As 2020 has indeed proven to be an unrelenting year of challenges as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, government mandated quarantines, the economic collapse, social tension produced by racial injustices and political disarray, now more than ever, Americans want the truth. For one up-and-coming social advocate, she would witness how 2020 would become the catalyst to discovering the path of enlightenment not only for herself, but for others as well.
As it seems as though much of the world’s politics and news this year have been saturated with an overwhelming amount of sensationalism, hype and utter fake news, Yasmin Tavakoli inadvertently joined the ongoing online political dialogue earlier this year when she began to pose questions and concepts about trending topics via her Instagram page for insightful discussion and consideration. At the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, having been known to share pertinent and valuable information on her Instagram page, Tavakoli soon found her inbox flooded with messages from followers, requesting her to set her then-private Instagram profile to public so that they could re-post, send and share her stories and posts with others.
Despite always having been interested in politics and world news, the rollercoaster ride that has been 2020 was what incited her to actively discuss and share information with her followers. Soon after setting her Instagram profile to public, Tavakoli held an Instagram Live video discussion toward the end of March of 2020 on Covid-19 with a friend who happened to be a doctor. The informative discussion examined risks, fallacies and truths about the virus, garnering the interest and attention of thousands via Instagram. After realizing the impact and reach that she had, Tavakoli decided to continue the dialogue and soon after created Talks with Yasmin, an Instagram Live series where the social advocate interviews and discusses critical and pertinent topics with political figures, media experts, social justice activists, business owners and more.
“I’m very adamant about remaining diplomatic across all of these discussions,” Tavakoli says. “I always bring both sides of any stance to the table and I like to provide a space where people feel comfortable to voice their own opinions without being judged or misrepresented.”
Even before 2020, as she always maintained a strong interest in politics and news, Tavakoli runs a socially aware presence on Instagram, not to benefit her professional career, but purely because she is genuinely interested in the topics of discussion. She uses her platform to introduce different perspectives and to encourage others to educate themselves on current events and politics, both on a local and global level. Today, with an overwhelming volume of information surrounding the news, both fact and many times fiction, Tavakoli aims to provide material that is both vetted and verified, regardless of party association or where these topics fall on the political spectrum. Through her discussions, the young social advocate gives all sides a fair and just platform to share their truth.
“Through these ongoing conversations, I urge my followers to open their minds to different perspectives,” Tavakoli says. “I like to bring forth the truth and perspective and furthermore, I hope these discussions encourage people to do their own research to become informed and aware.”
Coming up, she intends to continue her Talks with Yasmin featuring pertinent guests on Instagram with plans to potentially turn the series into a podcast. Without any political or professional agenda, what seems most refreshing about Tavakoli is her unbiased opinion across all discussions. While many platforms, networks and even political figures are shrouded with bias and ulterior motives, Tavakoli proposes the truth in its most pure and simple form. So the next time you’re researching a trending topic, Tavakoli asks this: Consider the truth.
To learn more about Yasmin Tavakoli and to watch Talks with Yasmin, find her on Instagram.
Presented by: T1
Written by: Magdalena Munao
