Stories of Transformation (Baktash Ahadi)
Explore every episode of Stories of Transformation
| Pub. Date | Title | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 26 May 2020 | Designing for Behavior Change with Psychologist, Amy Bucher, Ph.D. | 00:40:04 | |
Imagine if you could look into the future and see exactly what you’d look like, and how your life would turn out, based on the health and finance choices you make today. Do you think you’d delay instant gratification and behave in a smarter way? According to research experiments, you would!
It’s a lot easier said than done to change our behavior in order to help out our future selves. Vice President of Behavior Change Design at Mad*Pow, Amy Bucher, Ph.D., specializes in this challenge.
By talking with people to get their stories and using creative activities, Amy gets to the core of a person’s values, goals, motivators, and behaviors. Then, she designs a product that helps them achieve those end goals that are aligned with their values by using behavioral science and technology.
In this episode, we chat with Amy about how exactly she does the incredible work that she does, and get a much greater understanding of why we behave the way we do and how we can ultimately behave in a way that better serves ourselves and society.
For full show notes, please visit: https://www.baktashahadi.com/podcast
Resources Mentioned: Values and Action Character Strength Survey: https://www.viacharacter.org/survey/account/register
Connect with Amy Bucher: Amy's book: Engaged: Designing for Behavior Change: https://rosenfeldmedia.com/books/engaged-designing-for-behavior-change/ (20% off with code STORIESPODCASTENGAGED through July 14, 2020) Personal webpage: amybucherphd.com Mad*Pow: madpow.com Twitter: @amybphd
Follow/Support Stories of Transformation and Baktash Ahadi: Donate to the production of this podcast
Produced by: Dana Drahos Edited by: Joseph Gangemi Digital Marketing by: Katherine An Theme music by: Qais Essar Artwork by: Masheed Ahadi | |||
| 09 Mar 2021 | Virtual/Augmented Reality as the Ultimate Empathy Machine with Filmmaker Gabo Arora | 00:30:53 | |
Gabo Arora is on the frontier of a new and exciting artistic medium - one you may not even know exists. He is among the visionaries leveraging virtual and augmented reality, and artificial intelligence, as tools in the art of filmmaking, the efficacy of storytelling, and the progress of positive social change. In this episode of Stories of Transformation, hear Gabo’s story of going from a boots-on-the-ground humanitarian, working in conflict zones around the world and documenting his experiences, to founding the creative arts studio LIGHTSHED, whose mission is to combine immersive reality with real-world change. In their own words, LIGHTSHED aims to “...shed light on the lives of everyday people struggling to overcome today’s structural inequalities. Because we believe that immersive storytelling leads to empathy - and empathy leads to action." As a young man, Gabo's passion for humanitarian work found him working on the ground in conflict zones around the world, documenting his experiences through film. When he found out he was going to become a father, Gabo decided it was time to put his more creative endeavors on the back burner in favor of a more stable, centralized career. He got a job at the United Nations, eventually becoming a senior advisor to the secretary general. While his work at the UN was still technically in the realm of humanitarianism, Gabo found himself growing tired of the bureaucratic methods through which the international organization operated. Over time, Gabo became disillusioned to the formulaic approach the UN took in their efforts, and he knew as well as anyone that their collective efforts were proving to be largely ineffective. Though the stability of the career was inviting, and even though he seemed to have “made it” in the traditional sense of the word, Gabo was unsatisfied with the work he was doing. Through a culmination of other factors, Gabo knew it was at that point or never that he redirect his efforts back to his creativity. His idea would come to manifest itself as the utilization of cutting-edge technologies to break new ground in the way we convey stories. With empathy as the emotion in mind, Gabo set out to offer people experiences unlike any other - an opportunity to see, hear, feel, and even communicate with parts of the world that are otherwise, to the average person, unreachable. To convey the day-to-day experience of those places that are in such dire need of understanding. Though his portfolio at LightShed is already vast, Gabo is just getting started with his work. As you’ll hear in this conversation, Gabo Arora and his team are more excited than ever about the potential of using technology as a means of eliciting empathy, and promoting meaningful action. For full show notes Connect with Gabo Arora Resources Learn more about LIGHTSHED - Gabo Arora’s creative technology studio More information on the VR short film Flesh And Sand  Follow/Support Stories of Transformation and Baktash Ahadi Donate to the production of this podcast https://www.baktashahadi.com/support Follow us on Instagram Follow us on Facebook  Credits Produced by: Joseph Gangemi Digital Marketing & Media by: Katherine An Theme music by: Qais Essar Artwork by: Masheed Ahadi Episode Music Credits | |||
| 07 Apr 2020 | Life in Rome, Italy under Coronavirus Lockdown with Award-Winning Filmmaker Mo Scarpelli | 00:40:14 | |
Mo Scarpelli, an award-winning Italian-American director and cinematographer of non-fiction cinema, was looking forward to filming her next documentary in Northern Italy, and spending some time introducing her partner to the very family-focused, communal Italian culture. Italy has been hitting global headlines for weeks concerning COVID-19, with over 86,000 confirmed cases. Mo’s film production has clearly been put on hold, and she unfortunately has not been able to spend her free time on the streets of Rome clinking wine glasses over fresh mozzarella, but she is making the most of it. She filmed an 8 minute short film for The New Yorker, capturing the essence of life in Rome under quarantine right now. It’s a chilling view of the normally bustling metropolis, now a quiet ghost town, with nothing but the sounds of birds cawing, juxtaposed with ambulance sirens. Mo wanted to introduce a different perspective than what the dooms-day headlines were portraying about life in Italy. She believes that journalism doesn’t always accurately illustrate the complexity of human life or the balance of beauty and chaos. In this conversation, you’ll get an insider perspective on what’s happening in Rome, and get Mo and Baktash's take on the societal impacts coronavirus will have on humanity moving forward. Mo also gives some beautiful advice on how you can best utilize this time to explore yourself more deeply. For full show notes: https://www.baktashahadi.com/podcast Follow/Support Stories of Transformation and Baktash Ahadi: Produced by: Dana Drahos Edited by: Joseph Gangemi
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| 28 Jan 2020 | Forgotten War Heroes: The Interpreters with Sofian Khan | 01:27:28 | |
We chat with Sofian Khan, a documentary filmmaker, and learn about the unsung heroes of war they don't usually make films about, but who are often in the most life-threatening danger. We start off by talking about his most recent documentary, “The Interpreters,” and how it follows their journey through risk, danger, lies, and promise. What is most special about this conversation is that not only do we get the perspective of a filmmaker who got up close and personal with these real-life heroes, but our very own host of Stories of Transformation, Baktash Ahadi, gives his personal account of his service as a combat interpreter for the US Marine Corps in Afghanistan in 2010-2013 at the height of the conflict. We then get into Sofian’s passions in film-making and how he got started, and we also discuss the impact of his film and the importance of telling these stories and for people to hear them. Through that lens, we also discuss the implications for US foreign relations, what it means to be an American abroad these days and the general sentiment about American policies on immigration among people inside and out. Most importantly, we consider the greater lessons that can be learned from all of this.
Memorable Quote The impact of war on society
Resources & Links You can see more of Baktash Ahadi's work here. Follow Baktash Ahadi on Instagram here. Keep updated on the latest episodes of "Stories of Transformation” here.
Want to connect with Sofian? Find him below: The Interpreters Film for the general public: https://vimeo.com/ondemand/interpreters The Interpreters Film for educators: https://www.newday.com/film/interpreters Podcast Produced by Dana Drahos: http://danadrahos.com/ | |||
| 11 Feb 2020 | Afghanistan Biodiversity, The Sixth Mass Extinction, and Human Behavior with Author Alex Dehgan | 01:00:27 | |
"We are currently setting up the conditions that are really similar to the conditions before previous mass extinctions. But instead of being created by volcanoes and asteroids like previous ones, it’s us, humans, who are causing our own extinction."
Alex is the author of The Snow Leopard Project, the remarkable story of the heroic effort to save and preserve the wildlife of Afghanistan.
Alex is also the CEO & Co-Founder of Conservation X Labs, an innovation and technology startup with the mission to end human-induced extinction, which will be the main focus of our conversation today.
In this episode of Stories of Transformation, we engage in a fascinating, multi-disciplinary discussion that takes us on a journey from micro to macro implications of wildlife extinction, as well as solutions Alex and his tech company are working on.
Some key topics we discuss are:
“Conservationists understand the problem, but they don’t own the solution. What it will take to solve this problem is actually diversifying the community of people who are considered conservationists.” -Dr. Alex Dehgan
Resource Links:
*Disclaimer: We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees (at no extra cost to you) by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Follow/Support Alex Dehgan:
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| 29 Jun 2021 | Connecting, Humanizing and Healing Through Music with Esteemed Violinist Vijay Gupta | 00:47:13 | |
Vijay Gupta believes that the work of the artist and citizen is one: to make a daily practice of the connected, creative, and courageous world we long to live in. Hailed by The New Yorker as “a visionary violinist...one of the most radical thinkers in the unradical world of American classical music” Vijay is an esteemed musician, speaker and thought leader, serving to create spaces of belonging, healing and wholeness through music. He is the Founder of Street Symphony, a non-profit organization that performs free, powerful music events and workshops to Los Angeles communities disenfranchised by homelessness, poverty, and incarceration. In this episode, we discuss loneliness and brokenness, and the power of music to be the catalyst for connection and healing. Vijay shares his origin story as a child prodigy attending the world-renowned Juilliard School of Music, and the weight this title put both figuratively on his shoulders, and literally on his body, as he used food to cope with difficult emotions. Vijay reflects on his first time playing music in homeless shelters in Skid Row, what this experience taught him about humanity, pain, and vulnerability, and how he ultimately ended up founding Street Symphony. Finally, Vijay discusses how he met and formed a relationship with Nathanial Ayers, another Juilliard musician who dropped out due to schizophrenia and became homeless at Skid Row. The story of Nathanial Ayers is portrayed in a Hollywood feature-film, The Soloist, starring Jamie Foxx and Robert Downey Jr. For full show notes: https://www.baktashahadi.com/podcast Connect with Vijay Gupta Website | Instagram | Street Symphony | Youtube Follow and Subscribe to Stories of Transformation Podcast Instagram | Facebook | Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher Credits Produced and hosted by: Baktash Ahadi Audio Engineering by: Joseph Gangemi Digital Marketing & Media by: Katherine An Theme Music by: Qais Essar Artwork by: Masheed Ahadi Additional Music Credits "Stories from the Sky" by Sid Acharya “Mystical Dust” by Mystical Flute | |||
| 04 Feb 2020 | Sonia Nassery Cole: Afghan Refugee Turned Award-Winning Filmmaker and Human Rights Activist | 01:24:51 | |
We had the incredible pleasure of sitting down with Sonia Nassery Cole, an Afghan American author, filmmaker, humanitarian, and activist who founded the Afghanistan World Foundation and directed film, “I AM YOU” (2019). “I AM YOU” is an independent feature film based on the stories of the world’s many refugees, their love for people and life, and the conditions that precipitated their extraordinarily heroic journeys. We get the chance to hear Sonia laugh and cry as she reflects upon the pivotal experiences that have put her on the path to touch so many lives through her activism and creative works. We move on to the childhood experiences that shaped who she is and the absolutely necessary traits to have as a filmmaker. Sonia also shares with us how she manages to pull out the most excellent emotional performances from her actors, and the KEY difference between an Oscar-winning performance and a failure. Next, we get into Sonia's incredible story of writing a nine-page letter to President Ronald Reagan at just 17 years old and the world-changing events that followed. Finally, we talk about her experience and challenges, especially as a woman, directing and filming in the war-zone of Afghanistan as well as what the film is about.
Memorable Quotes Making a good film
Resources & Links You can see more of Baktash Ahadi's work here. Follow Baktash Ahadi on Instagram here. Keep updated on the latest episodes of "Stories of Transformation” here.
Want to connect with Sonia? Find her below:
Podcast Produced by Dana Drahos: http://danadrahos.com/ | |||
| 26 Jan 2021 | The Beauty of Arabic Art with Sultan Qassemi | 00:31:07 | |
In art as in life, interpretation is unique to each and every individual. What we take from a piece of art is as important as the art itself, and ultimately defines the experience. Art historian and collector Sultan Qassemi chose to dedicate his life’s work to the appreciation of art - particularly works from the Arab region - and educating far and wide on art’s crucial role in the telling of history. Perhaps more important than the art itself, Qassemi aims to use his influence to further equity of Arab and greater Middle-East artists. Indeed, Qassemi believes these artists and their work are often understated in the global conversation. Indeed, the other half of his passion lies in discovering and sharing stories to be found within art, and the cultures from which they were inspired. With a particular resonance for painted works and wood sculpture from the greater Middle East, Sultan Qassemi appreciates art in a 360-degree view. Through his expert eye, any and all details which contributed to conception are worthy of consideration and necessary to paint the full picture. Qassemi’s appreciation reveals itself in layers - beginning, of course, with the work on the front (and back) of the canvas, and then deepening with the discovery of finer details such as the era and setting of conception, and the history of the piece itself from provenance to present day. With a smile in his voice as he tells stories and describes his favorite pieces, Sultan Qassemi paints a vivid and optimistic picture as he describes why art from the Arab world deserves a place among world’s best. Tune in to hear his journey towards becoming a world-class art historian and collector, as well as an educator and a light for those whose art deserves to be appreciated on a global scale. In this episode of Stories of Transformation, we discuss the importance of art in cultures around the world; the many different layers through which a piece can be appreciated; how art can speak for the people where politics and public perception fail to; and how Sultan Qassemi aims to use his influence to enlighten, educate, and inspire equity for art around the world. Connect with Sultan Qassemi Resources A digital scan of the painting Sultan shows to Baktash during the conversation: https://www.barjeelartfoundation.org/collection/kamel-el-telmesani-nude/ Follow/Support Stories of Transformation and Baktash Ahadi Donate to the production of this podcast https://www.baktashahadi.com/support Follow us on Instagram Follow us on Facebook Credits Produced by: Joseph Gangemi Digital Marketing & Media by: Katherine An Theme music by: Qais Essar Artwork by: Masheed Ahadi Episode Music Credits | |||
| 22 Dec 2020 | How A Young Poetry Champion Found Her Voice — Marjan Naderi | 00:34:18 | |
Youth poet laureate Marjan Naderi hadn’t given much thought to poetry until middle school. It was at this critical juncture in her life that a teacher saw something in the precocious student, and encouraged a young Marjan to explore the arts — particularly, spoken word poetry. Her teacher’s inclination turned out to be correct, as Marjan soon developed a voracious appetite for the craft and began writing poems of her own. Notably, it was the work of spoken word artist Mohamed Tall that spoke to Marjan; she was intrigued by the way Tall could seemingly distill an entire life into only a few minutes. And on another level, Mohamed’s work spoke of life as a Muslim living in America — a theme which resonated deeply with Marjan. In a remarkably short span of time, Marjan's talent would take her from penning her first poem to performing in front of thousands on some of the world’s largest stages. She would go on to become the Washington D.C. Youth Poet Laureate, Poetry Slam Champion multiple times over, and earn a wealth of other awards for her outstanding poetic achievements. But for Marjan, the work was never about the accolades nor the attention; from the beginning, poetry was a tool which facilitated her own self-discovery, self-expression, and healing. She was able to channel her life’s trauma into her poetry, and in her performances, she magnifies the weight of her words through movement and body language. Marjan Naderi believes that everyone is an artist; some are just searching for the medium through which to best express themselves. For Marjan, spoken word poetry’s confluence of language, storytelling, and theatrical performance is the art form through which she can understand, explain, and empower — herself and others — even when words alone fail. For full show notes Connect with Marjan Naderi Resources Follow/Support Stories of Transformation and Baktash Ahadi Donate to the production of this podcast https://www.baktashahadi.com/support Follow us on Instagram Follow us on Facebook Credits Produced by: Joseph Gangemi Digital Marketing & Media by: Katherine An Theme music by: Qais Essar Artwork by: Masheed Ahadi Episode Music Credits | |||
| 25 Feb 2020 | The Path to Becoming a Standup Comedian with Fahim Anwar | 01:05:06 | |
"The trouble is, people don't understand comedy is an organic process. So if some blogger or someone catches you trying this joke for the first time, they think you do this every night. That this was your intention. When it may have been just an idea swimming in your head that day." -Fahim Anwar
Fahim Anwar is a Los Angeles-based Standup Comedian, Actor and Writer. Formerly an Aerospace engineer at Boeing , Fahim traded the cubicle for the stage and has never looked back. His Afghan parents however plead with him to look back nearly every day. Off the momentum of his one hour Amazon special THERE'S NO BUSINESS LIKE SHOW BUSINESS, The New York Times listed Fahim as a "Most Promising Future Star." He's appeared on CONAN, LATE NIGHT WITH SETH MEYERS and performed at the prestigious Just for Laughs Festival in Montreal. His recent FILM/TV credits include WHISKEY TANGO FOXTROT, NEIGHBORS, DRUNK HISTORY, CARMICHAEL SHOW and SUPERIOR DONUTS to name a few. Fahim served as head writer and starred on a sketch show special for Comedy Central with his comedy group (GOATFACE) which includes Hasan Minhaj from THE PATRIOT ACT. Off the success of the sketch show special, Fahim was named by Variety Magazine as one of 2019 Comics to Watch, and was invited to be a guest on the Joe Rogan Experience Podcast.
