Mohamed Kilani was born to Iraqi parents in Amman, Jordan where he lived until his family got resettled in the US.  He arrived in Portland, Maine as a nine year old in 2009. 
Mo adapted to his new world quickly.  He watched Ellen on TV until he mastered the American accent.  Everyday he uses his hard-won work ethic to succeed at everything he does. He is profoundly grateful to his family for their shared insight into how to appreciate humanity, work hard and love one another well, regardless of how hard that can be to do at times.
Presently, Mo is a freshman at Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine and when he earns his bachelor's degree he plans to stay in Maine to contribute to the community in substantial ways, understanding life from many different perspectives. 

Music: "Dust it Off" by the DO

Jawad is a musician from Baghdad, Iraq.  He makes and plays the oud.  After moving to Maine in Feb 2016, he found his way to Bourgeois Music where he makes guitars.  He brings a world of musical experience with him as performer, teacher and music philosopher. 
As an undergraduate Jawad studied music at Baghdad University and then earned his masters degree in Music Philosophy.
In the past two years Jawad has performed at more than 25 house parties and has played on a number of stages in the area including USM, MECA, and Mayo Street Arts.  His music business is called Golden Eye Oud.  (Contact info: GoldenEyeOud@gmail.com).  Like a free bird, Jawad wants his improvisational music to represent his freedom, an open mind, and the connection between all people, East and West.

Ahmed was born and raised in Iraq. He lived in Jordan, Syria, and was a college lecturer in Iraq and Libya before coming to the US in 2014 with his wife and four children.  He has 17 years experience in the field of education with a Master's degree in Urban and Regional Planning and a Ph.D. in Sociology (in process) from Al Fateh University in Tripoli, Libya.
He presently works as a Parent and Community Specialist through the Multilingual and Multicultural Center in the Portland Public Schools serving the Arabic speaking community. 
Beyond bringing the community together and helping his fellow new arrivals as a cultural broker and translator, he teaches Arabic and is a published author in the Union of Iraqi Writers and Poets.  He loves how poetry makes him free, and shares such thoughts in this interview. 
Additional resources for New Mainers which Ahmed recommends:
New England Arab American Organization
Learning Works
AmeriCorps

Music: Fairouz sings "Baghdad"

Israa is a student and a poet.  She and her family arrived in Maine in 2013.  After attending Deering High School in Portland, she is now a Human Biology and Linguistics student at the University of Southern Maine. 
Israa brings with her a love for Iraqi poetry and culture mixed together with a passion for justice.  She invites women to express what is in their hearts by doing just that, herself, as a poet and performer of her spoken word pieces.  (See her TEDxDirigo talk from 2017 here).  
Israa recites her poem to Iraq personified called "Story of a Violin" and underscores the value of memorizing poetry which is shared among people in a culture or a movement.  She feels that our words connect us with our beliefs and with each other.

Music: Shatha Hassoun sings "Ya Nabaat El Rihan" and Old Iraqi Song.

Kifah Abdulla is a world citizen whose journey began in Baghdad, Iraq.  He is a poet, artist, writer, teacher and activist.  After completing his Bachelor's Degree in biology at the University of Baghdad, Kifah entered into compulsory military service. During the Iraq-Iran War he was captured and held as a prisoner of war for more than eight years.  During this interview he reads from his recent book of poetry called Dead Still Dream, about his experience as a POW and explains how this difficult experience changed him.  He will also soon be releasing his related memoir called Mountains Without Peaks.  Kifah lived in Jordan and Holland before moving to Portland, ME in August 2011.
A true creative, Kifah always has many projects in motion.  He is a father of two teenage sons, teaches Arabic at The Language Exchange, performs as storyteller and does poetry readings accompanied by an oud or cello, teaches Arabic calligraphy, and creates art out of everything he sees and touches including food, words, and a wide array of visual art supplies.

