Growing Up Irooni - Gissou Nia, Human Rights Lawyer, on Justice, Diaspora Identity, and the Power of Speaking Up

In this episode, Leyla talks with Gissou Nia, a leading international human rights lawyer and Director of the Strategic Litigation Project at the Atlantic Council. Gissou shares her journey from growing up Iranian-American in New Jersey to taking on some of the world’s most urgent human rights cases. They discuss the tension between diaspora and homeland, how her name connects her to Persian poetry and protest, and why it’s more important than ever for those in the diaspora to speak up.

Topics covered:

• Growing up Iranian in the U.S.
• What “Gissou” really means (and why it’s more than just “hair”)
• Legal work on Iran and other crisis zones
• Fear of speaking out—then and now
• Diaspora activism and responsibility
• Personal reflections on power, identity, and justice

Follow Gissou:

• Twitter/X: @GissouNia
• Instagram: @gissounia