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Since the Beirut explosion, I Stand For Women went from social media to social action. Behind this NGO is businesswoman Caroline Fattal, who with her team of volunteers has helped one hundred and nine women business owners in Lebanon. Caroline started the Marion Fund, named in honor of her aunt who passed away on that fateful day in August. So far, the Marion Fund was able to raise 195,000$ with the proceeds going towards helping female business owners rebuild and sustain their businesses. In this episode, Caroline tells us all about the different initiatives she has managed to put in place, the challenges Lebanon still faces and all the help she’s received along the way.  If you would like to donate to the Marion Fund, please visit this link, and to keep up with I Stand for Women, make sure to follow their Instagram account here. A special shout out to the NGOs who have tirelessly worked alongside Caroline and her team:  @beitelbaraka, @alfanarvp, @livelovebeirut, @orderofmalta_lebanonIf you are looking for other ways to help Lebanon, don’t hesitate to reach out to us on sayhi@whoruntheworldpodcast.com

This episode is for anybody who is Lebanese, has a Lebanese parent, significant other, friend, or is just around Lebanese people a lot, as we break down five different ways  Lebanese people express their love. Whether it's through excessive feeding, endless teasing, or unnecessary self-sacrifices, we sure have interesting ways of showing people we care. Marilyn and Rhea share their experiences, and also talk about what is the most Lebanese way they show their love. This episode is dedicated to our mothers. Make sure to follow us on @whoruntheworldpod on Instagram, and if you think we missed any pivotal Lebanese love language, make sure to write to us on: sayhi@whorunthworldpodcast.com.

Rhea and Marilyn kicked off 2021 by binge watching the Netflix original series Bridgerton. In this episode Rhea shows off her knowledge on all things Shonda Rhimes (Grey’s Anatomy included), and we both express our undying (and unrequited) love for Bridgerton’s breakout star: the Duke.Don’t forget to subscribe and follow us on Instagram @whorunthwroldpodWe’d also love to hear from you, who’s your favorite Bridgerton character? Were you surprised at the Lady Whistledown reveal? Write to us on sayhi@whoruntheworldpod.com

Chloe Kattar is a historian, and is currently pursuing a PhD in history at Cambridge University, where she is writing her thesis that analyzes the intellectual history of the Lebanese civil war. Since the start of the Lebanese revolution on October 17th 2019, Chloe’s Instagram page @leb.historian has gained quite the following. Through her posts, she brings a new perspective to the Lebanese political and socio-economical crisis, adding historical parallels and explanations to her reporting. Chloe’s work struck a chord with so many Lebanese because official history books stop the day after the country gained its independence in 1943. In this episode, Chloe talks to us about the importance of history to revolutions, why women are missing from history’s pages, and what are some of the obstacles she herself has faced as a Lebanese woman in academia. Don't forget to hit the subscribe button and follow us on Instagram on @whoruntheworldpod  and check our website: whoruntheworldpodcast.com.

As for many, Christmas 2020 looks a bit different for us - we won’t be traveling to see our families, or going back to Lebanon where we normally spend the holidays. So we thought it would be fun to take a little walk down memory lane and revisit gifts of time’s past. We asked our audience to share with us stories of the best and/or worst gifts they’ve ever received. This week, we took a listen to the voice notes you sent us, read the message you’ve written us, gave our comments, and remembered our own gifting stories - suffice it to say: hilarity and sweetness ensued. The ultimate Christmas super-fan, Marilyn’s partner, Hadi joins us on this episode, bringing with him his own colorful comments to the table. This holiday season, we do realize what a privilege it is to receive gifts and be with our loved ones. So to pay it forward, here are a few charities in Lebanon that are doing great work this Christmas and all year round - donate if you can:Lebanese Red CrossImpact LebanonBeit el BarakaOffre JoieMerry Christmas, Happy Holidays and Happy New Year everybody! See you all in 2021!

This week we are re-sharing one of our favorite episodes we recorded this year on the 5 love languages - A great listen for this holiday season! With every passing week of social distancing our need for human connection grows, whether we are introverts or extroverts. In this episode, we share how we are getting and giving our dose of connection and care using the five languages of love.We are also running our first ever giveaway. Head to our Instagram page @whoruntheworldpod, follow us, and share with us the best or worst gift you've ever received.  The lucky winner will be receiving three of our favorite books: Education by Tara Westover, Celestial Bodies by Jokha Alharthi and The Day Nina Simone Stopped Singing by Darina Al-Joundi.

