Joined by our friends Darya Bajestani, Roxana Hadadi, Ali Nasser, and Zaina Ujayli (while sadly missing Mae!), we're live at D.C.'s premier comic-con, Awesome Con! In this panel of SWANA writers, scholars, artists, and actors, we will discuss how we grew up feeling or not feeling represented, how Hollywood has constantly Orientalized our peoples, excluded us, and appropriated our cultures, where we see signs of improvement, our favorite examples of SWANA representation and SWANA creators in pop culture today, and what Hollywood needs to do to have our peoples represented more broadly and positively across pop culture.

Check out the panel on The Nerds of Color YouTube channel

Rocky's analysis of Dune 2 for Vulture

Decolonize Palestine

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Support the Palestinian American Medical Association (PAMA) and families in Gaza

Six ways you can support Palestinians in Gaza

Islamic Relief USA: Support Families in Palestine

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Our music is composed by Ashley Hefnawy. You can find more of her music here.

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Roxana Hadadi joins us once again to review the Dune franchise, now with Dune: Part Two in theaters. In a franchise that appropriates so much from SWANA and Muslim cultures, does the second installment improve on that regard, or does it continue to appropriate and Orientalize? But even beyond that, does Denis Villeneuve effectively convey the meaning of Frank Herbert's original text, and its warning against hero worship? Or have audiences taken the wrong message with this latest installment? We discuss all of those aspects, talk about what you can do to help Palestine, give our recommendations, and much more.

Rocky's analysis of Dune 2 for Vulture.

Come join us at our panel at Awesome Con in Washington, DC, 'The State of SWANA Representation in Pop Culture,' March 9, 2:30-3:15 at the Walter E. Convention Center!

Decolonize Palestine

Support UNRWA

Support the Palestinian American Medical Association (PAMA) and families in Gaza

Six ways you can support Palestinians in Gaza

Islamic Relief USA: Support Families in Palestine

Follow Rocky on Twitter @roxana_hadadi

Follow us on social media: @TheMiddleGeeks

Subscribe to The Middle Geeks on Hard NOC Media

Our music is composed by Ashley Hefnawy. You can find more of her music here.

We are a proud member of the Hard NOC podcast family.

We welcome back our friends Jasmin and Isa to discuss Assassin's Creed Mirage, a sprawling action-adventure game from Ubisoft set in 9th Century Abbasid Baghdad, that tells the story of Basim Ibn Ishaq (Lee Majdoub) and his mentor Roshan (Shohreh Aghdashloo). We go into detail on why this game is the the best Iraqi, Arab, Persian, Muslim, and SWANA representation we've ever seen in gaming, and why the story and setting resonated with us so much. Beware of spoilers later the conversation. We also discuss the tragic news of the unfolding Israeli genocide in Gaza, and what we can keep doing to support Palestinians and work towards a Free Palestine.

Full Spoilers for the ending of Assassin's Creed Mirage from 1:01:00-1:17:31

Come join us at our panel at Awesome Con in Washington, DC, 'The State of SWANA Representation in Pop Culture,' March 9th, 2:30-3:15 at the Walter E. Convention Center!

Decolonize Palestine

Support the Palestinian American Medical Association (PAMA) and families in Gaza

Six ways you can support Palestinians in Gaza

Islamic Relief USA: Support Families in Palestine

Masha Gessen's piece in The New Yorker: 'In the Shadow of the Holocaust'

Swara's piece on Assassin's Creed Mirage for But Why Tho?

Swara's interview with Shohreh Aghdashloo for But Why Tho?

Swara's interview with Lee Majdoub and Narrative Director Sarah Beaulieu for But Why Tho?

Our music is composed by Ashley Hefnawy. You can find more of her music here.

We are a proud member of the Hard NOC podcast family.

Follow us on online @TheMiddleGeeks

Follow Jasmin online @jasminjoestar

Follow Isa online @evilcleverdog

Subscribe to The Middle Geeks on Hard NOC Media

Please support us on Patreon!