Pehchaan

In this episode, we’re joined by Wasiq Ismail, CEO of the i-Care Foundation — the largest and only donor-advised fund that is dedicated to improving the lives of underprivileged Pakistanis by harnessing the diaspora’s economic capital and goodwill.Every year, i-Care generates $10 million of Pakistani American donations through a network of 150+ vetted nonprofits on their platform supporting critical causes from healthcare to education to climate change.We explore the why behind i-Care’s creation, the inspiring story of its visionary founder, how the Pakistani American community has responded and its donation trends, challenges faced along the way, and the powerful donor stories driving change.🔗 Learn more or get involved: i-care-america.org or 📩 [email protected]#PakistaniAmerican #PakistaniCharity #PehchaanPodcast #Philanthropy #Pakistan #DiasporaGiving

In this episode, we’re joined by Omar Khan, CEO of Ruh Care — the world’s largest network of Muslim therapists, with 900+ providers across 23 countries in 17 languages where we dive into a vulnerable, but necessary conversation about mental health in the Pakistani and Muslim American community.Our host Bilal opens with his own journey through depression, how Omar’s personal struggles led to the creation of Ruh, the evolution from a Muslim mindfulness app into a global therapy platform, why mainstream mental-health solutions weren’t meeting Muslim needs, Islam’s forgotten mental-health legacy, variations between Muslim subcultures, progress our community has made and ways to expand. 🔗 Learn more: https://www.ruhcare.com/#PakistaniAmerican #PehchaanPodcast #MuslimAmerican #MuslimMentalHealth #MentalHealth #MuslimTherapist

Running for Change: Tabarak Rehman's Journey from Pakistan to NYCIn this episode, we have a special guest, Tabarak Rehman, who undertook an incredible journey of running a thousand miles across Pakistan to raise funds for the Citizens' Foundation. Tabarak shares his experiences of overcoming physical, mental, and emotional challenges during this feat. He also discusses his mission to build a community of young Pakistani professionals in New York City, and his efforts in helping Pakistani students with their educational pursuits through his platform, Dream Bridge. 00:00 Introduction to the Tabarak Rehman00:55 The Thousand-Mile Run Across Pakistan04:40 Challenges and Triumphs During the Run10:16 Fundraising Efforts and Community Support21:34 Building a Pakistani American Community in NYC31:26 Exploring Cultural Similarities32:40 Organizing Successful Events35:32 Future Vision for PYP35:51 Introducing Dream Bridge41:34 Navigating Higher Education Abroad51:12 The Influencer Journey

In this episode, we’re joined by Mussab Ali, a Pakistani American leader who was the youngest Muslim elected official in the U.S., a stage 4 cancer survivor, a Harvard Law School graduate, and current candidate for Mayor of Jersey City. Born in Lahore and raised in Jersey City after immigrating at age 3, his journey weaves together family sacrifice, faith, resilience, and a deep commitment to public service.In this convo, he shares why he’s running for mayor today and the fight for an affordable city, what it means to grow up a Pakistani American Muslim post 9/11 and in public life, and lessons from surviving cancer & finding purpose in service.#podcast #pehchaan #bilallakhani #PehchaanpodcastConnect with Host: Bilal's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/m.bilal.lak/Podcast on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pehchaanpodcast/

In this episode, we’re joined by Tariq Khan, a trailblazer in the realm of multicultural marketing. Tariq pioneered multicultural marketing at MetLife in the 1990s, long before it became a mainstream concept. He later founded a successful consulting firm focused on helping brands reach diverse audiences. We unpack his journey from a tumultuous childhood in Pakistan to becoming a prominent marketing professional, entrepreneur in the U.S. and the President of OPEN Global.#podcast #pehchaan #bilallakhani #PehchaanpodcastConnect with Host: Bilal's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/m.bilal.lak/Podcast on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pehchaanpodcast/

I became an American citizen. And the marriage of excitement & nervousness produced some dramatic comedy on the day I became a citizen. Launching season three of Pehchaan to process my emotions of becoming a citizen and what it means to be Pakistani-American.#podcast #pehchaan #bilallakhani #PehchaanpodcastConnect with Host: Bilal's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/m.bilal.lak/Podcast on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pehchaanpodcast/

How do you deal with the guilt of leaving Pakistan behind? In this episode of Pehchaan, we’re joined by Anam Khan, Founder of The NewsRun. We talk about our love-hate relationship with passions we pursued to overcome the guilt of leaving Pakistan. And how lonely this journey can be.

What happens when you open a Pakistani American fusion restaurant in the middle of a white neighborhood? It becomes the talk of town. And it’s the only Pakistani restaurant in the world I've been to that has more non-Pakistani patrons than Pakistani patrons. Hear the remarkable story behind Chashni and Amena Chaudhri’s audacity here.

Yes, you heard that right. A Pakistani American woman presides over the largest girl-led organization in the world! On this episode of Pehchaan, we catch up with Noorain Khan to talk about her trailblazing journey in becoming the first Muslim American and millennial leader to become the National Board President for Girl Scouts USA.

Afia Nathaniel is a filmmaker, cancer survivor and was raised in a matriarchal household within a patriarchal society. In this episode of Pehchaan, Afia talks about feeling like an outsider both in Pakistan and America.

Pehchaan - our podcast exploring Pakistani American identity - is back with a bang! If season 1 was about losing the idea of home, season 2 is about building a new home and Pakistani American identity. Check out this teaser for a window into the exciting guests we have lined up (did you know that Girl Scouts is led by a Pakistani American?) as well as the reveal of my new co-host.

Raza Rumi found his way to America after surviving a dramatic assassination attempt in Lahore. Raza is a man of many different professional & personal identities. He is a journalist, a culture maker and author among many other things. In this episode, we talk to him about his Pehchaan and what it means to build a home and a life away from home.

Many new Pakistani American immigrants think they’re going to move back to Pakistan ‘one day.’ In the latest episode of Pehchaan, Danish Munir opens his heart & soul on when he realized he’s not moving back to Pakistan and had to break the news to his family. Plus, how his identity was influenced by marrying a non-Pakistani.

Saira Saeed is an incredible human being sitting at the intersection of foreign policy, international development and what it means to be an Extraordinary Pakistani American woman in 2023. We unpack her journey, career and identity in this episode.

Uzair Younus is a bright, young and refreshing voice influencing policy makers around the world about Pakistan. He is everywhere: from BBC to CNN, Kamran Khan to Shahzeb Khanzada and he hosts two podcasts. Over the next 3 decades, he will become one of the most influential Pakistani voices in determining how Washington and the broader international community conduct their policy making around Pakistan. You've heard him talk about Pakistan's economy, politics and policy. He tells Pakistan’s story to the world but today we’ll hear him tell his own untold story.

Today, we have a heart to heart with Kiran Khalid, the first Pakistani American woman on broadcast news in the US. We’ll talk to her about breaking into the glamorous world of TV, while fending off rishtas at home and growing up as a brown girl in Texas.

I’m going through an identity crisis. Waisay tau I have a midlife crisis every year on my birthday but this identity crisis is a little different and deeper. What does it mean to be Pakistani away from home? Am I more Pakistani or more American? Who am I? I don’t have the answers to these questions but I’m starting a podcast called ‘Pehchaan: Extraordinary Pakistani American Stories’ to build a community where we can discover these answers together. Connect with me: https://twitter.com/MBilalLakhani