On Our Terms with Ismatou Bah
After growing up in a Guinean-Muslim home in Queens, earning scholarships to attend an elite Prep school and New York University, and eventually landing in the world of tech, Ismatou has felt forced to compartmentalize her various identities and life experiences. But as she charges through her 20s, she’s learned that those disparate experiences are the things that render her perspective unique.
So welcome to On Our Terms–the place where those disparate identities converge, convene and come home—featuring your host, Ismatou Bah, the big sister who fucks up so you don’t have to.
On Our Terms with Ismatou Bah
Mummy...I'm STILL not coming home for Thanksgiving ft. Arewá Basit
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Be Brave! What's on your mind?
Reintroducing an episode that was ahead of its time, this is a conversation with Arewá Basit. A multihyphenate non-binary trans-femme based in Brooklyn. Basit is a performance artist who uses all mediums to put on for the black femmes. I met Arewà through her collective, LEGACY. Since our conversation, Arewà modeled for Amy Sherald's portrait “Trans Forming Liberty”, a recreation of the Statue of Liberty with a trans femme as lady liberty. The piece was surrounded by a lot of press and controversy, beginning with the Smithsonian Museums considering removing the piece from a larger collection titled “American Sublime”. Basit also starred in DOLLS directed by Geena Rocero, which premiered at the New Fest Film Festival marking her big screen debut! In this episode, Ismatou sits down with Arewà to dive into a choice many Millennials and Gen Z are making: skipping the holidays to avoid the trauma. Arewà’s experience is a refreshing and radical departure: she shares a beautiful story of growing into her queer identity with the nurturing support of her mother. In honor of the upcoming holidays, we hope you enjoy!
Follow us on all socials @onourtermspod and your host Ismatou Bah @uotamsi on IG.
Don’t forget to follow our guest on instagram @ basit_ and Tik Tok @ arewabasit