As we close out Immigrant Heritage Month, Ali hears the story of Pakistani American immigrant @najmanoorani - who also happens to be his mother (oh, and the mother of @farahyasmeenshaikh too)! A special tribute to their mother, but also a reminder that each immigrant has a special story to be honored.

Farah follows up in a convo with both her mother and father @nooraniamjad about systemic racism as they reflect on their experiences in the U.S. as people of color and in acknowledgment of the privilege they have had as South Asians in this country in comparison to Black communities. An important and inspiring dialogue for all generations.

@lara_kaur is an Oakland based photographer as well as a community organizer. She believes photography captures the rawness of individuals in a holistic way. Lara focuses her work on centering the voices and narratives that are often silenced, as she holds that photography offers a universal form of connection and resistance, and embodies the power to break down barriers, both individual and across systems.

Malik Al Nasir of @malikandtheogs is a poet, film maker and social activist in Liverpool, UK, born to a Guyanese father and a Welsh mother. After a troubled childhood in the care system, Malik emerged semi-literate and traumatized. That all changed when he was taken under the wing of rebel legends, poets Gil Scott-Heron and Jalal Nuriddin of the Last Poets. Under their mentorship, he became politicised and educated himself, found a new more positive identity and began writing poetry collected in his work "Ordinary Guy" which later became the source for most of the lyrics in his debut album "Rhythms of Diaspora Volumes 1 & 2". In this conversation, Malik speaks about the Black Arts Movement as a form of activism, the importance of mentorship, and emphasizes the need for the continued seeking of knowledge.

@mayanadeemcf is a trauma informed creative facilitator, involved in community healing and support work for the past 13 years. Believing that transformational work can be both deep and gentle, she brings a sense of playfulness to the workshops she facilitates. With a passion born of her commitment to her own healing journey and creativity, Maya created the Heart of Flow Method combining creative expression and somatic movement to help others feel safer in their bodies while building a solid sense of self worth and emotional resiliency. Her learning has come from academia, self research, intensive training, the depth of her own path and the professional and personal experience she has holding space for others. As an artist, dancer and writer/poet she weaves together landscapes of emotion.

@richamoorjani is a South Asian-American actress and dancer based in Los Angeles. Her mission as an artist is to tell stories that highlight the South Asian diaspora, while being a part of projects that are inclusive and progressive.

Hear her share more about her role as Kamala in @neverhaveiever and much more about her journey to get this place in her career! . . .

@brindaguha is a New York based dance artist, incorporating various styles of Indian classical dance of which she has trained in Kathak dance for over 20 years, and has trained in Manipuri and Flamenco. Through continued training in Classical, Contemporary, Contemporary Fusion, Urban Flow, and Latin Fusion styles, Brinda has developed her own movement vocabulary entitled Contemporary Indian dance.

In addition to Brinda's unique artistic sensibility, she is deeply committed to arts as activism, with the belief that artists have a responsibility to start a dialogue to create positive changes. This is reflected in Brinda's own projects such as @wisefruitnyc a curated event to highlight NYC-based artists who can yield action with the event honoring and benefiting Planned Parenthood Action Fund of NYC.

After years of experience in brand marketing, customer relations, and e-commerce for companies including Williams-Sonoma Inc, LVMH, and Nordstrom, Masuma Mansuri @fashionparadegirl took her love for fashion, and combined that with her passion for girl power, launching her entrepreneurial journey. In 2014, Masuma launched @PinkBanoo an opportunity to create and market contemporary South Asian women's clothing with a mission to give back to girls' education in need.

Masuma strives to find the balance between mom life and entrepreneur life with Pink Banoo and now with her new found passion for styling from the inside out through her newest venture @b.wellstyled While the search for balance is a never ending one, Masuma is most proud of not only the courage to believe in her dreams, but also the ability to embrace change and to pave a path towards what her heart desires.

Ali Noorani is the Executive Director of the National Immigration Forum, a non-partisan advocacy organization working to promote the value of immigrants and immigration, and the host of @onlyinamericaofficial a podcast bringing you to the people behind our nation’s immigration debate.

@alinoorani and the Forum along with a broad coalition of faith, civil rights, business and immigration organizations have launched the #AllofUS campaign to reach Americans nationwide to make the case that across countless sectors, immigrants — regardless of status — are doing essential work on the front lines fighting COVID-19 and keeping the nation safe and healthy.

@farahyasmeenshaikh talks to Ali about what inspired him to be a part of this important work, and how he and his team are deeply committed to "meet people where they are but don't leave them there."

Wayne is the co-founder of @dancersgroupsf a service organization focused on promoting the visibility of and viability of dance, serving artists, the dance community and audiences in the San Francisco Bay Area. Working tirelessly to advocate for dance, Wayne is a first hand witness to the ever evolving arts landscape in the Bay Area since the early 1980's - first as a dancer himself, and then through his work with Dancers Group and the larger arts community. Through the onset of the AIDS epidemic, to the increasing - to date - cost of living in the Bay Area and the exponential adverse effect of this on artists in the region, Wayne comes from a place of compassion and empathy, and someone who holds steadfast to his commitment to support dance and dancers.