#121: Real Talk with Ahmed Hashem- also known as DJ Ahmed

Episode 121: Ahmed Hashem – also known as DJ Ahmed

Have you ever met someone whose story shifts your whole perspective?

In the latest episode of Real Talk, I sit down with the electrifying DJ Ahmed, an Iraqi-born refugee who turned the chaos of war and displacement into an unstoppable force for joy, healing, and unity.

🎶 From Basra to the Bay
Ahmed shares his emotional journey: escaping war-torn Iraq at age nine, arriving in San Francisco’s Tenderloin district a different kind of battleground and discovering his gift for bringing people together through music.

🔥 Why this episode hits hard:

• Ahmed reveals how surviving bombings shaped his life’s purpose: to create peace through joy.

• They explore the deep roots of oppression and the shared humanity between divided communities.

• A powerful look at identity, racism in corporate spaces, and why diversity isn’t just “good business” it’s a moral imperative.

• And of course, how Latinx culture, San Francisco, and a love for dabke, salsa, and reggaeton helped DJ Ahmed find home again.

This episode isn’t just a conversation, it’s a movement. You’ll laugh, cry, and maybe even dance in your seat 💃🏽.

With love and realness,
Grace 

P.S. If you’ve ever felt like an outsider, this one’s for you.

Connect with DJ Ahmed 

Website