14 May 2026
S9 EP142: Basira Paigham Returns to Changing Platforms | From Refugee to Global Advocate
Here’s a more polished and cohesive version that keeps the emotional impact, clarifies the returning guest angle, and strengthens the narrative flow for a Spotify/YouTube episode description or LinkedIn-style long-form promo:
Basira Paigham returns to Changing Platforms for a deeply powerful follow-up conversation—this time sharing not only where her journey has taken her since fleeing Afghanistan, but the extraordinary impact she is now making around the world.
Recognized by the BBC as one of the 100 Most Influential Women of 2021, Basira first joined the podcast to speak about her escape from Afghanistan, the dangers she faced as an LGBTQ+ woman, and the harsh realities of life inside a refugee camp in Ireland. In this new episode, we reconnect with Basira to explore what came next: healing, leadership, advocacy, and building meaningful global change from unimaginable hardship.
Now serving as the Executive Director of Rainbow Afghanistan, Basira is helping create life-saving support networks for Afghan LGBTQ+ individuals living under extreme threat. She shares how she transformed rejection into resilience, found strength through self-acceptance, and turned personal trauma into a platform for activism and hope.
In this conversation, Basira opens up about:
• Rebuilding her life after displacement and fear
• Navigating identity, family rejection, and emotional survival
• The ongoing dangers faced by queer Afghans
• Building Rainbow Afghanistan into a global advocacy movement
• Creating solidarity across Afghan diaspora communities
• Leadership, resilience, and finding purpose through adversity
This episode is raw, courageous, emotional, and ultimately hopeful. Basira’s story is a reminder that even in the darkest moments, one voice can create a ripple effect that changes lives and communities around the world.
Perfect for advocates, activists, migrants, leaders, and anyone searching for inspiration to stand firmly in their truth, this episode is more than a conversation—it’s a call to action.
🎙️ Tune in now to hear how Basira Paigham continues to turn courage into impact and advocacy into global movement.
Find Basira Paigham at: ✨ Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/basira.sultan.96)✨ Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/basira_paighamm?igsh=dDVwOTlzYTBwbjJz) ✨ LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/basira-paigham-795786174/)
Find Rainbow Afghanistan at: ✨ Website (https://rainbowafghanistan.com)✨ Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/rainbowafghanistan?igsh=Z24ydXpsM3dsNm56)✨ Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/rainbowafghanistan)✨ LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/rainbow-afghanistan/posts/?feedView=all)
You can find more information and participate here:
English form: https://forms.gle/YT93fAzZQtmvtjyV6 (https://forms.gle/YT93fAzZQtmvtjyV6)
Additionally, the Afghanistan Rainbow Path Network is launching a Solidarity Platform designed to bring together organizations, institutions, researchers, media actors, activists, and allies working to advance equality and human rights for the LGBTIQA+ community connected to Afghanistan and its diaspora.
To join the network, please use the following form:
https://forms.gle/anDUf54wznaiN9J6A (https://forms.gle/anDUf54wznaiN9J6A)
You may also find the UN session that Basira spoke about:
Reclaim Families: Reclaim Families: A Feminist and Human Rights-Based Approach to Family Policy (CSW69 Side Event) | UN Web TV (https://webtv.un.org/en/asset/k17/k17q1sqdvu)
Find your host, Alka Bromiley at:✨ Website (https://changingplatforms.com)✨ Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/changingplatforms?igsh=YWs3bTdsanJ3MGx3&utm_source=qr)✨ Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/share/18UGtsBwx3/?mibextid=wwXIfr)✨ LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/inspire2consulting/)