On this episode of Stories of Transformation, we get to see a different side of Fahim--not the performer, but the man he is off the stage (although he does get a few jokes in). We look at how Fahim's life experiences and world view as a minority have culminated to his approach to comedy as an art form today.
Some main points and questions discussed are:
“Funny things happen to everyone. Standup comedians are wired a certain way where they don’t let those ideas go away. They can catch those butterflies. My mind is in tune, ready to receive these ideas, whereas it escapes the average person.”-Fahim Anwar
Follow/Support Fahim Anwar:
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Follow/Support Stories of Transformation and Baktash Ahadi:
Podcast produced by Dana Drahos: http://danadrahos.com/ Podcast edited by Joseph Gangemi: http://linkedin.com/in/joseph-gangemi-b850b41a2 Social Media managed by Tinli Yarrington: http://www.facebook.com/TinliYarringtonVA | |||
| 21 Jan 2020 | Reclaiming Pride for Your Heritage with Ali Baluch | 01:19:07 | |
In this episode of Stories of Transformation, we talked to Ali Baluch, an Afghan American content creator most known for his Youtube podcast The Apartment. We learn about his life as a "third culture kid", caught between white America and immigrant America amidst the tense aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. We discuss how he went from posting a Facebook status in 2007 saying, "I don't get the pride in being Afghan", to now having made it his mission to be a role model for Gen Z kids of color today, by being unapologetically Afghan and always repping Afghanistan apparel any time he is on camera. As we walk through his transformation, he talks to us about his first trip to Afghanistan and its impact, his journey to becoming a fast-growing YouTuber, and how he’s used his career and experience to influence underrepresented communities and expose how the world can easily misunderstand a people.
Memorable Quotes How Afghanistan changed his mindset:
Becoming a YouTuber:
Resources & Links You can see more of Baktash Ahadi's work here. Follow Baktash Ahadi on Instagram here. Keep updated on the latest episodes of "Stories of Transformation" here. Want to connect with Ali? Find him below: | |||
| 21 Apr 2020 | Preventing the Psychological Impacts of Stress, Trauma, and Isolation with PTSD specialist Dr. Shaili Jain | 00:38:34 | |
You may not realize it, but you probably know someone with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) or have it yourself. PTSD is widely misunderstood yet crushing condition that afflicts millions of Americans. And there’s actually a lot we can do to prevent it, according to our guest, Dr. Shaili Jain. Dr. Jain is a psychiatrist and PTSD specialist at one of America's top VA hospitals, a trauma scientist, and author of The Unspeakable Mind, which stands as the definitive guide to PTSD and offers lasting hope to sufferers, their loved ones, and health care providers everywhere. Why should you care about this now? Because we are in the middle of a crisis, and many people will experience trauma—whether it be related to health, finances, death, isolation, or something else. But in our conversation, Dr. Jain offers so much clarity around what PTSD actually is, how it manifests in our lives, what we can be doing right now while in quarantine to prevent it, and the most important thing for humanity of all…hope. For full show notes: https://www.baktashahadi.com/podcast Connect with and Support Dr. Shaili Jain *This is an affiliate link and if you purchase her book via this link we will receive a small commission, thank you for your support of this podcast! Follow/Support Stories of Transformation and Baktash Ahadi: Produced by: Dana Drahos | |||
| 01 Sep 2020 | America’s First Female Muslim Mayor Sadaf Jaffer on Leadership and Resisting Cynicism in Politics | 00:34:46 | |
From holding mock presidential debates as a kid in her living room to becoming the first Muslim woman mayor in America, Sadaf Jaffer is passionate about being a voice for the voiceless, and inspiring young women of color that they too can be in a position of power. Sadaf Jaffer is a scholar, an activist, and an elected official. Dr. Jaffer is a Postdoctoral Research Associate at Princeton University where she teaches courses on South Asian, Islamic, and Asian American Studies. Dr. Jaffer is also the mayor of Montgomery Township, New Jersey where she has focused her administration on good governance and increased transparency, communications, diversity, and inclusivity. Mayor Jaffer joins us on the podcast to share about what her experience was like campaigning as a Muslim woman for an elected position in a largely white, Republican town in New Jersey. She talks to us about what it’s been like to be a mayor in the midst of a pandemic and the Black Lives Matter movement and how she has used her position to be a source of calm for her community. We get her perspective on the most difficult part of her job, how the job has changed how she views herself, and her thoughts on Joe Biden’s pick of Kamala Harris as Vice President. Help us spread Mayor Jaffer’s vision of resisting cynicism in politics and encouraging women, especially women of color, to run for office by sharing this episode with your community! For full show notes: https://www.baktashahadi.com/podcast
Connect with and Support Sadaf Jaffer
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Produced by: Dana Drahos Edited by: Joseph Gangemi Digital Marketing by: Katherine An Theme music by: Qais Essar Artwork by: Masheed Ahadi | |||
| 15 Jun 2021 | Finding Home Within Yourself: A Journey to Self Love with Najwa Zebian, Author of Welcome Home: A Guide for Building a Home for Your Soul | 00:32:23 | |
Baktash and Najwa Zebian discuss what it means to build a home within yourself, rather than building your home in other people. As someone who spent most of her life aching to be loved and validated by others, Najwa is now able to teach people through her book Welcome Home how to build a strong foundation of self love, self acceptance and self awareness. Also discussed is how Najwa's Lebanese-Canadian upbringing shaped how she makes meaning in the world, her decision to no longer wear a hijab and depart from the identity of "the good girl" for the sake of others, the origin story of her book Welcome Home, and her thoughts on the craft of poetry. She even reads a poem from the book for us! Najwa Zebian is a Lebanese-Canadian activist, author, speaker, and educator. Her search for a home was central to her early years as she struggled to find her place in the world. She recently launched a digital school, Soul Academy, and a podcast, Stories of the Soul. Her fourth book, Welcome Home: A Guide for Building a Home for Your Soul will be released in June 2021. Her work has been featured in the New York Times, Glamour, Elle Canada, HuffPost, and more. Her TEDx talk “Finding Home Through Poetry” has been viewed over more than 100,000 times. For full show notes Connect with Najwa Zebian Follow/Support Stories of Transformation and Baktash Ahadi Donate to the production of this podcast https://www.baktashahadi.com/support Follow us on Instagram Follow us on Facebook
Credits Audio engineering by: Joseph Gangemi Digital Marketing & Media by: Katherine An Theme music by: Qais Essar Artwork by: Masheed Ahadi Episode Music Credits | |||
| 01 Dec 2020 | Shireen Ghorbani Believes In Healthcare For All, And She’s Taking Political Action To Fix A Broken System | 00:42:24 | |
In her lifelong career as a public servant, Shireen Ghorbani has witnessed many first-hand accounts of how healthcare operates in the United States and abroad. Shireen's career began in high school, where she participated in two trips to Antigua to help out on construction sites. Later, she took on the roles of educator, activist, and diplomat for the Peace Corps working in Moldova. Today, she serves on the city council for Salt Lake County, Utah. Her primary political focus is improving healthcare systems by making health services accessible to as many people as possible. When her mother was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer at the age of 68, with a prognosis which gave her only weeks to live, Shireen’s world was rocked. A lifelong educator and public servant herself, Shireen’s mother had worked far and wide to improve the lives of everyone she could. Through her mother’s example, Shireen was instilled with the invaluable skills of gratitude and compassion, and the virtues of volunteerism and public service. And thanks to her mother’s understanding of the healthcare system, and her informed preparations, Shireen was able to spend her final days with her mother in peace. But not everyone in the hospice care facility was so fortunate. Shireen recalls hearing family members in other rooms - there to take care of their ailing loved ones - on the phone with bill collectors, healthcare and insurance companies. For Shireen, this particular undercurrent of injustice had never felt so close to home: politics, capitalism, and the almighty dollar had infiltrated one of the oldest and most sacred tenets in human history: the Hippocratic Oath. Today, in the midst of a pandemic, we are reminded of how essential healthcare workers are to the prosperity of our world. Medical practitioners in all forms help, heal, and save lives everyday. Whether it's physical healthcare, mental healthcare, or anything in between, Shireen believes that nothing should stand between a human being in need and their right to effective healthcare. But far too often, Shireen and many other Americans believe that corrupt politics and capitalist structures get in the way of people getting the help they need. In this episode of Stories of Transformation, we discuss how local politics help shape national politics; the lifelong rewards of serving in the Peace Corps and other volunteer work; how the United States’ response to the COVID-19 pandemic is indicative of how ineffective its healthcare system really is; and how the changing administration in the White House does not necessarily signal national unity or meaningful reform, and how we must keep up the fight for equity across the board. For full show notes Connect with Shireen Ghorbani Twitter: Follow/Support Stories of Transformation and Baktash Ahadi Donate to the production of this podcast https://www.baktashahadi.com/support Follow us on Instagram Follow us on Facebook Credits Digital Marketing & Media by: Katherine An https://www.linkedin.com/in/katherine-a-91081b56/ Theme music by: Qais Essar Artwork by: Masheed Ahadi Episode Music Credits | |||
| 17 Mar 2020 | How Our Unconscious Bias Impacts Our Daily Lives with Howard J. Ross | 00:55:54 | |
Howard J. Ross was born into a Jewish middle-class family in Washington, DC, just after the Holocaust, in which many of his family members died. Out of this tragedy he learned from a very young age two things. One, that terrible things happen because people are different, and two, that you have a responsibility to do something about it. Thus began his fascination in studying history, organizational development, and human behavior and psychology in an effort to abolish the “us” vs “them” mindset; no easy task to do in the ’80s before there was any talk of “diversity and inclusion.” Somewhere along the line in all his studies, he came to an aha moment: the Germans were not inherently bad people, they were just a product of a broken societal system and environment, and the same goes for every genocide and hate group in history. He began to explore, what if instead of telling people, “what you believe is wrong,” we instead show them how what we believe is actually just an unconscious perception based on all our past experiences? What if we showed people it’s possible to understand where your enemy is coming from, once you hear their story? Since this realization, Howard has worked with leaders in fortune 500 companies to facilitate these types of conversations that have allowed people to recognize the humanity in each other and become more empathetic. He is a best-selling author and one of the nation’s most influential diversity consultants and workplace experts, specializing in corporate culture change, leadership development and managing diversity. In this episode, you'll learn how to become aware of your own unconscious bias, what Howard means by, “Replace your exclamation points with question marks”, and what you can do about it to become a more empathetic, understanding, and inclusive human.
Full show notes: https://www.baktashahadi.com/shownotes/how-our-unconscious-bias-impacts-our-daily-lives
Connect with Howard J. Ross https://cookross.com/howard/
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| 22 Sep 2020 | Refugee Turned Game Developer Lual Mayen Disrupts the Industry with “Salaam”, A Game Bringing Players into the Life of a Refugee | 00:31:19 | |
Lual Mayen had never seen a computer until he was 17 years old. That’s because he was raised in a refugee camp in Uganda. Now, he is the Founder and CEO of Junub Games, and creator of an innovative video game that brings players into the life of a refugee. Lual’s hope is that the game, called “Salaam”, which means “peace” in Arabic, will help people have more empathy for refugees.
Lual Mayen has received prestigious Global Gaming Citizen awards from The Game Awards and Facebook Gaming. He speaks to people all over the world about his story, which begins with his parents being forced to leave everything they know and love in South Sudan, and risk their lives walking 250 miles to Uganda with no guarantee of refuge.
It was his parents’ demonstration of strength and courage that gave Lual the determination to walk three hours a day just to charge his computer, and to teach himself how to code.
Tune in to this episode of Stories of Transformation to hear the full story of Lual’s parents’ treacherous journey, what it was like for Lual growing up in a refugee camp, how he got his first computer and what inspired him to start coding and create games for peace, and more.
