He speaks about queerness, cultural inheritance, grief, and the weight of returning to a homeland shaped by distance and loss.

This episode is a powerful conversation about self-definition, fluid identity, and making space for all the parts of who you are.

Episode hosted and recorded by Forouz Salari (she/her) in Jan. 2026 - edited & mixed by Miranda Ramnarayan (she/her).

Guest Bio:

Rayan Anton (he/him) is a queer, trans Palestinian man and the child of an immigrant family who moved to Canada in the early 1990s.

He is a Registered Social Worker and Psychotherapist in Ontario, Canada, working predominantly with queer and trans youth of colour - many of whom also come from immigrant families: http://www.rayananton.com

He is also a parent to a young child and is often thinking about what it means to hold on to cultural identity for himself and to pass it on to his son, in a society that is determined to erase Palestinian culture and identity.

She shares what it means to move between cultures, navigate Islamophobia, and carry the protective habits shaped by expectation, pressure, and the need to fit in.

The conversation also touches on body image, beauty standards, connection to land, and changing ideas of success within immigrant communities.

It’s a thoughtful episode about cultural humility, emotional intelligence, and learning how to connect more honestly.

Episode hosted and recorded by Forouz Salari (she/her) in Feb. 2026 - edited & mixed by Miranda Ramnarayan (she/her).

Guest Bio:

Nikoo (Nikki) Sedaghat (she/her) is the founder of Sedâ Psychotherapy, a virtual practice in Ontario, Canada, supporting individual mental health and relational wellbeing: http://www.sedapsychotherapy.com

As a Registered Psychotherapist, Nikoo's work is shaped by her lived experiences as a queer, neurodivergent, diasporic Iranian who grew up in Canada as the child of first-generation immigrants.

These identities inform her strong commitment to anti-oppressive practice and her belief in the transformative power of authentic connections that embrace the full spectrum of the human experience.

Through personal stories, they explore cultural negotiation, inherited expectations, and the influences that have shaped their lives.

They also share why they created Grown Between Worlds: to hold space for thoughtful, honest conversations that honour the complexity of immigrant experiences and amplify voices too often left out of the wider narrative.

Episode recorded in Dec. 2025 - edited & mixed by Miranda Ramnarayan (she/her).

Explore the Grown Between Worlds website: https://www.grownbetweenworlds.com

Learn about Forouz Salari’s work: https://www.forouzsalaritherapy.ca/

Learn about Miranda Ramnarayan’s work: https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/eb40ec43d2314486a3607066060ca03d

This podcast is for anyone navigating the immigrant experience.

Introducing "Grown Between Worlds" - a podcast that dives deep into the stories of adult children of immigrants (people who immigrated as kids / teens, or were born into immigrant families after settlement) and their partners.

We talk about the complexities of identity, belonging, and the often unseen struggles that come with living between worlds.

This isn't just about trauma; it's about resilience, humour, and the beauty of diverse experiences.

Join us as we explore insightful conversations with guests who share their personal connections to immigration and offer wisdom for those on similar journeys.

Launching April 15, 2026!

Your story matters, your voice matters, and you are not alone.

Follow us for updates and subscribe to dive into these meaningful discussions!

Share this with a friend or loved one who may need to hear this!

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