The Seeds

In this soul-stirring episode of The Seeds, poet and activist Aja Monet sits down with host, Alana Hadid, to talk about the cost of being online, bearing witness to injustice, and how poetry and faith can heal us.

From the overwhelm of social media to solidarity with Palestine, Aja opens up about her upbringing, the legacy of her grandparents, and the journey of becoming a poet rooted in resistance, tenderness, and truth. She even shares a live reading of her poem, Los Angeles.

Chapters:
00:00 – The Overwhelm of Social Media
00:22 SKIP INTRO
00:54 – Offline Community
01:15 – Harnessing Social Media for Activism
03:09 – Telling Stories About Palestine
19:04 – Aja's Story & Inspirations
22:00 – The Journey of a Poet
37:07 – The Role of Faith
38:57 – Aja & Alana's Religious Upbringing
42:35 – The Influence of Grandparents
46:39 – Personal and Political Realities of War
52:25 – The Role of Poetry in Activism
58:01 –  (Live Reading)
01:01:54 – Reflections on Compassion
01:07:47 – Knafeh & Goodbye

Follow the Show:
📺New episodes every Tuesday
🎧 Available on YouTube, Apple, Spotify & all podcast platforms
📸 Instagram: @theseedspod
🎥 Presented by Watermelon Pictures
🎙️ Produced by Dustlight Productions

Follow Alana Hadid:
IG: @lanzybear

Follow Aja Monet:
IG: @ajamonet

Credits:
Host – Alana Hadid
Showrunner & Executive Producer – Misha Euceph
Executive Producers – Badie Ali, Hamza Ali
Associate Producer – Munir Atalla
Producer & Researcher – Sarah Moawad
Editor, DP, & Sound Engineer – Mike O’Brien
Consulting Director – Mahnoor Euceph
Production Designer – Kendra Bradanini
Art Assistant – Noor Salim
Design – Alicia Tatone
Composer – Andy Clausen
Colorist – Chehade Boulos
Tech – Randy Burgess
Marketing – Kristina Ferris & Daniela Sapkar
Special thanks: Lighthouse Studios, Jack Menzies, Gordy Michie, Isabella Calderon, Sammy Strittmatter, Chrissy Maron, Sara Mengesha, Edwin Henry

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Creators and Guests

Host
Alana Hadid
Creative Director at Watermelon Pictures
Guest
Aja Monet
A surrealist blues poet, musician, and cultural worker

What is The Seeds?

Every story starts with a seed. Alana Hadid is on a mission to dig into the tiny, weird, wonderful moments that shape us — one silly, vulnerable and deep conversation at a time.

The Seeds is where artists, activists, and icons open up like you’ve never heard them before.

This season, Alana sits down with folks like Hasan Piker (political firestarter), Mona Chalabi (Pulitzer Prize winning data queen), Aja Monet (award-winning poet of your dreams), Kendrick Sampson (activist/heartthrob, Insecure & I’m A Virgo), Melissa Barrera (hello, horror icon), and Poppy Liu (actual magic, Hacks). We get into childhood memories, big feels, late-night thoughts, early crushes, politics, love, art — the real stuff. So pull up a seat.

New episodes every Tuesday, starting June 4. Follow on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

Presented by Watermelon Pictures. Produced by Dustlight Productions.