For full show notes: https://www.baktashahadi.com/podcast
Connect with and Support Luan Mayen https://www.linkedin.com/in/lualmayen/
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Produced by: Dana Drahos Edited by: Joseph Gangemi Digital Marketing by: Katherine An Theme music by: Qais Essar Artwork by: Masheed Ahadi
Additional Music (In Order of Appearance) by: Can’t Be Touched — Suraj Nepal Oh Endless Day — Philip Daniel Zach Glass — Claudio Laucci Rhea — Yehezkel Raz
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| 06 Apr 2021 | Epidemiologist and Author of “Medicare For All: A Citizen’s Guide“ Abdul El-Sayed on Identity, Capacity, and Opportunity | 00:35:44 | |
Abdul El-Sayed has been a valedictorian, earned a PhD in public health, run for governorship, and worked as an epidemiologist during the tumultuous year of 2020. He has studied abroad, traveled far and wide, and been on the frontlines of educating the global public on how to handle a pandemic. He has spoken with former President Bill Clinton, who commended his public speaking abilities and recommended he consider a career in politics. He has been featured on countless media outlets speaking on topics social, political, and medical in nature. No doubt, the 36-year-old Abdul El-Sayed has already accomplished a lot in his life, and he has no plans of slowing down. In fact, he has his sights on one of the biggest obstacles facing America today: the much-needed reform of the healthcare system. His latest book, entitled “Medicare For All: A Citizen’s Guide” aims to take a unique approach in exploring the idea of universal healthcare in America. The book attempts to move the conversation from the clutches of conflict-driven, dead-end political argument, and instead apply the concept of healthcare for all to real-world situations which are happening to American citizens everyday. Abdul says that one of the goals of the book is to consider what could happen if we were to reconsider the whole of American politics in the context of meaningful reform, rather than the inverse. In this episode of Stories of Transformation, we discuss the difference between wisdom and intellect, and how the two can come together to form a deep learning that, in the right hands, has the power to transform the world. We also discuss the difference between ethnic identity and national identity; collectivist and individualist cultures, and the challenges that come with the perception of being an “other.” Finally, we discuss the different types of “normal” and the dangers that come with complacency to the preconditioned sense of “normalcy." For full show notes Connect with Abdul El-Sayed Resources Follow/Support Stories of Transformation and Baktash Ahadi Donate to the production of this podcast Follow us on Instagram Follow us on Facebook Credits Produced by: Joseph Gangemi Digital Marketing & Media by: Katherine An Theme music by: Qais Essar Artwork by: Masheed Ahadi Episode Music Credits | |||
| 20 Oct 2020 | Indian-American Actress and Author Sheetal Sheth Stays True to Herself to Bring Protagonist Diversity into Mainstream Media | 00:38:46 | |
When asked what having cancer has taught her, Sheetal Sheth says that she feels lucky. Cancer is terrible, no doubt about it, but in this conversation, Sheetal brings to light ways in which we can reframe the terrible situations life throws at us. Being a cancer survivor is just one layer of Sheetal. Part of her life’s work has been to demonstrate how multidimensional we all are and that we cannot be put in a box with one label. Just one of the ways Sheetal has brought this to life is through her children’s book series, Always Anjali, the first children’s book where an Indian-American girl is the hero, and where cliche Indian cultural themes are not the main focus of the story. Sheetal is Indian-American, AND an award winning actress, author, producer, mother, wife, woman, child of immigrants, someone who values justice and fairness, and more. In this episode of Stories of Transformation, we unpack her experiences of being raised in a traditional Indian household while living in America, the differences in how she is raising her children vs. how she was raised, her struggles early on as an actress where she literally lost jobs for refusing to whitewash her name, and more. For full show notes: https://www.baktashahadi.com/podcast
Connect with Sheetal Sheth Website: https://www.sheetalsheth.com/ Book: https://www.alwaysanjali.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/sheetalsheth Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beneaththesheetz/
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Produced by: Dana Drahos Edited by: Joseph Gangemi Digital Marketing by: Katherine An Theme music by: Qais Essar Artwork by: Masheed Ahadi
Episode Music Credits:
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| 16 Mar 2021 | Empathy and the Art of Acting with Hollywood Star, Faran Tahir | 00:36:55 | |
Faran Tahir has acted on the stage, on TV, and on the big screen. Starring in major Hollywood blockbusters like Iron Man and Star Trek, as well as countless other acclaimed productions, Faran is as accomplished an actor as they come. But despite all of his success, Faran stills describes himself with a genuine air of humility - a “student” by his own account - always eager to learn and improve, not just in his craft but in the art of being human. Faran’s true character - off the stage, that is - speaks for itself when he shares that his favorite part of acting is the exercise in empathy that comes with stepping into someone else’s shoes. A beacon of light for an underrepresented community in Hollywood, Faran is of Pakistani-American descent. Having spent time living and working in both regions of the world, Faran holds a unique and insightful perspective on the dual-misunderstanding that affects the perception from both sides of his citizenship. The similarities - the connections - that make us all human are greater than the sum of even our greatest differences, Faran says. And similar to the empathy that he channels when he gets into character, Faran believes that practicing empathy is the key to living beyond the myopic lens of cultural conditioning and stereotypes, and expanding our worldview into a more global, inclusive perspective. In this episode of Stories of Transformation, Faran Tahir shares the story of how he followed his heart to decide to pursue a career in acting; why he took one of the leading roles in his recent film I’ll Meet You There, directed by Iram Parveen Bilal; the differences between the filmmaking industries in America and South Asia; and how film and the arts can be used as tools for highlighting our shared human connections rather than our inconsequential differences. For full show notes Connect with Faran Tahir Resources More information on I'll Meet You There: Faran Tahir's IMDB: Listen to the Stories of Transformation Podcast featuring “I’ll Meet You There” director, Iram Parveen Bilal: Follow/Support Stories of Transformation and Baktash Ahadi Donate to the production of this podcast https://www.baktashahadi.com/support Follow us on Instagram Follow us on Facebook Credits Produced by: Joseph Gangemi Digital Marketing & Media by: Katherine An Theme music by: Qais Essar Artwork by: Masheed Ahadi Episode Music Credits | |||
| 03 Nov 2020 | Flynn Coleman Wants to Shift The Focus From Distraction to Meaningful Action | 00:40:34 | |
In a world growing increasingly dependent upon technology and deliberate distractions, Flynn Coleman wants to bring a more grounded, human perspective back into focus. But her human-centered approach doesn’t mean that she overlooks the myriad of other Earthly ecosystems; in fact, Coleman’s work emphasizes the importance of paying attention to the interwoven threads which tie everything together. In her book, “The Human Algorithm: How Artificial Intelligence is Redefining Who We Are”, Coleman explores — in equal parts — both cutting-edge technology and the age-old question of what it means to be human. She tackles the impact that technology, AI, and algorithms are having on human rights. Coleman’s work points to evidence which suggests that many of these effects are actually detrimental, and insidiously infecting our society with discriminatory biases. But it’s not all bad; Coleman also believes that building a better, more inclusive world for all has never been more possible than it is today. So what we can we do? Use the powerful technologies of today and tomorrow to empower the marginalized and close the digital divide. Additionally, we can choose to channel our frustration and grief over global injustice into meaningful action. And on an even simpler level, Flynn says that striving everyday to do your best in treating everyone with kindness, empathy, and compassion can and will make a world of difference. In this episode of Stories of Transformation, we discuss the interconnectedness of Earth’s many living systems — humanity and beyond; the nature of artificial intelligence, including its benefits and detriments; and the complex intersection between technology and human rights. For full show notes: https://www.baktashahadi.com/podcast Connect with Flynn Coleman Resources Follow/Support Stories of Transformation and Baktash Ahadi: Follow on Instagram Follow on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/storiesoftransformationpodcast/ Credits Produced by: Joseph Gangemi Digital Marketing & Media by: Katherine An Theme music by: Qais Essar Artwork by: Masheed Ahadi Episode Music Credits: | |||
| 28 Apr 2020 | Communicating Beyond Words with Emmy Nominated Film Composer Patrick Jonsson | 00:40:33 | |
Today, we talk about the transformative power of music, our relationship with music as humans, how we use music to communicate beyond words and visuals, and how the score of a film can make or break the feeling we have towards that film. Emmy nominated film composer and music producer Patrick Jonsson graces our ears today. We uncover how he uses music to tell stories, and to make a hundred people in a room feel the same exact way, at the same exact time. He shares with us his creative process, as well as where he believes music lives in the body, and why music is especially important in this time of isolation. For full show notes: https://www.baktashahadi.com/podcast Don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review! Connect with Patrick Jonsson: http://patrickjonsson.com/#about Follow/Support Stories of Transformation and Baktash Ahadi: Donate to the production of this podcast: Follow on Instagram Follow on Facebook Produced by: Dana Drahos Edited by: Joseph Gangemi Social Media Managed by: Katherine An Theme music by: Qais Essar Artwork by: Masheed Ahadi | |||
| 02 Jun 2020 | Living a Life of Purpose with Educator and Author Victor Strecher | 00:42:30 | |
Victor Strecher describes his life before and after his young daughter got a heart transplant, as going from black & white to technicolor. Before her first life-saving heart transplant, Victor was going through the motions of life, doing his research, teaching, working towards getting tenure so he can play more golf. But everything changed after realizing how truly precious our time here on Earth is, and that we should be living what limited time we have as if every day was our last. Everything REALLY changed once he sadly lost his daughter when she was 19 years old, and he found himself without purpose. Vic Strecher is a Behavioral Scientist and Professor at the University of Michigan School of Public Health. He teaches people how to live longer, better lives with purpose through live classes, talks around the world, published books, and most recently, a free online course on Coursera. This episode will move you to tears as he recounts the story of losing his daughter and her chilling final words, and shares how he went from living a meaningless and self-indulgent life, to turning his pain into the purpose to help others. We discuss how living with purpose is literally better for your health, what purpose truly is, how to live a life worth living, what Vic’s experience with grieving and remembering his daughter has been like, and more.
For the full show notes, please visit: https://www.baktashahadi.com/podcast
Resources Mentioned: Life On Purpose by Vic Strecher: https://amzn.to/2ZHEAyf Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl: https://amzn.to/2yB1oEy *Note, these are Amazon Affiliate links and we will receive a small commission from your purchase to go towards production, at no extra cost to you. Thank you!
Connect with Vic Strecher:
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Produced by: Dana Drahos Edited by: Joseph Gangemi Digital Marketing by: Katherine An Theme music by: Qais Essar Artwork by: Masheed Ahadi | |||
| 03 Mar 2020 | Defeating Hate with Two-Time Emmy Award Winning Muslim Filmmaker Deeyah Khan | 01:17:35 | |
“The whole purpose of making the film for me was I wanted to try and see if I can understand them, and I want to see if they’re able to understand me…I know I’m not going to change my views and I know he’s not going to change his, but can we at least get to a point where…can I recognize their humanity? And in doing so, can they recognize mine?” -Deeyah Khan, Award-Winning Documentary Film Director Deeyah Khan is an Emmy and Peabody award-winning documentary film director, and founder of Fuuse, a media and arts company that puts women, people from minorities, and third-culture kids at the heart of telling their own stories. Deeyah is working to create intercultural dialogue and understanding by confronting the world's most complex and controversial topics. Her 2012 multi-award winning documentary, Banaz: A Love Story, chronicles the life and death of Banaz Mahmod, a young British Kurdish woman murdered by her family in a so-called honor killing. Khan's second film, the Grierson and Bafta award-nominated Jihad, involved two years of interviews and filming with Islamic extremists, convicted terrorists and former jihadis. Her most recent documentary White Right: Meeting the Enemy, where she spends months getting to know neo-nazis, is currently streaming on Netflix. Her 2016 TED talk has over a million views. In the process of making these documentaries and throughout her life as a brown woman, Deeyah has been spit on, held at gun point, and received countless rape and death threats. Yet she still walked away from these films with optimism and hope for humanity. In this interview of Stories of Transformation, we get to understand why that is. A few highlights of our conversation are: Read full show notes here. Connect with Deeyah Khan Follow/Support Stories of Transformation and Baktash Ahadi: Produced by: Dana Drahos Edited by: Joseph Gangemi | |||
| 11 Aug 2020 | What Serial Left Out with Rabia Chaudry, Attorney and Author of "Adnan's Story" | 00:36:11 | |
Rabia Chaudry is an attorney, advocate, and author of the New York Times bestselling book "Adnan's Story" and Executive Producer of a four-part HBO documentary "The Case Against Adnan Syed." Rabia is also co-producer and co-host of two podcasts, Undisclosed and The 45th. With nearly 300 million downloads, Undisclosed is the biggest wrongful conviction podcast in the world, and the Undisclosed has helped exonerate half a dozen defendants and find new evidence to get over a dozen defendants back in court. Adnan Syed’s story was popularized by the world-famous podcast Serial. Rabia was the one who brought this story to the producer of Serial, in the hopes that journalists could bring new evidence to the case to prove Adnan’s innocence. They did bring about new evidence, however, the show left out a lot of key details to the story. Adnan is still in prison for a crime he didn’t commit, and Rabia has dedicated her life to proving his innocence. In this episode, learn how Rabia got involved in this case and why she is so passionate to fight for Adnan. She shares with us what vital details were left out of Serial’s presentation, as well as what common threads she has seen in countless wrongful conviction cases. We hope this episode starts a conversation around the downfalls of the criminal justice system and inspires action to be taken.
For full show notes and resources visit: https://www.baktashahadi.com/podcast
Support Rabia Chaudry Her book, Adnan's Story: https://amzn.to/3gesamZ *This is an Amazon Affiliate link. If you purchase through this link, at no cost to you, you'll be donating to the production of this podcast. So thank you!
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Produced by: Dana Drahos Edited by: Joseph Gangemi Digital Marketing by: Katherine An Theme music by: Qais Essar Artwork by: Masheed Ahadi | |||
| 15 Dec 2020 | How Azita Ghanizada Is Setting The Stage For Equal Representation In Hollywood | 00:40:37 | |
From a young age, television and cinema were a powerful force of influence in Azita Ghanizada’s life. Through these mediums, she could escape her difficult life as a young Afghan-American immigrant; she could develop her skills as an English speaker; she could bond with her parents. And through all of these impacts coming together, Azita came to realize that she, too, wanted to someday be on the other side of the screen. She wanted to help people to escape their difficult realities like others had done for her, and she instinctually knew that she could channel the agony and the ecstasy of her life into compelling performance. Azita Ghanizada's journey began in Afghanistan. Born in Kabul on the eve of the 1980s, Azita and her family were among the fortunate who were allowed entry into the United States by way of asylum. Unlike many others, they were given the chance to escape the violence and poverty that surrounded them. Azita holds this event near to her heart, and considers it nothing short of an act of divine intervention for her and her family. Even at the age of four, the pain of leaving their lives, family and friends behind, and the prospect of continuing life in an unknown land, was difficult and traumatic for Azita. Looking back on her experiences growing up in Fairfax County, Virginia — from elementary school to college — Azita looks back with a sense of pride at the long, winding, and unforgiving road that helped shape her. From a young age, Azita recognized a strong desire to take control of her own life. Frustration at her parents' restrictions led to impulsive behavior, but eventually Azita was able to navigate her way through this period of self-discovery, and came out the other side with a graceful confidence. Once out of college, Azita decided it was time to take her life into her own hands in a big way. She told her parents that she was moving to Los Angeles, California to pursue a career in the entertainment industry. She would work as much as she needed to save up the funds, and she would find her own way. True to her word, she eventually landed a job at E! television network, where she learned the ropes of the entertainment industry. It was during this time that she was given access to some of her first acting classes. It didn’t take long for her far-reaching talent to be recognized, and today she is an accomplished actress in film and television. Today, Azita’s purpose has evolved into an effort to give voice to the voiceless by fighting for fair portrayal and equal representation of Mid-East, North-African, and South-Asian actors and actresses. She is the founder of the MENA Arts Advocacy Coalition, which aims to “… build a more balanced and positive representation of [Mid-East, North-African, and South-Asian] people.". If Azita isn’t on the frontlines, talking to industry decision-makers about how to solve the issues of misrepresentation, then she is empowering - through her own work - others who deserve the right to be themselves onscreen. For full show notes Connect with Azita Ghanizada Resources Watch Azita Ghanizada's TEDxTalk, "How I discovered my purpose from watching television": Follow/Support Stories of Transformation and Baktash Ahadi Donate to the production of this podcast https://www.baktashahadi.com/support Follow us on Instagram Follow us on Facebook Credits Produced by: Joseph Gangemi Digital Marketing & Media by: Katherine An Theme music by: Qais Essar Artwork by: Masheed Ahadi Episode Music Credits | |||
| 05 May 2020 | The Power of Storytelling in Medicine with Disease Detective Dr. Celine Gounder | 00:30:29 | |
What do you get when you mix medical expertise with the art of storytelling?
You get science translated into action. Our guest Dr. Celine Gounder is an “interpreter” of sorts between sufferers of public health crises and non-medical people like activists, journalists, all the way up to elected officials and other public officials, to ensure their voices are heard and something is being done about the suffering.
Dr. Gounder is a practicing HIV/infectious diseases specialist and internist, epidemiologist (aka disease detective), journalist and filmmaker. In early 2015, Dr. Gounder spent two months volunteering as an Ebola aid worker in Guinea and is able to draw eerily similar parallels to what is happening on the political scene today in the US.
We talk about how she uses storytelling in the medical field to be a conduit for change, her predictions on how COVID-19 will change American cultural norms, and her hopes for what the future of healthcare access will look like post COVID. She also gives us insight into the not often talked about long-lasting negative impacts of pandemics, beyond the death tolls.
Dr. Celine Gounder is the host of two Podcasts, one is American Diagnosis, a podcast on health and social justice, and Epidemic, a podcast about the SARS-CoV-2 / COVID-19 / coronavirus epidemic, which she co-hosts with former U. S. Ebola czar Ron Klain.
For full show notes: https://www.baktashahadi.com/podcast
Don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review!
