Expert By Experience Podcasts

Salaam folks! 

It’s time for episode 4 of season 2 of Hum Baat Karenge (translation: Let’s Talk).

In this episode Arooj is joined by Aisha, a legal professional where they discuss:

- the easing of lockdown restrictions

- the impact of the pingdemic

- the ‘survival of the fittest’ mentality by the government

- We also review Gurinder Chadhas’s awesome 1994 film ‘Bhaji’s on the Beach’

For new listeners joining us, Hum Baat Karenge is a regular podcast led by Arooj Khan and guests. 

If you would like to feature on the podcast, or have a topic that you would like us to cover, please do let us know 🌻

The aim of this podcast is to discuss key events and their impact on racialised communities. Click the link in the bio and have a listen 🌻

TW: misogyny

Salaam folks!

It’s time for episode 2 of season 2 of Hun Baat Karenge (translation: Let’s Talk). This episode was recorded following the tragic death of Sarah Everard.

In this episode Arooj and I discussed:

- misogyny within wider society

- missing white women syndrome

- the effects all of the above on social

- Taimour addresses what cis-men should be doing to tackle misogyny

For new listeners joining us, Hun Baat Karenge is a monthly podcast led by Arooj Khan and Taimour Fazlani. The aim of this podcast is to discuss world events and their impact on racial used communities.

Hey Love,

For the 2nd episode of season 2, I was joined by the amazing Maya Kalaria. Outside of being a close friend, May is a true activist, an all-around badass, author and poet. Maya lost her mother at the age of 9. Using her lived experience, Maya now speaks powerfully and openly about grief, misogyny, racism and the colonial trauma she experienced as a result of her early life circumstances. She is committed to decolonising her body, mind and wider society, and speaks passionately about connecting to our indigenous roots, wherever we originate from. She welcomes uncomfortable conversations and believes strongly in healthy conflict resolution as a powerful tool for healing the divides between communities.

In this episode Maya and I discussed:

- Decolonising grief and trauma

- Connecting to ourselves, the planet and others

- Racism and it impacts on our mental wellbeing

- Grief and mental health

Hey Pyario,

Welcome back to season 2 of Voices Of Experience - it's so wonderful to be back in 2021. To kick off season 2 I was joined by the amazing Poonam Dhuffer. Poonam is a good friend, founder of YSM8 and an all-around wholesome person. 

In this episode Poonam and I discussed:

- Poonam's experiences and what has led her to create YSM8

- South Asian culture and how fundamental it is to holistic wellbeing

- The wellness industry and how white and bougie it is

-  Bunch of other wholesome things you wouldn't want to miss!

Welcome back to Hum Baat Karenge for our second season. It's so wonderful to have you back, folks. 

To kick off season 2 ep 1 we're discussing 2021 so far (recorded on 17th Jan).  In this episode Arooj and I discuss:

- Capitol Hill & White Supremacy

- The Tories and their handling of Covid

- Our personal dreams and aspirations for 2020 (inshallah)

For new listeners joining us, Hum Baat Karenge is a bi-weekly podcast led by Arooj Khan and Taimour Fazlani. The aim of this podcast is to discuss world events and their impact on racialised communities.

Hi Pyario, welcome to the fourth episode of Hum Baat Karenge!

Hum Baat Karenge is a podcast led by Arooj Khan and Taimour Fazlani and it is a bi-weekly podcast where we discuss topics from an intersectional & critical lens. Our aim is to look at everything going in the world & discuss how it will impact people of colour/communities, those with mental health issues & intersecting identities.

For the fourth episode of Hum Baat Karenge, Arooj and I spoke about and say our goodbye's to Dominic Cummings. A central figure in the Conservative government, in this episode Arooj and I explore the numerous mishaps, hiring of racist like Andrew Sabisky and unexplained trips enacted by one of the most hated figures in UK politics. 

A prominent Brexiteer, in this episode we explore the role of Dominic Cummings in Brexit and the penultimate impact it's had on Black/POC and marginalised communities. We hope you enjoy our political commentary!

As always, if you have any feedback please do send it through to expertbyexperience@gmail.com

Love,

Arooj & Taimour

Following the US election results, we felt that it was important to discuss the elections, the role of the US & it impacts as a nation-state on communities on a global scale.

Join us as we explore, dialogue and discuss Trump, Biden & co and what this all may potentially mean for communities across the world. Generally speaking, we had more questions then answers, however, it's important to bring those to the forefront before the new administration is inaugurated.

As citizens of the Global South, especially in the context of me and Arooj being from Pakistan, we felt that it was incredibly important to focus on how this will impact the Global South.

