Sonya was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 29, with no family history. She found out she had cancer while she was out of town and doing a self examination in the shower. That self breast exam changed her life. Soon after, Sonya underwent chemo and treatment, and decided to shave her head to take control of potential side effects. Frustrated with her headware options, she then founded her own turban company and has since been featured in magazines and on runways. Sonya has an incredible outloo...
Oct 27, 2021•54 min
In this week’s episode, we’re so excited to host Aaron! Aaron and his family became stronger as a unit in the face of adversity. Aaron’s older brother is both blind and deaf, and suffers from many other health issues as well. As a result, Aaron spent significant time in and out of hospitals growing up. This fueled his long-lasting passion for medicine, improving the patient experience, and eventually starting a mentorship organization called Prescribe it Forward. Aaron chats with us about what g...
Feb 02, 2021•29 min
Content Warning: Bullying From a young age, Aashna faced insecurities about her appearance and her body, feelings exacerbated by bullying and unwanted comments from peers in Jamatkhana, in addition to media and its unachievable beauty standards. It wasn't long before Aashna realized that her environment was negatively impacting her mental health, and she had to make a change. Aashna embarked on a journey to body acceptance (not 'body positivity'). She learned to make difficult decisions about wh...
Jan 19, 2021•36 min
Content Warning: Military Combat, Sexual Assault, & Domestic Violence Noor James was the first-ever Ismaili female West Point Academy graduate. She then served abroad as a First Lieutenant in the armed forces, where she was sexually assaulted, far from her family and support system. After returning to the US and earning her law degree, Noor married, but quickly realized her marriage was not safe for her after she was physically harmed by her partner. Noor’s decision to divorce impacted her m...
Jan 05, 2021•45 min
For the third episode of our motherhood series, we bring you a powerful story surrounding IVF and the challenges that accompany this process. At first, Tazim wasn't sure whether motherhood was right for her. She had a career and a life that she loved, and didn’t know if children were in the cards. Once she did decide that she wanted to be a parent, she wasn't able to get pregnant right away. She then pursued In Vitro Fertilization. In addition to the physical toll that IVF takes on the body, Taz...
Dec 22, 2020•37 min
At barely 23 weeks pregnant, Neelum was rushed to the hospital one night after significant bleeding. She was going into labor 5 months early. Neelum talks us through how she felt robbed of a traditional pregnancy, a baby shower, creating her child's nursery, and even packing a hospital bag. She also shares the significant obstacles her child had to overcome during his months-long stay in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. The health challenges faced by both Neelum and her son were considerable, a...
Dec 08, 2020•31 min
We are so excited to bring you the first guest of our motherhood series. Over the course of eight weeks, we will be spotlighting women whose paths to motherhood deviated from the traditional image. Today, we sit down with Aliya, who is the dictionary definition of resilience. Originally from Dallas, she moved to the Bay and got married at a relatively young age. When she realized the relationship was no longer fulfilling her, she pursued a divorce, but she always knew in her heart that she wante...
Nov 24, 2020•37 min
It's our first episode of Season 2! Fazila is an ER doctor that served on the front lines during the height of the pandemic in New York City. She tells us how this impacted her mental health, after already having struggled with anxiety and depression throughout her life. She also shares her experience of working abroad in hospitals in Tanzania. Plus, Fazila waited until nearly age 40 to get married and talks us through her decision to wait. She details the process of freezing her eggs and how it...
Nov 10, 2020•27 min
In this bonus episode, we sit down with Nadia from Indian Matchmaking to reflect on her time on the show and her life since it aired. She dives into how she landed a spot on the reality show, how her family and friends reacted, and whether she was happy with the way that she was portrayed. She also shares what was "real" within the show, and whether or not cameras on dates hindered her from establishing connections. And, she opens up about the discrimination she faces, and faced on the show, for...
Sep 29, 2020•32 min
It’s our season finale! Join our co-hosts as they look back on their most challenging, most rewarding, funniest, and cringiest moments of Season 1. These two also share how this season has changed them, inspired them, and surprised them. Plus, find out what to expect in Season 2! Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy...
Sep 22, 2020•15 min
In part 3 of our interfaith series, Nureen discusses her previously interfaith (now same-faith) and interracial marriage. Her partner, Akil, is Trinidadian and converted to Islam and joined the Ismaili community. Nureen candidly shares what the conversion journey was like for them and the challenges they had to overcome throughout. She dives into the impact that Akil's embrace of Islam had and continues to have on her relationship and marriage, and what initially drew Akil to the Ismaili faith a...
