District Derkas

Does hard work, determination and taking initiative lead to success and prosperity? The derkas reflect on whether & to what extent they encountered or slept through the national ethos of the “American Dream”.

What’s an Arab Spring? It may cause allergies but it’s not seasonal. The Derkas deliberate on the North African revolution that led to a sequence of uprisings in the Middle East back 2011. Did these movements bloom?

The Napoleonic invasions broadcasted misinformation and false accounts on the Middle East & its “peoples’ strange ways”. The Derkas think not!! Our cohosts flip the script, put on their anthropologist turbans and list a few of the “strange” ways they observed living in the US of A. What’s with the socks and flip flops?

The Derkas drop knowledge on Rama Ding Dong aka Ramadan aka yeah, not even water! Our hosts serve a three course meal with “Ramadan” as its main course. They ‘dish’ on fasting, what it means to them, & how Ramadan - though a common practice - seems to remain a mystery inside an enigma wrapped in a burrito.

The Derkas discuss & compare the different dating paradigms they’ve experienced and address the complaints they’ve received from friends who have (unsuccessfully) dated Derka men. But with Fuckboys spread across the planet, it’s hard to pillory only one group/culture for their Neanderthal behaviour. Derka Dating in DC

The Derkas introduce a new segment that discusses current events and debate how they would handle an attack presented at the segment of Orientalism Expressed. In between, they remember 9/11 and how they became the symbols for terrorism.

The hosts take a look in the mirror & face their own biases regarding other derkas. Some biases run deep and even in the family, Which (internalized) stereotype will break the camel's back?

The Derkas discuss the elephant in the room; their choice of residence. They reflect on their initial touch down in the district & how it gradually became home or a multifaceted exile.

In this brief episode, the Derkas celebrate International Women’s Day and dispel the common notion that their native narrative originated in servitude & give a big shout out to the women who inspired them to woman up wherever & whenever.

Can an American passport save all Derka problems? Not for Sama’a who recently visited Istanbul and Beirut. The Derkas go on to map their first identity marker, and they question whether this identifier left them trying to fit in or rebel out.

The derkas can’t agree on Cardi B riding a camel and they draw a line in the sand when it comes to cultural exchange: Homage or Appropriation? Much like hummus, the spreading of culture isn’t a homogenous recipe.

The District Derkas talk significant moments in their lives when they were viewed as a token. Journalist Adam Baron joins the conversation to shed some insight on the romanticism of the Middle East.

The Derkas feel it's time for someone of their kind to take over Hollywood, but first they examine Hollywood's role in exaggerating stereotypes to their disadvantage.

This week on District Derkas, our hosts discuss a "viral" Saudi trap artist breaking taboos and the unfortunate cultural missteps on Sex & The City 2.

This week on District Derkas, Karl Sharro joins the show as a guest to discuss the relationship between Donald and Middle Eastern dictators.

“Derka” is a stereotypical Arabic word used in lieu of actual Arabic dialogue. On District Derkas, hosts Sama’a Al-Hamdani and Lilia Okalina demystify commonly misunderstood aspects of Middle Eastern culture and create a space for open dialog aimed to teach, inspire and entertain.