Isma'il Kushkush is an freelance journalist who has contributed to The New York Times, CNN, Aljazeera English, the Associated Press, Reuters, Guernica Magazine and others. He is a former acting bureau chief for The New York Times in East Africa. He holds an A.B. degree from the University of California, Davis, in history and international relations and a Master of Arts degree from Columbia Journalism School with a focus on politics and global affairs. Follow him @ikushkush on Twitter.