00:00:02.040 - 00:00:19.850

[Mehreen Butt]: Okay I think I'm recording, I'll be like... [Shirley Wu]: It's recording. I see it. [MB]: Okay so I just want to get your consent that your consent to do this interview that I can you know upload the video and the audio and everything. [SW]: Yes. [MB]: Okay. Okay.

00:00:20.440 - 00:00:38.500

Um so let's just start. So would you mind giving me your full name and your pronouns if you feel comfortable sharing? [SW]: Oh you need my full name? Yes. Shirley Wu . [MB]: Um so do you mind telling me what year you were born and where? [SW]: Okay I was

00:00:38.500 - 00:01:06.300

born 1965 and I was born in India, Calcutta. [MB]: Okay, I'm just taking notes. Well uh so would you mind giving me some clarity on your identification? So your ethnicity and gender? [SW]: Yes. Yes I am I am like my background is Chinese and I am female and

00:01:06.310 - 00:01:32.140

uh so yeah. Uh huh. Okay that's what it's all like. [MB]: Do you consider yourself a member of the South Asian diaspora? [SW]: Oh yes. 100%. It's just like you know born and raised in in Pakistan and India and Lahore you know just being there and

00:01:32.150 - 00:01:52.170

among everybody. I totally consider myself as a South Asian. Good. It was very little. I mean although I look Chinese but it always always go back to the roots which is you know we always think back Pakistan you know is a root or India you know

00:01:52.170 - 00:02:15.840

like all all about South East and South Asian the continent. Um the funny thing is like whenever we travel this is this is funny right anytime I go to out of Canada, I don't know for some reason I always say Lahore or Pakistan you know, but and

00:02:15.840 - 00:02:33.230

then Canada like, you know, I don't know why is this so funny every time and this is like it was just stuck in my head and I said, oh you know what? Yeah, in Pakistan I said oh no, no, no in Canada like... [MB]: So how

00:02:33.230 - 00:03:03.600

long have you been here for then? [SW]: We've been here for about 30, 91. Yeah. 31. 30 years actually will be 30 years. It was 30 years uh last month. [MB]: Oh wow, That's crazy. 30 years. [SW]: Long time. Right. [MB]: Uh huh. Okay. [SW]: So you're not even born. [MB]: Yeah, it was maybe two years after

00:03:03.600 - 00:03:25.840

that. Um So do you want to just like talk about your childhood a little bit if you want to. [SW]: My childhood? Absolutely, absolutely Um so I was born in um in Cal...in India and uh my parents then moved to Bangladesh now at that time was

00:03:25.850 - 00:03:46.890

East Pakistan. So we moved there or we stayed there for like about five years. And then the war started, it was the 72 war between it was a civil war between East Pakistan and West Pakistan then afterwards and became as a refugee to Karachi from there.

00:03:46.890 - 00:04:19.410

Then I think we stayed there for about two years. And my my my dad came from... [MB]: uh yeah so the connections are cutting out a little bit. You froze. Yeah sure let us... [SW]: So then he came. So so then we moved to Lahore and from ever

00:04:19.410 - 00:04:33.730

since then we've been there for like we stayed there for like 20...20 years before we came to Canada. [MB]: I'm just gonna ask you to repeat that. It's just your video froze, your audio cut out. [SW]: Oh no. [MB]: Yeah, just like at the part where you said two

00:04:33.730 - 00:04:57.430

years, you were in Karachi for two years. Yeah, sorry. [SW]: So okay, so I'll repeat it. You know, we get the mask all the time. So our throat is kind of like always because breathing in this drop. Yeah. Okay. So when he was in Karachi, we stayed there

00:04:57.430 - 00:05:16.260

for about two years. Then my dad came from from Bangladesh at that time. So from that point then he started working in Punjab job like Punjab Sheikhupura, which is near Lahore. So then it was very hard for him to commute, you know from Karachi to Sheikhupura.