For the 15h episode of Voices Of Experience,  I was joined by Israa Nasir. Israa is a therapist and mental health educator, working in health-tech. She explores the interaction of mental health and cultural identity for BIPOC-identified people and reducing stigma through real and compassionate conversations.

In this episode, Israa and I spoke about mental wellbeing in the current pandemic. We explore topics such as how to manage anxiety, boundary setting and helpful tips on how to better manage your mental wellbeing in a stressful time.

It was so wonderful to dialogue with Israa on a Sunday afternoon (as is typically the case for me), she spoke in such an accessible manner and always I can't wait to have her on again!

Expert By Experience is incredibly proud to launch our 2nd podcast series which is entitled 'Hum Baat Karenge' (translation: 'Let's Talk').

Hum Baat Karenge is a podcast led by Arooj Khan and Taimour Fazlani and it is a bi-weekly podcast where we discuss 3 topics from an intersectional & critical lens.

Our aim is to look at everything going in the world & discuss how it will impact people of colour/communities, those with mental health issues & intersecting identities.

For our second ever we discussed the following 3 topics:

- Armenia and Azerbaijan conflict

- Save The Arts

- Equalities Act 10 years on

We hope you enjoy our second episode. 

As always, if you have any feedback please do send it through to expertbyexperience@gmail.com

Love,

Arooj & Taimour

For the 14h episode of Voices Of Experience,  I was joined by Durre Shahwar who is a writer, creative, and the founder of Where I'm Coming From.

In this episode, Durre and I spoke about her experiences as a WOC writer, mental wellbeing and the motivation behind WICF.

It was so lovely to speak to Durre on a Sunday afternoon and I hope to have her on the podcast again very soon so that we can continue exploring topics such as writing, identity and more!

Expert By Experience is incredibly proud to launch our 2nd podcast series which is entitled 'Hum Baat Karenge' (translation: 'Let's Talk').

Hum Baat Karenge is a podcast led by Arooj Khan and Taimour Fazlani and it is a bi-weekly podcast where we discuss 3 topics from an intersectional & critical lens.

Our aim is to look at everything going in the world & discuss how it will impact people of colour/communities, those with mental health issues & intersecting identities.

For our first ever episode we discussed the following 3 topics:

- Lockdown no.2 in the UK

- PPE and the Tory government

- Imran Khan banning Tinder & Grindr

We hope you enjoy our first ever episode. As always, if you have any feedback please do send it through to expertbyexperience@gmail.com

Love,

Arooj & Taimour

For the 13h episode of Voices Of Experience,  I was joined by Kapil Seshasayee who is a musician, activist & founder of Desifuturism.com

In this episode, Kapil and I spoke about caste, music and performative activism in South Asian communities. Kapil also explored identity and belonging as someone who's proudly Scottish.

It was so much fun speaking to Kapil who is quite a vocal & passionate individual. It's been a pleasure to get to know Kapil during lockdown and I look forward to supporting his music as he takes his deeply political taste farther into the music industry. 

For the 12th episode of Voices Of Experience,  I was joined by Sajni & Rupa, who make up the founding team of Dear Brown People. DBP is a incredible Instagram community which explores life within the South Asian diaspora.

In this episode, Rupa, Sajni and I spoke about the inspiration behind DBP, their aims going forward and ultimately what drives them on a daily bases.

Following our dialogue around DBP, we also spoke about identity and culture. More importantly, we delved into the work that they do and how their view of the role they play as progressives in South Asian communities has shifted since founding DBP.

It was so lovely to speak to both Sajni and Rupa, especially as they recently invited me onto their interview series. I really look forward to seeing DBP grow and will be supporting their critical work every step of the way.

In this special episode of Voices Of Experience, I had a candid conversation with my close-friend Arooj Khan. Arooj and I both grew up in Essex - which is a predominantly white-area with its own unique 'culture'. 

During this podcast, Arooj and I had an honest conversation about our experiences of growing up in Essex as desi folks. Detailing our experiences we spoke about our white curiosities, desire to fit in the 'Essex way of life' and the severe racism we experienced growing up and still do to this day.

While we recognise that South Asian folks in Essex make up a very small minority and that the audience we're catering to in this podcast is quite a niche,  there are for parallels for other South Asian folks who have grown up in predominantly white areas. 

We hope you enjoy our candid conversation.

#TheOnlyWayIsNotEssex

For the 11th episode of Voices Of Experience,  I was joined by Kaya Kannan who is a disability stigma activist.

In this episode, Kaya and I spoke about the stigma she's experienced due to her physical disability. Kaya also explored disability stigma in South Asian communities through her own experiences.

Following our dialogue around her personal experiences,  Kaya and I spoke about what able-bodied individuals such as myself can do to tackle disability stigma in our homes, communities & wider society.

