No boys. No dresses. As a teen, Moj Mahdara, founder of the fashion media company Beautycon, knows she’s different. And growing up in a traditional Iranian household, she struggles to reveal her own true identity. When two long-term houseguests descend — her grandmothers — Moj is shocked to learn that each woman has a surprising story of identity of her own. She learns secrets. She also learns that generations before her, family members had fought to define themselves. And it’s through these old souls that Moj finds the strength to stand in her own truth. Listen here.

Hear music from Moj's paternal grandmother, Moluk Anghoz (1934–2007), known as Afat:

See Afat performing at 5:17 in this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQlCZ4_PEnk&feature=youtu.be&t=320

And at 9:51 in this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BW5Cez8pSs8&feature=youtu.be&t=591

One more song from Afat, accompanied by amazing photos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vog2KTa7Juw&feature=youtu.be

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Each episode of Meditative Story combines the emotional pull of first-person storytelling with immersive music and gentle mindfulness prompts. Read the transcript for this story: meditativestory.com

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