Farnaz Hashempour Heckert
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Copa: Where are you from?
Farnaz: I was born in Tehran, Iran. I come from a large family and I am the 7th child. I was raised in a family that was well known for serving our community and my parents were loved by many. We did not grow up religious but practiced spirituality through gratitude and daily prayer which was modeled by my parents. Copa: What schools have you attended?
Farnaz: In 1989, I graduated from Seneca Valley High School in Maryland and two weeks following graduation, I was married and went straight into the workforce. That didn't completely stop me from my education. I took courses in DC in order to land a good job. With the assistance of a staffing firm, I landed my first position as a Help Desk Analyst at IBM HQ in Bethesda, MD. In a year, I started working at GE in their Information Services Department. After a few promotions at GE, I received a phone call from a SVP at Marriott HQ and they offered me a job I could not resist. I stayed with Marriott from 1998-2004 with great opportunities in management and deployment. I loved working for such amazing fortune 500 companies. But, after a rich education in the corporate world, I made a decision in 2004 to leave the workforce, take a break, and focus on being a full-time mom. Working and being a single mom was also the best form of education I could have ever received in my life. I am now an entrepreneur, working on many passion projects (My YouTube channel, Author of Stories by you Journal, Prayer ministry twice a week, I am also a mom to a wonderful young man, Aryan and a wife to my amazing husband, David.) |
Map of Iran
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Copa: Who were the 2 people who influenced your life?
Farnaz: My Mom and Dad
My dad was an honorable man, a feminist, and always let his daughters know we can do anything we want, not to give up, work hard, and create a community of love. He served the less fortunate on a monthly basis with the highest quality of baby lamb, rice, vegetables and drinks. He had a heart for people and always said: “people are people” which means all people, regardless of their differences in characteristics, race, gender, religion, and nationality, have worth, dignity, and equal rights. It's all about treating people with respect, fairness, and empathy, while also respecting and celebrating diversity. My Dad passed away in August of 2017, but left his lessons and passion with me.
My mom is still with us. Her generosity and love for her family just keeps shining on a daily basis. She did everything for her children to have a better life and gave up on her own dreams and wants.
My parents generosity by giving up their life in Iran to provide a more secure life in another county and my father gave up a successful garment business. I am forever grateful.
Farnaz: My Mom and Dad
My dad was an honorable man, a feminist, and always let his daughters know we can do anything we want, not to give up, work hard, and create a community of love. He served the less fortunate on a monthly basis with the highest quality of baby lamb, rice, vegetables and drinks. He had a heart for people and always said: “people are people” which means all people, regardless of their differences in characteristics, race, gender, religion, and nationality, have worth, dignity, and equal rights. It's all about treating people with respect, fairness, and empathy, while also respecting and celebrating diversity. My Dad passed away in August of 2017, but left his lessons and passion with me.
My mom is still with us. Her generosity and love for her family just keeps shining on a daily basis. She did everything for her children to have a better life and gave up on her own dreams and wants.
My parents generosity by giving up their life in Iran to provide a more secure life in another county and my father gave up a successful garment business. I am forever grateful.
Farnaz with her Mother
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Farnaz & Dad
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Farnaz & Son
Farnaz with Huband David
Copa: How is your faith important to you and your family?
Farnaz:
My faith is the most important thing in my life. Without my daily prayers and my relationship with God, I wouldn't be doing all that I am today. Without my faith, I would have never had my son and the marriage I have today so I am extremely blessed and I can only thank God for that.
Farnaz:
My faith is the most important thing in my life. Without my daily prayers and my relationship with God, I wouldn't be doing all that I am today. Without my faith, I would have never had my son and the marriage I have today so I am extremely blessed and I can only thank God for that.
Copa: Tell us about “Stories by you”?
Farnaz: Great question. Stories By You began during the height of the pandemic while I was leading a virtual prayer group that now meets twice a week. People were either working from home or lost their jobs so I was having many one-on-one conversations where personal stories were being shared with me. If you know me, you know I love a true, authentic life story because my Dad was a great storyteller himself. A friend from my church and I thought a Youtube channel that consisted of interviews telling different stories of hope, help and healing would be a great way to encourage and help people. I went on to launch my Youtube channel called "Stories By You" in July of 2021 and I'm always searching for and open to great stories of hope, help and healing. Here’s the link: https://www.youtube.com/@storiesbyyou-farnazh/channels
I also launched a storytelling journal for those who like to write and share their stories privately in the hopes that one day when they pass, their loved ones have this journal to remember them by. Here’s the link to purchase your journals:
Farnaz: Great question. Stories By You began during the height of the pandemic while I was leading a virtual prayer group that now meets twice a week. People were either working from home or lost their jobs so I was having many one-on-one conversations where personal stories were being shared with me. If you know me, you know I love a true, authentic life story because my Dad was a great storyteller himself. A friend from my church and I thought a Youtube channel that consisted of interviews telling different stories of hope, help and healing would be a great way to encourage and help people. I went on to launch my Youtube channel called "Stories By You" in July of 2021 and I'm always searching for and open to great stories of hope, help and healing. Here’s the link: https://www.youtube.com/@storiesbyyou-farnazh/channels
I also launched a storytelling journal for those who like to write and share their stories privately in the hopes that one day when they pass, their loved ones have this journal to remember them by. Here’s the link to purchase your journals:
Storytelling Journals
Please follow link: https://www.amazon.com/s?i=stripbooks&rh=p_27%3AFarnaz+Hashempour-Heckert&s=relevancerank&fbclid=IwAR2IfnCNjYvgV4OPn_E1gJNT0dP0DHa11j159SiWvfhpot9GuCr_senmbhE&text=Farnaz+Hashempour-Heckert&ref=dp_byline_sr_book_1
Please follow link: https://www.amazon.com/s?i=stripbooks&rh=p_27%3AFarnaz+Hashempour-Heckert&s=relevancerank&fbclid=IwAR2IfnCNjYvgV4OPn_E1gJNT0dP0DHa11j159SiWvfhpot9GuCr_senmbhE&text=Farnaz+Hashempour-Heckert&ref=dp_byline_sr_book_1
Farnaz & David
