Our “Three Questions” series profiling KUT reporters continues this month with development and affordability reporter Syeda Hasan.
Before joining KUT in spring 2016, she worked as a reporter at Houston Public Media covering county government, immigrant and refugee communities, homelessness and the Sandra Bland case. Her work has been heard nationally on public radio shows such as “Morning Edition,” “All Things Considered” and “Marketplace.”
She got her start in public radio as an intern at KUT while earning her bachelor’s degree in journalism, with a minor in French, at the University of Texas at Austin where she served as a reporter for “The Daily Texan” student newspaper.
See what Syeda’s tweeting @KUTsyeda
What are you listening to these days?
My all-time favorite podcast is the Read, a weekly pop culture show hosted by two friends in New York. It’s a great way to unwind and reflect on – or get a distraction from – the week’s events.
I’m also a big fan of Reveal, Criminal and Terrible, Thanks for Asking. I love anything that takes a deep dive and teaches me something new.
Unfortunately Austin lacks a dedicated hip-hop radio station, so I often tune into my old hometown station, 97.9 the Box, from Houston. I’m still listening to Beyonce’s “Lemonade” and Solange’s “A Seat at the Table” albums almost every day, and I love pretty much any song on the soundtrack for the HBO show “Insecure.”
Read anything interesting lately?
I’m planning a trip to Karachi, Pakistan soon, so I’ve been reading Steve Inskeep’s book “Instant City,” which explores Karachi’s rapid growth and urban planning efforts after Pakistan’s partition from India.
I’m also stocking up on books to read during that long flight. On my list are Roxane Gay’s “Hunger” and “Americanah” by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.
What are you loving about the ATX lately?
I’ve been watching a lot more movies at the Alamo lately to escape the summer heat. Most recently, I saw the Big Sick, which was a delightful comedy and relatable for me on so many levels. It’s great to see more South Asian actors appearing in mainstream movies and TV.
When the weather is nice enough, I like taking walks around my neighborhood and Austin’s green belts, playing mini golf at Peter Pan and running at Clark Field on the UT campus. I also love to spend time at home, try new recipes from Chrissy Teigen’s cookbook and binge watch the Real Housewives.
