1 hr 31 min
Episode 160 with Saima Sitwat, Author of American Muslim: An Immigrant’s Journey, Educator, Speaker, and Skilled Chronicler of Profound and Intriguing Stories The Chills at Will Podcast
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Episode 160 Notes and Links to Saima Sitwat’s Work
On Episode 160 of The Chills at Will Podcast, Pete welcomes Saima Sitwat, and the two discuss, among other things, her relationship with languages and growing up in Karachi, Pakistan, her early love of reading, her early writing and “chill-inducing” reads, her triumphs and challenges and funny anecdotes mentioned in her book from her days in the United States, her evolving “Americanism” and faith, her activism, places within the American Desi and American Muslim cultures, all chronicled in her 2020 book, and her continuing work to share compelling stories in different media.
Saima A. Sitwat is an author, speaker and educator. She was born and raised in Karachi, Pakistan and migrated to the United States of America in 2003.
Saima holds an M.A. in English Linguistics from the University of Karachi, Pakistan and a Master of Public and International Affairs (MPIA) from the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs, University of Pittsburgh. She is also an alumna of the Leadership Pittsburgh Class XXXV.
Saima believes in the power of storytelling. Her love for stories has taken her from corporate boardrooms in downtown skyscrapers to Punxsutawney, a town in rural Pennsylvania, on Groundhog Day. She puts her faith in the word, written and spoken, to provide healing and challenging pre-existing paradigms. Her writings have encompassed a vast array of topics and genres from penning opinion pieces and investigative reports to policy papers and developing strategic plans.
From professional writings to personal narratives, Saima always strives to find a singular anchor, that is the story at the core. The story might belong to a person, or a business or nonprofit organization, but the vision and mission is always defined by the one true story behind it.
Saima is the author of her newly published memoir, “American Muslim: An Immigrant’s Journey.”
Buy American Muslim: An Immigrant's Journey
Saima Sitwat's Website
Interview with Saima about “Becoming American” Series
At about 7:40, Saima gives background information on studying linguistics at university, as well as her relationship with languages growing up in Karachi, Pakistan
At about 11:00, Saima gives further information on growing up speaking Urdu and English, and Pakistani-inflected English
At about 14:40, Saima talks about her reading choices growing up
At about 17:40, Saima explains her career choices growing up, how writing has been a constant companion and how writing as a career she has come to in recent years
At about 19:00, Saima details two pieces written in Pittsburgh around 2015 and 2016 that received meaningful and positive feedback and that propelled her forward in pursuing writing
At about 21:20, Saima traces an evolution in the type of questions asked in recent years about Muslims and Muslim-Americans
At about 22:20, Saima shouts the book from which she is still “recovering,” the “realistic” Our Missing Hearts by Celeste Ng.
At about 24:20, Saima discusses the significance of the book’s cover
At about 26:00, Pete and Saima talk about the timing of the book and Saima’s “urgency” in publishing the book
At about 27:15, Saima describes the “conscious choice” she made in selecting her title
At about 28:35, Pete cites the skillful ways in which Saima charts her early days in the United States, and Saima recounts a humorous discrepancy in Fahrenheit and Celsius
At about 31:55, Saima explains “Americanism” and quotes a fellow immigrant writer discussing the unique way in which Americans make plans, as well as things learned from having two school-age children
At about 34:55, Saima gives background on the first chapter and a story involving the bathroom that is a microcosm of her early American days
At about 36:50, Saima further describes some learning moments in her early US
Episode 160 Notes and Links to Saima Sitwat’s Work
On Episode 160 of The Chills at Will Podcast, Pete welcomes Saima Sitwat, and the two discuss, among other things, her relationship with languages and growing up in Karachi, Pakistan, her early love of reading, her early writing and “chill-inducing” reads, her triumphs and challenges and funny anecdotes mentioned in her book from her days in the United States, her evolving “Americanism” and faith, her activism, places within the American Desi and American Muslim cultures, all chronicled in her 2020 book, and her continuing work to share compelling stories in different media.
Saima A. Sitwat is an author, speaker and educator. She was born and raised in Karachi, Pakistan and migrated to the United States of America in 2003.
Saima holds an M.A. in English Linguistics from the University of Karachi, Pakistan and a Master of Public and International Affairs (MPIA) from the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs, University of Pittsburgh. She is also an alumna of the Leadership Pittsburgh Class XXXV.
Saima believes in the power of storytelling. Her love for stories has taken her from corporate boardrooms in downtown skyscrapers to Punxsutawney, a town in rural Pennsylvania, on Groundhog Day. She puts her faith in the word, written and spoken, to provide healing and challenging pre-existing paradigms. Her writings have encompassed a vast array of topics and genres from penning opinion pieces and investigative reports to policy papers and developing strategic plans.
From professional writings to personal narratives, Saima always strives to find a singular anchor, that is the story at the core. The story might belong to a person, or a business or nonprofit organization, but the vision and mission is always defined by the one true story behind it.
Saima is the author of her newly published memoir, “American Muslim: An Immigrant’s Journey.”
Buy American Muslim: An Immigrant's Journey
Saima Sitwat's Website
Interview with Saima about “Becoming American” Series
At about 7:40, Saima gives background information on studying linguistics at university, as well as her relationship with languages growing up in Karachi, Pakistan
At about 11:00, Saima gives further information on growing up speaking Urdu and English, and Pakistani-inflected English
At about 14:40, Saima talks about her reading choices growing up
At about 17:40, Saima explains her career choices growing up, how writing has been a constant companion and how writing as a career she has come to in recent years
At about 19:00, Saima details two pieces written in Pittsburgh around 2015 and 2016 that received meaningful and positive feedback and that propelled her forward in pursuing writing
At about 21:20, Saima traces an evolution in the type of questions asked in recent years about Muslims and Muslim-Americans
At about 22:20, Saima shouts the book from which she is still “recovering,” the “realistic” Our Missing Hearts by Celeste Ng.
At about 24:20, Saima discusses the significance of the book’s cover
At about 26:00, Pete and Saima talk about the timing of the book and Saima’s “urgency” in publishing the book
At about 27:15, Saima describes the “conscious choice” she made in selecting her title
At about 28:35, Pete cites the skillful ways in which Saima charts her early days in the United States, and Saima recounts a humorous discrepancy in Fahrenheit and Celsius
At about 31:55, Saima explains “Americanism” and quotes a fellow immigrant writer discussing the unique way in which Americans make plans, as well as things learned from having two school-age children
At about 34:55, Saima gives background on the first chapter and a story involving the bathroom that is a microcosm of her early American days
At about 36:50, Saima further describes some learning moments in her early US
1 hr 31 min