Guilda Khoury’s concept store Mellow was one of the very first shops to open in Beirut’s design district Mar Mikhael seven years ago. After the August 4th Beirut explosion, which completely shattered Guilda’s store, Mellow was yet again the first to reopen in a ravaged Mar Mikhael. Guilda’s story is one of great bravery, perseverance and hope. She shares with us her emotional journey, telling us why she chose to stay in Beirut, where she gets her motivation from, and reveals the inspiration behind her latest collection, very aptly named Rising from the Dust. Mellow would not be open today if it weren’t for the following NGOs: @istandforwomen, @bedco_lb, @alfanarvp, and @marchlebanonGuilda would also like to extend a big thank you to the Mellow community, who have been a constant source of love and support. You can follow Mellow on @lovmellow. If you’d like to get in touch with us to see how you can help Lebanon, write to us on sayhi@whorunthwroldpodcast.com or reach out to us on Instagram: @whoruntheworldpod.

Blu Fiefer is a Lebanese-Mexican singer, songwriter, producer, director and pole dancer. We asked Blu to come on as a guest off the heels of her latest release Sint el Ew, which made the rounds on social media, having truly put its finger on the collective Lebanese angst in words that felt real to so many. We discussed everything from her creative process, to her dual identity and how arabic finally made its way into her art, to the power of being yourself and giving others a voice. Don’t forget to follow Blu on @blufiefer and us on Instagram @whoruntheworldpod. You can also write to us on sayhi@whoruntheworldpod.com.

As holders of Lebanese licenses, we quickly realized that the process of getting a UAE driver license was quite the ordeal. In this episode, we break down our road to driving (pun intended) by comparing and contrasting notes on the different tests we had to take and the colorful instructors we were paired with. It’s been quite the eventful month, so suffice it to say hilarity ensued on the podcast - who knew driving could be so funny. We’d love to hear your journey to driving, whether you just recently got your license, or if it’s a story from your teenage years. So make sure to write to us on sayhi@whoruntheworldpodcast.com, and follow us on Instagram @whoruntheworldpod.

In this episode, we take a deep dive into the Myers-Briggs personality test, its history, whether it is any more accurate than a horoscope reading and how it can help us improve our communication and collaboration with loved ones and colleagues alike. It might come as no surprise that Marilyn is a Commander personality type and Rhea a Campaigner personality type. You’ll have to listen to the episode to understand what that means and whether we agree. We’d love to learn more about your personality type, so please share them with us by writing to us on sayhi@whoruntheworldpodcast.com or on our Instagram page @whoruntheworldpod.

In this episode, we are joined by our second ever male guest: Dr. Melhem Abou Alwan. Melhim tells us what it is like being a doctor in the middle of the pandemic, how his hospital coped under pressure and why he volunteered to be the only doctor in his team to examine COVID patients in the early days of the pandemic. Melhim’s story, like so many frontliner’s stories, is a stark reminder of the severity of the coronavirus, and why it is so important for all of us to practice safe measures until a vaccine is effectively distributed. Don't forget to hit the subscribe button and follow us on Instagram on @whoruntheworldpod  and check our website: whoruntheworldpodcast.com.

Did you know that people with deep and meaningful friendships live longer? Friendships are one the most undervalued but most important relationships. In this episode, we look inwards to explore and express the importance of keeping our tribe close. Rhea takes over hosting duties to interview Marilyn and her childhood best friend Tara Tyan. Through the story of their twenty-two year old relationship, we explore the meaning of friendship, how to get through rough patches and how to keep your friends close even if they live miles and miles away. We’d love to hear your stories of the important friendships in your lives! Write to us on sayhi@whoruntheworldpodcast.com - or follow us on Instagram on @whoruntheworldpod, we’d love to hear from you!

