In their first-ever interview with a sitting elected official, Rich and Kevin sit down with Georgia State Representative Ruwa Romman for a powerful and personal conversation. From escaping anti-Arab racism in Forsyth County to canvassing during the Michelle Nunn campaign, Ruwa shares how her lived experience as a Palestinian-Muslim woman in the Deep South shaped her political awakening.

This episode is part origin story, part political analysis, and part cultural reckoning—covering identity, mentorship, college activism, and how small moments (like a random Google Form) can spark lifelong civic engagement. The boys of Maroon Bison are building something different—and this one’s for the organizers, the immigrants, and everyone who's ever been “othered” but showed up anyway.

📍(05:30) - From Palestine to Forsyth: Growing Up “Other” in Georgia
Ruwa shares her family’s journey from Jordan to Georgia, the culture shock of arriving just before 9/11, and how Forsyth County’s racist history shaped her childhood—including bullying, isolation, and being one of the only non-white students in her class.

📍 (10:32) - MLK Cartoons, Civil Rights, and the Roots of Political Curiosity
How a time-traveling MLK cartoon ignited her fascination with social justice, and how volunteering at the Center for Civil and Human Rights introduced her to icons like John Lewis and the logistics behind real movement building.

📍 (17:16) - Tea, Terrorist Slurs, and Third Culture Life in the South
Ruwa reflects on navigating identity as a visibly Muslim Palestinian girl in the South, the trauma of childhood racism, and how her mom worked to preserve their culture while shielding her from harm.

📍 (24:44) - How One Canvassing Shift Changed Everything
From an invite on campus to canvassing for Michelle Nunn in 2014, Ruwa describes falling in love with organizing and realizing how many voters and volunteers were being overlooked—especially in communities that looked like hers.

📍 (37:09) - Mentors, Movement, and Building Something Bigger
Ruwa honors the mentors who shaped her—from college leaders to fellow trailblazers—and shares how movements are seeded through seemingly small efforts, even in campaigns that don’t win.

🏆 Mamba Mentality Award
Rep. Tanya Miller earns the Mamba Mentality Award for her powerful leadership during Georgia’s tort reform battle. Ruwa praises her tenacity and clarity in navigating one of the session’s toughest fights, calling her an example of what happens when the right person is trusted to lead.