The Avizeh Collective: 3 Cups of Tea

Join Miraj Bukhari-Frayer and the Avizeh Collective in a celebration of Pakistan's culture and heritage. There will be Pakistani treats for refreshment provided by The Collective's "Santa Fe Stone Soup Kitchen" project, which aims to bridge cultures through food customs, and examples of traditional Pakistani crafts on display at the event and in the Library's exhibit area. It will feature an international panel of expert speakers, including visiting textile artisan Gohar Sajid, local reporter and experienced Pakistan traveler Adam Ferguson, Global Santa Fe Program Officer Joey Schultz, multidisciplinary international textile expert Nikita Shah, and Pakistani native and higher education researcher Dina Mahmood. Come discover this wonderful region of the world!  
 
About the Panel Members:
 
Gohar Sajid is a Phulkari embroiderer from the Northwest Khyber Valley region of Pakistan. Phulkari embroidery is an indigenous, generational craft practiced in Pakistan. Gohar, who has been working in her family's tradition for 30 years, is an expert in the field and the founding board member of "Sabah Pakistan Cooperative Home-Based Women Worker Organization." She has been the lead textile artisan and has mentored over 130 women since 2009. Their work has been represented at the International Folk Art Market for two consecutive years.
 
Adam Ferguson is a writer and teacher based in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Writing from a young age as a means of expression, Adam continues to navigate the craft of writing to further understand life, himself and to develop the ability to connect with readers of all kinds. Adam is a world traveler who has visited Pakistan and immersed himself in the Hunza Valley region to better understand its culture.
 
Joey Schultz is the Program Officer in charge of International Exchanges for Global Santa Fe. He resides locally and shares his expertise through Global Santa Fe, an education-based non-profit that ignites dialogue around critical world issues and diplomacy.

Nikita Shah is a multidisciplinary artist, educator, and independent scholar based in Brooklyn, New York. She was educated in fashion technologies and design in India and New York city, and has spent over a decade developing textile practices throughout India. She is best known for her practice of Kalamkari (a 3000-year-old temple textile art), and building community through textile crafts. Her work is at the convergence of decolonizing fashion and healing.

Dina Mahmood is a native of Pakistan who has become a pivotal figure at the New Mexico Higher Education Department where she utilizes data analytics to address social justice issues. She is currently earning her doctorate degree researching inequities within higher education systems with a focus on underrepresented communities. She is involved in several community initiatives using her international background and extensive travel experience to bridge divides and forge connections.
 
Miraj Bukhari-Frayer is the Founder and President of The Avizeh Collective, LLC, a 501c3 organization. Its mission is to advocate, empower, and preserve the unique identities and traditions of women from South Asia, the Middle East, and Africa through education, training, and socioeconomic sustainability. It strives to raise awareness and bridge understanding of other cultures through local events that share traditional music, narratives, dialogues, and food culture.