Mina is a social justice advocate, educator, writer, and filmmaker, driven by a core question: how do we create communities where everyone feels they belong? She uses storytelling and filmmaking to explore how individuals forge community and a sense of belonging, a theme evident in her film, Between the Silence, which examines loneliness and the search for connection through the lives of two socially isolated women.
A global citizen, Mina has lived, volunteered, and studied all over the world and has come to the conclusion that the universal desire to belong and tell stories is found in all cultures.

From the Filmmaker

"As a filmmaker and a storyteller, I've always been fascinated by how art shapes our understanding of the world and ourselves. Film has the unique ability to place us directly into another person's shoes. We experience their joys and their pain, their struggles and triumphs. By stepping into these narratives, we develop a deeper sense of empathy, breaking down the barriers that separate us. It allows us to see ourselves in others, fostering a shared humanity.
My film, Between the Silence, is a direct exploration of these very themes. The story is based on my grandmother, who immigrated to Chicago at the age of 70. Immigration can birth a space of understanding and familiarity between people from different parts of the world that transcends borders and cultures and creates new relationships. This is a visually engaging story that captures the universal desire for home through the lives of two displaced women.
The driving force behind my work is to explore how we as individuals create community. As a storyteller, I use my background in social justice and civic engagement to bring a creative light to ignite conversations and cultivate curiosity, empathy, and community. In Between the Silence, I explore the growing epidemic of loneliness, social isolation, and how we can create meaningful connections with simple acts of kindness.
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The driving force behind my work is to explore how we as individuals create community. Between the Silence explores the growing epidemic of loneliness and belonging, and how we can create meaningful connections with kindness and empathy.

The film explores the relationship between two immigrant grandmothers, one from India and the other from Poland. The women are neighbors in Rogers Park, one of the most diverse neighborhoods in Chicago. Despite language, cultural, and religious differences, their struggle with loneliness and social isolation is alleviated with simple acts of kindness.