On this episode of The Strategerist, hosts Andrew Kaufmann and Natalie Gonnella-Platts are joined by Rebecca Blumenstein, Diana Kapp, and Mursal Rahim to discuss “The Last Free Women.” The book follows the harrowing 2021 rescue and subsequent American adaptation of four young Afghan women — Marwa, Mursal, Maryam, and Samira — following the fall of Kabul to the Taliban. The authors and Mursal discussed the book and the rollercoaster ride of women’s rights in Afghanistan.
Rebecca Blumenstein is the President of Editorial at NBC News, and was previously at the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal. She has won numerous awards for her journalism, including a Pulitzer Prize and an Emmy Award.
Diana Kapp is a journalist who has written extensively about women and girls in today’s culture, specifically in the northern regions of Afghanistan. She has authored 3 books, including The Last Free Women.
Mursal Rahim is a policy and legal professional from Afghanistan who specializes in refugee resettlement. She graduated from Cornell University with her Master of Public Administration, and regularly speaks on the challenges faced by Afghan women.
