It’s Time to Reset the Conversation

I’m an immigrant to this country. My family moved here when I was about 10 years old. Although we were among the privileged in Iran, the revolution and war had taken their toll, and we came seeking the freedom and opportunities America offers. 

Over time, I realized that one of my most valued freedoms was the ability to express dissent, criticize the systems that shape our lives, and help drive their change and improvement.

For more than twenty years, I have dedicated myself to this cause. Although we’ve made progress, I’ve never seen our public conversations so polarized, divisive, and filled with anger. 

Although I no longer completely identify with the Democratic Party, my politics remain progressive and are based on values often linked to the left, such as social and economic equality, inclusion, equity, and social justice. In advocacy work, I’ve consistently engaged with diverse groups of people holding various political beliefs, and my focus has always been on raising awareness, finding solutions, and working toward progress despite our differences. 

However, it wasn't until recent years that I began to see people on the right side of the political spectrum – including some friends and family – vilify me and others with similar views, branding us as somehow anti-American. They sometimes publicly use crude language in an effort to belittle those with progressive views. 

Besides this, everywhere I searched for honest, compassionate dialogue, I encountered a space filled with political talking points and rhetoric meant to sensationalize and divide. It seems that righteous anger, while possibly justified, seldom results in a constructive way forward. 

That’s why I’m launching Reset Critical. This is a podcast born from a deep belief that we need to put aside blind political party loyalty and big money in politics, and return to the basics: facts, human compassion, and integrity. This isn’t another show about what’s wrong with the world; it’s about how we can build a better one. 

I’m doing this partly because I need a space for these kinds of conversations, and I believe many others do as well. I hope you’ll join me in this effort as we work together to reset critical conversations and find a way forward, despite our differences.