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As crises happen around the world, The Brigade of Mercy (BOM) always longs to help. We seize the opportunity to help since our mission is to provide humanitarian relief to the destitute, homeless, orphans, refugees, and victims of war and other calamities.

I looked at the diagnosis. This is what Dr. Johnson told me. I sat in disbelief, looking at the report. Its been over 20 years, and I have been dealing with anxiety, depression, and panic attacks since I was 13. Now I finally had answers.

You may know and love Tez Ilyas from his stand-up comedy, his role as Eight in Man Like Mobeen, his Radio 4 series TEZ Talks, or panel shows such as Mock the Week and The Last Leg. Where you won't know him from is 1997 when he was 13 ¾. (But now you will - because that's what his hilarious and pubescent debut book is about.)

As we settle into a post-pandemic reality, the time is ripe for setting up a kinder future—a future centered around ourselves and radiating outward. COVID-19 triggered the beginning of a new era of work embedded with remote jobs, flexible hours and, surprisingly, a lot more empathy for our fellow employees and employers. As a result, an increasing number of people are quitting their 9-5 jobs to pursue their passions, reinvent themselves, and reposition their brands and businesses to align closer with their values.

The Sprouted Brown Chickpea Raw salad has become a summertime favorite of mine since I learned it from my mum a few years ago. It is not too common even in most Nepali households because it is more of a Newari dish—Newars are an ethnic group in Nepal and well known for their cuisine. This dish is colorful and refreshing and I would venture to say healthy! Other than getting the brown chickpeas and sprouting process, it is a super easy dish to make with very common ingredients.

I was in a client session where I was telling her that self-care is not selfish and in fact, it is beneficial for the entire family. I even quoted the famous line “you need to put your own oxygen mask on first before putting it on others”, only to find that my voice sounded hollow even to my own ears. I had just left a doctor’s appointment where I was told that if I didn’t start taking care of my health soon, I would continue spiraling down a path where it would be more difficult to return from.

Have you heard of a blessing box? A blessing box is a small, often homemade box where people leave donated goods for others to pick up anonymously. Located in a prominent area, people can fill them with items that will help those in need with everything, from non-perishable food to toiletries.

I actually don’t remember what the argument was about. It was a little past midnight on Nov. 24, 2011. I threw on an abaya over my pjs, slipped into my shoes without socks, put on my hijab and my coat. I just wanted to take a drive and clear my head. It wasn’t supposed to be dramatic. I just wanted to cry in peace.

Meet Julie Jones - Chef, Baker, Writer & Food Stylist. Julie's mother was diagnosed with an aggressive form of dementia and while caring for her Mum, Julie started baking with her as a mutual form of therapy. She shared images of their baking days on Instagram and poured out her feelings to her growing number of followers.

You know what May brings right...my birthday yes but also Memorial Day, the beginning of Summer and I am ready.  Ready for it ALL.  The twinkling of fireflies lights up the warm night sky.  The smell of BarBQ fills the air with its mouth-watering spiciness.  The kids smell like sweat and sunshine and our pace is just a little bit slower as we embrace the unscheduled lightness that the summertime months bring.  Am I painting enough of this idyllic picture?

Let’s see, I have always had a need for speed. As a passenger in the car, I loved when my dad would go fast, and I began to mimic driving a stick shift as he was driving. Loved rollercoasters and going on airplanes. After getting my license, I was one of those ‘responsible aggressive drivers’ which I get is somewhat of an oxymoron, but I stand by that. Ha. And today, I’m not aggressive but I definitely drive like a speedster - still defensively and have taught my kids accordingly. 

India is currently going through a humanitarian catastrophe. According to NPR, the amount of coronavirus cases is now close to 20 million. The country has logged more than 300,000 cases every day for more than 10 days.

On May 13th, we Muslims will be celebrating our holiday called Eid-al-Fitr. Eid al-Fitr, also called the "Festival of Breaking the Fast" or Lesser Eid, is a religious holiday celebrated by Muslims worldwide that marks the end of the month-long dawn-to-sunset fasting of Ramadan.

Spring is in the air, which ignites an instinctive urge to spruce up our personal spaces. After a year of being sequestered, those creaky floor planks, loose kitchen knobs and dusty chandeliers are more than a lingering nuisance. They’ve become the persistent evil to haunt our sacred walls. Okay, maybe that’s a bit much.

We went on a family trip to Dubai in the spring of 2013. My eldest daughter was 12 and my youngest was 4. As always, it was my job to put the whole trip together—from flights, passports, and hotels, to excursions and packing. At this point, I was the vacation planning queen.

Anu explains her passion for contributing toward the philanthropic cause of feeding millions of school children across India every day.

Each year on my birthday, I make a list of things that that I want to accomplish. It’s usually a mix of things I have never tried before. I always share my list publicly to make it real. This puts a little healthy pressure on myself to complete or at least try to complete these goals. Here’s a few examples of things I set out to accomplish in years prior.

For the last 20 years, I have worked in the technology industry selling software and services. I had the most amazing career, spending 14 of those 20 years at Microsoft. I made lifelong friendships, made thousands of great connections, and traveled to many magical U.S. cities, including Oahu, HI. However, after 20 years, I had an overwhelming feeling it was time for a change.

My favorite memory as a child takes place in the dining room of my mom’s home on the day of Nowruz, where I would help her set up the traditional Sofreh Haftseen, while my grandmother in the kitchen would make Shirini (Iranian desserts) typically served on Persian New Year.