Heartistry

This week welcomes our youngest guest to date, who will not only inspire you, but also want to make you try his baked creations ASAP!

Meet Food Network’s Kids Baking Champion, Naiel Chaudry on Tues, Apr 18 10am PST / 6pm GMT / 10pm PKT

Naiel Chaudry is a 13 year old entrepreneur, baker, volunteer, philanthropist, and public speaker whose love for baking not only landed him on Food Network’s Kids Baking Championship Season 11, as one of the 12 kid bakers from across the US, but Naeil was named the Kids Baking Champion! Naiel and his younger sister run their own baking business, Lá Jawab Treats @lajawabtreats and he is the first Pakistani American boy to appear on Kids Baking Championship.

Sana is deeply committed to amplifying the voices and stories of those who have been historically excluded at institutions of higher education. She has been a particular advocate for first-generation students and children of immigrants, developing and leading innovative and forward-thinking initiatives to reduce college success gaps for low-income students and students of color, and often reflecting on her own background as a child of immigrants.

Techmaker for almost 2 decades, and co-founder of PWic - Pakistani Women in Computing (PWiC), Huma reflected on the beautiful parallel of artistic flow and creativity to that of being an innovator of any kind. As an avid lover of music, dance and art in general, identifying that synergy has enabled Huma to dig deeper into her creative endeavors.

This is an episode that will truly speak to the artist and non-artist alike!

Thought provoking, soul stirring, heart led - Zara Zulfi is a musician, teacher and poet from Lahore, the city of gardens. Her indie-pop music is forever protest against gay heartbreak, and she often lands herself in trouble with her performance art. In 2021, the State levied obscenity charges against Zulfi for her “Unity, Faith, Disco” photoshoot as part of her frontwoman stinty for punk-rock band Mystical Shayari.

We are loving the momentum in the movement to decolonize yoga, and are in respect and admiration for all who are leading this effort. This week’s guest, Melissa Shah, is a yoga therapist and founder of Find Your Breath, who skillfully adapts yoga and Ayurveda to the individual, and believes that yoga doesn’t need to be stripped of its culture and history in order for it to be palatable and beneficial to others. As a #heartivist Melissa is actively engaged in highlighting the intersection of yoga and social justice, and works to make feeling well accessible to all, but especially those who are often left out of the wellness conversation.

What a light this human being possesses, and emanates. In every aspect of the way she speaks, how she approaches her work, what she intends to be the outcome of her work... all of it! Not only is Parishae Adnan an amazing fashion designer and founder of @houseofparishae that focuses on circularity and sustainability in high end couture, she is also a climate change activist.

Be ready to be inspired by her vision, her reflective nature, and her awakened state of always striving to be happy.

Friidom is the epitome of visual storytelling. His ability to move, and to move you through his movements, is somewhat of a visceral experience for all who witness his work. In this conversation, we hear what moved him to be the creative genius that he is, and why his life’s mission is to spread this movement philosophy and raw expressive movement by creating worlds and bridging divides, or as he says, create “a true Willy Wonka of Movement.”

Zehra is a triple threat as a journalist, actor, AND director for film and theater! In addition to sharing about all the exciting projects she has been involved in, she highlights the dynamics and support system that every creative must strike in order to follow their path which is often less traversed.

What we know about Tejal:
- Yoga Teacher, Speaker, Social Justice Educator
- An advocate for yoga through a social justice lens AND educates and empowers individuals and groups around the world to do the same
- Creator of Tejal Yoga - a revolutionary, online studio, with an all South Asian teacher-led yoga community focused on social justice actions and authentic, culturally-rooted spiritual practices
- Podcast Host @yogaisdeadpodcast

And... think you know what “ABCD” is? Well Tejal is also the founder of @abcdyogi - a global community led by South Asian yoga and mindfulness teachers, where it stands for “AnyBornConscientousDesiYogi”

We touched on all of this, and so much more!

The art of the “pivot” is what led Anita Mithra to embracing her life’s calling. From Journalist / Communication Specialist to running her direct marketing agency over 25 years, all the while spending her evenings on stage, Anita realized it was time to shift gears.

At the age of 40, she decided to follow her heart and went on to open her own theatre production company - The Tortilla Entertainment Company which produces unique theatrical events and uses theatre in corporate training.