The Maydan Podcast The Maydan Podcast

In this episode of On The Square, Sapelo Square’s Executive Director Latasha Rouseau talks with Tiffany Green-Abdullah, author of The Bean Pie: A Remembering of Our Family’s Faith, Fortitude and Forgiveness.


Tiffany starts by sharing how her great aunt, Daisy Kennon, crafted the original bean pie recipe for the Nation of Islam, which would later become a staple in the Black Muslim community. Tiffany grew up learning about the integral role her aunt played in the bean pie through family oral tradition. Spurred by a desire to dig deeper, she began a journey that would require much reflection on the lives of her aunt, grandmother and mother. Delving into her family’s history reopened old wounds and uncovered past traumas that were lying beneath the surface. The results of her efforts is a testament to the healing power of faith and forgiveness.


Guest Bio:

Tiffany Green-Abdullah is a visionary leader and speaker in learning innovations, community development, and life coaching. Hailing from Chicago, she was a first-generation college student and has obtained multiple degrees, including a Bachelors in economics and a Masters of Education, both from Vanderbilt University.



When she isn’t writing, Tiffany is the Chief Executive Officer at her consulting firm, Tiffany Green Consultants as well as giving back to the community through committee and board involvement. She lives in Atlanta with her son. Tiffany dreams of turning her writings into movies and television shows.

In this episode of History Speaks, Roshan Iqbal speaks with Cyrus Zargar on the role of storytelling and virtue ethics in the work of Jalāl al-Dīn Muḥammad Rūmī, the 13th-century jurist, philosopher, poet, and polymath. The conversation delves particularly into the virtue of ‘compassion’ within the context of the story ‘The Tale of the Sufi and the Judge,’ from Maulana Rūmī’s magnum opus, the Mathnawī-i Maʿnawī (“The Rhymed Couplets of Spiritual Signification”).

Dr. Roshan Iqbal hails from a small hamlet of 20 million–Karachi, Pakistan. She received her PhD in Islamic Studies from Georgetown University. Prior to this she read for her MPhil at the University of Cambridge. She has studied in Pakistan, the US, Morocco, Egypt, Jordon, the UK, and Iran. Her research interests include gender and sexuality in the Qur’an, Islamic Law, Film and Media Studies, and modern Muslim intellectuals. Her recent book is titled, ‘Marital and Sexual Ethics in Islamic Law: Rethinking Temporary Marriage.’ As an associate professor at Agnes Scott College, she teaches classes in the Religious Studies department and also classes that are cross-listed with Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies and Film Studies. When she is not working, she loves talking to her family and friends on the phone (thank you, unlimited plans), tracking fashion (sartorial flourishes are such fun), watching films (love! love! love!), reading novels (never enough), painting watercolors (less and less poorly), and cooking new dishes (sometimes successfully).

Cyrus Ali Zargar is Al-Ghazali Distinguished Professor of Islamic Studies and Professor in the Department of Philosophy at the University of Central Florida. Zargar’s research interests focus on the metaphysical, aesthetic, and ethical intersections between Sufism and Islamic philosophy. His first book, Sufi Aesthetics: Beauty, Love, and the Human Form in Ibn ʿArabi and ʿIraqi, was published in 2011 by the University of South Carolina Press. His most recent book, The Polished Mirror: Storytelling and the Pursuit of Virtue in Islamic Philosophy and Sufism, was published in 2017 by Oneworld Press. His forthcoming book concerns Sufi ethics and the theme of self-transformation in the corpus of the Persian poet ʿAṭṭār.

In this episode of On The Square, Sapelo Square’s Executive Director Latasha Rouseau sits down with Salima Suswell.

Salima is the CEO and President of Evolve Solutions and founder of the Philadelphia Ramadan and Eid Fund.


Salima shares how her upbringing provided the foundation for her love of community and civic engagement. Her father, Imam Asim Abdur-Rashid (may Allah be pleased with him) was the imam for Masjid Mujahideen in Philadelphia until his passing in 2022. Her mother, Majeedah Rashid, has been a community organizer throughout her life. Both were influential in shaping the woman she has become today. A self described daughter of the Dar-ul-Islam movement, Salima draws from her roots steeped in love of faith, activism and community engagement as she moves in the world today. The conversation begins with the question “Who is Salima?” and proceeds to touch on topics pertaining to the history of Black Muslims in America, the importance of remaining civically engaged no matter the obstacles or political climate, voter suppression and the role that everyone must play to achieve the best outcome for all of society. This episode is a reminder that there is strength in community and power in our shared history.

In this episode of On The Square, Sapelo Square’s Senior Editor Ambata Kazi talks with Aaliyah Bilal, author of the new book, Temple Folk, a collection of short stories portraying the lived experiences of Black Muslims grappling with faith, family, and freedom in America.
Aaliyah shares her literary influences and how her interests in American Muslim history, especially the history of the Nation of Islam and its role in shaping the nation, inspired her to write the stories that comprise her collection. Ambata and Aaliyah discuss the challenges of being a Muslim writer: writing about difficult or taboo subjects, without fear or a need for approval, and away from the traps of the outside gaze. Aaliyah also shares advice for new and interested writers on how to nurture their own unique voices and perspectives and write with confidence.
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Aaliyah Bilal was born and raised in Prince George’s County, Maryland. She has degrees from Oberlin College and the University of London School of Oriental and African Studies. Her stories and essays have been published with The Michigan Quarterly Review, The Rumpus and The Chicago Quarterly Review. Temple Folk is her first book. Her website is www.aaliyahbilal.com

Juvaria Khan is the founder and executive director of the Appellate Project, a non-profit that strives to empower law students of color to not only work, but thrive in the appellate field. Appellate courts, (also referred to as the court of appeals), review cases that have been appealed to ensure that the initial proceedings were fair and the proper law was applied correctly. These are the highest courts in our nation that make decisions on all aspects of our lives, including healthcare, religion and policing. As you can imagine, communities of color are often disproportionately impacted by many of the rulings that are made due to a lack of diversity within these spaces. In this episode, Latasha Rouseau, executive director of Sapelo Square, speaks with Juvaria about the flaws of the appellate court system but also the opportunities that exist to change its racial makeup, including the lane she has created to lead the way. As you listen, you will realize that Juvaria is no joke. She is knowledgeable and passionate about ensuring that the persons making decisions in our highest courts reflect the people they represent. As we commemorate Black August and honor the political prisoners, activists and freedom fighters, past and present, let us also remember and highlight the persons within our courts fighting to protect the freedoms of those putting their lives on the line so that justice is served to all.

On this episode of On The Square, Sapelo Square’s News Editor Dr. Nisa Muhammad, speaks with Yaya Fanusie, creator of The Jabbari Lincoln Files. The Jabbari Lincoln Files is an international spy thriller presented in a 10-episode podcast series. The protagonist is a Black Muslim CIA Financial Analyst who takes listeners on the ride of a lifetime through intriguing narratives and audio effects that will have you on the edge of your seat. Fanusie spent seven years as both an economic and counterterrorism analyst in the CIA. He brings his knowledge and background to life through Jabbari Lincoln, weaving the Black experience and Islam into the storyline. Without giving away any spoilers, this podcast will introduce you to your next favorite listen. It’s that good.