A Cup of Culture

Chhavi Mehra

Let's take a world tour and listen to some inspiring women from all around the world over a cup of coffee or tea.

  1. 06/10/2022

    Speaking My Truth

    In this episode, you’ll hear from Aliza Kazmi, born to immigrant parents in the Bay Area, is a former educator and a fierce advocate of empowering unheard and overlooked voices. As a brown Muslim woman growing up “in the thick of 9/11,” Aliza experienced a deep level of racism, sexism, and Islamophobia, and was constantly treated as an “other” or labeled as a “terrorist.” Her different intersecting identities and a social psychology class she took in middle school sparked her curiosity to explore topics like implicit biases and learn how to combat those. Aliza currently works as the co-executive director at HEART, a national anti-harm, faith-driven organization with a mission to uproot gendered violence and advance reproductive justice, rooted in ethical frameworks and advocacy supporting health and safety of Muslim communities. Her few nuggets of wisdom: Irrespective of your intersecting identities (whether you’re Black and Muslim or Queer and Muslim, etc.), you’re still Muslim and you belong. Engage on social media, read books, and connect with new and different people and surround yourself with like-minded people. Find safe and brave spaces where you can be yourself and be vulnerable, and ask questions from people who are willing to listen and receive you how you are. Few additional resources: Request a workshop with HEART Sign up to join our reader community for the soon-to-be-published Sex Talk: A Muslim's Guide to Healthy Sex and Relationships Educational resources by HEART

  2. 05/27/2022

    You Have To Put Your Mask On First

    In this episode, you’ll hear from Kaylynn Parker, a licensed mental health therapist based in the state of Washington, who served eight years in the military as an aircraft mechanic. However, on her second deployment, she began to struggle mentally and emotionally and soon found out that she was “narcoleptic, and not remembering portions of my day is not safe not only for me but also my coworkers” so Kaylynn was medically retired from the Airforce. During this time, she also sought a therapist whose support prompted her to become a mental health therapist too, though her road to becoming one wasn’t easy being a first-gen college student. Today, one of Kaylynn’s modalities involves being very honest and transparent with her clients to support them through anxiety, depression, PTSD, and other life challenges. Her few nuggets of wisdom: If you don’t think a therapist is the right fit for you, you have the right to request a different one. You’re not alone. You might have more things in common with people with shared trauma than you might realize at the time. Asking for help is not a sign of weakness, but a “massive strength.” Few additional resources: If you’re thinking about self-harm, please seek help here. If you are from a minority background, here’s a some tools for you: Therapy for Black Girls Multicultural Counselors Music attribution:  - Music provided by Lofi Girl - Listen: bit.ly/lofigirI-playlists

    You Have To Put Your Mask On First

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Let's take a world tour and listen to some inspiring women from all around the world over a cup of coffee or tea.