Blair Imani is a brilliant author, educator, and the creator of viral web series Smarter in Seconds. But beind all of that is a story of deep self-discovery.

In our season finale of The SafeTea Podcast, Blair Imani opens up about growing up Black in the South, finding Islam in college, and navigating queerness in religious spaces. From coming out on Tucker Carlson Tonight to writing bestselling books and building an inclusive digital empire, Blair shares what it means to embrace complexity, challenge stereotypes, and define safety on her own terms.

We talk about reclaiming faith, surviving trolls, celebrating intersectionality, and why visibility isn't the finish line - it's the starting point for true transformation.

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She had a Wharton MBA, a finance career at Goldman Sachs, and a clear path to “success.” But something deeper was calling.

In this episode of The SafeTea Podcast, Rooshy Roy, founder of Ayurvedic-inspired beauty brand AAVRANI, sits down with Akbar to unpack her journey of reclaiming identity, rejecting societal timelines, and building a business rooted in culture and purpose.

From growing up as the only Indian girl in her Michigan school to redefining beauty on her own terms, Rooshy shares how shame gave way to self-expression, and how rituals passed down from her mother became the blueprint for a global brand now carried at Sephora!

Follow Rooshy: instagram.com/rooshyroy

Follow AAVRANI: instagram.com/aavrani

Check out AAVRANI online and at Sephora: www.aavrani.com | sephora.com/brand/aavrani

Follow us: instagram.com/thesafetea | instagram.com/akbar.hamid

YouTube: youtube.com/@thesafetea

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His designs have been worn by icons like Michelle Obama, Priyanka Chopra, and Zendaya... but Bibhu Mohapatra’s journey from a small town in India to the global stage is anything but ordinary.

Bibhu opens up to Akbar about growing up queer in India, navigating life in America as an immigrant, and using fashion as a language of liberation. From his early days studying economics in Utah to designing couture in New York City, Bibhu reflects on reinvention, and finding safety in self-expression. He also shares stories about dressing First Lady Michelle Obama, taking the leap to start his own line, and why authenticity is the most luxurious thing of all.

Follow Bibhu: instagram.com/bibhumohapatra

Follow us: instagram.com/thesafetea | instagram.com/akbar.hamid

YouTube: youtube.com/@thesafetea

TikTok: tiktok.com/@safeteapod

DM or email safeteapodcast@gmail.com to share YOUR story or reaction!