS 4TH JULY? 07.05.1852 (full text in blog)
Senator Elizabeth Warren "We're a country that is built on our differences; that is our strength, not our weakness"
"We are more alike than we are different" ~ Maya Angelou
As a Black writer, I was expected to accept the role of victim. That made it difficult in the beginning to be a writer. James Baldwin
I often feel that there must have been something that I should’ve done that I didn’t do. But I can’t identify what it is that I didn’t do. That’s the first difficulty. And the second is, what makes you think you’re it?
Harry Belafonte, activist and singe
It ain't what you don't know that gets you into trouble; It's what you know for sure that just ainst so.
Mark Twain
You can't be brave if you've only had wonderful things happen to you.
Mary Tyler Moore
You can’t defend Christianity by being against refugees and other religions
Pope Francis:
"I don't have to be what you want me to be". Muhammad Ali
"The Secret of Living Well and Longer: eat half, walk double, laugh triple, and love without measure" attributed to Tibetan sources
Recent audio posts include interviews with Rumi interpreter Shahram Shiva, London-based author Aamer Hussein, South African Muslim scholar, professor Farid Esack, and Iraqi journalist Nermeen Al-Mufti's brief account of Kirkuk City history. Your comments on our blogs are always welcome.
About Us
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Joining the airwaves in 1990 Tahrir, 'liberation', highlights our aim as a free voice for Arab peoples in the USA and abroad. We broadcast in English every week over 99.5fm, a member of WBAI Radio Station with studios in New York City.
Anthropologist and journalist Barbara Nimri Aziz, Tahrir's founder, serves as its executive producer and co-host. Contact here: info@RadioTahrir.org. The research emphasis and interviewing skills of anthropology give Tahrir its special character as a people's voice; we emphasize first hand testimonies and solid analysis.
Through RadioTahrir.org (also RadioTahrir.com), Tahrir now reaches far beyond our NY-NJ 99.5fm listening area. Tahrir Live-streams on www.wbai.org and we podcast all weekly broadcasts on our webpage. Weekly programs are available for anyone to download free at any time. Barbara Nimri Aziz' twice monthly blogs (RadioTahrir.org/blog.php) are posted on our webpage. These cover media issues, international events, and public affairs.
Our work is a team effort and a media training opportunity for young leaders. Former interns who produce for us are Sarah Malaika, Saadia Aslam, Fatima Ahsraf, Reem Nasr, Tamara Issak, Imran Ahmed, Kareem Freeman, Anissa Bouziane and Ryme Kathhouda. Mahmoud Ibrahim co-hosted during the 1990s with contributions from Ibrahim Gonzalez. Aisha Adawiya and Hassen Abdellah are occasional co-hosts.
Internships in radio journalism: since 2003, we regularly run a 2-month training course in hands-on radio journalism. The most recent was in 2012, sponsored by community organizations.
WBAI is listener-sponsored non-commercial radio belonging to the non-profit Pacifica Foundation (www.Pacifica.org). Neither Tahrir nor WBAI accept advertisements. We depend on listener contributions, so three months/year we join on-air fundraising events to seek pledges from listeners.
From 2005 to 2007, Dean Obeidallah (www.deanofcomedy.com) and Maysoon Zayid hosted (www.maysoon.com) "Fen Meshnoon with Dean and Maysoon" on Tahrir once a month. Today they continue their careers in stand-up comedy, in comedy festivals and international tours.
In response to public demand and emerging educational needs, in 1996 Tahrir evolved to include new perspectives on Islam. We highlight the work and opinions of Muslim Americans and issues relating to Islam in the US. Listen to clips of these on our webpage and over our podcasts.
I am the hand in the small of your back. I may let you stumble; but i'll never let you fall.
Maya Angelou
recalled by her grandson Colin Johnson in a review of the new film "Maya Angelou: And Stil I Rise"
Tahrir Diwan
- a poem.. a song..
- "I Knew"
Sapphire Ahmed's prose poem on Ramadan Flash - Qur'an Surat Al-Shams
from 'Approaching The Qur'an', CD. - Book review
- Rajia Hassib's
In The Language of Miracles
reviewed by BNAziz. - Tahrir Team
Tamara Issak - Read about Tamara Issak in the team page.