This week I speak with Afarin Bellisario about the the country of Iran and how it is much different than what many Westerns think. Ms. Bellisario grew up in Tehran in a family with its feet in the past and its head in the future: whereas her grandmothers could barely read, Afarin’s university-educated father and uncles were prominent members of Iran’s new technocratic elite.

Upon receiving a Ph.D. (and a subsequent MBA) from MIT, she has worked for firms such as Intel, Analog Devices, and Raytheon. Today, Afarin consults, teaches, and mentors young ventures. But writing has been a passion. In 2013, her essay “Movies with My Aunt” was published in the anthology Love & Pomegranates. The Wall Street Journal and The Boston Globe have published several of her op-eds, and she writes regularly about the clash between tradition and modernity on Medium. We talk largely about the culture in Iran and her recently published fiction book “Silenced Whispers” that shares history and culture of Iran in an easily digestible story.

This description was created in part by summarizing and rearranging the biography sent by the guest.

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Check out her book here: https://www.silencedwhispers.com/

Afarin’s Website: https://www.afarin.net/

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Link to all things Not in a Huff Podcast: https://linktr.ee/notinahuffpodcast

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Jackson Huff Podcaster

I am in admissions and advising by profession where I speak with students every day about their future and goals. I have spent a decade learning peoples life stories and what makes them tick. So, a few years ago I decided to take that passion for people and make a podcast. Through this I have been able to speak with a lot of amazing people. People like Bob Eubanks (The Newlywed Game), Daphne Maxwell Reid (Fresh Prince of Bel-Air), Maddie Musselman (2x Olympic Gold Medalist), Francois Clemmons (Mister Rogers' Neighborhood), and countless others.