Learn Persian With Chai And Conversation

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.

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 sakhaneeyé 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.

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.

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.

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:Why she wrote a romance novel with a Persian American love interestNavigating privilege, assimilation, and identity in immigrant communitiesRepresenting Iranian culture through a “cultural reader” and deep researchThe challenge of launching a joyful project in a dark political momentWhat it means to speak out as a business owner—and how capitalism shapes silenceThis 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.

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.

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.

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:Neema’s evolution as a comedian—from early sketches to working with DrakeHow his upbringing shaped his inclusive and culturally collaborative humorThe pressures of representing the Iranian diaspora and navigating community expectationsWhy staying grounded in family is key to both his comedy and his sanity

Growing Up Irooni - Gissou Nia, Human Rights Lawyer, on Justice, Diaspora Identity, and the Power of Speaking UpIn this episode, Leyla talks with Gissou Nia, a leading international human rights lawyer and Director of the Strategic Litigation Project at the Atlantic Council. Gissou shares her journey from growing up Iranian-American in New Jersey to taking on some of the world’s most urgent human rights cases. They discuss the tension between diaspora and homeland, how her name connects her to Persian poetry and protest, and why it’s more important than ever for those in the diaspora to speak up.Topics covered:Growing up Iranian in the U.S.What “Gissou” really means (and why it’s more than just “hair”)Legal work on Iran and other crisis zonesFear of speaking out—then and nowDiaspora activism and responsibilityPersonal reflections on power, identity, and justiceFollow Gissou:Twitter/X: @GissouNiaInstagram: @gissounia

Babak Tafreshi is an incredibly inspiring Iranian photographer, science journalist and amateur astronomer. He got his start photographing in Iran, but has since moved to the United States. He is the creator and director of The World At Night, an international program in which photographers from around the world capture images of night skies as seen above notable landmarks of the planet.