MORA RAHGOZAR is an Iran-Danish accomplished film editor, creative producer and activist. She came to Denmark as a four-year-old when her mother fled from a regime she did not agree with and in which she could not imagine her daughters growing up. They spent a year in a refugee camp and was then brought into the Danish society. Mora grew up in Denmark, always making an effort to fit in and adapt to the Danish culture. Her whole life she has downplayed her own story thinking because they had not crossed mountains by foot or been smuggled into Denmark her story was not worth telling. Now, in light of Masha (Jina) Amini’s death and all the atrocities currently taking place in her home country, Mora has come to understand that her story matters and deep inside her lie trauma and memories she has never dealt with until now. This is why Mora has become a dedicated activist and has decided to do everything in her power to help and support the fight for freedom – even if it is from a distance.

***

IN THIS EPISODE Mora talks about her own identity as woman, as a mother, as a Dane, as an Iranian and as a Persian. What do all these identities mean and how do you come to understand who you really are? Mora has finally found “her people”, her community, in Copenhagen Denmark, and for the first time she is embracing 100% her Iranian ethnicity with pride and affection. While this is not a political conversation, Mora explains us the complexity of being an Iranian living in Denmark and observing from a distance how family members and friends are out in the streets of Tehran fighting for their freedom.

***

WOULD YOU LIKE TO KNOW HOW TO SUPPORT?

While many brave men in Iran are helping and supporting the women, this is a fight initiated by the women of Iran and it is a message to the patriarchy of the world – not just in Iran. See below how to support and help this fight.

Mora suggest these ways to help and support:

• Like, comment, share posts on social media. Iranians do not have the same easy access to internet as we do so helping them to spread the word matters.
• Follow social media accounts.
• Support Irian art.
• Keep debating and talking about what is happing in Iran. Keep the fire burning!
• If you have Iranian friends or colleagues (even if they do not live in Iran) ask them how they are doing and let them know you support them and empathize      with the difficult situation.

Instagram accounts to follow:

@womanlifefreedom.art

@iraniandiasporacollective

@generation_azadi_cph

Hashtags to use:

#Mahsaamini

#Jinaamina

#Womanlifefreedom

#Iranrevolution

#Stoptheexecution

***

This Interview was recorded Thursday, December 8th 2022

Created and hosted by: Louise Brix Andersen.

Find out more about the work of Louise: www.louisebrix.com

Instagram: @louisebrixa

ZEN DONEN is a Danish lawyer and board member of the NGO, Everyday Sexism Project Denmark which is a voluntary organization that collects experiences about everyday sexism and informs, enlightens and fights sexism. Everyday Sexism Project was founded in 2012, in the UK, by Laura Bates who created a website where she collected experiences with sexism. In 2013 a team of Danish women started Everyday Sexism Project Danmark and Zen was there from the beginning. 

Zen also writes articles in various different newspapers and magazines.

***

IN THIS EPISODE Zen tells us about the pyramid they use in Everyday Sexism Project Danmark. At the top we have gender violence and femicide, and at the bottom we have the everyday sexism. Zen explains us how harmful the micro sexism is and she defines it as death by a thousand cuts. Zen let’s us understand that they are the micro aggressions and everyday sexism that slowly evolves into the more serious offenses like domestic violence, rape and femicide - that is why it is so important to deal with the everyday sexism. A long and very extensive talk about all the aspects of sexism. 

***

Find out more about Everyday Sexism Project: www.everydaysexism.com / www.everydaysexismproject.dk

Follow the organization

Facebook: @EverydaySexismProject / @TheEverydaySexismProjectDanmark 

***

This Interview was recorded Sunday, January 4th 2022 

Created and hosted by: Louise Brix Andersen

Find out more about the work of Louise: www.louisebrix.com 

Instagram: @louisebrixa

WATCH ON: https://xotv.me/channels/473-changing-the-narrative

MIA VASSALLO is a business woman in her early 30s who was once told in meeting: “you are a very nice and pretty girl but no one is ever going to want to do business with you”. So, she founded her own highly successful company ZCV Capital and Consulting based in Melbourne Australia, where she works on high level transactions across Australia, the Middle East and Europe. Unfortunately, there are still plenty of inequality and bias in the world of economics, and there are very few women in managerial positions. Despite the fact that Mia looks specifically to work with women only very few, out of all the projects she works on, are women. 

***

IN THIS EPISODE Mia talks about some of the challenges she has faced as a businesswoman. She tells us about the time she was pulled away for 4 hours of questioning in the airport because they thought it was more likely she was a sexworker or drug trafficker than a well-dressed businesswoman. Mia also talks about the research she did in 2021 with an Australian government agency about women in managerial positions proving that we are still very far from equality - let’s not forget it is only 48 years since an American woman could get a credit from the bank with the passage of the Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA) in 1974. 

Both Mia and I share how lonely we have felt in our career, and the importance of finding a community and possibly mentors to guide you on your path. Mia explains about her own personal growth from her early 20s and shares valuable tips on how to start out in the world of finance, how to deal with the fear of big budgets, how to deal with stress and much more. 

***

Find out more about Mia’s company: www.zcvcap.com

Follow her

LinkedIn: @miavassallo

***

This Interview was recorded Sunday, October 17th 2021 

Created and hosted by: Louise Brix Andersen

Find out more about the work of Louise: www.louisebrix.com 

Instagram: @louisebrixa

WATCH ON: https://xotv.me/channels/473-changing-the-narrative