00:05:16.470 - 00:05:32.500

So he says like why don't we come and move to to Lahore? So ever since then I think it was like five or seven years and then we actually seven. Then we moved to Lahore and ever since then we stayed there we worked there. Um and

00:05:32.500 - 00:05:51.510

then we moved to Canada. [MB]: Okay, well uh so what did your parents do? Do you feel comfortable sharing that, or...? [SW]: Say that again? [MB]: What did your parents do in Pakistan and to like just you know like what your mother and your your father did. [SW]: Well

00:05:51.510 - 00:06:10.760

yeah so my dad back in India has his line, his trade of line was doing leather so what like they tanned the leather they cure and they make like you know shoes and bags and things like that. So there uh there was supplying it to you

00:06:10.760 - 00:06:30.550

know like factories and all whatever they make handbags and shoes and all um they it's funny that my dad and myself, we're third generation from India because my yes my mom my grandmother when my grandparents actually went from China to India and settled in there just

00:06:30.550 - 00:06:51.250

a word went out you know during um in the revolution during the thirties or late late twenties like you know so then they came and then they started noticing that doing leather tannery was a great work for them because a lot of Hindu people do not

00:06:51.260 - 00:07:07.860

touch like leather and things like that you know like the cow because they worship them and then they have need of you know no doing this type of trade off work so then they got that and they started making and they started building um factories and

00:07:07.860 - 00:07:23.220

things like that and that's how they started doing and then my father followed you know to learn from the trade and all that and then he's been doing that since and he even came to, he even went to East Pakistan which is Bangladesh now and then

00:07:23.230 - 00:07:42.890

came over to Pakistan and excuse me so he continued he continued for like many years until like maybe um he retired which is 20 years now. Yeah. Yeah. So he started very young too. He started like I think at the age of like 14 or something

00:07:42.890 - 00:08:03.020

he started you know working in the January because that's always my background is uh is Haka. So Haka is from south of China. So they're from the Han dynasty. They moved down and they stayed in in the Canton area. There's a lot of Hakka there. So

00:08:03.020 - 00:08:22.830

from that point that they moved out to Mauritius, Jamaica and then India. So all these places were like a lot of Hakka, Hakka means guest in Chinese. Right? So when why do they call guests? Because they will travel and they were settled in the outskirt

00:08:22.840 - 00:08:39.660

of uh of any city or town and they will make home and they will find jobs, they will find work to do. So then from there then they found out that oh you know um India we should cross the ocean. So when they cross the ocean

00:08:39.660 - 00:08:55.080

some state like Mauritius is a little closer and then some went to, they say hey let's go to India. So and then some went to really far which is Jamaica for spices. So they took spices and then so that's why Jamaican around there. They do a

00:08:55.080 - 00:09:19.300

lot of um grocery stores. All right, a lot of Hakka doing grocery stores and then the ones in India and Pakistan we do one of the main thing is like restaurants. Um especially restaurants, beauty and leather tannery and actually four. So shoemaking. [MB]: Mhm. Okay. Yeah. So your

00:09:19.300 - 00:09:36.610

that's what your father did all that. Yeah. [SW]: Yeah. So my my dad did the leather tannery and for women uh they did a lot of things. Like my mom was a very, I mean she was a great homemaker. She would help my dad too. Because at

00:09:36.610 - 00:09:52.400

that time you know we were we started from a very humble home. So we didn't have much, we had like lots of children. uh we were five siblings. So my mom had to help. So what really came up was like what what what should the women

00:09:52.410 - 00:10:10.820

you know female like do especially in a place where you know with the most of it is like the male dominant. You know um places where we were in, you know in in Pakistan. But so how can we do what we can do as a as

00:10:10.820 - 00:10:27.430

a female, as a woman to help the family. Uh my mom made soy sauce to supply to the restaurant. She made um, you know like tofu all to supply restaurants, she made fish crackers. You know is the one that you eat. You know that the one you

00:10:27.440 - 00:10:48.710

fry and it becomes like everybody loves fish crackers. So that's what she used to do and help out the family and at the same time work from home where she can take care of children and help the family as well? Uh, and then after then when we

00:10:48.710 - 00:11:05.450

had another, we have a few cousins that came from Bangladesh to represent then then duties a lot, like, you know, so then after doing that, it was a great thing that she was able to, you know, come to the salon park and meet with people and you