Economist Léa Hakim joins us from Beirut to talk about how creating jobs will not only help the financial crisis in Lebanon, but also allow people to live with dignity. Léa has dedicated a huge chunk of her life to giving back to her community through a number of initiatives that span across the economic and educational sectors. She truly inspired us with her positive energy and can-do attitude. This is a great conversation to listen to for anyone trying to figure out ways to help Lebanon and make a positive impact. To learn more about Léa’s initiative Jobs for Lebanon, check out their website here. You can also follow them on Instagram, LinkedIn and Facebook. If you have any questions on other ways to help Lebanon, please write to us on sayhi@whoruntheworldpodcast.com

Rhea and Marilyn decide to take off on a girl’s weekend in the desert. And what do two podcast hosts do when they are away for a “self care” weekend? Naturally, record an episode on self care. We discuss how we tap into our community for comfort, and the activities that help us find balance. One of us chooses to watch the Real Housewives and the other likes to eat in bed. We’ll let you guess which practice is Marilyn’s and which is Rhea’s.What's your self care regimen? Write to us on sayhi@whoruntheworldpodcast.comDon't forget to hit the subscribe button and follow us on Instagram on @whoruntheworldpod  and check our website: whoruntheworldpodcast.com.

We are joined by Dr. Gael Abou Ghannam in a special episode about the female body in all its states. Dr. Gael, whose specialty is gynecology, is known for her Instagram page where she unabashedly talks about the female body, female health and of course all things period. She brings her wisdom to our podcast and enlightens us about everything from period pain to taking the pill, we share stories of the first time we got our periods, and we have a very important conversation about period poverty in Lebanon. Don't forget to hit the subscribe button and follow us on Instagram on @whoruntheworldpod  and check our website: whoruntheworldpodcast.com.

For the first time in a very long time, Marilyn is going to be taking a plane to travel back to Lebanon for a few days. Suffice it to say: she’s a bit nervous. To make her feel better, Rhea sat her down to compare notes on what they love and miss about airports. We talk about what foods we eat (everyone knows calories do not count while traveling), what unnecessary purchases we make, and we have the great debate of the century: are you an aisle person or a window person. Have you traveled recently? Do you miss airports? What are your airport rituals? Write to us on sayhi@whoruntheworldpodcast.com and share with us your stories! Follow us on @whoruntheworldpod on Instagram and check our website: whoruntheworldpodcast.com.

We started off this episode giving each other updates on our careers, and we quickly turned the focus onto feeling your power. We’ve all been in those moments where we’ve needed to be reminded of our own power, or where we’ve needed that little push of encouragement. In this episode Marilyn and Rhea share with each other the different objects, rituals and people who remind them of their own power, and help them remain firmly grounded in their inner strength. What gives you power? Share with us your stories on sayhi@whoruntheworldpod.comDon't forget to hit the subscribe button and follow us on Instagram on @whoruntheworldpod  and check our website: whoruntheworldpodcast.com.

In the second part of our conversation with Coach Ayoub, we hand him the reins of our episode. This is definitely an episode of firsts, not only our first male guest, our first 2 part episode, but also the first episode where the topic was hidden from us and we couldn’t come prepared. Join us on an exercise of being in the present. If you can, listen to this episode with a friend or partner, and do the exercises at the same time as us. We promise you it’s worth it. We would love to hear about the thoughts, sensations and emotions you go through as you listen to this episode. Write to us on sayhi@whoruntheworldpod.com

In this episode, we sit down with Coach Ayoub to break down last week’s challenge. Rhea fesses up on whether she managed to ask her friends for help for her upcoming move to her new apartment. Marilyn on the other side tells Coach Ayoub about how she’s defining herself as a leader. She chooses to carry a purple lightsaber (you’ll have to listen to understand that metaphor). We had so much to talk about with Coach Ayoub that we split up this episode into two parts, so stay tuned for next week for part 2. Follow us on @whoruntheworldpod on Instagram and check our website: whoruntheworldpodcast.com.

We’ve been gone for a while. To be honest, there was a lot happening in the world, and more specifically in our hometown of Beirut. We spent the last month coping with the aftermath of the Beirut blast. In this episode we talk about what the last month and a half has been like, how we each coped with our PTSD and broken hearts. After many conversations, we decided to finally reboot this season of Who Run the World. Even though we don’t know if it’s the right thing to do, we decided to carry on and continue to do our best in bringing you stories from women in the Middle East, and to continue to shine light on Lebanon. If you would like to donate to trusted NGOs in Lebanon:INSEAD Alumni for Lebanese Red CrossGeorgetown Alumni for St George HospitalImpact LebanonLebanese Red Cross