For this episode of Half Betty, Andrea and Krista are joined with Anar Ali an award-winning author, TV creator, and Executive Producer of CBC/NBC Universal’s Allegiance (now on the tail end of Season 3), as she traces her path from Tanzania through small-town Canada, Mexico, the UK, and Toronto. Anar talks through guiding values like freedom over security, kindness as power, collaboration, compassion, and a curiosity that fuels wonder.

She reflects on power amplifying character, “sharing it” through politics, incremental community change, and circular storytelling that honours ancestors. As well, the very raw and real moment she left her Procter & Gamble corporate life and first marriage to pursue writing a debut novel (Night of Power, Penguin Random House), as well as TV, sparked by CBC’s Diverse Creators Program.

Bio

Anar Ali is the Creator & Executive Producer of the hit police drama, ALLEGIANCE (CBC/NBCUniversal), and a critically acclaimed short story writer and novelist. Her first book, BABY KHAKI’S WINGS, was a finalist for multiple awards including the Commonwealth Writers' Prize (Best First Book), and her debut novel, NIGHT OF POWER, was recently published internationally by Penguin Random House. She started her TV career when she won a development deal with CBC’s Diverse Creators Program for her 1-hour serialized dramedy, RUBY'S TURN. Soon after, she was a writer on the hit medical drama, TRANSPLANT (Netflix/NBCUniversal/CTV). She left a successful career as a Business Development Executive at Procter & Gamble to pursue her dream of becoming a writer. Anar was born in Tanzania to Indian parents, grew up in small-town Alberta, has lived in Mexico and the UK, and now makes her home in Toronto. She's represented by Altas Literary and Atlas Artists.

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Anar’s Words - freedom, kindness, collaboration, compassion, fearless, adventurous, curiosity and wonder. 

References

Allegiance (Procedural) - A rookie agent working in Surrey, her hometown, who faces the limits of the judicial system as she battles to exonerate her politician father. Now in its third season and can be watched on CBC and NBC Universal.

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Guest: Anar Ali (Screenwriter/ Author/Executive Producer)

Founder/Host/Producer: Andrea Rathborne

Producer/Co-Host: Krista Gruen

Editors: Andrea Rathborne & Krista Gruen

Audio Engineer: Ryan Clarke

Episode sponsors:  Zaleska size-inclusive jewelry