Connect with and Support Dr. Celine Gounder: https://www.celinegounder.com/ https://twitter.com/celinegounder
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Podcast Produced by: Dana Drahos Podcast Edited by: Joseph Gangemi Additional Support by: Katherine An Theme music by: Qais Essar Artwork by: Masheed Ahadi | |||
| 09 Feb 2021 | From the Newsroom to the Battlefield with Journalist and Author Jessica Donati | 00:31:56 | |
Jessica Donati never expected to write a book about her experiences in Afghanistan, but then again, she never could have predicted that her journalism career would place her in the middle of some of the fiercest conflicts of the 21st century. In her book, Eagle Down: The Last Special Forces Fighting The Forever War, Jessica describes in powerful, personal detail the scenes on the ground from her time spent following US and Afghan special forces as they fought to stabilize Afghanistan. Describing herself as someone “guided by curiosity,” Jessica Donati is a person driven to understand the world through perspectives different from her own. Born in Italy, and raised in a stable environment in which survival was not a daily concern, Jessica understands the relatively privileged position she was born into as compared to many others around the world. Today, as a reporter covering foreign affairs for the Wall Street Journal, Jessica’s job aligns well with her innate desire to seek out truth and understanding, and to tell stories that need to be told, no matter where the job may take her. But the trajectory of her career - of her life - wasn’t so clearly defined from the outset. After graduating with a degree in economics, Jessica combined her college education with her passion for writing, landing a job at Reuters as a financial reporter. Primarily writing on the oil war, Jessica eventually received an offer to travel to ground zero of the ongoing crisis in Libya, to continue her reporting and to see firsthand the places and people she had been writing about from afar. Although she knew the decision would change her life forever, she accepted seemingly out of necessity - it was almost a non-choice due to her principles and values. After Libya, Jessica thought she might end up in Iraq, one of the central points of conflict in the global oil economy. Instead, she was tasked with going to Afghanistan - a place that she had never been to, and a place that frankly struck fear in her more than anywhere else she had been. In further pursuit of broadening her perspective and understanding of the world, she graciously accepted the offer. Through her time spent living and working Afghanistan - a total period of four years - Jessica would connect with a region of the world she had never understood. She would gain a firsthand perspective into one of the world’s longest-lasting conflicts. And through her bravery and dedication to her work, she would join Afghan and US forces on the ground to gain a better perspective into the real story of the United States’ involvement in the conflict. The collection of writings and experiences from the latter would go on to serve as the premise for her new book. Tune in to this episode of Stories of Transformation to hear the story of how Jessica Donati went from newsroom-based economic reporting to war reporting in some of the world’s most war-torn regions. Jessica also shares some details and stories from her book - Eagle Down: The Last Special Forces Fighting The Forever War - which tell the real story from the ground of the US’ involvement in Afghan affairs up until just a few years ago. Other topics include personal accounts of her times spent in Libya and Afghanistan; emotions that arise for Jessica thinking back on her time spent in these war-torn regions; the unsung heroes of the conflict in Afghanistan; and the hope that remains for Afghanistan thanks to the ongoing peace talks between Afghan government and the Taliban. For full show notes Connect with Jessica Donati Resources Read Jessica Donati’s work for the Wall Street Journal: Follow/Support Stories of Transformation and Baktash Ahadi Donate to the production of this podcast https://www.baktashahadi.com/support Follow us on Instagram Follow us on Facebook Credits Produced by: Joseph Gangemi Digital Marketing & Media by: Katherine An Theme music by: Qais Essar Artwork by: Masheed Ahadi Episode Music Credits | |||
| 21 Jan 2020 | Transforming Lives for Women in Afghanistan with Fereshteh Forough | 01:18:46 | |
Our guest, Fereshteh Forough, is the CEO and Founder of Code to Inspire, a coding school for girls in Afghanistan that has already transformed the lives of 150+ women. We discuss how the school works and the amazing life-changing impact it has had for these girls and their community. We then talked about Fereshteh’s fascinating origin story, her experiences and challenges of being a refugee, facing discrimination and needing to constantly hide her true identity, and what psychological impacts this left on her. But despite all of the changes and roadblocks she’s faced, she’s learned to open her mind, accept the various cultures that have been a part of her life, and incorporate them into her company. By embracing all of these diverse beliefs, experiences, struggles, and successes into her being, she has both redefined what “home” means to her and interwoven every piece of diversity into her company. Memorable Quotes Code to Inspire
Being a refugee
Resources & Links You can see more of Baktash Ahadi's work here. Follow Baktash Ahadi on Instagram here. Keep updated on the latest episodes of "Stories of Transformation” here. Want to connect with Fereshteh? Find her below: | |||
| 28 Dec 2019 | Welcome to the Stories of Transformation Podcast! | 00:01:37 | |
Welcome to the Stories of Transformation Podcast! My name is Baktash Ahadi, I'd like to introduce myself and give a little background as to why I've started this podcast, and what you can expect from it. We'll be releasing new episodes every Tuesday with inspiring guests, having deep conversations about their transformational stories. The show will soon be available on all podcast apps. Music by: Qais Essar (http://www.therabab.com/) Cover art by: Masheed Ahadi (https://www.tallysight.com/) Produced by: Dana Drahos (http://danadrahos.com/) | |||
| 10 Nov 2020 | Raju Narisetti: Journalist and Champion for Truth in a World of Misinformation | 00:38:49 | |
Raju Narisetti has always had a way with words — and it’s no wonder. As a child, if he wasn’t rummaging through his parents’ 10,000 book library, then he was writing letters to the editors of his favorite newspapers. Since then, he has gone on to enjoy a 25-year career in journalism, writing for publications including The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post. After his journalism career, Raju embraced the role as a media business executive and educator. He held a tenure as a professor of journalism at Columbia University, fulfilled the role of CEO for the media group Gizmodo, and founded the Mint business newspaper in India. As an immigrant of Hyderabad, India, Narisetti's path towards becoming one of the world's finest journalists wasn’t an easy one. After being accepted to Indiana University, Raju immigrated to the United States with little more than a promise of academic financial aid, some traveler’s checks, and a passion for storytelling. Along with the education he earned in the classroom, Raju also learned through the lessons that came with his immigration experience. He had to teach himself how to distinguish between interactions of genuine curiosity versus those of toxicity; how to react to condescension, stereotyping, and flat-out racism with compassion rather than frustration; how to react with an eye towards education rather than confrontation. All of the hardships, lessons, and achievements that made up Raju’s personal, academic, and professional lives lend themselves to his passion for fact-based storytelling — whether it was his own story that he was telling, or that of the subject matter on the page — Raju has always had a love for gathering knowledge and telling a story with it. His passion turned profession — writing evocatively, and informing those who are willing to listen — has always been at the heart of his work and the way he’s lead his life. Today, Raju Narisetti is global publishing director at McKinsey & Co., a philanthropist, and a chair among the board of trustees of the Wikimedia Foundation — publisher of Wikipedia. In this age of ambiguous news trustworthiness, Raju is a champion of the truth. He particularly stresses the importance of protecting open-content, digital resources like Wikipedia. Not only are these tools invaluable for people who may live in censorship-heavy countries, says Narisetti, but they are one of the last remaining bastions left in the fight to drown out fake news in favor of the truth. In this episode of Stories of Transformation, we discuss the complexity of the immigrant experience; drawing the line between who and who not to interact with, and how to react to cultural ignorance with an eye towards education rather than confrontation; how the personality of the United States has changed in the eyes of the world; and the importance of protecting open-content, digital libraries like Wikipedia. For full show notes Connect with Raju Narisetti Follow/Support Stories of Transformation and Baktash Ahadi Donate to the production of this podcast https://www.baktashahadi.com/support Follow on Instagram Follow on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/storiesoftransformationpodcast/ Credits Episode Music Credits | |||
| 19 Jan 2021 | Building a Better World by Uplifting Afghanistan — Lotfullah Najafizada | 00:31:09 | |
Lotlfullah Najafizada holds a unique perspective on Afghanistan. His lifelong experience of living all around the country himself, combined with his award-winning, journalistic career, has granted Najafizada a deep connection with his homeland’s past, present, and future. Najafizada was born in Kabul in the late ‘80s, when Afghanistan was in the midst of Russian occupation. Later, he lived through the internal conflicts resulting from Taliban-controlled government, and the subsequent US occupation. Lotfullah and his family were constantly on the move during this time, struggling to survive and traveling all over Afghanistan to avoid the conflict as best they could. All the while, Lotfullah was attending school when he could, immersing himself in his studies, and discovering his innate talent for writing and reporting. It wasn’t until Lotfullah gained access to the internet, and had begun traveling, that he realized the circumstances of his youth were not shared with many children around the world. He realized the potential for his country to become a more peaceful place, and chose the path of journalism as his tool for building a better Afghanistan. Najafizada believes that Afghanistan’s turbulent history over decades past has actually put the country in a unique position to move forward, and at long last, recover a unified sense of peace. Specifically, he cites Afghanistan’s ability to survive in the face of such constant conflict, and come out the other side in a place of relative stability. He also points towards the expansion of media and internet access in the country, which has resulted in younger generations becoming more informed and involved. Today, Lotfullah Najafizada is a journalist and director at TOLOnews organization - the largest news and current affairs TV channel in Afghanistan. He has received international recognition for his work, and has interviewed some of the biggest names in the modern geopolitical sphere. Despite his love for his native land, Najafizada reports on Afghanistan in an unbiased way - optimistic for the future, but also realistic in how he doesn’t overlook or underestimate the complexity of the country’s issues. In this episode of Stories of Transformation, Najafizada sits on the other side of the table and tells the story of his life growing up in Afghanistan, discovering his calling, and his vision for building a better world by uplifting Afghanistan. Connect with Lotfullah Najafizada
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Digital Marketing & Media by: Katherine An Theme music by: Qais Essar Artwork by: Masheed Ahadi
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| 08 Dec 2020 | Ronnie Malley Believes That Combining Music and A Sense of Global Citizenry Is The Key To A More Harmonious World | 00:33:41 | |
Ronnie Malley's range as a multi-instrumentalist is vast. He is a master of percussion and rhythm; a guitarist and oud player; and a keyboardist, to name a few of his skills. He is a versatile songwriter, a composer, an experienced performer, and a recording engineer. His knowledge within the realm of music — and sound itself — is remarkable, and founded on principles of both art and science. Ronnie's musicality runs in his Palestinian family. His father, an immigrant to America and accomplished musician himself, encouraged his sons' interest in music from an early age. Ronnie says his father always put up with he and his brother’s interest in heavy rock music, but also made it a point to cultivate an appreciation within them for the music of their ancestral homeland. Alongside his father and brother, Ronnie played in a family band for 15 years. Along with honing his musical chops on some of the world’s largest stages, a young Ronnie saw first-hand how powerful music can be in bringing people together. Eventually, he began to look at music as a universal language in and of itself — consisting of different dialects and nuances to explore. Outside of his work done in the studio and on the stage, Ronnie works as a music educator within the Chicago school system. He takes joy in helping students discover themselves through music. In line with his philosophy of seeing music as a language, Ronnie encourages his students to learn different languages, as well. He believes that in order to properly play certain indigenous rhythms, it’s necessary to understand the rhythm of the language the music comes from. Indeed, as brilliant a musical mind he may be, Ronnie Malley is more than a musician. He is an educator, a mentor, and a visionary for a more harmonious world. A strong believer in global citizenry, Ronnie believes that in order for the world to become a better place for all, we should embrace cultural diversity across the board. In essence: focus on the beauty within our differences rather than focusing on the differences themselves. In this episode of Stories of Transformation, we discuss the similarities between music and language; how to reconcile traditional views of “success” with following your heart and doing what you love; where rhythm lives in the body; and the concept of global citizenry and how it cultivates diversity while promoting a more harmonious world. -- For full show notes Connect with Ronnie Malley Follow/Support Stories of Transformation and Baktash Ahadi Donate to the production of this podcast https://www.baktashahadi.com/support Follow us on Instagram Follow us on Facebook Credits Digital Marketing & Media by: Katherine An Theme music by: Qais Essar Artwork by: Masheed Ahadi Episode Music Credits "Martyr" - Ronnie Malley | |||
| 23 Feb 2021 | In Search Of Stories Untold with Iranian Filmmaker Gelareh Kiazand | 00:40:49 | |
Gelareh Kiazand is an Iranian filmmaker who is on a mission to revitalize the film and documentary genre. Integrity, education, and companionship are among the fundamental values she considers in her work. She is founder of SeeTô Productions, a media company which aims to "produce high quality productions by grouping talent that transcend borders.” Indeed, Kiazand and her crew serve as a collective conduit through which the stories of underrepresented people and places can be brought to light. Gelareh takes pride in her authentic storytelling - at once offering fresh perspectives while being sure to remain subjective, giving utmost credence to the subject. With a modest profundity, Kiazand understands the modern media landscape on a forward-thinking level. Many people today exhibit dual appetites for both short-form and long-form storytelling. Her short films have been played at festivals around the world. On the long-form end of the spectrum, Gelareh directed a 13-part documentary spanning several regions of Afghanistan, and tackling some of the country’s social issues. Kiazand's myriad passions of learning, traveling, and storytelling eventually found her with a camera in her hand - a companionship which has taken her all around the world. With a goal of expanding her audience’s cultural understanding, her life and work serve as an inspiration to those striving to make a difference. In this episode of Stories of Transformation, Gelareh Kiazand shares some of the most profound insights she has collected over the course of her life and career. Topics include the a unique perspective on the widespread misunderstanding of Iran and the greater Middle East; the reciprocal benefit of intimate moments between artist and subject; human beings’ attention span vs. consideration span; and the importance of experiencing a place in order to truly understand it. For full show notes Connect with Gelareh Kiazand Resources Follow/Support Stories of Transformation and Baktash Ahadi Donate to the production of this podcast https://www.baktashahadi.com/support Follow us on Instagram Follow us on Facebook Credits Hosted by: Baktash Ahadi Produced by: Joseph Gangemi Digital Marketing & Media by: Katherine An Theme music by: Qais Essar Artwork by: Masheed Ahadi Episode Music Credits | |||
| 30 Mar 2021 | Reza Aslan & Mahyad Tousi on Identity, MENA Representation in Media, and the United States of Al | 00:35:47 | |
Can you think of a Middle Eastern protagonist who has appeared front and center on American, cable television - past or present? If you cannot, then you are not alone, and the reason is at once obvious and deeply troubling. Since the advent of film and television, and the subsequent rise of popular culture which continues to evolve into today, the facts clearly show that there have been next to no such characters - protagonists or even supporting actors whose bloodlines stem from Greater Middle East, North African, or Central/South Asian countries. Together - after over a decade of effort, trial, and tribulation - Reza Aslan and Mahyad Tousi are combining their artistic talents and unwavering will to challenge the unjust status quo and give America one of its first Middle Eastern protagonists. Their sitcom, United States of Al - premiering on CBS on April 1, 2021 - has some of television’s biggest names behind it. Chuck Lorre - a man called the “king of sitcoms” and the mastermind behind critically acclaimed series such as 3rd Rock From The Sun and The Big Bang Theory - excitedly took on the role of executive producer. Though Lorre is at the helm of the show’s production, Aslan and Mahyad made clear from the start that they wouldn’t settle for anything less than reasonable representation not just on screen, but behind the camera and in the writers’ room. At long last, Reza Aslan and Mahyad Tousi’s efforts to equalize representation for the Greater Middle East region are coming to fruition. Tune into this episode of Stories of Transformation to hear more about United States of Al, the groundbreaking sitcom premiering on CBS in April. Learn more about Reza Aslan and Mahyad Tousi’s previous endeavors to represent the people of their region onscreen, and how their paths converged and led to their working together. We also discuss the timeless importance of storytelling, the power of media, and how the culture shift in America towards inclusion and equality has been long precipitated by the disruptive, relentless work of people like Reza Aslan and Mahyad Tousi. Connect with Reza Aslan Connect with Mahyad Tousi Resources BoomGen Studios Follow/Support Stories of Transformation and Baktash Ahadi Donate to the production of this podcast https://www.baktashahadi.com/support Follow us on Instagram Follow us on Facebook Credits Produced by: Joseph Gangemi Digital Marketing & Media by: Katherine An Theme music by: Qais Essar Artwork by: Masheed Ahadi Episode Music Credits | |||
| 30 Jun 2020 | Empathy is the Path to Ending Mass Incarceration with Criminal Justice Reformer Adam J. Foss | 00:31:31 | |
In light of recent events that have further exposed the gross racial injustices and system failures of the American criminal justice system, many of us are searching for answers on what we can do to move racial justice and equality forward. Enter Adam J. Foss, who has dedicated his life to criminal justice reform and reinventing the role of the criminal prosecutor in order to end mass incarceration. In 2016, Mr. Foss delivered a powerful Ted Talk that shed light on the true power of the prosecutor to change the fate of someone’s life, and therefore many lives, by focusing on opportunity and compassion, rather than winning a case. Mr. Foss was born in the Caribbean and adopted by a white couple in Massachusetts. His father was a Marine and a police officer. Therefore, Adam grew up with a deep respect and love for the men in blue, while also living life as a black man in America. Through his experiences in this paradox, he has learned that deep empathy for both sides is needed in order to have a productive conversation about criminal justice reform. Americans were all raised by a country that deprived us of the whole truth, and now we have the opportunity to reckon with this false story and unlearn, so that we can rebuild. We hope this conversation brings clarity around questions you may have about the failings of the criminal justice system, mass incarceration, and what you can do to help push the needle forward on racial justice and equality. Please share this extremely important message with friends and family. Connect with Adam J. Foss: Follow/Support Stories of Transformation and Baktash Ahadi: Produced by: Dana Drahos | |||
| 14 Apr 2020 | Pause and Reset: This Is Our Wakeup Call with Global Health Physician Nassim Assefi | 00:48:42 | |
**Pause and Reset: This Is Our Wakeup Call with Global Health Physician Nassim Assefi**
Nassim Assefi, a second-generation Iranian-American, is an internist specializing in women's health and global medicine. Recently she has been an academic in Seattle, a humanitarian aid worker in Kabul, and an aspiring musician in Havana. Currently, she is under quarantine lockdown in Morocco.
