Today we’d like to introduce you to Sana Syed.
Sana, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I’m the child of Pakistani immigrant parents. Born and raised in the United States, Urdu is my mother tongue, and life was a tug of war between two cultures. I’m the eldest of four sisters and mom to two beautiful pups.
I began my career in television as an intern at WFAA. I was like a kid in a candy shop – it was such a wonderful experience with veteran journalists who taught me about storytelling and broadcast journalism, as my major in undergrad was economics. My journeys took me to Baton Rouge, LA, and I saw human suffering in the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. I worked my way to a news anchor/reporter in Oklahoma City, OK – covering how the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan were affecting families here at home, historic flooding, and covered extensively what the meth epidemic was doing to families.
I eventually moved back to Dallas/Fort Worth in July 2008 – just months before the recession took hold of the economy and accepted an offer to be a reporter for Fox 4 while beginning my master’s at TCU. I was over the moon excited – finally reporting on my hometown and getting my graduate degree in Journalism. Months later, I was laid off from Fox 4 – and still remember the devastation and depression I felt when that happened. During that time, I begin to put ideas to launch my own non-profit during that time and worked with a board to create Kimiya International, focused on stories about human rights. Meanwhile, CBS 11 picked me up one month later, and that is where I finished out my on-air career in TV.
As I worked to bring Kimiya to life, I changed careers and became a spokesperson for the city of Arlington. I did not realize how much fun government would be. I had an incredible team, and the woman who hired me became a mentor. I was working on my PhD in Urban Planning and Public Policy while working in city government and it provided an incredible depth to the work I was doing. Eventually, I found an opportunity to lead communication as the spokesperson for Dallas. One month after joining the city as the Director of the Public Information Office, the Ebola crisis happened, and two years later, we faced the deadliest ambush on police in our country in July 2016. I loved my time at Dallas City Hall and eventually made my way to Allyn Media, a public policy and communication firm in Dallas. We serve a number of high-profile clients, including The LOOP Dallas, Walmart, Communities in Schools, Trust for Public Land, Airbnb, and Mayor Eric Johnson for his reelection campaign.
In my time leading Kimiya, we have filmed two documentaries, one telling the story of human trafficking in Cambodia and the other showing the plight of Syrian refugee children and families now living in Jordan. In August 2020, during the pandemic, we also launched a trauma therapy program called Fight Club. It is a 12-week program that combines boxing, yoga, and group therapy for women who are survivors in Dallas. We see our mission as addressing PTSD healing through storytelling and programming.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
While I am proud of the wins along this journey, the road was far from smooth. I grew up with a significant amount of trauma – and for many years, carried an unchecked rage with me. It affected my personal relationships, work, and me. I have been in and out of counseling for the better part of my life. I tried antidepressants in high school and did not like the way they made me feel and eventually began running. I have not had an antidepressant since – and running has become my reprieve.
During my career in TV, I entered an abusive relationship that became an abusive marriage. After I left, he was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer, and I went back into an abusive marriage for another year to care for him – all while working in government and working on my Ph.D. When it was safe to leave, I did so for the last time. It was an ugly process – but I finally had my freedom and began what became the best decade of my life. This was possible by creating boundaries, surrounding myself with healthy relationships, and cutting off contact with those who were not contributing in a positive way to my life. This journey taught me a lot about healing – and was the catalyst for Kimiya Fight Club.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I spent 10 years in television, five years in city government, and then as an executive and non-profit leader. My specialty is in public policy, strategic and crisis communication. I am most proud of working with our amazing team to launch Kimiya Fight Club, our trauma therapy program for women – and I’m proud of the documentaries we’ve worked on. Fight Club became a part of United Way’s Social Innovation Accelerator program, and we have helped dozens of women who entered our program. We won the Best Short Documentary award for Transitions at a local film festival, and CNN International did extensive news coverage of our work.
Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
Growing up as the eldest of four girls, I was very headstrong, always in charge, and very decisive. I loved fashion, movies, and photography. I began watching the news daily when I was in middle school and have always loved to write and read, eventually becoming a speed reader. I grew up conflicted with American and Pakistani cultures – as I existed in two worlds that were unfamiliar with one another. I would go to school during the day and come home to a full house with parents, siblings, and relatives, Urdu being spoken at home, and eating Pakistani food for dinner every night. I wore American clothes during the week and Pakistani clothes on the weekends. The two worlds always felt very separate – and it took decades for me to figure out how to blend the two in a way that brought happiness into my life, no longer conflicted.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.Kimiya.co
- Instagram: @sanabaji
- Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/sssyed
- Twitter: @sanasyedKI
- Other: www.AllynMedia.com
Image Credits
Sana Syed
