The Power of Storytelling: A Conversation with Cara Yar Khan, CEO of The Purple Practice
Description
Join hosts Kelvin Crosby and Chris Maher for an inspiring conversation with Cara Yar Khan, founder & CEO of The Purple Practice, former UNICEF humanitarian, filmmaker, and fierce disability advocate. Cara traces her multicultural roots and early activism, the winding journey to a rare diagnosis of hereditary inclusion body myopathy, and how she learned to lead, pitch, and live with radical authenticity.
This episode dives into Cara’s multicultural upbringing and early passion for service, her transition from denial to embracing disability with pride, and her practical framework for storytelling and fundraising through the “Issue, Action, Impact” model. She discusses navigating ableism with grace, managing entrepreneurial burnout through confidence and community, distinguishing between healthy struggle and harmful suffering, and finding joy in small “Everest moments” of progress. Along the way, Kelvin, Chris, and Cara unpack lessons on authenticity, preparation, confidence, and the sustaining power of community in entrepreneurship and advocacy.
Links & Resources:
Cara Yar Khan: LinkedIn
Cara's Film: Facing the Falls
Cara's Website: Here
Cara's TED Talk: Here
COMING SOON!
American Sign Language (ASL) and Captioning for each episode will be provided on our YouTube channel. Go to handle @SamaritanPartners.
United States
