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Not Really Strangers

USA for UNHCR
Refugee Experience
UNHCR
Refugees
Community Building
Refugee Crisis
USA For UNHCR
Belonging
Ukraine
Los Angeles
Identity
Social Issues
Forced Displacement
Global Supply Chains
Economic Inclusion
Vietnamese Heritage
New York City
Education
Ahmad Joudeh
Restaurant Industry
Migration

Discover just how connected the refugee experience is to our everyday lives, and to the social issues that matter to us most. Join host Suzanne Ehlers, Executive Director and CEO of USA for UNHCR, the UN refugee agency, as she and her eclectic guests share personal stories and frontline insights. We’re more connected than we may think.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes18Founded9 months ago
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BusinessSociety & CultureNon-Profit

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Latest Episodes

In this special episode, host Suzanne Ehlers revisits one of Not Really Strangers' most enduring questions: what does the word stranger mean to you? Drawing from each conversation across the past two seasons, you will hear a collage-style episode fea... more

Recorded on location at Emma's Torch — a restaurant and culinary training center for refugees in Brooklyn, NY with locations in the Washington, DC metropolitan area — Suzanne sits down with staff members Kira O'Brien and Alexander Harris and alumnus ... more

YouTube

In this episode of Not Really Strangers, host Suzanne Ehlers sits down with global leader and major sci-fi fan Ada Williams Prince to discuss how her career spanning multiple continents has shaped the way she thinks about the best way to fund social ... more

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In this episode of Not Really Strangers, Suzanne Ehlers sits down with two UNHCR DAFI scholarship recipients and leaders of the Tertiary Refugee Student Network (TRSN) — Monicah Malith, a law graduate from South Sudan now completing her Advocates Tra... more

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Recent Guests

Maryam Banikarim
Founder/leader involved with The Longest Table and former executive in private sector; advocate for displacement initiatives
Not specified in transcript
Episode: Grit, Gathering and Going for It: Maryam Banikarim on Living Life Wherever You Find Yourself
Susanna Pollack
President of Games for Change
Games for Change
Episode: From Assumption to Curiosity: Susanna Pollack on Immersive Media and the Distance Between Us
Ahmad Joudeh
Ballet dancer and subject of the documentary The Dancer
Artist, dancer
Episode: Dance or Die: Ahmad Joudeh on Statelessness, Belonging, and the Body as Home
Suzanne Barakat
Physician specializing in refugee and asylee health, trauma survivor
Episode: Caring in Crisis and Responding to Hate: Dr. Suzanne Barakat’s Story
Kristin Davis
Actor and Goodwill Ambassador for UNHCR
UNHCR
Episode: What Actor Kristin Davis Witnessed as Families Flee Sudan’s Brutal War
Nabin Dhimal
A Bhutanese refugee, master's student in International Migrations and Refugee Studies at Georgetown University
Episode: Building Home, Far From Home: The Power of Education, Family and Refugee Voices with Nabin Dhimal
Malika Saada Saar
A human rights lawyer with a focus on gender-based violence and child trafficking.
Episode: Human Rights and Democracy in the Age of AI: A Conversation with Malika Saada Saar
Thao Nguyen
Musician and daughter of Vietnamese refugees
Episode: Home in Many Places: Thao Nguyen on Heritage, Art and Connection
Colin Browne
Member of the board of directors at USA for UNHCR and experienced professional in the apparel industry.
USA for UNHCR
Episode: Why the Refugee Crisis Isn’t Just a Government Problem with Colin Browne

Host

Suzanne Ehlers
Executive Director and CEO of USA for UNHCR; host of Not Really Strangers

Chart Rankings

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Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

What Actor Kristin Davis Witnessed as Families Flee Sudan’s Brutal War
Q: What do you hope listeners take away to help refugees beyond donating?
To recognize that refugees want to work, contribute, and build community; to understand the importance of safe spaces, education, and mental health support as foundations for rebuilding lives.
What Actor Kristin Davis Witnessed as Families Flee Sudan’s Brutal War
Q: What did you witness in South Sudan that stood out to you regarding women and girls?
I witnessed the creation and closing of safe spaces for girls, scary scarcity of food, and the resilience of communities like Girl Shine; these experiences underscored how funding losses impact safety and education for young women.
What Actor Kristin Davis Witnessed as Families Flee Sudan’s Brutal War
Q: How did your awareness of refugee issues begin and evolve through your UNHCR work?
My involvement grew from early personal interactions at events and trips, particularly in Africa, where I saw firsthand how the lack of resources affected women and families, which motivated me to work with UNHCR to support livelihoods and safe spaces.
Caring in Crisis and Responding to Hate: Dr. Suzanne Barakat’s Story
Q: What overarching message do you want listeners to take away about shared humanity and responsibility?
The central message is that we are more alike than we are different, and recognizing our biases with courage leads to acting for justice, dignity, and the protection of human rights for everyone, especially those displaced by conflict.
Caring in Crisis and Responding to Hate: Dr. Suzanne Barakat’s Story
Q: What does it mean to be the only Arabic-speaking provider in multiple settings, and how has that shaped your approach to urgent care and interpretation?
Being the sole Arabic-speaking clinician meant shouldering immense responsibility to translate, interpret, and advocate for patients under trauma, which underscored the importance of dignity, cultural competence, and the emotional labor involved in bridging gaps during emergencies.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Not Really Strangers

What is Not Really Strangers about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A deep-dive interview series that centers the refugee experience and its ties to everyday life and broader social issues. Across episodes, conversations span personal journeys of displacement, education, economic inclusion, human rights advocacy, and cultural expression, often featuring guests with refugee backgrounds, human rights lawyers, community organizers, artists, and business leaders who illustrate resilience and belonging. The show is notable for connecting intimate narrative storytelling with practical insights on policy, work, and society, highlighting how diverse voices contribute to a more inclusive global community.

Listeners are likely drawn to perspectives on migration, social justice, and the impact of refugees in communit... more

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1. The Ezra Klein Show
2. This American Life
3. Ear Hustle
4. Throughline
5. Good Hang with Amy Poehler

How many episodes of Not Really Strangers are there?

Not Really Strangers launched 9 months ago and published 18 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on Not Really Strangers?

Recent guests on Not Really Strangers include:

1. Maryam Banikarim
2. Susanna Pollack
3. Ahmad Joudeh
4. Suzanne Barakat
5. Kristin Davis
6. Nabin Dhimal
7. Malika Saada Saar
8. Thao Nguyen

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