West of Middle East - Season 1

As the Legal & Advocacy Director for Project South, Azadeh Shahshahani works to protect the human rights of immigrants and Muslim, Middle Eastern, and South Asian communities in the American South.

Civil rights attorney Zahra Billoo is a courageous voice for change amidst rising national tensions, working to build bridges with allies on civil and human rights issues for the American Muslim community.

Iranian-American visual artist Taraneh Hemami creates connections through experimental projects between artists, writers and scholars, while inspiring the next generation to explore essential topics from identity to the reflections of the everyday.

Exploring culture, identity and community, Mana Kharrazi serves as the Executive Director of Iranian Alliances Across Borders (IAAB), a 501(c) 3 national nonprofit organization that aims to strengthen the Iranian diaspora community and empower its youth through holistic learning.

Pirronne Yousefzadeh is an Iranian-American Brooklyn based theatre arts director, writer, and educator working to deepen communication between audience and artform, spotlighting new narratives, identities and cultures while mentoring the next generation of actors in the art and craft of the stage.

Award-winning comparative literature scholar and poet Dr. Persis Karim pioneers the first-of-its-kind Center For Iranian Diaspora Studies at San Francisco State University, exploring culture, communities and identity.

Leaving a war behind, Professor Dany Doueiri developed the only B.A. program in Arabic in the California State University system with a mission to help students examine global events with an understanding of Arab culture.

From educating for religious pluralism and inclusive citizenship to advocating for international human rights, educator and Amnesty International board member Reza Fakhari emphasizes equitable and inclusive community engagement.

Parto Aram founded Inspire-Tech in 2010 – a non-profit organization working to bring equity in the technology sector. Following 15 years of experience in the high-tech field as a computer hardware designer and marketing manager, Parto established the first nonprofit dedicated to providing STEM workshops to underserved girls of color through an arts-meets-science approach.

From educating for religious pluralism and inclusive citizenship to advocating for international human rights, educator and Amnesty International board member Reza Fakhari emphasizes equitable and inclusive community engagement.