community — Features

Esraa Warda is decolonising dance and reviving the rebellious roots of Rai

Digital Editor Dalia Al-Dujaili was lucky enough to sit down with renowned Algerian-American dancer Esraa Warda in her Brooklyn apartment. She tells AZEEMA about the origins of her subversive rai dancing, her long-standing musical partnership with icon Cheikha Rabia, and her excitement about a rare and special upcoming performance during this year’s Le Guess Who? Festival.

RESISTANCE, ARTS & CULTURE, SOUNDAZEEMA -October 19, 2022music, algerian, north africa, dance, rai, esraa warda, cheikha rabia, new york, community

AZEEMA FM Global Sounds Presents: Mahnoor

We welcome London based Pakistani DJ Mahnoor to AZEEMA FM. With a new chapter for our global sounds series. Mahnoor takes us back to how she began DJing and how her heritage, faith and childhood memories are intertwined in her sound.

AZEEMA FM, SOUNDAZEEMA -June 22, 2022music, community, azeemafm, Global sounds, Radio, guest mix

Jenan Younis has created a SWANA comedy festival "to tackle racism in the industry"

With her “geek hat on”, the hilarious standup comedian and founder of Weapons of Mass Hilarity, took to an experiment whereby she tried to see if she’d have more luck reaching out to gig promoters with an English name.

RESISTANCE, ARTS & CULTUREAZEEMA -April 19, 2022comedy, community, standup, middle east, swana, assyrian, comedian, funny, racism, industry, entertainment

BANGLATOWN! Farihah Chowdhury‘s short documentary exploring the desiccation of a South Asian London landmark

Farihah Chowdhury takes us through the Bengali history of Brick Lane as developers seek to efface its legacy to accomodate a rising gentrified sensibility.

RESISTANCE, ARTS & CULTUREAZEEMA -October 23, 2021banglatown, brick lane, bangladesh, community