Reflecting Reality through Art with Yeldā Ali

Yeldā is an artist in every sense of the word. She is a writer, storyteller, DJ, and new mother to her beautiful daughter who joined in on our conversation. As an Afghan in the US, Yeldā has the lived understanding of being viewed as a threat, from when she was a child. Her personal experience and her family’s legacy of resistance is what informs her understanding of oppression throughout the world. 

We talk about our birth stories, which were both traumatic, but processed really differently and therefore with different outcomes. I ask for Yeldā’s thoughts on what it means to be a true artist and how she maintains hope. Like Yeldā herself, this conversation is direct, fierce, and deeply joyful. 

Please enjoy the emotional — and wise — Yeldā.

Yeldā’s IG: @y3lda

Yeldā’s website: yeldaali.com

Yeldā’s substack: yelda.substack.com

Leah's IG: leahsoojinkim