MANA’s President, Dr. Joshua Salaam, spoke with Dr. Arun Kundnani about his upcoming biography, Rise in Fire, H. Rap Brown, Imam Jamil, and the Long Revolution.
Click here to listen.
Dr. Kundnani is a writer interested in race, Islamophobia, surveillance, political violence, and radicalism.
Born in London, he moved to New York in 2010 and now lives in Philadelphia. The Guardian has described him as “one of Britain’s best political writers.”
He is the author of What is Antiracism? (Verso, 2023), The Muslims are Coming! (Verso, 2014) and The End of Tolerance (Pluto, 2007), which was selected as a New Statesman book of the year. He has written for the Nation, the Guardian, the Washington Post, Vice, and The Intercept. A former editor of the journal Race & Class, he was educated at Cambridge University and holds a PhD from London Metropolitan University. He has been an Open Society fellow and a scholar-in-residence at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, New York Public Library.
Akanke, an Atlanta native, grew up in a non-religious family. In her late twenties, she embraced Islam after an unexpected introduction to the faith while training as a television producer. Working on a live show featuring Muslim guests, she was captivated by the insightful discussions surrounding Islam. Encouraged by her colleagues, she attended Friday prayers and began reading the Quran, ultimately finding profound inspiration that solidified her decision to convert. This transformative experience ignited a lifelong passion for spirituality and personal growth rooted in her faith.
She holds a degree in Communication from Georgia State University, specializing in film, television, and anthropology. Her diverse career includes roles as a television and radio producer, life coach, voiceover artist, and abstract painter. During a decade spent in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, Akanke refined her public speaking and leadership skills, mentoring women through two women-only Toastmasters clubs she founded. Above all, she emphasizes spirituality as the cornerstone of self-actualization, advocating for a life devoted to Allah. She believes personal growth and lasting success stem from a strong, loving relationship with Him.
Since 2007, Akanke has been actively involved with MANA in various capacities, including serving as Director of Communications and Board Vice President.
