A Sounder Life with Hafsa Ahmed: Navigating Bias, Building Community and Shaping the Future

Following or theme of conversations for good with founders from all walks of life and venture Episode 6 of A Sounder Life has something for everyone examining their own purpose and their plans to build something great.

Join me as we talk about cracking the code of our diverse societies with Hafsa Ahmed PhD, MNZM a seasoned community researcher and futurist and co founder of the Lady Khadija Charitable Trust who passionately and actively advocates for a brighter future shaped by our conscious actions. 

We cover a lot of ground in this episode including how she draws inspiration from the chaos of Van Gogh's Starry Night, translating it into impactful projects that have earned her recognition with the New Zealand Order of Merit. 

Are we truly as different as we believe, or can we come together in our shared humanity?

We talk about bias, community and resilience in the context of the heart-wrenching terrorist attack on The Al Noor Mosque and Linwood Islamic Centre on the 15th of March 2019 when 51 humans lost their lives and 40 injured. 

Sparking a discussion on how local charity organisations, initially focussed on assisting vulnerable communities, had to question their purpose and shift gears.

Take a walk with us as we explore the charity's efforts to bridge gaps between faith communities and tackle the issues of bias and belonging. We also navigate the realm of biases – their roots, their role in radicalisation, and the part social media plays in fuelling extremism.

I talk with Hafsa about the potential of personal values and community to foster more inclusivity and the work she has done to narrate real stories of resilience, adaptiveness and authenticity.

 We also question the future of New Zealand, discussing the role of technology and the power of storytelling. However, the storm cloud of misinformation looms large and we address its divisive influence in society.

True to her personal purpose Hafsa shares her unique insights on the need for critical thinking skills among younger generations.

Links Referred to in this Episode:

Unquiet Women - Asia Media Centre Series by Hafsa Ahmed

Immigrant Journeys - Stories of Diversity and Hope

Community of Strangers - Exploring the underpinnings of bias and belonging within our species

Honour for Cantabrian trying to 'light candles instead of curse the darkness' - Stuff Article on Hafsa Ahmed December 2022

Biography - Hafsa Ahmed, PhD MNZM

Dr. Hafsa Ahmed, MNZM, can trace her origins to Hyderabad, India, and her journey brought her to Aotearoa New Zealand in 2007. 

She identifies herself as an "Optimistic Futurist" because she firmly believes that we all can make the right choices for a brighter tomorrow. 

She is Lady Khadija Charitable Trust's co-founder, a Lincoln University lecturer and founding Director of Unquiet. 

Her professional expertise includes leadership coaching, futures foresight planning with a focus on stakeholder ecosystems engagement and managing change. 

Hafsa has devoted her efforts to initiatives aligned with her why of contributing towards enhancing lives and inspiring others to do the same so that together, we can create thriving communities.