Heartistry

Rena Marie @renamarieg has been an actor and dancer for over 30 years, in both Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay Area, with dance training in ballet, tap, jazz, hip hop, modern, salsa, liturgical, and samba. She has done commercials, films, has performed in self-produced dance theater productions, performed in several theatre companies, and has also been a guest performer for Latin dance ensem...

Meena @meenakshi123 is the CEO of @hey_werxo guiding the company as it traverses the landscape of corporate, non-profit sector, and more artistic storytelling. Meena is a creator - teaching and promoting the creation of art throughout her community, and believes it is her heart's calling to use film & video as a medium to tell the stories of women and people of color. Meena’s journey is one of...

Yoga practitioners @_moniquewgyoga_ and @yoganjali have come together to host “Mindfully Just: Integrating Social Justice, Yoga, and Collective Transformation”.  The intensive series explores our practice of yoga in relationship to the world we inhabit as we witness how ignorance, oppression, prejudice, racial, and social injustice cause suffering. We each have a role to play, to dive deep within,...

Samica @samicamusic is an up and coming singer and songwriter originally from the San Francisco Bay Area and remembers singing to herself as a child. After listening to her Grandmother sing at the temple every week, she started to appreciate Indian classical music along with her American influences, and began writing her own songs on the guitar at the age of 13. She released her first single “Alri...

Alexandra Mysoor @alexandramysoor is a powerhouse entrepreneur, unafraid of following her passions and turning them into creative adventures full of infectious optimism. Founder of @paraviontea and most recently her newest venture in response to Covid 19 @moocowmarket addressing the issues of the breakdown in our food supply chain, Alexandra leaves no stone unturned and is always sourcing new and...

Sheetal Sheth @beneaththesheetz is an acclaimed actress, author and producer - known for her provocative performances in a wide range of memorable roles on film and television, starring in over 20 feature films and many TV shows, earning her a loyal, international following. Sheetal's first children's book, "Always Anjali" was published in 2018 to wide acclaim, with more books on the way. Sheetal...

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 a...

@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 acros...

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 politi...

@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 e...

@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....

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...

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 organizati...

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 thro...

Anisha @anisha930 is a native New Yorker and a forever student of Kathak dance. She has had the distinct opportunity to train in Kathak under many greats over the past 20 years, and translated this love of Kathak into having founded the New York Kathak Festival @kathakfestival in 2019. Hear from Anisha, how her commitment to this dance form never waivered, and yet how she has found a unique path t...

Kaamna is a public speaker, writer, dancer, entrepreneur, singer, mother. A restless soul and fearless advocate for the truth Kaamna is an undaunted lover of the arts, using her platform @kaamnalive to encourage people to be conscious about their choices, instead of just doing what they were told is right. She has worked at various startups for over a decade, and recently founded her second sole v...

Farah in conversation with up and coming New York based Kathak artist, Barkha Patel @barkha.kathak who shares her journey in the world of South Asian classical dance - how she made the decision to make dance her career, the challenges and joys of finding her own artistic voice, navigating the relationship between Guru and disciple, and so much more. Not only is Barkha a phenomenal dancer, her word...

As we continue to highlight the stories of dynamic women during Women’s History Month, we introduce you to a fearless and fierce female warrior. Khadija’s story is one of emotional and physical courage and of persistence and determination.

As we kick off our month in celebration of International Women’s Day we speak with this multitalented artist about her passion for music and poetry, and the importance of knowing the stories of profound women throughout the world. You’ll even get to hear her powerful and evocative singing of various poems and songs!

Enjoy hearing these dynamic young ladies in a unique group conversation with Farah as they talk about their years of training in kathak, and the profound influence the art - and the community it has created for them - continues to have on them as they now navigate the next phase of their lives. We also touch on the women’s movement, mentorship, the importance of sisterhood, and so much more! You’l...

Get to know the insanely talented Kai Davis - a professional ballerina for over 17 years with renowned dance companies in the US and Canada, and now a ballet instructor for dancers of many prestigious companies and institutions in the SF Bay Area. Kai’s journey from a very young age exemplifies discipline, persistence and the ability to follow her dreams and calling in the face of various obstacle...

We are beyond excited to announce the premiere episode of @heartistrytalkshow hosted by @farahyasmeenshaikh on @rukusavenueradio airing on Tues, Feb 11 (details of time in pic). Our first guest will be the unstoppable-powerhouse-entrepreneur @itanzilakhan founder of @girlythings.pk Her life is full of inspiration, and wait until you hear what/who inspires her!