In this episode of the Sumud Podcast, we are joined by Sana Saeed, an award-winning journalist and media critic known for her sharp analysis of how media shapes public perception. Sana spent over a decade at AJ+, where she hosted Backspace and The Occupation Style Guide, breaking down the ways mainstream news frames narratives around war, colonialism, and resistance.
Since October 2023, she has been at the forefront of critically analyzing how U.S. media covers the genocide in Gaza—exposing how propaganda is used to justify war crimes and shape public discourse.
In this conversation, we explore:
🔎 How Western Media Constructs Narratives on Palestine
📰 The Role of Social Media in Challenging Mainstream Journalism
⚖️ The History of Media Bias and Islamophobia in Journalism
✊ Why Journalists Must Challenge Institutional Bias
Sana provides powerful insights into the biases and structures shaping Western coverage of global conflicts, and how we can challenge disinformation to advocate for truth and accountability.
📢 Don’t miss this episode!
🔴 Listen now: https://sumudpod.com/
📲 Follow our guest: https://www.instagram.com/sanaface/
🎙️ Follow our host: https://www.instagram.com/dredhasan/
💫 Special thanks to: https://www.instagram.com/zeinaashrawi/
Chapters:
00:00 Introduction
01:37 Early life
06:48 The partition and the parallels to Palestinian experiences
16:54 Growing up in the diaspora and finding community
22:37 What shaped Sana’s political views
30:49 Growing up in a conservative family
38:13 Her growing interest in Palestine
58:30 The Muslim Leadership Initiative and its effect on Palestine
01:18:19 What’s next for Sana?
#SumudPodcast #SanaSaeed #Media #Journalism #Palestine #Propaganda #MediaLiteracy