What’s in a Name?

The name of our podcast, “No True Texan,” plays on the “No True Scotsman” fallacy—which is the practice of dismissing someone as not a “real” member of a group because they don't fit a particular idea of what that group should be.

For generations, dominant narratives about Texas have allowed certain identities and experiences to dominate while marginalizing or excluding others. No True Texan challenges the idea that there is one authentic way to be Texan, or that any single group gets to define who belongs.

By centering the stories of Muslim Texans, the project invites us to reconsider what we think we know about Texas, whose stories have shaped its identity, and whose perspectives have been deliberately left out.

No True Texan is a space for Muslims in Texas to tell our own stories on our own terms. By connecting with artists, youth leaders, educators, religious figures, community organizers and families, we explore the many ways Muslims live, work, worship, and make community across the state. In the process, we unravel complicated narratives surrounding us and Texas, a state that is more diverse, contested and influential than many realize.

We’re interested in the different ways Muslims experience life in Texas and the perspectives they bring to it. By centering stories told by Muslims, rather than simply about us, we explore how these stories shape our understanding of Texas and raise larger questions of power, belonging, religion, and popular culture. Our stories are part of the story of Texas. They offer a fuller picture of the state and its place in the wider world.

Stay tuned for more.