Tell Them, I A‪m‬ Higher Ground

Akbar Ahmed is an academic, poet, former diplomat, and all-around renaissance man. In Tell Them, I Am’s final story of the season, Ahmed recounts how a single train ride when he was 4 years old changed his life’s direction forever.

G. Willow Wilson is a novelist and comic book writer, known for her run on the Ms. Marvel series. When 9/11 happened, the world seemed chaotic to say the least — but Willow found that sometimes all you need is a little Neil Gaiman to put you back on track.

Munazza Alam is a Harvard-educated astrophysicist. When she was in college, her dad’s complicated liver replacement opened her eyes to how the universe can feel so full and so empty at the same time.

Layla Shaikley is a tech entrepreneur and Instagram influencer. When she was young, she discovered two things. One: that how you dress holds more meaning than you think. And two: that you can definitely use this to your advantage.

Mercedes Iman Diamond has been participating — and dominating — drag competitions and performances since she was 21. She speaks about how a stage became her safe place.

Omar Offendum is a rapper and poet. When he was 15 years old, his affinity for Arabic poetry came to life while reciting a piece during Nizar Qabbani’s memorial at Georgetown University in 1998.