Nassim is especially fascinating to talk with because she’s taken nine sabbaticals in her life, one every three or four years, and in doing so she has learned paramount lessons about embracing uncertainty, which are incredibly applicable in this time of COVID-19.
If you are feeling isolated, this conversation will take you on a journey around the world as Nassim shares with us her experiences and observations working in global health, studying music and writing novels, salsa dancing, and having a child as a single mother in places like Iran, Afghanistan, Cuba, Havana and Turkey.
This conversation is rich with a global health physicians’ professional perspective on what is unique and especially dangerous about this coronavirus versus other viruses in history, what’s actually going in inside your body when you have it, and what Nassim has learned about what it means to be human in the context of grief and trauma.
We meet at the intersection of culture, politics and science to understand why this virus has become a way bigger problem in some countries and not so as bad in others, and discuss what is at stake if people continue to not take this seriously.
Finally, we shine a light on some of the less obvious positive and negative consequences of the virus, and Nassim leaves us with some profound advice about what we as individuals and global citizens should be doing right now to ensure a brighter future for the world.
For full show notes: https://www.baktashahadi.com/podcast (hyperlink)
Connect with and Support Nassim Assefi https://www.nassimassefi.com/
Follow/Support Stories of Transformation and Baktash Ahadi: Donate to the production of this podcast (hyperlink this to: https://www.baktashahadi.com/support) Follow on Instagram (hyperlink to: https://www.instagram.com/stories_of_transformation/) Follow on Facebook (hyperlink to: https://www.facebook.com/storiesoftransformationpodcast/)
Produced by: Dana Drahos Edited by: Joseph Gangemi Marketing by: Katherine An Theme music by: Qais Essar Artwork by: Masheed Ahadi Photography for this episode by: Niku Kashef | |||
| 24 Nov 2020 | Omaid Sharifi Is Beautifying War-Torn Afghanistan And Inspiring Generations, One Mural At a Time | 00:33:59 | |
Omaid Sharifi is no stranger to political oppression, nor the powerful imagery which often accompanies it. Born in Kabul, Afghanistan just before the end of Soviet occupation there, Omaid was raised amidst the rise of the Taliban, and then came of age during the American invasion and the war on terrorism. After his father was shot and killed in the line of duty as a police officer when he was barely a teenager, Omaid knew it was his responsibility to step up and help provide for his mother and five younger sisters. He worked out of a small stand in the streets of Kabul, selling cigarettes and cookies, fending for his life amidst the chaos around him, doing everything he could to help he and his family to survive. Today, he remains in Afghanistan, and works as an artist and activist — or, an “artivist” as Omaid aptly describes himself. He is the leader of the prolific public mural project called Artlords. In their work — which includes over 2,000 murals spanning the entirety of Afghanistan — the Artlords have transmuted their collective traumas absorbed over the course of their lives into beautiful, meaningful works of art meant to inform, inspire, and enlighten. Omaid’s mission with Artlords is to provide a counterbalance to the immense negativity which cloud’s the city’s collective consciousness — the warlords, druglords, slumlords — by injecting art into the city streets. In this episode of Stories of Transformation, we discuss what it’s like to grow up in a place where war, poverty, and deviance are everyday realities; the power of art in opening minds and promoting positive change; finding the courage, and the creativity, to stand up to those in power who refuse to listen; and how kindness as a catalyst is the best way to make a lasting impact. For full show notes Connect with Omaid Sharifi Resources Follow/Support Stories of Transformation and Baktash Ahadi Donate to the production of this podcast https://www.baktashahadi.com/support Follow us on Instagram Follow us on Facebook Credits Digital Marketing & Media by: Katherine An https://www.linkedin.com/in/katherine-a-91081b56/ Theme music by: Qais Essar Artwork by: Masheed Ahadi Episode Music Credits | |||
| 13 Jul 2021 | What Almost Dying Can Teach Us About Living, with Emmy-Award Winning Journalist and Cancer Survivor Suleika Jaouad | 00:41:23 | |
Suleika Jaouad’s career aspirations as a war correspondent were cut short when, at age 22, she was diagnosed with leukemia. Faced with slim survival odds, she knew she wanted to find a way to still participate in the world and give back more than she had taken. It started with a daily journal and eventually became “Life, Interrupted,” the Emmy award-winning New York Times column and video series she wrote from her hospital bed. In this episode of Stories of Transformation, Suleika recounts the darkest and lightest moments of her four-year battle with leukemia. She shares what important life lessons she learned throughout her journey from diagnosis to remission and beyond on her cross country road trip of healing and self discovery. Suleika Jaouad is an Emmy-award winning journalist, and author of her memoir Between Two Kingdoms. Her Ted Talk, "What Almost Dying Taught Me About Living", has over 4 million views. For full show notes: https://www.baktashahadi.com/podcast Connect with Suleika Jaouad Website | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook Follow and Subscribe to Stories of Transformation Podcast Instagram | Facebook | Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher Credits Produced and hosted by: Baktash Ahadi Audio Engineering by: Joseph Gangemi Digital Marketing & Media by: Katherine An Theme Music by: Qais Essar Artwork by: Masheed Ahadi Additional Music Credits Music Credits Sivan Talmor . Israeli Singer songwriter "Wonder" by Tristan Barton Tristan Barton Music | Australia based composer "Continuance" by Yehezkel Raz "Reflections" by Pete James Johnson | |||
| 02 Mar 2021 | The Potential For Peace With Israeli-born Palestinian Forsan Hussein | 00:38:25 | |
As a young boy growing up in the Arab village of Sha’ab in Northern Israel, Forsan Hussein had always found himself surrounded at all sides by a troubling narrative. For his entire life, everyone had told him that the Jewish Israelites living nearby were the picture of evil - a malevolent people bent on violence; the harbingers of atrocity and misfortune which had befallen Forsan’s Arab-Palestinian village in the past. For young Forsan, it was all he knew. Everyone in his world had always said the same thing: Arabs and Jews did not, and would never, get along. One fateful day, while fulfilling the role of shepherd on his family’s farm, one of Forsan’s sheep wandered off into a nearby Jewish village. The young boy knew he had no choice but to retrieve the animal, but he was terrified. The visions in his mind of what he might see in the neighboring village were traumatizing - fire and brimstone; violence and destruction. His childhood imagination knew no bounds, casting imagery more dreadful than any nightmare. But yet, through the fear, something within Forsan gave him the strength to go on and see this new part of the world for himself. Much to his surprise, what Forsan found was a beautiful village - sunny and prosperous, its people welcoming. He saw children who looked a lot like he did playing soccer on a grass field. The people of the village took him in with open arms, fed him, and of course, returned his sheep. Forsan ended up staying late, playing soccer with the children and making many friends. He couldn’t wait to return home to tell his village and tell of the truth he had uncovered. Before he was even a teenager, Forsan Hussein would go on to help create the first non-profit organization in Northern Israel that supports coexistence, equality, and peace between Arabs and Jews. Later, he would earn a full scholarship to Brandeis University in Boston, Massachusetts - another transformational period of his life - where he would not only expand his mind through education, but further discover the true potential of what he wanted to accomplish in life. Today, Forsan is one of the founders of Zaitoun Ventures, an investment firm focused on supporting innovative startups all over the world. Though their goals primarily aim to develop a “new", more cooperative Middle East, their reach is truly global, and their network includes people and projects from all walks of life. Forsan and his team strive to change the world by supporting new and interesting technologies that can make the world a better place. But at the core of their work is a strong set of core values based on the lessons Forsan learned that day, many years ago: look beyond constrictive narratives; dig deep and discover reality for yourself; and always believe in the potential for peace. For full show notes Connect with Forsan Hussein Resources Follow/Support Stories of Transformation and Baktash Ahadi Donate to the production of this podcast https://www.baktashahadi.com/support Follow us on Instagram Follow us on Facebook Credits Digital Marketing & Media by: Katherine An Theme music by: Qais Essar Artwork by: Masheed Ahadi Episode Music Credits | |||
| 27 Apr 2021 | Learning the Art of Conversation with Communications Expert Misha Glouberman | 00:34:12 | |
Misha Glouberman is a communications expert, educator, author, and public speaker with a knack for helping people to get the most out of their conversations. He discovered his talent at a young age, as early as grade school, where he would intuitively identify misunderstandings between teacher and student. Though he couldn't have known it at the time, Misha would later take his gift and turn it into a profession, and become an educator himself. Today, Misha uses his expertise to help corporate clients improve their culture by facilitating healthy communication from top to bottom. He also teaches a course, available to the public, which is aptly titled, "How To Talk to People About Things". In his work, Misha emphasizes the importance of remaining conscious on both sides of a conversation - speaking and listening; as well as removing oneself from their own "story", and opening their minds to the story on the other side. Even in the midst of conflict or argument, Misha says it is essential to practice compassionate, conscious conversation - striving to understand even in the face of disagreement, and working with the other party on proceeding forward by first finding common ground. In today's digital age, Misha says many fundamentals of healthy conversation still apply, and that the advent of digital communication is in fact a boon to the overall landscape of human communication. In this episode of Stories of Transformation, we take a deep dive into the essence of conversation - how it works; as well as common issues and how to overcome them. Misha provides some practical tips on how to cultivate better conversations - methods to increase efficiency, to maximize productivity, and to strengthen relationships through earnest listening and authenticity. Misha's insights are at once incredibly profound and surprisingly simple, and best of all, many of them are directly applicable to conversations in everyday life - no matter the medium. For full show notes Connect with Misha Glouberman Resources Learn more about Misha's course: "How To Talk to People About Things" Follow/Support Stories of Transformation and Baktash Ahadi Donate to the production of this podcast Follow us on Instagram Follow us on Facebook Credits Produced by: Joseph Gangemi Digital Marketing & Media by: Katherine An Theme music by: Qais Essar Artwork by: Masheed Ahadi Episode Music Credits | |||
| 23 Mar 2021 | Rolling With The Punchlines: How Comedian Maz Jobrani Took Control Of His Life by Taking The Stage | 00:37:32 | |
Maz Jorbani is an Iranian-American comedian, actor, and performer who has been entertaining audiences for over two decades. Though he is a comedian by profession, and his talent for the craft sometimes make his performances look effortless, Maz' decision to pursue his passion on the stage was not spontaneous, and it didn’t come easy. His parents wanted him to take a more traditional route towards success, to choose a more stable career. It wasn’t until a culmination of events and encouragement that Maz decided to actually take to the stage to try his hand at the art of stand-up comedy. Maz’ interest in the performing arts began early on. Born and raised in Iran - and living there until around the time of the 1979 Iranian Revolution - Western culture was surprisingly accessible and prevalent in Maz’ life. He recalls loving comic book heroes like Spider Man, American movies like Rocky and The Mask of Zorro, and of course, comedy entertainment. In many ways, his Iranian-American dual identity was being sculpted even before he and his family immigrated to the United States. In high school, Maz joined the theatre group and began performing in plays. He quickly found himself thriving on stage - both literally and figuratively! It was common for him to hear words of encouragement from teachers and peers alike. Maz' interest in the performing arts grew in parallel with his confidence on stage. Some key moments over the course of his life would come to serve as eureka moments which gave Maz the collective encouragement to get up on stage and face the crowd. As it is for many comedians, Maz didn’t start off bringing down the house - delivering laughs night after night, joke after joke. There was a long road of practice, reflection, and refining ahead of him, but it was all a part of the journey. Fortunately for Maz, his countless hours spent performing plays and practicing on stage gave him an edge that many of his amateur peers lacked. Through time, effort, experience, and encouragement from some key characters over the course of his life, Maz was able to achieve his dream of becoming a professional stand-up comedian. Today, he is not only an accomplished performer, but a father and a husband. For his children, Maz says he wants to be their biggest encouragement in finding their passions and chasing their dreams. Tune into this episode of Stories of Transformation to hear exactly how Maz Jorbani’s story played out - from his birthplace in Iran, to his relocation to the United States, to his decision to step on stage. Hear about the several key moments which pushed him further towards his dream, and the eureka moment in which he decided to finally go all in on his dream. Maz also shares some insights into his own personal philosophy for how one ought to live their life on their terms, complete with interesting stories, experiences, and anecdotes which have informed him over the years. Finally, we discuss how Maz’ Iranian-American identity has assisted, but not totally informed, his comedy and the way he presents himself on stage and in life. For full show notes Connect with Maz Jorbani Follow/Support Stories of Transformation and Baktash Ahadi Donate to the production of this podcast Follow us on Instagram Follow us on Facebook Credits Produced by: Joseph Gangemi Digital Marketing & Media by: Katherine An Theme music by: Qais Essar Artwork by: Masheed Ahadi Episode Music Credits | |||
| 11 May 2021 | Living and Dying on the Migrant Trail with Anthropologist and Author Jason De León | 00:33:48 | |
Jason De León is an anthropologist, author, and activist with a meaningful mission. His work focuses on the global community of migrants who flee their homelands in search of a better life. His latest book, "Land of Open Graves: Life and Death On The Migrant Trail" focuses on the growing rate of migrants fleeing Mexico through the Sonoran Desert - a territory shared by the United States territories of Arizona and California. Particularly, the book tackles the troubling statute called "prevention through deterrence," which is the United States policy that aims to deter migrants not through walls or border patrol, but through the perceived impasse of the brutal, 70-mile stretch of the desert that stands in the way. In addition to his literary endeavors, Jason De León is a MacArthur Genius Award Winner who has written academic articles on the topic of undocumented migration. He is an accomplished human rights activist, serving as President for the Colibrí Center for Human Rights. He is also executive director at the "Undocumented Migration Project" - a non-profit, anthropologically-minded organization which hopes to shed light on the phenomenon of clandestine migration of Latin Americans into the United States. Though the current situation is bleak, and the future is not bright in regards to social or circumstantial change, Jason and his colleagues hope that their work can not only magnify the lives and stories of these human beings caught in a difficult situation, but to shed the labels and inspire empathy for them far and wide. In this episode of Stories of Transformation, we discuss Jason De León's latest book, "Land of Open Graves" - the "culmination of six years of research" by De León to uncover the reality on the ground at the United States-Mexico border. Jason shares some of the countless artifacts that he found in his research mission through the Sonoran Desert. We also discuss the current situation unfolding on the border of Mexico and the United States - the sobering reality of the human trafficking "industry". Finally, Jason shares his outlook on the future of the issue of clandestine migration, and what we can do to help make the world a better, more welcoming place for all. For full show notes
Connect with Jason De León
Resources
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Produced by: Joseph Gangemi Digital Marketing & Media by: Katherine An Theme music by: Qais Essar Artwork by: Masheed Ahadi Episode Music Credits | |||
| 28 Jul 2020 | Award-Winning War Correspondent Janine di Giovanni on Tragedy, Justice and Healing | 00:36:10 | |
From defending her brother from the bullies as a child, to reporting in the darkest and most dangerous corners of the Earth, Janine di Giovanni has always had a fierce need to fight for justice and stand up for others whose voices cannot be heard. Janine di Giovanni is a multi-award winning war reporter and author who has covered nearly every major violent conflict since the late nineteen-eighties. Her focus is on war crimes; global terrorism; refugee issues and sexual violence during war time. She is currently a Senior Fellow and Professor at Yale University’s Jackson Institute for Global Affairs. In this episode of Stories of Transformation, we get the chance to learn what it’s like to be an undercover reporter whose job involves witnessing the most gruesome acts of violence, and what insights and wisdom she has taken from these experiences. We learn about the one photograph that changed the trajectory of Janine’s life and put her on this journalistic path, how the things she’s seen and experienced have shaped how she views the world today, and about her love affair with another war reporter. Lastly, Janine provides a beautiful conclusion on how the US can heal from centuries of systemic racism, based on her research of countries that have made comebacks from brutal wars.
