1. Kindly brief us in short about you and your journey since the beginning of your career. Tell us about your academic and professional milestones.
Education background: I moved to Canada from Lebanon at 16 and immediately enrolled in Grade 12 even though the age-appropriate grade was Grade 11. I took entrance exams and graduated from high school 2 months after my 17th birthday. I enrolled in university and graduated with a Bachelor of Honours Specialization in Biology in 2011. I then obtained my Bachelor of Education in 2012 and my Master of Education in Curriculum Studies- Multiliteracies and Multilingualism focus in 2013. In 2015, I enrolled in the Doctorate of Education program in Educational Leadership. I took three years away from the program due to circumstances and recently re-enrolled and am on track to graduate summer of 2022.
Teaching background: I started teaching in 2012 at a private school while enrolled in my Masters program full-time. I then joined the public board of education in 2014. I began teaching elementary grades and moved to secondary shortly after. I landed a teaching contract in 2016.
Writing background: I returned to writing once I started teaching and my first assignment was a group of Libyan refugees. The 16-year-old me who stopped writing because she was feeling so out of place in life now began to heal at 23. I self-published my first collection of writing, Mind Platter, early 2016 while teaching. I then self-published my second book, The Nectar of Pain, in late 2016. In 2017, I signed a publishing deal with Andrews McMeel Universal for my two books and a third one, Sparks of Phoenix. It was published in early 2019. I recently signed a publishing deal with Penguin Random House for my fourth book, Welcome Home, scheduled for release on June 1st.
2. Let us know about the major achievements, accolades and recognitions that you have earned in your entire career so far.
I have published four books, started my online school Soul Academy and a podcast, Stories of the Soul, but I by far consider my greatest success to be reaching readers across the globe in a meaningful way.
3. How do you describe yourself in one-word?
Human
4. In short, tell us about your organization, its distinct academic solutions, achievements, and mission, vision and USP.
I aim to guide and empower people across the globe to build a home within themselves. This process involves a journey back to oneself, a journey of self-discovery and self-embrace.
I also aim to give words to the voices of those who believe their voice doesn’t exist or matter.
5. What were the major challenges that you have faced in your career and what are the difficulties you have faced while establishing the organization?
The beginning of my journey of publishing my writings was difficult. Because writing had been so therapeutic for me as a youngster, returning to it at 23 served to reveal more trauma and pain that needed to be healed. At the same time, deciding to publish it to a wider audience served to reveal for others the pains and traumas they needed to heal. It was a risk to be vulnerable with the world around me but at the same time it was rewarding to see the community of people I clearly belong to. At the time that I began publicizing my writings in 2016, I was teaching full-time and enrolled in my doctorate program full-time. I was constantly balancing those roles, but at the same time, they all seemed to feed into each other.
To turn what I loved doing and what healed me on a personal level into a thriving business came with its challenges, the biggest one being retaining my authenticity. Through careful reflection along every step of the way, I make sure that my brand’s authenticity is never compromised.
6. Being a prominent thought leader, what are the most significant contributions you have made for the development of your institution?
Authenticity is at the core of everything that we do as a team. We aim to deliver content to audiences in a humanistic, real way. I’ve ensured that my team spreads out my work with the same level of authenticity that it aims to deliver.
7. How do you keep yourself motivated?
I stay focused on my mission to give a voice to those who feel like they don’t have one. I keep alive the version of myself who fell into darkness so that I can stay in touch with the reality of the pain that most people experience. I constantly aim to say and do what it takes to lift that version of me, and anyone with a similar experience, out of that darkness. I also do my best to live in the present. I do what I can now and leave the rest up to the universe. I basically let go of my need to control the outcome.
8. What message would you address to the people of the nation and the rest of the world?
Healing the world begins with healing yourself. Don’t be afraid to experience your emotions. That fear will hold your authentic self-hostage.
9. How do you see yourself and your organization in the future ahead?
I will continue to use my words to allow my words to flow onto paper in their most vulnerable and raw form. As I’ve witnessed the kind of ripple effect that has, that will lead the way for all my future endeavours- being authentic and real. I will also continue to advocate for those whose voices have been silenced in any available ways. My team will continue to push this message forward in the same manner.
