Jiyan Foundation Podcast

“I was either gonna survive or I was gonna die” A Kurdish refugee story with Havin Rashid

How do refugees and asylum seekers obtain food, money or shelter? What’s it like rebuilding a life in the United States? Today I have the pleasure of speaking with Havin

Grit, will, and representing diversity with Wan Rashid from Effendi Foundation

Wan Rashid is among the first Iraqi-Kurdish children born in Guam. Her family, who lived originally in northern Iraq, sought asylum in the United States after experiencin

Addressing climate change & mental health (together) with Sarah Newman and Cindy Pace from Climate Mental Health Network

Does the Earth's changing climate fill you with feelings of anxiety, stress, fear, and overwhelming emotions? In this episode, we speak with friends of Jiyan Foundation,

Former President Dr. Barham Salih on shaping the Yazidi Female Survivors' Law in Iraq | Never Again Another ISIS

On March 8 2021, International Women’s Day, President Barham Salih ratified the Yazidi Female Survivors Law, law enacted in the Iraqi Council of Representatives. This gro

Change and Continuity in the U.S.-Kurdish Relationship with Ozum Yesiltas PhD

In this episode, we provide some context to the U.S.-Kurdish relationship, exploring the geopolitical landscape of the Middle East and its impact on Jiyan Foundation’s mi

A Christian, a Muslim, and a Kaka'i walk into a podcast interview... with the Youth Network for Peace and Dialogue in Kurdistan-Iraq.

Kurdistan-Iraq is a diverse place, rich with different cultures and religions that are too often isolated from one another. In this episode, we talk with Larsa Imad, a co

Lessons Learned from a Life of Public Service with Deeman Pirdawood

Originally from the Kurdistan region of northern Iraq, Deeman Pirdawood started her career working for the United Nations (UN) at UNDP and UNHCR agencies supporting immig

The Mountains We Carry, a Kurdish story with author Zaid Brifkani MD

Originally from Duhok, Kurdistan-Iraq, Zaid Brifkani has lived in the United States since 1996 and currently resides in the Nashville area. A physician with board certifi

Let's talk about mental health with Chenar Seerwan

Stigma and a lack of access to mental health treatment is a global issue of special significance in Iraq and Syria, where decades of violence have caused mass displacemen