For full show notes and resources: https://www.baktashahadi.com/podcast
Connect with Janine di Giovanni https://www.janinedigiovanni.com/ https://twitter.com/janinedigi?lang=en
Follow/Support Stories of Transformation and Baktash Ahadi: Donate to the production of this podcast https://www.baktashahadi.com/support Follow on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/stories_of_transformation/ Follow on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/storiesoftransformationpodcast/
Produced by: Dana Drahos https://danadrahos.com/ Edited by: Joseph Gangemi https://www.linkedin.com/in/joseph-gangemi-b850b41a2/ Digital Marketing by: Katherine An https://www.linkedin.com/in/katherine-a-91081b56/ Theme music by: Qais Essar www.therabab.com Artwork by: Masheed Ahadi https://www.LinkedIn.com/in/masheed | |||
| 18 Aug 2020 | Author of 'Sigh, Gone' Phuc Tran Discusses Identity, Racism, and Finding Belonging through Punk Rock | 00:34:21 | |
Phuc Tran and his family fled Saigon, Vietnam when he was 1.5 years old, and landed in a small, predominantly white town called Carlisle, Pennsylvania. Now, he is a high school Latin teacher, tattoo artist, father, husband, and most recently, author of his memoir Sigh, Gone.
Phuc’s story is one of identity—understanding who he is between two different cultures, facing systemic racism, searching for a sense of belonging, and the determination to heal from past trauma so he can show up fully as a father.
In this episode we hear Phuc’s experiences feeling like a misfit, how finding punk rock music made him feel seen, heard, and understood, and how this later shaped his philosophies as a high school teacher.
We dive into transformative moments in Phuc’s childhood where his understandings of his cultural identities were formed as he tries to piece together what it means to be Vietnamese and to be American. We also discuss how the process of writing his memoir has allowed him to feel closer and more empathetic towards his parents.
For full show notes and resources: https://www.baktashahadi.com/podcast
Connect with Phuc Tran *This is an Amazon Affiliate link. At no extra cost to you, you can directly support the production of this podcast by purchasing this book. Thank you!
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Produced by: Dana Drahos Edited by: Joseph Gangemi Digital Marketing by: Katherine An Theme music by: Qais Essar Artwork by: Masheed Ahadi | |||
| 01 Jun 2021 | Overcoming Obesity and Anxiety with Mark Metry | 00:30:40 | |
It was another late, sleepless night in his dorm room, and Mark Metry's phone buzzed. It was the campus police, warning students through text message of yet another violent altercation that had occurred blocks away. In what he describes as a trance-like state - one precipitated by a lifelong battle with untreated mental illness - Mark deliberately walked headlong into the dangerous area that the authorities had just told him to avoid. As he tells it, Mark was hoping that something would happen to him as he walked alone that night. At that rock-bottom moment, he would take any relief he could find from the turmoil that was costing him his health, his happiness, and his life. It was in the midst of this dark period that Mark finally stopped and looked himself in the mirror - quite literally - and asked himself one simple question: "who are you?". That critical moment would turn out to serve as a catalyst for Mark Metry's story of transformation. From that point on - through reflection and great effort - the downward spiral that Mark had felt his life to be had been replaced by exponential increases in energy. He began feeding his mind through books; he integrated a healthier diet, and introduced exercise and mindfulness habits into his life. By the time he returned to college the following year, his roommates didn't even recognize him when he opened the door. Before long, Mark Metry's journey would lead him into roles of public speaking, leadership, and coaching. Today, he uses tools such as writing and podcasting - in conjunction with his life's lessons and insights - as a vehicle to help others going through similar challenges that he did. Even at his young age - still in his 20's - Mark has become a role model for million going through any number of challenges - from social anxiety to racism. His courage is an inspirational to all, and today Mark is living the life of his dreams as he continues to better himself, help others to do the same, and make a world a better place. In this episode of Stories of Transformation, Mark Metry shares the story of how he went from his lowest point of physical and mental health to becoming a role model for those going through similar challenges. Born in 1997, Mark offers a unique perspective into what it was like growing up as a first-generation Egyptian-American going through grade school in the aftermath of 9/11. He shares pivotal moments from his life - the good and the bad - and how all of it has been crucial in transforming him into the man he is today. For full show notes Connect with Mark Metry
Resources Listen to Mark Metry's podcast: "Social Anxiety Society"
Follow/Support Stories of Transformation and Baktash Ahadi Donate to the production of this podcast https://www.baktashahadi.com/support Follow us on Instagram Follow us on Facebook
Credits Produced by: Joseph Gangemi Digital Marketing & Media by: Katherine An Theme music by: Qais Essar Artwork by: Masheed Ahadi Episode Music Credits | |||
| 15 Sep 2020 | A Transformative Story of Overcoming Adversity Again and Again with Ed Latimore, Best-Selling Author and Former Professional Heavyweight Boxer | 00:29:53 | |
You can learn to do anything in life, and overcome any adversity, with practice. This is the key lesson Ed Latimore discovered again and again when he became sober, when he beat his pornography addiction, when he worked his way up to a professional boxing career, when he got a Physics degree despite failing in high school, and now as a professional writer.
Ed Latimore is a best-selling author, former professional heavyweight boxer, and competitive chess player. His writing focuses on self-improvement and a practical approach to stoic philosophy.
Ed grew up in the violent projects of Pittsburg, raised by a single mother, never feeling safe. He initially went into a boxing career as a means to an end, having no clue the positive impact it will have later on in life.
In this episode of Stories of Transformation, we hear a powerful story that shows anyone is capable of overcoming adversity.
For full show notes and resources: https://www.baktashahadi.com/podcast
Connect with Ed Latimore https://twitter.com/EdLatimore
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Produced by: Dana Drahos Edited by: Joseph Gangemi Digital Marketing by: Katherine An Theme music by: Qais Essar Artwork by: Masheed Ahadi | |||
| 31 Mar 2020 | Microsoft’s Chief Environmental Officer Lucas Joppa on Sustainability Technology for the New Age | 00:35:26 | |
Lucas Joppa is a deeply curious person, which he attributes to having been raised by a family that valued curiosity and debate. It is his sense of curiosity and willingness to explore the unknown that led him to join the Peace Corps after college. This experience ignited his passion to answer the question, “How do we help people understand the natural world?” which is his north star as Chief Environmental Officer at Microsoft. This question is particularly pertinent to reflect on in the context of the current COVID-19 pandemic, which many experts have said is a consequence of the human disruption of Earth’s natural systems. Despite all of the economic peril, there have been many benefits of coronavirus for the environment. Lucas and his middle school sweetheart and now wife were about to graduate college when they decided to apply for the Peace Corps. They were placed in a country called Malawi, a small country in southeastern Africa, exactly where they requested NOT to be placed. But it ended up being the most transformative experience of his life. What Lucas learned is that the way he views the world isn’t necessarily the only way someone can view the world. In his role at Microsoft, he knows that not everyone is living the same reality all over the world, and that environmental technology that would be effective and feasible in one country, may not be so in another. His work with Microsoft involves running a program called AI For Earth, which is specifically dedicated to deploying Microsoft's over 35 years of research and engineering in the field of artificial intelligence in four areas: agriculture, water, biodiversity, and climate change. It’s an ambitious mandate to fundamentally change the way human society monitors models and then ultimately manages Earth's natural systems. In this episode of Stories of Transformation, you’ll learn what you can do as an individual to contribute to solving the global issues we face today. For full show notes: Follow and Support Lucas Joppa Follow/Support Stories of Transformation and Baktash Ahadi: | |||
| 16 Jun 2020 | Remi Adeleke Transformed Himself From Leading a Life of Crime to Becoming a Navy Seal and is Now a Hollywood Actor | 00:27:20 | |
Remi Adeleke shows us what people are capable of achieving when all the odds are stacked against them. His is a story of riches to rags, and then back to riches again. In this interview, he delves into his early life living as Nigerian royalty, to America where he was selling drugs as a teenager in the Bronx to survive, to rising above all statistics to become a Navy SEAL, actor, entrepreneur, writer, and successful husband and father. He learned from a young age from his mother that whatever you do, you should do it right and with excellence, the first time, so hard work and perseverance became second nature for him. This is how he mentors inner-city youth to create a better life for themselves, and it is a message that can ring true for us adults as well. This episode brings hope and a reminder of what humans are capable of, as we continue to keep the momentum going for the modern-day civil rights movement. For full show notes, please visit https://www.baktashahadi.com/podcast
Connect with and Support Remi Adeleke His book: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/transformed-remi-adeleke/1129259319?ean=9780785219767
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Produced by: Dana Drahos Edited by: Joseph Gangemi Digital Marketing by: Katherine An Theme music by: Qais Essar Artwork by: Masheed Ahadi | |||
| 17 Nov 2020 | Mark Redmond Decided Serving At-Risk Youth Was More Important Than Material Wealth | 00:36:33 | |
It was a Friday morning like any other, and Mark Redmond was walking down Madison Avenue, en route to another business meeting. Mark had found himself exactly where he and everyone else had always envisioned: living in New York City, working at a multi-billion-dollar company, with all of the material fulfillment a young man could ask for. But still, he wasn't fulfilled. As he sat at the roundtable to discuss business finances, Mark could almost see his entire life flashing before his eyes. He would advance professionally, make more money, meet someone, get married, grow old, and someday, he would die. But for what? Mark couldn’t shake the sentiment that such a life path didn’t resonate with him, and would ultimately leave him feeling like he hadn’t accomplished much at all. Later that same day, Mark would end up quitting his job. And only three days later, he would be starting his life as a live-in volunteer at Covenant House, a nearby shelter serving homeless and at-risk youth. He had traded in the fancy suit for jeans and sneakers, and gave away his material possessions in exchange for what his heart had truly yearned for: emotional and spiritual fulfillment. By devoting his life to charity, generosity, and providing guidance for those in need, Mark had found his calling. Going on 40 years later from that fateful day, Mark says he never looks back on his decision with any regret. Today, he is the executive director at Spectrum Youth and Family Services — a shelter and recovery center based in Burlington, Vermont — whose mission is to “…empower teenagers, young adults, and their families to make and sustain positive changes through prevention, intervention, and life skills services.” In this episode of Stories of Transformation, we discuss the difference between happiness and fulfillment; the nature of trauma and how it lives in the body; the importance of homeless shelters and recovery centers, and the scope of services that they offer; and how seemingly small acts of kindness can change a life. For full show notes Connect with Mark Redmond Resources Purchase The Goodness Within: Reaching Out to Troubled Teens With Love and Compassion by Mark Redmond Follow/Support Stories of Transformation and Baktash Ahadi Donate to the production of this podcast https://www.baktashahadi.com/support Follow us on Instagram Follow us on Facebook Credits Digital Marketing & Media by: Katherine An https://www.linkedin.com/in/katherine-a-91081b56/ Theme music by: Qais Essar Artwork by: Masheed Ahadi Episode Music Credits | |||
| 10 Mar 2020 | Re-writing The Islam Hate Narrative with Wajahat Ali | 01:10:13 | |
“It’s easy to dehumanize an entire group of people if you don’t know their story.” -Wajahat Ali
Wajahat Ali is a New York Times Contributing Op-Ed writer, public speaker, recovering attorney and tired dad of two cute kids. His essays, interviews, and reporting have appeared in The New York Times, The Atlantic, The Washington Post, The Guardian, and New York Review of Books. He is the author of the play The Domestic Crusaders and lead author of the investigative report Fear Inc: The Roots of the Islamophobia Network in America.
In this episode of Stories of Transformation, we get to hear the stories and life lessons learned of a man who has not only survived a near death experience of his own, but has also faced a parent's worst nightmare. His daughter, at two years old, was diagnosed with stage 4 liver cancer the day he had to step on stage to give a TED Talk, in which he planned to make the case that people in developed countries should be having children.
Not only that, but we also get a history and political lesson on Islamophobia and how it's actually been in existence for thousands of years, not just post 9/11. We gain a deep understanding as to why this matters, in the context of political foreign policies that have been built on conspiracy theories.
Wajahat shares about his upbringing as often the only brown person in the room, forced to become a cultural ambassador of sorts post 9/11 and how this experience led to his passion and ultimately his career in storytelling. He now teaches the younger generation of minorities how to use their personal stories for social change.
Wajahat's unique blend of expert storytelling, humor, knowledge, and vulnerability make for an informative and entertaining conversation filled with "aha" moments, laughter, and new perspective.
