Featuring the voices of visionary student leaders, this immersive sound story tells the origin of the Markaz Resource Center at Stanford. Hear how a handful of Muslim students came together in 2012 to create an inclusive community space for learning, healing and growing. 

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This sound story was created by Markaz historian Parsa Nowruzi with help from Markaz interns, Arman Kassam, Abdu Mohamdy, and Omar Escoto.  This project was further supported by the time and talents of Stanford Storytelling Project's Jenny March and Allie Wollner and Stanford University Archives' Daniel Hartwig. Thank you to our wonderful storytellers, Subhan Ali, Mahta Baghoolizadeh, Osama El-Gabalawy, Omar Shakir, Zainab Taymuree, and Lydia Zemmali.

Music is from filmmusic.io by Kevin MacLeod and sound effects from freesound.org.

The Origin of the Markaz

Our first Mosaic episode from the Markaz! Featuring Haniyah and some delectable chai.

Music and sounds from freesound.org and FMA's Free Music Archive (Jahzzar and Blue Dot Sessions).

Haniyah - Chai

Tea, round 2??? Featuring JJ and some pumpkin spice "Cha."

Music and sounds from freesound.org and FMA's Free Music Archive (Jahzzar and Broke for Free).

JJ - Cha

What happens when a restaurant becomes your home? Featuring Yasmin and her memories of niçoise salad.

Music and sounds from freesound.org and the Free Music Archive (Scott Granton and Broke for Free).

Yasmin - Niçoise Salad

We finally have an episode four! Featuring Evan, grandparents, Michigan, diasporic geographies, and the delectable crunch of a beef samosa.

Music and sounds from freesound.org and FMA's Free Music Archive (Jahzzar, Ketsa, and Chad Crouch).

Evan - Samosas

Episode #5 for the Mosaic! Featuring Yasmeen, a junior from Saudi Arabia who explores home, cultural ownership, and her shifting pan-Arab identity through one very special dish.

Music from the Free Music Archive (Scott Gratton, Broke for Free, and Daniel Birch).

Yasmeen - Tabbouleh

Episode 6! We hope you all are staying informed, safe, and optimistic in these difficult times. And perhaps storytelling is a way to bring us all together? In this episode, sophomore Mariam shares the value of a good debate and the deliciousness of her family's couscous, and in the process she demonstrates that those two things are not at all unrelated.

Music from the Free Music Archive (Jahzzar and Blue Dot Sessions).

Mariam - Couscous

We've reached the seventh episode! This is the last interview we were able to conduct before COVID-19 hit. It features Sameer, a freshman from Fremont who dives into the samosa as a bridge between linguistic, national, and personal divides.

Music from the Free Music Archive (The Underscore Orkestra, Lobo Loco,  and Podington Bear).

Sameer - Samosas

Introducing the final episode of the first season of Markaz Mosaic! Thank you all so much for sticking with us this year. This session is a bit different than the previous episodes; in this one, I had the chance to interview Mahnoor, Nour, Jana, and Hassan about their Ramadan experiences, before and after the COVID outbreak.

Music taken with creative commons licensing from the Free Music Archive (Jahzzar and 'Blank and Kytt').

Ramadan Stories

We're kicking off season 2 with a conversation between two brothers - Hamza and Yusuf - who share with us their experience of the past eight months. How are crises experienced on a personal level? How do we cope with them? And where might we find compassion in a disrupted world?

Music courtesy of the Free Music Archive:
"Comedie" - Jahzzar
"Something Elated" - Broke for Free
"RSPN" - Blank Kytt
"See U Soon" - Jahzzar

Hamza and Yusuf

As-salāmu Alaykum! Welcome to the Markaz at Stanford. We support a vibrant community of students who identify with or are interested in Muslim experiences both here and around the world.

The Markaz Resource Center

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