Episode 3

A NYC Love Letter: Muslims in America pt 2

Published on: 27th November, 2025

In part two of the Muslims in America episode, I spoke to local New York historian, City University of New York lecturer and small business owner Asad Dandia, who made history himself when he sued the New York Police Department in 2017 after they sent an informant to spy on his community.

In doing so, Asad helped change the course of New York history. We spoke about his journey, as well as his work helping to get Zohran Mamdani elected as the first Muslim mayor of New York, and what the future holds for our beloved city.

This week, the view is from New York.

Episode notes:

Asad's tour company, New York Narratives: http://newyorknarratives.com/

I was a Muslim teen under NYPD surveillance: https://www.aclu.org/news/national-security/i-was-muslim-teen-under-nypd-surveillance-now-i-have

Bloomberg's NYPD spied on me for being Muslim: https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2020/02/20/bloombergs-nypd-spied-me-being-muslim-he-has-never-apologized/

The man behind the radical walking tours of New York City: https://www.thenation.com/article/society/asad-dandia-radical-walking-tours-new-york-city/

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About the Podcast

The View From Here
The View From Here with Jasmine El-Gamal
The View From Here is a brand-new weekly podcast hosted by former Pentagon official and foreign policy analyst Jasmine El-Gamal.

Each Thursday, Jasmine connects the dots between global headlines and the human stories behind them.

From war rooms to conflict zones to refugee camps, she draws on her experiences to examine how policy decisions impact real lives, uncovering the unseen costs of power.

The View from Here is foreign policy, reimagined: from the people shaping it, to those it impacts.

Get in touch with us with your thoughts and questions! You can find us at jasmine@viewfromherepod.com.

Disclaimer: The View from Here aims to showcase a wide range of views and opinions, which do not necessarily reflect those of the podcast or its host.

About your host

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Jasmine El-Gamal

Jasmine El-Gamal is a foreign policy analyst and former Pentagon official who cares deeply about building bridges and changing the way we talk and think about policies that affect us all.

In this polarized, tribal environment, we've lost something essential. We've lost our ability to see each other's humanity across political and cultural divides.

As a first-generation Arab-American who's navigated cultures across North America, the Middle East, and Europe, Jasmine knows what it's like to live between worlds. To see how the same event can be understood completely differently depending on where you're standing.

The View from Here is her brand new podcast where she will break down foreign policy, and the news, and their impact on the humans behind the headlines.