Sep 08, 2020•34 min
In part 2 of our interfaith series, Raeesa tells us what life was like growing up in her dual-faith household: her father identifies as a Maharashtran Hindu and her mother identifies as Ismaili. Raeesa and her brother were raised within both faiths, practicing each one and attending its festivals and rituals with regularity. Raeesa shares how this upbringing has shaped her views on organized religion, what part of each faith she has personally connected to and had challenges with, and how she ho...
Aug 25, 2020•31 min
Armina’s partner, Mike, is Catholic and identifies as white, while Armina identifies as a Pakistani Ismaili Muslim. She details their love story, how their families reacted, and what Mike’s presence and attendance at Ismaili events are like. Armina also discusses the unexpected challenges her marriage poses, as well as what her interfaith wedding ceremony was like. Plus, Armina explains what questions or comments she’s tired of hearing (hint: think babies and conversion). We also examine the fet...
Jul 28, 2020•37 min
Content Warning: Sexual assault and adult themes Sahar courageously shares her assault story from when she was 16 years old. She had suppressed these memories for the past 8 years, but tells us how confronting them, sharing her story, and accepting is part of her healing process. We discuss the concept of grooming: the act of manipulation by an older person who holds power over a minor. Sahar highlights that our community can often trivialize experiences with assault by making women question whe...
Jul 21, 2020•35 min
Zain emigrated to the United States from Pakistan when she was 15. Feeling unaccepted and isolated by her Ismaili peers, she distanced herself from the community, until she eventually wasn't part of it at all. Zain shares with us her immigrant story, her journey to becoming agnostic, and communities and practices that she found felt more like home than Ismailism did. Plus, Zain recently launched an organic, all-natural CBD skincare line, and is gifting products to two listeners! Tune in to hear ...
Jul 14, 2020•30 min
Safiyya, 33 and single, candidly shares all aspects of life as an unmarried Ismaili woman in her thirties, including how she feels about being set up, the inevitable truth of losing friends as they start families, her thoughts on her “biological clock” ticking, unapologetically not settling, and so much more. We discuss Safiyya’s drivers throughout her life - making a significant contribution to society and developing a strong career - and how women are fed narratives about marriage and motherho...
Jul 07, 2020•30 min
In this incredibly illuminating conversation, Sanan describes with stunning detail the journey of his gender affirmation. He dives into his feelings of gender and identity dysphoria throughout his childhood, reactions of his family, friends, and strangers in Jamatkhana, and the details surrounding his multi-step gender affirmation surgeries. Sanan tells us how his life has since changed, how he’s treated differently, and what he’s learned. Plus, Sanan excitedly shares the science and medical asp...
Jun 30, 2020•45 min
This week, we sit down with our friends Mishaal and Zarek to talk about the colorism that is so deeply entrenched in many minority communities, including our own. Mishaal breaks down why exactly colorism is so harmful, and how it feeds into anti-blackness. Zarek shares his personal experiences with Ismailis in other parts of the world, and how they perceive skin color so differently. Further, we discuss how South Asians both borrow from other cultures, and are victims of cultural appropriation. ...
Jun 23, 2020•38 min
Imran, an openly gay Ismaili, came out to family and friends 15 years ago. He talks to Farheen and Sheetal about his adolescent struggles with his sexuality, "testing" his mom to gauge her views on homosexuality before coming out to her, how he came out, and the reactions he received. Imran also dives into how people and communities can better serve LGBTQ+ individuals. Plus, he offers advice to anyone currently questioning their sexual identity. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brand...
Jun 16, 2020•38 min
Inaara courageously shares her journey battling depression and anxiety—from accepting it, to telling her friends and family, to seeking help (and switching therapists three times). She also confronts common stigmas surrounding mental illness and her plans to bring trauma-infused care into the Ismaili community. Plus, she reveals the phrase that she often heard when sharing her struggles, and how it negatively impacted her healing. Episode Content Warning: Mental Illness Advertising Inquiries: ht...
Jun 09, 2020•41 min
The two founders of Cake Meets Sherbet, a first-of-its-kind Ismaili matchmaking service targeted toward millennials, talk to us about why Ismailis have a hard time keeping things casual, trends they've gleaned from their service surrounding what Ismailis value in a partner, why Ismaili men struggle sliding into DMs, their decision to remain anonymous for months, and more. Plus, Anam shares her experience using her own matchmaking service, and hiding from her match that she was the founder. Adver...
May 26, 2020•40 min
Sheetal and Farheen dive into their podcast origin story, define the word "podvocative" and all that it means to them, and offer a glimpse of what to expect from Season 1. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
May 20, 2020•4 min
