A London-based charity CEO with experience leading and managing social impact organisations, Bejal brings both strategic insight and a deep commitment to community empowerment. Proud of her Indian heritage, she is equally passionate about questioning and reshaping cultural norms and identity.

Forward Culture’s mission strongly resonates with her personal and professional journey. Both as a mentor and mentee alongside other South Asian women, she has experienced first-hand how meaningful support networks can empower women to thrive. 

As an Advisory Board member, Bejal is committed to supporting Forward Culture’s activities - contributing to the fundraising strategy, building impactful partnerships, and supporting the development of programmes that continue to uplift and inspire young women.

Maya is a British Bangladeshi Muslim young person working in the culture and heritage sector and is also a poet, with her work focusing on themes of navigating identity, social justice and grief in her writing. She joined Forward Culture’s first mentoring cohort, and has since utilised the skills and advice she gained, now joining their advisory board.

Speaking about ForwardCulture, Maya says: 

 “Forward Culture is a space for all the South Asian girls & women who needed that older sister to help guide them to navigate identity and build skills with cultural understanding and empathy, something that you don’t find very often. Looking at the work of Forward Culture, especially the mentoring project, I saw how cultural understanding and empathy was at the forefront of the work being done. I’m really looking forward to more events and connections being made highlighting South Asian women with Forward Culture”

Anjali has spent the past decade in education, teaching and supporting others to grow in the classroom. Now focused on training and mentoring teachers, she is passionate about creating spaces where educators and students can thrive together.

Joining ForwardCulture began as a search for mentoring opportunities for South Asian girls she taught and helping them to become more confident individuals, but it quickly became so much more. After seeing the program’s inspirational impact firsthand, she joined the Advisory Board to help expand its reach and continue to support young, South Asian women get the role models and support they need.  

In her spare time, she enjoys going to lots of cultural events, concerts and support local initiatives in the West Midlands and London. She also loves to learn new skills such as sewing and learning how to DJ, to meet new people and try something new!

Shirin currently works in philanthropy for a health equity foundation. Prior to this she qualified as a solicitor, and has more than 6 years experience advising business leaders. Beyond work she is the co-founder of South Asian Sisters Speak, a grassroots community for South Asian women, which she has grown and led for the last decade.