In this deeply personal and wide-ranging conversation, Daniel Nayeri, author of the acclaimed autobiographical novel Everything Sad is Untrue, talks about growing up as an Iranian refugee in Oklahoma, the mythic structure of memory, and the stories we inherit—true or not. He reflects on what it means to carry generational trauma, how he began writing the book in a Brooklyn bathroom, and the long journey of learning to tell his family’s story with emotional honesty.
We discuss the magic of Persian storytelling traditions, from Shahnameh to Khosrow and Shirin, why he originally wrote the book for adults, and how his father reacted to seeing himself as a character on the page. Daniel also shares a preview of his newest novel, The Teacher of Nomadland, a literary adventure set in WWII-era Iran, and why he wanted to sneak a Farsi lesson into the heart of it.
This episode is for anyone who’s ever tried to make sense of a fractured past—and found something beautiful in the pieces.
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In this final part of our discussion of Nizami Ganjavi's sokhanee chand dar eshgh, we cover the remaining lines, explaining how love transcends even existence on Earth and applies to the entire universe.
In this fifth part of the discussion of Nizami Ganjavi's sokhanee chand dar eshgh, we cover the two more lines that describe the life-giving nature of love.
In this lesson, we learn some examples of tārof appropriate for talking to older people and see some examples in a conversation at an art gallery.
In this laugh-out-loud and deeply personal conversation, Iranian Canadian actor, writer, and creator Tara Grammy joins Leyla to talk about growing up as an Iranian weirdo, navigating diaspora identity, creating her hit comedy series Soosi Lee, and embracing curiosity (aka being fusooli) as a cultural superpower. From getting discovered by Woody Harrelson in a tiny Toronto theatre to producing a DIY Iranian Borat-meets-Cribs series in LA, Tara's story is as inspiring as it is hilarious.
She shares her journey through acting, motherhood, cultural expectations, language guilt, and the power of telling your own story—even when no one gives you permission.
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In this fourth part of the discussion of Nizami Ganjavi's sokhanee chand dar eshgh, we cover the next two lines in detail, regarding the indispensability of love.
In this lesson, we learn some more expressions we can use when meeting new people and a new expression related to tārof.
In this third part of the discussion of Nizami Ganjavi's sokhanee chand dar eshgh, we cover the next two lines in detail, beginning to contemplate the importance of love to all human beings.
In this lesson, we learn some useful expressions for talking with friends or people we know, especially people who we haven't seen in a long time.
In this second part of the discussion of Nizami Ganjavi's sokhanee chand dar eshgh, we go over the first two lines of the poem in detail.
In this lesson, we learn a new way to call attention to someone and how to return a lost item.
In this lesson, we introduce Nizami Ganjavi, an important 12th-century poet in the cultures of Iran, Azerbaijan, Kurdistan, Afghanistan, and Tajikistan who is also considered the national poet of Azerbaijan. We are joined by Dr. Sahba Shayani to discuss sokhanee chand dar eshgh, or “A Few Words on Love,” an excerpt from Nizami Ganjavi's Romance of Khosrow and Shirin.
In this lesson, we learn some phrases that could be useful when talking to people on the street and how to talk briefly about some routine daily activities.
We also introduce Vijay, his mixtape, and his YouTube playlist, which you can find here!
In this episode of Learn Persian with Chai and Conversation, we conclude The Parable of the Moths by Attar, taken from his masterpiece Conference of the Birds.
I'm joined by the brilliant Omid Arabian of YOUniversal Center, who walks us through the last 4 lines of the poem—exploring its language, imagery, and deeper meaning.
This lesson is perfect for those with some background in Persian who want to experience the richness of mystical poetry and engage with timeless questions of love, longing, and transformation.
📄 Download the accompanying PDF guide: chaiandconversation.com
🎧 Listen to the third episode of our podcast: Spotify link
🔗 Learn more about Omid’s work: YOUniversal Center
In this episode of Learn Persian with Chai and Conversation, we continue to the third part of The Parable of the Moths by Attar, taken from his masterpiece Conference of the Birds.
I'm joined by the brilliant Omid Arabian of YOUniversal Center, who walks us through the next 4 lines of the poem—exploring its language, imagery, and deeper meaning.
This lesson is perfect for those with some background in Persian who want to experience the richness of mystical poetry and engage with timeless questions of love, longing, and transformation.
📄 Download the accompanying PDF guide: chaiandconversation.com
🔗 Learn more about Omid’s work: YOUniversal Center
In this episode of Growing Up Neem-Rooni, Leyla talks with Representative Yassamin Ansari, the youngest member of Congress and the first Iranian-American Democrat to be elected. From growing up in a mostly white Arizona suburb to representing her diverse district in Washington, D.C., Yassamin shares her story of identity, community, and public service.
We talk about her family's immigration journey, what it was like growing up Persian in Arizona, the political awakenings that shaped her career, and the urgent fights she’s now taking on—climate change, immigration justice, labor rights, and Iranian-American visibility. She also opens up about the personal weight of carrying a diaspora story into the halls of power, and why this moment in American politics requires all of us to show up, speak out, and organize.
🟢 Topics covered include:
In this episode of Learn Persian with Chai and Conversation, we continue to the second part of The Parable of the Moths by Attar, taken from his masterpiece Conference of the Birds.
I'm joined by the brilliant Omid Arabian of YOUniversal Center, who walks us through the next 4 lines of the poem—exploring its language, imagery, and deeper meaning.
This lesson is perfect for those with some background in Persian who want to experience the richness of mystical poetry and engage with timeless questions of love, longing, and transformation.
📄 Download the accompanying PDF guide: chaiandconversation.com
🎧 Listen to the first episode of our podcast: Spotify link
🔗 Learn more about Omid’s work: YOUniversal Center
In this episode of Growing Up Irooni, Leyla sits down with Chelsea Fagan—founder of The Financial Diet and author of the new novel High Dive. Known for blending personal finance with cultural critique, Chelsea joins Leyla for a wide-ranging conversation that covers:
This is a conversation about complexity: what it means to hold joy and grief at the same time, to create art that is political without being preachy, and to run an ethical business in a deeply unequal world.
📚 High Dive is out May 27th!
👉 Learn more about Chelsea: @faganchelsea on Instagram and @TheFinancialDiet
🎧 Leyla mentions this video by Chelsea: Watch on YouTube
In this episode of Learn Persian with Chai and Conversation, we begin a brand new series on one of the most powerful mystical stories in Persian literature: The Parable of the Moths by Attar, taken from his masterpiece Conference of the Birds.
I'm joined by the brilliant Omid Arabian of YOUniversal Center, who walks us through the first 4 lines of the poem—exploring its language, imagery, and deeper meaning.
This lesson is perfect for those with some background in Persian who want to experience the richness of mystical poetry and engage with timeless questions of love, longing, and transformation.
📄 Download the accompanying PDF guide: chaiandconversation.com
🎧 Listen to the first episode of our podcast: Spotify link
🔗 Learn more about Omid’s work: YOUniversal Center
In this episode of Growing Up Irooni, I sit down with Neema Naz—comedian, content creator, and the internet’s favorite Persian son—to talk about his rise from Scarborough’s multicultural neighborhood to international stages. Neema shares how being the “funny kid” at family gatherings led to his career in comedy, why his Iranian identity is core to his storytelling, and how his whole family (especially his mom!) became an essential part of his brand.
We talk about:
🎫 Follow Neema & get tour dates: neemanaz.com
📱 On Instagram: @neemanaz
🧿 Learn Persian & more interviews: chaiandconversation.com
If you’ve ever wondered how to balance being Persian and pursuing a creative career, this one’s for you.