To view his visual art website: www.kifahabdulla.com.
To view his website called Arabic Language in Maine (created with Brooke DeLorme) visit: www.arabiclanguage.me

Poetry read during this interview:
"Dream 1" and "I Met A Hero (John A. Alle)"

Music: David Darling "Slow Down"

Ali Al Mshakheel came to the US from Iraq in 2014.  He is now a Parent Community Specialist for the Portland Public Schools, is on the board of the World Affairs Council of Maine and continues to do some journalism and while raising a family in Portland, ME.
He discusses his experience at the recent Camden Conference (Feb. 17-19, 2017) which is an annual event created to foster discourse on world issues.  This year the conference was called "Refugees and Global Migration: Humanity's Crisis."   Ali was a Special Guest and addressed the audience as an immigrant, himself, personalizing the policies and learning on the issue over the course of the weekend.  During this show Ali shares the comments he presented at the conference.  He looks at how the experience impacted him, talking about how this crisis calls us to be responsible to the other humans with whom we share this planet.  He believes we should help those in need and to make peace so that people might resume their lives in their homes. 
Also, his sixth grade son, Ahmed, joins us in the studio and recites a poem by Nizar Kabbani which he recently memorized. 
FMI on Ali's book project which needs an editor and publisher click here.
FMI on The Iraqi Society of Maine's Children's book drive click here.
Music: "Can't Stop The Feeling" from the Trolls movie.

Aqeel Mohaildeen is a graphic designer who has begun to produce and print a newspaper to welcome and inform Arabic speaking immigrants who are new to Maine.  The free newspaper is called The Hanging Gardens of Babylon and is available at the Portland Public Library as well as area Arabic markets and restaurants. Click here for a link to free on-line version of The Hanging Gardens of Babylon newspaper.

Aqeel arrived in the US in 2010 and settled in Maine in 2013.  He loves the "pure people" and the kindness he's found in Maine as well as Portland's red brick architecture. Aqeel  plans to stay in Maine and participate fully in his community and in his new country.  He also discusses voting and explains that he won't disappoint the founding fathers of this country and he will vote in Tuesday's presidential election. 

Music: Iraqi folk song, "It Is Because I Have Nobody" by Ahmad Shamma

Ghassan is originally from Baghdad, Iraq and has lived in Maine since he was 16.  On Sept 17, 2013 Ghassan became a US Citizen and soon thereafter he participated in The Brick Project.  He had a brick laid in the sidewalk on India Street in Portland to commemorate his new status.  He continues to visit this brick in his new home town to reflect on his past as well as to contemplate his future plans. First goal: Ghassan hopes to complete his bachelor's degree in biochemistry at USM. 
Ghassan takes his citizenship seriously and this upcoming election (Nov 8, 2016) will be Ghassan's first presidential election.  He talks about why he encourages as many new Mainers to vote as possible.  (Click here for voter guide)

Music: Bob Marley's "Get Up, Stand Up."

Samira returns to New Mainers Speak (previously interviewed on August 2015, NMS 070) to thank her emergency room doctor for saving her life after being struck down on a Portland sidewalk in a hit-and-run accident on January 14, 2014.  Dr. Scott McCorvey recognized Samira when she returned to the emergency room to thank those who had helped her through that terrible time.  She will remain forever grateful to God and to Dr. McCorvey for saving her life.  Samira is a proud Mainer who loves living independently and in safety as an active and voting citizen of the United States. 

When she lived in Baghdad, Samira was a statistician and branch manager for Rashid Bank where she supervised 10 other employees.  She describes herself as a life-long learner and shares what education has meant to her family over the years.

Music: Amir ElSaffar sings "Khosh Reng" from his Two Rivers album. 

Mohammed grew up in Karbala, Iraq.  He came to this country three years ago and  arrived in Maine last year, by himself.  He is currently completing his 'post-grad" year at Portland HIgh School and awaiting word from the colleges to which he applied.

Mohammed likes to learn about the community and contribute however he can.  He has helped to move furniture with Furniture Friends and participated in 4-H.  He also makes cultural videos for CTN-5. 

Mohammed was selected by the Telling Room as one of 15 students to participate in this year's Young Writers and Leaders program, which he speaks about during this interview.  He recognizes it as a place where the program participants mature while learning to tell their stories to themselves and the public.

Music: The National Anthem of Iraq