Why I created SAHTEIN

I know what it feels like to face barriers to safety, culture, and community, and how deeply that disconnection can shape a person. My lived experience navigating trauma, identity, neurodivergence, and cultural displacement taught me how much we need spaces that affirm and celebrate our intrinsic worth.

SAHTEIN is my way of building a space where cooking together is grounding, affirming, and uplifting, and where people feel a genuine sense of welcome and belonging.

Where cultures, ages, and abilities gather to celebrate each other, and people who have felt marginalised or unseen can nourish themselves and each other.

I also understand how financial strain, burnout, and systemic barriers can make connection feel out of reach. SAHTEIN partners with community organisations so workshops can be offered at no cost to participants, ensuring that joy, culture, and belonging remain accessible — especially for those who need it most.

These are my hopes and Intentions.

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Close-up of green olives on a branch with narrow gray-green leaves.