It was such an honour to speak to Kaya, especially in the context of me knowing her for 17 years through secondary school. It's a joy to see Kaya continue on her journey of self-acceptance and we at EBE will be supporting every step of the way.

For the 10th episode of Voices Of Experience, I was joined by Dr Pavan Joshi who is a consultant psychiatrist in the NHS and he also has his own private practice.

Dr Joshi is a specialist in the field of Series Mental Illnesses, which is why we invited him onto our podcast dedicated to World Suicide Prevention Day 2020.

In this episode,  Dr Joshi and I spoke about mental health for the LGBTQ+ communities in the South Asian diaspora and the challenges they face in terms of accessing the right support that they need.

Following our dialogue around mental health in South Asian communities with a specific focus on the LGBTQ+ communities, Dr Joshi and I spoke about suicide. Dr Joshi elaborated in an accessible language the data around suicide in South Asian communities.

It was an honour to speak to Dr Joshi about a subject like suicide and self-harm. These are not easy subjects to explore, however, it's important that we do discuss them and I very much appreciate that Dr Joshi spoke about it in such a loving and accessible way.

Trigger warning: suicide, self-harm

For the 9th episode of Voices Of Experience, I was joined by Har1karan, who is a coordinator for the Chai in the City forum in Central London by Taraki. Harkaran is also a self-published photographer who's recently released his own book entitled 'PIND' which is a beautiful portrait of a village in rural Punjab.

In this episode,  Harkaran and I started our dialogue by talking about the male mental health forums created by Taraki where he is a facilitator. Harkaran spoke about his journey as a facilitator and he also gave tips for any self-identifying male out there on how to get started if they wanted to set something similar up in their area.

Following our dialogue around mental health Harkaran and I spoke about his beautiful community-based photography. We spoke about belonging, diaspora experiences and the role photography plays in allowing South Asian voices to create their own narrative.

Hope you enjoy this wonderful dialogue I had with an incredible photographer, facilitator and ultimately a friend.

Invited on as a guest I was recently interviewed as part of an Instagram live Q&A with the wonderful people at Where I'm Coming From (WICF).

Where I'm Coming From is an important monthly open mic which features underrepresented writers in Wales - an ethos that aligns with our mission to platform underrepresented/marginalised voices ✊🏽

In this Q&A we spoke about a variety of subjects such as my history, the inspiration behind Expert By Experience,  boundaries as a writer who delves mainly in mental health & more!

Hope you enjoy this wonderful Q&A.

For the 8th episode of Voices Of Experience, I was joined by Manvinder Kaur, who is a co-lead at Asra.

Manvinder's research and work focus on the intersections of Sikhi and alcohol.

In this episode, Manvinder spoke about alcohol abuse/misuse in the Sikhi community.

She also delved into what drives her work at Asra, which is an initiative designed towards helping Punjabi families navigate problems with alcohol.

an incredibly passionate activist and researcher, Manvinder and I had an important yet honest conversation around alcohol.

We hope you enjoy the episode and find it informative.

Really looking forward to having her back on the podcast!

For the 7th episode of Voices Of Experience, I was joined by Dr.Devika Patel, who is a psychiatrist based in the UK.

In this episode (a first of its kind for me as Devika asked me to not do any research!), Devika took me through the whole journey of being referred to a psychiatrist through the NHS for a serious mental illness - with me serving as a hypothetical patient. 

Being referred to a psychiatrist is a process not many people are aware off in the general public (including me) unless you've previously engaged with this process yourself or for a family member/friend. 

Taking incredible care, Devika explained each step of the process in clear and accessible language while allowing me to ask questions. 

An incredibly important and educational podcast, we'd highly recommend listening to it because our aim is to have Devika on the podcast again soon so that we can continue the dialogue around Serious Mental Illnesses. 

More importantly, if after listening to this podcast you have any further questions please do message us directly. 

Our aim is to cultivate a whole series around Serious Mental Illnesses and the help you can get for them.

For the 6th episode of Voices Of Experience, I was joined by our creative director Ananya Rao-Middleton, who is first and foremost a vocal activist and feminist artist.

In this episode, we spoke about mental health and relationships (non-romantic relationships very much included). A vocal feminist, Ananya also spoke about the ways women are socialised to take on forms of invisible labour on behalf of men. She looks at how taking on this labour for men can be a cause for mental fatigue and illness amongst women. Importantly, she also discusses ways in which men can teach themselves how to be held accountable for these forms of labour that they must learn how to for themselves so that the women in their lives don't have to pick up the slack. 

Listen to our podcast together to hear her perspective on the 'red' and 'green' flags to look out for in a relationship that can affect your mental wellbeing.