00:11:05.450 - 00:11:20.060

know, that it was a really nice for mental health because you're doing all this at home and then it's something, it's like a, like a fresh air that, you know, you meet people and you're, you're helping them, you're beautifying them, you know, so threading is something

00:11:20.060 - 00:11:36.850

that it's been passed down from generation to generation that we do in villages like my grandmother does threading and threading um, like a lot of fun fact that threading is from China and a lot of people think like it's from India, but it is from china

00:11:36.860 - 00:11:55.770

from like thousands of years they've been, that's how they would do or any facial room, well, you know, the hair and then they brought in, you know India all the salon, they started doing a wedding, there was a need there, right? And they capitalized, I mean

00:11:55.770 - 00:12:18.820

they did that and they were able to support a little bit, you know, for the family? [MB]: Okay, well, um, so, just looking at my notes, sorry. Sorry. Um, yes, so do you think that your mother and being involved in the salon and just all of everything that your parents

00:12:18.820 - 00:12:31.580

did? Do you think that that had a major influence in where you went with your life? Because I just, just within your own words, I want you just kind of tell me like what you do. I don't want to speak for you. [SW]: Yeah, 100%. My, you

00:12:31.580 - 00:12:58.170

know, my parents have been very, very inspiring and it's a huge, um, you know, the uh, the huge part in my life that how we, what we are that we are today. Um, always been inspiring and motivating and, and learning and my parents every time even

00:12:58.170 - 00:13:15.990

until now, you know, my, they will not stop learning even, you know like technology when technology came up and they were, they were just so open to learn. And one of the things that they always said that never stopped learning, you learn every single day. And

00:13:16.000 - 00:13:39.380

that was very inspiring. And so she's, that's why we all have like, we have many hats, but one of the hats that we have is like a student, a student hat. [MB]: Okay. Um, so just, maybe I want to switch to like immigration now. Uh, so yeah,

00:13:39.390 - 00:13:56.440

do you want to tell me like, sorry, you can take it. I know it's just a little bit. Okay. Um, yeah, so do you wanna just tell me like where exactly immigrated from and when and just like what your journey was like to Canada. [SW]: Okay,

00:13:56.450 - 00:14:18.200

sounds good. Well I came here in 1991 and uh it was, it was really exciting you know to move from Pakistan and to some, some to a place to a country that you you only heard you know that it's going to be like that because we

00:14:18.200 - 00:14:35.270

have cousins that lived here and obviously we have that communication through letters that the pictures and all that right. When it came to my turn to come. It was like it was very, it was exciting but it was scary as well at the same time because

00:14:35.270 - 00:14:52.720

you're moving away from your family, to come in and start a new life I have been getting so that was like it was both mix, you know uh leaving the family but that excitement of you know starting a new life and all and coming here honestly have

00:14:52.730 - 00:15:09.380

been uh it had been positive like you know we have, we had like you know a lot of cousins and all with the help and and yeah, I mean it was, it was not that easy because you, you know you leave everything and you have to

00:15:09.380 - 00:15:29.250

start everything from fresh and learning, learning the Canadian um culture and work and anywhere where I used to go, they said oh do you have Canadian experience, that was that was the hardest part like you know what do you say like you, I mean if I

00:15:29.250 - 00:15:44.810

haven't worked off if nobody hires me, how am I going to get that Canadian experience. Right? So it was being a little difficult and few places, oh do you have Canadian experiences and no, I don't but I mean I was fortunate that we were, I was

00:15:44.810 - 00:15:59.600

able to find some, some place that there was okay, no problem, I will hire you just come in and and then obviously my work for me, such a passionate thing that I never even had a hard, like even when I was working, I never think that

00:15:59.610 - 00:16:15.790

oh I'm working for somebody, I'm just working for that person for that, how what I can do to help that person individually right? Never thought like this is not my place or that I just like we just worked and help individual whoever is, you know that

00:16:15.790 - 00:16:32.990

I am behind the chair and that's my full, full passion to help that person to achieve confidence and her look and her style in anything which whichever way. [MB]: So did you work in a salon? And is that what you're saying? [SW]: Yes, I did work in a

00:16:32.990 - 00:16:51.570

salon. So I worked in a salon just to see like, you know what is what really I I'm looking for like, you know, because back home we did everything like you know bridal and synthetic hair cut every like all that. So, but coming here was like