“Sometimes it takes a tragedy for us to wake up and pay witness to the chaos that was always under our nose." -Wajahat Ali
Full show notes: https://www.baktashahadi.com/shownotes/rewriting-the-islam-hate-narrative-with-wajahat-ali
Connect with Wajahat Ali https://www.wajali.com/ https://twitter.com/wajahatali
Follow/Support Stories of Transformation and Baktash Ahadi: https://www.baktashahadi.com/support https://www.instagram.com/stories_of_transformation/ https://www.facebook.com/Stories-of-Transformation-110335937120068/ | |||
| 02 Feb 2021 | Shaharzad Akbar: Leader and Visionary for Human Rights in Afghanistan | 00:41:54 | |
Shaharzad Akbar may not appear as someone you’d expect to be leading the charge in one of the world’s harshest environments. But don't let Akbar's quiet demeanor fool you without first hearing her incredible story. Indeed, as chairperson at the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission, fighting for human rights is exactly what Akbar does everyday. Specifically, she fights on behalf of her fellow Afghan citizens' access to the full range of human rights. Her responsibility includes dissecting, criticizing, and reforming a broken system which has rendered human rights as more of a privilege than a precedent. Born in Jowzjan, Afghanistan in 1987, Akbar’s upbringing is tragically common for those living in the region during this period. Fleeing the violence and conflict that constantly surrounded them, Akbar and her family moved all around Afghanistan, eventually settling in Pakistan for a time after the Taliban took control. As Akbar described this time, there was an underlying sense, even at her young age, of her homeland being disconnected from the rest of the world; and of its people, its history, and its culture on the verge of being forgotten. During her family’s migration across Afghanistan, Shaharzad was able to see firsthand many of the different landscapes, lifestyles, and cultures that make up the rich tapestry that is Afghanistan. From the city apartment where she grew up, to the small farming village she and her family passed through on their travels, Shaharzad absorbed these images and the people that filled them, and the dreamy vision of a more peaceful, equal Afghanistan began to materialize in her mind. In contrast to that, Shaharzad's time spent studying abroad in The United States was among the more eye-opening experiences as to how the rest of the world operated. While attending college in Massachusetts, Shaharzad saw firsthand the stark difference between the concerns of the world’s most privileged peoples as compared to her compatriots back home. Whereas many of her American peers were concerned about an upcoming exam, Akbar knew that the common daily concern of many of her friends and family back home was literally that of survival - of actual life and death. She had finally seen the full spectrum of human rights for herself. Though the weight of her responsibility is great, Akbar is somehow able to keep calm in her dealings with human rights violations on a daily basis. Even with the threat of backlash ideological opposition, and the daily atrocities that appear on her desk, Akbar remains resilient in her responsibility, and confident in her vision of what she knows Afghanistan can become. Akbar believes that improving human rights in Afghanistan begins with stopping the violence, and reevaluating the systems in place and the harmful aspects of society that those systems have perpetuated. How can you improve peoples’ lives if the systems and structures in place are directly preventing that? In this episode of Stories of Transformation, we discuss the importance of understanding context in different human rights projects around the world; finding the strength to keep going even in the face of daily adversity; what literature, art, and storytelling can teach us about our shared human experiences; and what it means and what it takes to be a leader of a human rights initiative. For full show notes Connect with Shaharzad Akbar Resources Follow/Support Stories of Transformation and Baktash Ahadi Donate to the production of this podcast https://www.baktashahadi.com/support Follow us on Instagram Follow us on Facebook Credits Produced by: Joseph Gangemi Digital Marketing & Media by: Katherine An Theme music by: Qais Essar Artwork by: Masheed Ahadi Episode Music Credits | |||
| 24 Mar 2020 | The Basis of Human Survival with Refugee Trauma Initiative Co-Founder Zarlasht Halaimzai | 00:51:43 | |
Zarlasht Halaimzai and her family fled their home of Afghanistan when she was 11 years old, leaving all their hopes and dreams for the future behind. Now, she is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of Refugee Trauma Initiative, an organization committed to resourcing refugees, aid workers and organizations with skills and tools to deal with stress, insecurity and trauma. When most people think about the refugee crisis or helping refugees, they think in terms of providing food, shelter, and security. While these things are important, in this conversation Zarlasht brings to our attention something equally as vital for refugees but which is often overlooked. Connection and community, trust, and hope are as basic as food and shelter when it comes to human needs, but displaced refugees lose all of this when they settle into their new reality. When Zarlasht recalls speaking with her relatives, she reflects on how they were always experiencing physical pain. She began to wonder, why is everyone around me always in such physical pain? What she learned is that if you don’t have the language to express your feelings of the trauma you’re experiencing, the pain will manifest through your body. Not to mention, research has found that children who experience traumatic situations without support in processing it also have mental and physical issues later in life. She realized, refugees need a way of healing the trauma they’ve experienced in a healthy way in order to have any chance at rebuilding their lives. Her and her team at Refugee Trauma Initiative help parents develop skills to deal with the crisis they’re in, help them understand what their children are going through, and foster a community. After hearing this conversation you’ll have a much greater understanding of the reality for refugees, rather than the propaganda put forth by politicians as they try to avoid solving very complex issues in our world today, and what you can do to help. For full show notes: Connect with Zarlasht Halaimzai and Support Refugee Trauma Initiative: Twitter: @ZarlashtH Donate to RTI: https://www.refugeetrauma.org/ Follow/Support Stories of Transformation and Baktash Ahadi: https://www.baktashahadi.com/support https://www.instagram.com/stories_of_transformation/ https://www.facebook.com/Stories-of-Transformation-110335937120068/ | |||
| 25 Aug 2020 | What the American Dream is Missing with Mia Birdsong, Author of 'How We Show Up: Reclaiming Family, Friendship & Community | 00:24:53 | |
Mia Birdsong is a pathfinder, community curator, and storyteller who steadily engages the leadership and wisdom of people experiencing injustice to chart new visions of American life. She plays an important role in pointing to people’s lived experiences to inform institutional learning and transformation. In How We Show Up, her upcoming book about how we make family and community, Mia charts swaths of community life and points us toward the promise of our collective vitality.
She also hosted a four-part podcast called More Than Enough from The Nation, which explores the concept of guaranteed income, or “universal basic income,” through conversations with the experts, people who actually experience poverty in America.
In this episode of Stories of Transformation, we discuss the fallacy of the "American dream", and the crisis of love and marriage in the US. Why are 50% of our relationships falling apart, and what is fundamentally wrong with the widely accepted beliefs on what “success” looks like in American culture?
Join us and share this episode with a friend!
For show notes and resources: https://www.baktashahadi.com/podcast
Connect with and support Mia Birdsong https://twitter.com/miabirdsong
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Produced by: Dana Drahos Edited by: Joseph Gangemi Digital Marketing by: Katherine An Theme music by: Qais Essar Artwork by: Masheed Ahadi | |||
| 21 Jul 2020 | Using Space Technology to Advance Justice on Earth with Danielle Wood, Director of the Space Enabled Research Group at MIT | 00:30:27 | |
While many civic leaders are working towards detangling the complex systems that have sustained injustice from here on Earth, Dr. Danielle Wood is coming at it from a very different angle. Who would have thought the advancement of justice and sustainable development on Earth could be informed by space technology? This is the mission our next guest is working towards as the Director of the Space Enabled Research Group at MIT. Prof. Wood is a scholar of societal development with a background that includes satellite design, earth science applications, systems engineering, and technology policy. In her research, Prof. Wood applies these skills to design innovative systems that harness space technology to address development challenges around the world. Join us in this fascinating Stories of Transformation conversation where we meet at the intersection of racial equality and space technology. For full show notes and resources: https://www.baktashahadi.com/podcast Connect with Dr. Danielle Wood https://www.media.mit.edu/people/drwood/overview/
Follow/Support Stories of Transformation and Baktash Ahadi: Donate to the production of this podcast https://www.baktashahadi.com/support Follow on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/stories_of_transformation/ Follow on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/storiesoftransformationpodcast/
Produced by: Dana Drahos https://danadrahos.com/ Featured music by: Glass by Claudio Laucci Edited by: Joseph Gangemi https://www.linkedin.com/in/joseph-gangemi-b850b41a2/ Digital Marketing by: Katherine An https://www.linkedin.com/in/katherine-a-91081b56/ Theme music by: Qais Essar www.therabab.com Artwork by: Masheed Ahadi https://www.LinkedIn.com/in/masheed | |||
| 29 Sep 2020 | Hammasa Kohestani Stood Up Against Racism and Islamophobia and Became The First Muslim Woman to be Crowned Miss England | 00:38:53 | |
When people asked young Hammasa Kohestani what she wanted to be when she grew up, she responded that she was *going* to be a model, not that she *wanted* to be a model. She had this dream since she was 6 years old, but it started to feel further and further away as she entered her teenage years.
That’s because she was born to Afghan parents, spent her early childhood in Russia, and then moved to the UK as a teen. Models and pageant queens in England simply didn’t look or talk like her.
But that didn’t stop her. At 18 years old, Hammasa Kohestani was the first British-Afghan Muslim to be crowned Miss England in 2005. She’s been in the fashion and modeling industry for 20 years, an uncommonly long time, and has faced immense racism and sexism throughout her career. All the while, she stuck to her values and encourages other young women to do the same.
In this episode of Stories of Transformation, hear about Hammasa’s experience as an Afghan Muslim model and how hard she fought to be accepted, how she made global headlines by calling out the British Prime Minister on his Islamophobic remarks, and much more. For full show notes: https://www.baktashahadi.com/podcast
Connect with Hammasa Kohestani
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Produced by: Dana Drahos Edited by: Joseph Gangemi Digital Marketing by: Katherine An Theme music by: Qais Essar Artwork by: Masheed Ahadi
Episode Music Credits Philip Daniel Zach- Quieting the Mind The SoundKeeper- For Theresa Mighty Captain | |||
| 19 May 2020 | Small Change, Big Difference : The Art of Doctoring with Author and Physician Dr. Moyez Jiwa | 00:34:39 | |
When’s the last time you left your family doctor’s office feeling seen, heard, and truly cared about? If you were to visit our Stories of Transformation guest Dr. Moyez Jiwa’s office in Australia, chances are that’s how you’d feel. In many other doctor’s offices, unfortunately this is not always the case.
Case loads are heavy, hospitals are understaffed and over crowded especially nowadays, and the rate of burn out for health care providers is through the roof.
While each of us can’t solve all of the world’s problems, Dr. Moyez Jiwa, author of the book The Art of Doctoring, says to focus on the small changes we can make in our sphere of influence, that can make a big difference. It is Dr. Jiwa’s mission to help good doctors become great doctors.
So what are these small changes? In this conversation Dr. Jiwa shares his revolutionary yet simple approach to practicing medicine based on his research findings for his book. He explains why practicing medicine is like being on stage acting in a play. He also shares the lessons he learned from his multi-cultural upbringing that ultimately make him a better doctor, and gives his advice for young budding doctors.
We hope you’ll take one small step to share this podcast to make a big difference in amplifying this message and improving healthcare:)
Connect with Dr. Moyez Jiwa https://theartofdoctoring.com/about/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/moyez-jiwa-b0951418/ Get the book: https://amzn.to/3dvWHee *This is an Amazon Affiliate Link, if you purchase through this link you're contributing a bit to the production cost of the podcast (at no additional cost to you), so thank you!
Follow/Support Stories of Transformation and Baktash Ahadi: Donate to the production of this podcast
Produced by: Dana Drahos Edited by: Joseph Gangemi Digital Marketing by: Katherine An Theme music by: Qais Essar Artwork by: Masheed Ahadi | |||
| 20 Apr 2021 | The Art of Preservation with Filmmaker Mariam Ghani | 00:31:46 | |
Mariam Ghani is an artist, filmmaker, writer, and educator, and through this combination of work, she is on a mission to preserve the past, enlighten the present, and provide hope for the future. Born into exile to Afghan and Lebanese parents, Mariam was born and raised in New York City. After her parents tried and failed to return to either of their respective homelands when she was young, Mariam spent the majority of her life in the United States. Mariam describes her experience of being born into exile as that of an "in-between space" - a pervasive feeling of estrangement that seemed to come from all sides of her identity. A feeling which, from the outside looking in, may seem similar to that of a first-generation immigrant, but the hopeless longing that came with being inherently unable to return to one’s ethnic homeland made Mariam's experience something else entirely. She wouldn't travel to Afghanistan nor Lebanon until she was at least 24. In the meantime, however, Mariam would be absorbing the stories of her parents - particularly those from her maternal lineage - and dreaming about the unreachable world in which these stories were set. Later, while enrolled at NYU, Mariam would discover her passion for art and filmmaking, and redirect her life towards the pursuit of artful preservation as public service. Mariam's work is unique in the way that it highlights remnants of the past that, in one way or another, no longer exist. Whether this is archival footage from the oft-misunderstood Afghanistan of the early-to-mid-20th century, or her latest work, What We Left Unfinished, which examines "...the relationship between art and politics in times of war, censorship, and repression,” Mariam’s work is exquisite in its presentation, in its purpose, and in its authenticity. In this episode of Stories of Transformation, we discuss Mariam's unique lived experience of being raised by exiles; how she discovered her passion for filmmaking and redirected her life; and the overarching goal of her work in preservation and the arts. We also discuss the complexity of language, in ways both linguistic and interfamilial; what it's like being the daughter of the current President of Afghanistan; and how public service can mean different things to different people working in different spaces. For full show notes Connect with Mariam Ghani Resources Follow/Support Stories of Transformation and Baktash Ahadi Donate to the production of this podcast Follow us on Instagram Follow us on Facebook Credits Produced by: Joseph Gangemi Digital Marketing & Media by: Katherine An Theme music by: Qais Essar Artwork by: Masheed Ahadi Episode Music Credits | |||
| 04 Aug 2020 | A Transformational Story of Healing and Forgiveness After Being Sentenced to Life in Prison with Philip Melendez | 00:32:34 | |
Philip Melendez was 19 years old when he committed a double homicide and was sentenced to life in prison with no possibility of parole by the State of California. Running from the scene of a gunfight, he couldn’t believe what he’d just done, it didn’t feel like it was really him. On the inside, he quickly learned to survive and play by the rules of prison politics. He would volunteer to beat people up who “broke the rules”, and earned the trust of fellow gang members. He began to leverage this trust by being the mediator between different gangs on the prison yards, using words instead of violence to resolve conflict. After 19 years, 11 months and 3 days behind bars, the State of California revised their laws on life sentencing and Philip was able to apply for parole and was released. Now, he’s the Los Angeles Outreach Associate for Re:Store Justice. Re:Store Justice is an organization created to re-imagine and reform our justice system. They launched an in-prison media project, the first of its kind, sharing personal narratives from inside prison walls. It is directed, shot, cut, and scored entirely by the men on the inside. For full show notes and resources: https://www.baktashahadi.com/podcast Learn more about Philip Melendez and Re:Store Justice Follow/Support Stories of Transformation and Baktash Ahadi: Produced by: Dana Drahos | |||
| 08 Sep 2020 | 2018 National Teacher of the Year Mandy Manning on How to Cultivate Diversity and Inclusion in the Classroom | 00:32:29 | |
Hear from 2018 National Teacher of the Year Mandy Manning on what teachers can do in their classrooms to create a positive environment for students of all backgrounds to thrive, and what lessons she learned through her experiences living and teaching in other cultures.
Mandy Manning has been teaching for 21 years in countries and cities all across the globe. She currently works in the Spokane Public Schools Newcomer Program, teaching new immigrants and refugee children.
Mandy’s journey in education started in the Peace Corps, teaching English in Armenia. It was here, in this new culture and environment completely different from what she grew up within America, that she learned a powerful lesson—what we “know” is not necessarily what’s right. There is beauty in ALL ways of life, and every human has intrinsic value.
It is this insight that she carries forth in her style of teaching and the message she is spreading to all educators—that we must hold space for all cultures, values, traditions, and gifts in the classroom, and encourage students to be proud of who they are.
