Raise Your Words

Hosted by Amani Salahudeen

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Oct 2026

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About the show

‘Raise your words’ is the first half of a Rumi quote that emphasizes the power in word choice over the volume someone uses to get their point across – and now, it’s a podcast! Hosted by Amani Salahudeen and Andrea Shaw this show will dive into topics that center around pop culture and career/life advice. Episodes will be dropping bi-monthly, including dope interviews and virtual book club sessions. Stay tuned for more!

Listen to episodes

58 recent

November 6, 2026Episode 722 min

Season 4 Episode 7: Chai and Tell: The Story Behind Remy with Kalina Tagore

Kalina Tagore is a GEN -Z British Bangladeshi novelist, playwright/screenwriter, blogger, and academic. Kalina has a Bachelor's in Psychology from the University of Greenwich and a Master's in Modern Languages and Comparative Literature from Birkbeck University. She was a student at the Faber Writing Academy. Her short story, Remy and Herstory, is published in a literary magazine by Breadfruit, looking to enter the publishing space.

October 30, 2026Episode 628 min

Season 4 Episode 6: Huda F Would Interview You?

Huda Fahmy grew up in Dearborn, Michigan, and has loved comics since she was a kid. She attended the University of Michigan, where she majored in English. She taught English to middle and high schoolers for eight years before she started writing about her experiences as a visibly Muslim woman in America and was encouraged by her older sister to turn these stories into comics. Huda resides in Texas. Episode Title credits given to @bookishbasma on Instagram. Huda can be found on Instagram @yesimhotinthis. You can find Raise Your Words podcast on Instagram @raiseyourwordspod.

October 15, 2026Episode 529 min

Season 4 Episode 5: Chasing Dreams

LeUyen Pham is the award-winning and best-selling creator of over 140 books for children, including The Man Who Didn’t Like Animals by Deborah Underwood, Shrinking Violet by Laurel Snyder, Caldecott Honor Bear Came Along by Richard T. Morris, and the Eisner Award–winning graphic novel Lunar New Year Love Story with Gene Yang. She is also the illustrator of the Princess in Black series, Real Friends graphic novel series, and cocreator of Itty-Bitty Kitty-Corn with Shannon Hale. Her own books include Big Sister, Little Sister, A Piece of Cake, and the award winning Outside Inside. LeUyen lives with her family in Los Angeles, CA. Her favorite quote is "I did then what I knew how to do. Now that I know better, I do better.” ― Maya Angelou. If you liked this episode of Raise Your Words, rate it from wherever you're tuning in from!

October 4, 2026Episode 419 min

Season 4 Episode 4: Riding Dragons & Raising Baby Dragons: A.T. Qureshi's Magical Worlds

✨ Fantasy, fierce heroines, and a little bit of magic! ✨ On this episode of Raise Your Words , host Amani sits down with fantasy author A.T. Qureshi to chat all things books and storytelling! 📚🐉 A.T. takes us behind the pages of her fantasy novels as we talk about creating magical worlds, crafting unforgettable characters, finding inspiration, and what it’s really like bringing a fantasy story from imagination to the bookshelf. You can buy copies of her books ⁠here.⁠ Whether you’re a fantasy reader, an aspiring writer, or just love hearing how authors create the stories that are hard to put down, this conversation is for you! 🎙️ Grab your favorite drink, settle into your reading nook, and raise your words with Amani and A.T. Qureshi!

August 24, 2026Episode 328 min

Season 4 Episode 3: Kareem Between the Lines: Amina Banana, Friendship, & the Stories that Connect Us

Shifa Saltagi Safadi is the National Book Award winning author of Kareem Between, the Amina Banana series, and several picture books, including The Gift of Eid. She has a bachelor’s degree in English literature, is a former ELA teacher, and is passionate about spreading a love of reading through storytimes and school visits. Shifa was born in Syria and immigrated to the US with her parents as a young girl. She lives near Chicago with her husband and four children. Find her on Instagram.

August 12, 2026Episode 223 min

Season 4 Episode 2: Chai Me a Murder with Author M.J. Soni

Raise Your Words Host Amani sits down with Author M.J. Soni to discuss her book, " Masala Chai Mystery Club ." Manju (MJ) Soni grew up in South Africa and wrote, DEFYING APARTHEID, a part-memoir about being a doctor/ activist under apartheid. Since then, drawing on her American, African, and Indian background, she's written mystery short fiction and her debut cozy mystery, THE MASALA CHAI MYSTERY CLUB, which are full of heart and humor, with a saree-wearing librarian protagonist will be coming out on 21 July with Crooked Lane Books. https://mjsoniauthor.com/

April 24, 2026Episode 115 min

Season 4 Episode 1: Learn the Word with Khalfani Jabari

Raise Your Words host Amani sits down with poetry writer and teacher Khalfani Jabari to discuss his latest book, Black Ink. You can find Mr. Jabari on Instagram @ib_theword. If you liked today's episode of Raise Your Words rate the podcast wherever you're tuning in from. Stay Tuned for more exciting guests this season!

December 6, 2025Episode 107 min

Season 3 Episode 10: Match Made in Heaven

This is a Teaser episode for Episode 10 , Season 3 of Raise Your Words. Raise Your Words Host Amani chats with Muslim matchmakers Amaney Kazlak and Sara Wada about finding the right spouse, Hulu's Matchmaking show, and marriage in Islam.

October 3, 202529 min

Season 3 Episode 9: Love from Amani to S.K. Ali

In this episode, Raise Your Words host Amani sits down with author S.K. Ali about her books, writing advice, favorite stationery, and her next book!

May 12, 2025Episode 850 min

Season 3 Episode 8: Cross My Heart and Hope to Pod

Raise Your Words Host Amani sits down with BookTok creator Ashley from @wickedreads on IG/TikTok to chat about their mutual love of reading, Ally Carter books, writing, and Ashley's content creation advice. Ashley also shares news about her podcast, If It Was a Book.