Today we’d like to introduce you to Shani Moslehi.
Hi Shani, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
In the summer of 1978, I moved to Glendora, California, as a high school senior, after living in Europe for three years. The following year, I was a Freshman at Azusa Pacific University, receiving my BA in Social Sciences with a minor in business. My life was completely changed when the Islamic revolution of 1979 took over Iran. The new Islamic government started the forced Hijab on women and very rapidly took all their rights away from them. Then there were the eight years of the Iran-Iraq war that occupied every day of our lives as Iranians! Our image in the world changed from a country that was going fast-paced toward modernization and progress to digressing and changing to obey the forceful barbaric Islamic rules. I knew I couldn’t give up my freedom and return to Iran. My mom encouraged me to stay and look after my younger sister, who was on her way out of Iran, to keep her safe!
In 1984, I started working at a bank, where I stayed for ten years. I married my Iranian engineer husband in OC the same year. I have always volunteered and tried to do good in my community. My first experience was helping an orphanage in Iran managed by the Red Cross. I knew at that young age that Iran had much more to do to fight poverty. I continued volunteering and working at a Catholic thrift store during high school. I joined Habitat for Humanity as a member of the family selection committee and United Ways Junior Achievement program teaching fifth graders business basics.
Then in the mid-’90s had my children, and I knew I wanted to spend as much time with them as possible, so I returned to school and got my California Teaching Credentials to become an elementary school teacher. However, my teaching life was concise since my husband became a business owner in 2003, and I had to help.
I knew I had an entrepreneurial spirit and could run a business. In 2008 when the economy was horrific, I started to add new ways to market our business, and soon the Happy Hour Bridal Show and Newport Beach Wedding shows were the talks of the town. In 2011, I put my focus on organizing trade shows and exhibits and started my own event marketing business. I continued with my volunteer work as a PTA, PTSA, and high school foundation president during the 14 years that my children were in school. I joined the local chambers of commerce to promote our business, volunteered in different positions, and excelled at it. All my volunteer work and years as a business owner helped me start OCIACC.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Starting a new organization from the ground up with little help was very challenging. Although we are a chamber of commerce, we are catering to a diverse group with none like it! Unlike the Asian or European Americans, our chamber of commerce was not supported by our country. And as a local chamber of commerce, the cities or counties didn’t support us either! So we survived on membership dues and hours of volunteer work. I also quickly discovered that there were not that many dedicated volunteers like myself! People would sign up to help and not show up. I don’t mean physically not showing up but more like they would offer to help and then not answer your calls!
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
I am very proud of OCIACC, which I co-founded with three other ladies in July 2015. We all had the same mission: to help others, particularly Iranian immigrants, single moms, and anyone that could benefit from our years of experience and knowledge, having lived and owned businesses here. OCIACC started as a business networking organization with the mission to help new businesses assimilate and help them thrive. Our focus was to establish credibility and trust. We were dealing with a community that had kept to itself for so long.
Based on my experience as a business networker, I knew it would be best if we collaborated and introduced other chambers and business associations to our group. To date, we have co-hosted with over 60 organizations. With the help of our dedicated and hands-on board members, we added significant events such as our Business Awards, Health Expo, Business Expo, holiday party, and Yalda celebration. However, in March 2022, We hosted the largest Nowruz Bazaar and Spring Festival in OC, with more than 8000 visitors! Many cities and state officials and Congresswoman Katie Porter also attended!
In September of 2022, after the death of Mahsa Amini, a young woman killed by the Islamic Republic of Iran’s morality police, which resulted in an uprising that quickly turned into a revolution in Iran, we immediately changed our role. We started posting about the human right crisis in Iran and used our platform to be the voice of the people in Iran. We organized the letter writing campaign to President Biden called the Lock of Hair campaign and asked people to sign the letter and tape a lock of their hair to it. A website, www.iranlockofhair.com, was developed to allow people to download the information and send letters themselves. We helped organize one of the first freedom rallies in the city of Mission Viejo and later received a Proclamation from them in support of people in Iran. I was lucky to be invited by Senator Dave Min to attend the meeting when President Joe Biden visited Orange County. Thousands of demonstrators outside were chanting woman-life-freedom, which this revolution is named after.
What do you like and dislike about the city?
I love the downtown LA buildings and Disney Hall. I love the fact that you can find places to eat late at night or at the early hours of the morning. I don’t like the traffic, and I am always very sad to see so many homeless people.
Pricing:
- 350-1950
Contact Info:
- Website: https://ociacc.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ociacc
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OCIACC/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/OCIACC1
- Youtube: ociacctv
Image Credits
Saraseen Photography