00:16:51.580 - 00:17:05.250

they were just not, they don't have like much of a salon that they would just do um you know like everything right. It was it was a salon just will do hair and color and form and things like that which is fine which is still my

00:17:05.260 - 00:17:24.190

work like I still love to do that but I was looking for something that I can be able to do everything under one roof right? And it's kind of a one stop shop. How I got that is like you know we have a few friends

00:17:24.190 - 00:17:41.190

that who lived here and I started off with the you know my with my aunt and all that and then they have cousins and their friends and all that and then some of the funny thing is like some of the family at that time they were

00:17:41.200 - 00:17:58.990

growing the girls have grown up and um about the time of the marriage and then we'll go back to Pakistan for clothes shopping right? And then open to my mom's salon help and then my mom was like oh you know I'm from Canada. So I

00:17:58.990 - 00:18:14.170

said oh my daughter is there and it's just for the wedding for makeup. Oh yeah here's the number, go call her right? So I've got quite a few you know that at that time the word of mouth the first year and the second year I was

00:18:14.170 - 00:18:30.810

the kind of the time that I was because I was getting my license, I would still have to get my driver's license and my my my hair license. Um, so all that, the first year that I wanted to make, you know, make sure that I get

00:18:30.820 - 00:18:52.110

all the, so that and set my, my road ahead of me. [MB]: Mhmm it's so interesting that it just started in Pakistan that what we're talking about word of mouth. [SW]: In fact, yeah. In fact right now at this point we have quite a few numbers of clients

00:18:52.110 - 00:19:10.260

that have become that we've been doing like three generations and one of them, just one, one family is like the fourth generation. So the great granddaughter come, she, she was here just last week just before the lockdown, the last day of the lockdown she came in, I

00:19:10.260 - 00:19:27.640

used to do her great grandmother and uh yes, in Lahore, That's like, so amazing that I mean, you know, like if you think about it, that you think like the world is like, you know, so big and then, but it's so small and how we

00:19:27.640 - 00:19:42.660

really think when I was at the age of 17 and I was cutting the, you know, the ladies hair that I'm going to be doing her great granddaughters hair, right? I mean it's like nothing. I mean you can't even imagine that. And that's also in Canada.

00:19:44.040 - 00:20:07.000

Yeah. Why? So, so see see the circle of like, like, you know that the South Asian community and like, you know, it's so deep, right? That people that I have done with that then and now I'm meeting them now, you know, with this, with their um

00:20:07.010 - 00:20:32.360

generations with with all the family tree. [MB]: Yeah. That's crazy. So you just said you were 17 when you did her her great grandmother's hair. So when did you start? Exactly. I don't think I clarified that. [SW]: I started at the age of 14. So I have not

00:20:32.360 - 00:20:58.310

even finished my, I think I just did my elementary so and like that is that's what about like the good thing about like how as a family, like my cousins and my and my mom, we all grew up together right? And we, we supported each other and being a

00:20:58.320 - 00:21:16.600

minority in Pakistan and uh we didn't feel that at all. Like I said all the all, all our South Asian friends were like we just feel like they just so welcoming, we welcome them, they welcome us. So we live like they will come to a house where

00:21:16.600 - 00:21:35.910

we eat together and there was no difference, right? So for me to be part of that and I learned so much even though I know for the schooling or anything, but I've learned so much from my, my life, my, you know everyday life with people who

00:21:35.910 - 00:21:54.190

comes to the salon and every little thing that I, you know the talk or something, I will pick up all the nuggets from them and from all the experience that I have been working, you know analyzing, looking at things, but my cousin would teach me, she

00:21:54.200 - 00:22:11.680

was my mentor. By sixteen and a half she says she's ready to open a salon. So my mom and myself, we, we branch out and we opened the salon. Mhm. And since then we've been working, so that's why now this pandemic, I mean we're in the

00:22:11.680 - 00:22:33.850

age of pandemic, closing that for five months. It's like I've never even had that for my, you know, my mat, my mat leave wasn't even like my mat leave was like maybe eight weeks or even less. [MB]: Was this as long as you've gone without without working. [SW]: Yeah. Yeah.