For full show notes: https://www.baktashahadi.com/podcast
Connect with and Support Mandy Manning https://twitter.com/mandyrheawrites
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Produced by: Dana Drahos Edited by: Joseph Gangemi Digital Marketing by: Katherine An Theme music by: Qais Essar Artwork by: Masheed Ahadi | |||
| 13 Oct 2020 | How Being a Visual Storyteller in Afghanistan has Transformed Kiana Hayeri and Her Perspective on Life | 00:31:40 | |
As an Iranian Canadian, Kiana Hayeri has struggled throughout her life to find a sense of home and belonging. As a teen, she found photography—a medium through which she didn’t have to struggle with language, and could finally connect to a world that doesn’t belong to her. Kiana Hayeri is a visual storyteller, Senior TED Fellow, and a regular contributor to The New York Times. Her work has appeared in Harper's Magazine, Foreign Policy, Washington Post, NPR, Monocle Magazine, Wall Street Journal, Le Monde, The Globe, and Mail, among others. Her passion for visually telling stories has brought her all around the globe, but she keeps finding herself coming back to Afghanistan. In this episode of Stories of Transformation, Kiana shares what it is about Afghanistan—the culture, the people— that keeps her coming back. We talk about how living in a war-torn developing country like Afghanistan has changed her perspective on life and her definition of “hope”. We then go on to dissect the fundamental differences between Afghan and American culture, and lastly, learn what it’s been like being a female photojournalist in Afghanistan, entering prisons and war zones to get the story. For full show notes: https://www.baktashahadi.com/podcast
Connect with Kiana Hayeri Website: http://www.kianahayeri.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kianahayeri/?hl=en
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Produced by: Dana Drahos Edited by: Joseph Gangemi Digital Marketing by: Katherine An Theme music by: Qais Essar Artwork by: Masheed Ahadi
Episode Music Credits: | |||
| 07 Jul 2020 | Racism Starts and Ends with Us, with Poet and Activist Theo Wilson | 00:44:38 | |
A black man steps out onto the street and sees the word “POWERLESS” on a New York City newspaper headline. For most people, they knew it to mean an electrical blackout in the city. To Theo Wilson, the word had a totally different meaning, as it was exactly how he felt having just walked away from nearly being beaten to death by police and stripped of his sense of manhood. On this episode of Stories of Transformation, we sit down with Theo Wilson, who delivered a viral TEDx talk entitled “A black man goes undercover in the alt-right”, detailing his experience creating a white supremacist online avatar and diving into the depths of the Interwebs, and what shocking realizations he’d made about how racism is perpetuated. Mr. Wilson is also a poet, activist, and Executive Director of Shop Talk Live, Inc, an organization that uses the barbershop as a staging ground for community dialogue and healing. Grab your tissues, because in this episode Theo delivers a powerful and deeply moving poem about a childhood friend who was lost due to police brutality and Theo’s own survivor’s guilt. He also recounts his personal experience with police brutality and the deep impact it had on his sense of self-worth, and how he still struggles at times today. Mr. Wilson brings clarity to what feels like chaos going on in the world today. He takes it to the individual level, to help us understand what is going on in our own minds, hearts, and souls, and how we’re all interconnected, so we can see how truly none of us are free until we are all free. We hope you’ll share this episode far and wide, and start to have your own “shop talk” conversations face to face with people who you don’t agree with, in order to advance the human race. For full show notes: https://www.baktashahadi.com/podcast
Connect with Theo Wilson
Produced by: Dana Drahos Edited by: Joseph Gangemi Digital Marketing by: Katherine An Theme music by: Qais Essar Artwork by: Masheed Ahadi Additional Music by: Philip Daniel | |||
| 09 Jun 2020 | Exploring the World’s Most Extreme Natural Phenomena with Storm Chaser George Kourounis | 00:43:17 | |
George Kourounis is no stranger to fear or uncertainty. In fact, it’s basically his job to live in fear and uncertainty. George Kourounis is a global explorer, adventurer and storm chaser. George has spent years photographing some of Mother Nature's most elusive and dangerous phenomena, such as tornadoes, giant hail, dust storms, hurricanes, avalanches, volcanoes and lightning among other things, and has explored all 7 continents and 75 countries. He shares his experiences through television, photography, Youtube, and in person speaking engagements. In this episode of Stories of Transformation, we talk about the most magnificent places in the world George has explored, how he interprets what it means to be human through the lens of our experience with nature, the story of his most life-threatening expedition, and what conclusions can be drawn around COVID-19 and climate change. If you’ve been feeling stagnant at home, this story will get your heart pumping. Be sure to share it with a friend and leave us a rate and review if you’ve enjoyed this episode! For full show notes, please visit: https://www.baktashahadi.com/podcast Resources Mentioned: George refers to the Giant Crystal Cave connected to the Naica Mine, located in Chihuahua, Mexico, which can only be visited for scientific investigation. Connect with George Kourounis: http://www.stormchaser.ca/Stormchaser.html
Donate to the production of this podcast Produced by: Dana Drahos Edited by: Joseph Gangemi Digital Marketing by: Katherine An Theme music by: Qais Essar Artwork by: Masheed Ahadi | |||
| 23 Jun 2020 | How George Floyd Changed the World With Minneapolis Civic Leader and Cultural Intelligence Expert, Abdul Omari, Ph.D. | 00:32:34 | |
These past few weeks, many Americans’ eyes have finally been opened to the injustices that have been so deeply ingrained in every system of the “land of the free”. Yet still, so many Americans are left wondering what they can do to help right these wrongs. This week, we brought on Abdul Omari, Ph.D., CEO and Founder of AMO Enterprise, a training institute that specializes in leadership development, diversity, equity, and inclusion. Abdul was also born, raised, and still resides in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where a black American, George Floyd, was recently murdered by a white police officer, sparking an uprising of protests across the country demanding equality and justice for black Americans. In this interview, Abdul gives us deeper insight into what he calls the paradox of Minnesota. It’s a place that is consistently ranked so high compared to other cities for its arts scene, education, parks, and healthcare, yet has the biggest racial disparities in the country for things like unemployment and education. He describes what Cultural Intelligence is and what leaders can do to start implementing effective change in their organizations when it comes to developing a more inclusive workplace. We wrap up with what is meant by black people when they ask non-black people to just LISTEN, and how communities can begin to start healing. For full show notes, please visit https://www.baktashahadi.com/podcast Connect with Abdul Omari: Follow/Support Stories of Transformation and Baktash Ahadi: Produced by: Dana Drahos | |||
| 16 Feb 2021 | Moving Forward By Facing The Past — A Conversation With "I'll Meet You There" Filmmaker Iram Parveen Bilal | 00:33:36 | |
Iram Parveen Bilal was walking through Thomas Bradley Terminal at LAX, awaiting her mother’s arrival for treatment of a life-threatening condition. Amidst the thoughts already racing through her mind, Iram heard the commotion of a crowd growing louder as she walked - a murmur of a different energy than that normally heard at airports. She tracked the uproar until it revealed itself: a group of protestors voicing their disapproval towards the Muslim ban which had just been enacted. Iram had long-feared the reaction of America - particularly its majority - in the hypothetical event of political action against the oft-misunderstood Muslim population. Would people in positions of privilege stand up for their fellow human beings? Or would they side with the oppressors - either directly or, through silence, indirectly? This appeared to be the day of reckoning that Iram had so feared, and she couldn’t withhold her emotion. Tears began to fall as she stood there, realizing the gravity of the situation that she, her mother, and millions of other global citizens had found themselves in. But then, seemingly out of nowhere came a woman - fighting her way through the crowd and making her way towards Iram. “You’re going to be okay,” the woman said, embracing Iram. It was the sincerest form of empathy, an unspoken understanding: a stranger helping a stranger caught in the middle and clearly in need. It appeared, at least in this microcosm of the ongoing political crisis, that the majority was not going to sit by and allow for such prejudicial injustice. That woman’s small act of kindness did not erase Iram’s fears, but it restore some sense of hope as it pertained to the future of America and the world. This was the decisive moment in which Iram knew that she needed to continue production on her screenplay in-progress - the film that would go on to become I’ll Meet You There. Though funding and the red tape of Hollywood stood in her way, the timing would never be better, and Iram had never been more inspired to tell a much-needed story. Tune into this episode of Stories of Transformation to hear the story of Iram Parveen Bilal’s incredible, multi-faceted life and career. Describing herself as having a heightened sense of awareness - a deeply empathic soul - Iram understands cultural differences through the vicissitude of her overall lived experience. Her depth of understanding of the human experience is wide-ranging, and evident in her words and storytelling. Through her filmmaking, Iram Parveen Bilal explores ideas which have inspired her, and she hopes that, in turn, her work will inspire others to share their own stories. Connect with Iram Parveen Bilal Resources Watch I’ll Meet You There on VOD: Help support Iram’s next filmmaking endeavor: Follow/Support Stories of Transformation and Baktash Ahadi Donate to the production of this podcast https://www.baktashahadi.com/support Follow us on Instagram Follow us on Facebook Credits Produced by: Joseph Gangemi Digital Marketing & Media by: Katherine An Theme music by: Qais Essar Artwork by: Masheed Ahadi Episode Music Credits | |||
| 27 Oct 2020 | Saad Mohseni Built a Media Company That Transformed Afghanistan | 00:37:26 | |
Saad Mohseni has lived all over the world, but no place has made an impact on him quite like his homeland of Afghanistan. So much so, in fact, that despite his transitory upbringing spanning continents, and later, his incredible success as a businessman and media mogul, Saad describes himself, at his core, as an “Afghan family man." Following several decades of turbulence in Afghanistan - wrought with war, strife, and extremism - Saad Mohseni returned to his native country in 2002 with a business plan to inspire the nation by reinvigorating its struggling economy. More specifically, he wanted to introduce private media into the public consciousness - a tall order for a country which was not far removed from extreme limitations imposed by Taliban ideology. Through his MOBY Group, Saad Mohseni, along with his colleagues, aimed to bring the people of Afghanistan channels through which they could access news, music, and entertainment, as well as unprecedented opportunities to open their minds and express themselves through talkback radio and other forms of social media. In this episode of Stories of Transformation, we explore what it means to call a place “home”; the importance of trusting your instincts in life and in business; the slow-and-steady spread of liberalistic views in Afghanistan, and the fragility which still exists with regards to maintaining that progressive culture. -- For full show notes: https://www.baktashahadi.com/podcast
Connect with Saad Mohseni Website: https://mobygroup.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/saadmohseni?s=20 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/saadmohseni/
Follow/Support Stories of Transformation and Baktash Ahadi: Donate to the production of this podcast https://www.baktashahadi.com/support Follow on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/stories_of_transformation/ Follow on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/storiesoftransformationpodcast/
Produced by: Joseph Gangemi Digital Marketing & Media by: Katherine An Theme music by: Qais Essar Artwork by: Masheed Ahadi
Episode Music Credits: “Oh, Endless Day” by Philip Daniel Zach | |||
| 18 Feb 2020 | "Learning to Skateboard in an Active Warzone" with Skateistan Founder Oliver Percovich | 01:02:37 | |
“If you want to start solving problems in Afghanistan, in my mind, you have to start by building trust, and that was happening through these girls that had a chance to skateboard, and make friends with girls the same age and from different backgrounds.” -Oliver Percovich, Founder of Skateistan
Oliver Percovich is the Founder and Director of Skateistan, an award-winning international organization with Skate Schools and programs running in Afghanistan, Cambodia and South Africa. Skateistan’s programs focus on girls and children from low-income backgrounds. Through its innovative programs, Skateistan aims to give young people the opportunity to become leaders for a better world.
A group of girls from Skateistan were recently the subjects of an Oscar award-winning short documentary, Learning to Skateboard in an Active Warzone (if you're a girl).
In this episode of Stories of Transformation, we get the backstory from Oliver (who appropriately goes by "Ollie"), on how he went from skating just as a fun and challenging hobby, to founding an international organization that is transforming the lives of at-risk youth, especially young girls, through skateboarding and arts-based education.
His story shows us the powerful effects of giving young girls from all different ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds a chance to freely express themselves in a safe environment. It also reminds us that you don't need to be a doctor to save lives--you just need to be authentic in what you love and share it with the world.
View full show notes with link to the film (available only in the US): https://www.baktashahadi.com/shownotes/learning-to-skate-in-an-active-warzone-with-oliver-percovich
Connect with Oliver and Support Skateistan:
Follow/Support Stories of Transformation and Baktash Ahadi:
Podcast produced by Dana Drahos: http://danadrahos.com/ Podcast edited by Joseph Gangemi: http://linkedin.com/in/joseph-gangemi-b850b41a2 Social Media managed by Tinli Yarrington: http://www.facebook.com/TinliYarringtonVA | |||
| 12 May 2020 | Exploring the Feeling of Loneliness with Writer, Filmmaker, and Entrepreneur Michael Thomas | 00:38:11 | |
Loneliness was already a pervasive problem in America, and now throwing social isolation into the mix, experts are worried that the rates of loneliness, depression and suicide will spike.
This week’s Stories of Transformation guest, Michael Thomas, among many amazing projects, writes a newsletter on loneliness, mental health, and emotions, and is also in the process of writing a book on loneliness.
In this episode we look at loneliness through the lens of sociology and how corporate America, individualism, and modern Western society has led to 20% of Americans are reporting that they feel lonely.
We discuss the danger of emphasizing this idea that “everyone deserves to be happy”, and parse out the important difference between “happiness” and “fulfillment”. We also consider how social distancing will impact us as it pertains to loneliness.
If you’re feeling lonely, it’s important to be vulnerable and share with others how you feel. Chances are the people in your life are feeling it too and aren’t speaking up. We hope this episode will serve as a conversation starter and a source of comfort for many!
See Michael's work: https://insatiablefox.com/ Subscribe to Michael's newsletter: https://michaelthomas.substack.com/
Follow/Support Stories of Transformation and Baktash Ahadi: Donate to the production of this podcast
Produced by: Dana Drahos Edited by: Joseph Gangemi Digital Marketing by: Katherine An Theme music by: Qais Essar Artwork by: Masheed Ahadi
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| 06 Oct 2020 | Inspiring Social Change Through Art, Food, and Community with Andy Shallal, Founder of Busboys and Poets Restaurant | 00:32:36 | |
Andy Shallal is an Iraqi-American artist, activist and entrepreneur. He is best known as the founder/CEO of the Washington, D.C., area restaurant, bookstore, performance venue Busboys and Poets and local philanthropist. He is also known for hiring artists in the D.C. area to paint murals around the city during lockdown to brighten up the streets and make people smile. Busboys and Poets is a community where racial and cultural connections are consciously uplifted… a place to take a deliberate pause and feed your mind, body and soul… a space for art, culture and politics to intentionally collide. Through creating such a space, Andy hopes to inspire social change and begin to transform the D.C. community and the world. In this episode of Stories of Transformation, Andy takes us on the journey of how Busboys and Poets came to be, and discusses the importance of creative expression, especially in times like these. We also discuss Andy’s time running for mayor of D.C in an effort to seriously address the systemic issues of racism, health care, and education. Finally, we discuss the current political and cultural climate and get Andy’s take on the way forward. We hope this episode inspires you to consider how you can create change in your local community! For full show notes: https://www.baktashahadi.com/podcast Connect with Andy Shallal & Busboys and Poets Follow/Support Stories of Transformation and Baktash Ahadi: Donate to the production of this podcast
Produced by: Dana Drahos Edited by: Joseph Gangemi Digital Marketing by: Katherine An Theme music by: Qais Essar Artwork by: Masheed Ahadi
Episode Music Credits: Philip Daniel Zach- Unwanted Tears Philip Daniel Zach- August Philip Daniel Zach- Trapt DearGravity- Chimera | |||
| 27 Jul 2021 | Emmy-Award Winning Director of The Social Dilemma, Jeff Orlowski, on the Invisible Dangers of Social Media | 00:35:31 | |
In one of Netflix’s most highly watched documentaries of all time, The Social Dilemma, Director Jeff Orlowski exposed the disturbing extent to which all of us are being manipulated and controlled through the use of social media. The film was a huge wake-up call for everyone in realizing the insidious implications of social media on our democracy, our culture, and our mental health. In this episode of Stories of Transformation, we discuss why Jeff wanted to make this film, how exactly social media is a threat to our democracy, how the film has begun to influence policymakers, and what we can do as individuals to protect ourselves and future generations. Jeff also shares how he got into filmmaking, and the struggles of independent filmmaking in the context of his Sundance Award-Winning films, Chasing Ice and Chasing Coral. Filmmaker Jeff Orlowski served as director, producer, and cinematographer of the Sundance Award-Winning films, Chasing Ice and Chasing Coral. He is a two-time Emmy-Award winning filmmaker, and founder of the award-winning production company Exposure Labs. His latest film, The Social Dilemma, premiered at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival and is now one of the most-watched documentaries streaming on Netflix. Connect with Jeff Orlowski Website | Email: info@exposurelabs.com Resources Mentioned Algorithms of Oppression by Safiya Noble Follow the Stories of Transformation Podcast Instagram | Facebook | Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher Production Credits This podcast is produced and hosted by Baktash Ahadi Audio Engineering by: Joseph Gangemi Digital Marketing & Media by: Katherine An and Dana Drahos Theme Music by: Qais Essar Artwork by: Masheed Ahadi Additional Music Credits "Oceans of Magic" by Jon Gegelman https://velvetgreenmusic.com/artist/jon-gegelman/ "Fortress" by Jonny Hughes https://jdhmusic.bandcamp.com/ "Spiral" by Alon Peretz | |||
| 14 Jul 2020 | Healing the Most Traumatized Members of Our Society with Fritzi Horstman, Founder of the Compassion Prison Project | 00:30:47 | |
Today’s Stories of Transformation guest is Fritzi Horstman. She’s the Founder and Executive Director of the Compassion Prison Project. Before that, she was a Grammy Award Winning producer of projects like HBO’s “The Defiant Ones” as well as dozens of television projects, documentaries, and several films.
The mission of the Compassion Prison Project is to transform prisons and communities through bringing compassion, childhood trauma awareness, and creative inspiration to the men and women living behind bars.
An incredibly powerful video that demonstrates the amazing work of the Compassion Prison Project is called “Step Inside the Circle”, which has gone viral with millions of views. In the video, Fritzi leads an activity with 235 incarcerated men to bring healing and awareness to the fact that they were traumatized as children, and that they are not the monsters society thinks they are.
In this episode, Fritzi shares her own journey of realizing her childhood trauma and the transformation and healing that she experienced. She also explains the science behind how childhood trauma impacts the brain, and the lessons she's learned through working with incarcerated men about herself and what it means to be human, and what we can do to help.
We hope this episode brings healing and awareness to you, and that you will share this message with friends and family and spread the compassion.
For full show notes: https://www.baktashahadi.com/podcast
Support The Compassion Prison Project https://compassionprisonproject.org/
Follow/Support Stories of Transformation and Baktash Ahadi: Donate to the production of this podcast
Produced by: Dana Drahos | |||