00:22:33.860 - 00:22:54.810

So um it's a little crazy and especially if you're working every all the time. Um it's just just so, you know, you feel like, what am I, you know, you have that anxiety, you have that um it's almost, I won't say like maybe depression, but it

00:22:54.810 - 00:23:11.940

is, it is like that have that a lot of, a lot of anxiety build up like, you know, help people and not just myself, it's like helping others too, right, and they are in their mental health right? When we open for that one month, like from

00:23:11.950 - 00:23:31.350

last month, uh just from February to March now it's closed again. Um Well people have missed that, you know, to come to the salon. [MB]: Yeah, just people want a sense of normalcy in their life. [SW]: Yeah, exactly, exactly. And when they came they felt like so good.

00:23:31.360 - 00:23:48.280

It boost up their confidence and it boost up their mental health, they were like so happy and you know, I mean just just to have that quiet moment for themselves, right? It just made me feel good that I was able to help them and then coming

00:23:48.280 - 00:24:14.470

in and talking about different things and food and all that. You know, one of our main thing is about food we love like Asian and South Asian curry, we make at home, it's a huge part of our cuisine. [MB]: Mhm. Yeah, so I mean so for you, because I just

00:24:14.470 - 00:24:30.060

I feel like I'm getting this from you, but like what do you think keeps you going like what's your favorite part about running a salon or just doing what you do? [SW]: Oh my gosh running a salon. I mean doing what I do is like I

00:24:30.070 - 00:24:53.680

love seeing people being, I like I said, you know having that confidence, having that mental health of like, oh my gosh, you know the mindset that I I am worth it, I'm beautiful, I help people from beauty from inside out um and anything like you know

00:24:53.690 - 00:25:15.550

if that makes me that I can help them in being whether they're being a bride or somebody coming in just for haircut, you know, showing them the styling and just making that little difference in their life, it's like and then somebody come and say Shirley you've

00:25:15.560 - 00:25:32.840

made me so happy that makes me so happy. [MB]: Mhm. Yeah. But yeah, I can imagine a lot of people have probably said that about you, you're so like, you're such a popular name in the industry, like I've heard about you my whole life, pretty much. Yeah.

00:25:33.240 - 00:25:59.770

[SW]: Thank you so much, I feel so blessed um and grateful for everybody that's been been so kind to me, right? And the words that they say about me and um it's like, I cannot imagine that how grateful I am that the people are so, so amazing, so amazing.

00:25:59.770 - 00:26:17.940

Whoever is in my life, you know, everybody, everybody from people who have heard about me and who have not seen me and then who meet me afterwards, like, you know, so all that and I feel like, you know, my my mom have taught my grandmother actually

00:26:17.940 - 00:26:35.350

has taught me uh something that she said that, you know, do things that you love to do and do it from your full heart, don't do it half hearted. Yeah, it's not really something that I learned from her and anything that we would pick up and

00:26:35.350 - 00:26:55.960

help people doesn't matter. You know, whether it's it's for it's for an exchange of money or it's not whatever we have, you know, whatever I have decided that this is for, whether it's for charity or whether it's for like, you know, for work exchange um doesn't

00:26:55.960 - 00:27:13.930

matter, doesn't matter, You will just have to do, not even have to do it, this is like this is this is it, you do it from your heart. [MB]: That's nice. Um so, okay, just want to circle back, it's just something you said before. So

00:27:13.930 - 00:27:33.100

you said you worked with your family. So it's, I'm assuming it's a family run business, right? Yes. So how would how important would you say it is that you run it with your family? Like how important is family to you in that sense? [SW]: Oh yeah. I

00:27:33.100 - 00:27:53.020

mean family is everything to me and uh I think you can understand and then coming from the south asian family culture and I feel like it's all about family, right? I feel it's more than any anybody, you know, like it's we I mean there's a huge

00:27:53.020 - 00:28:10.310

importance in that because we can lift up each other, we can help each other. We can even if let's say we left something off somebody else can pick it up. Mhm. Um With uh our salon here, we have uh I have, I have Richard, my husband

00:28:10.310 - 00:28:29.040

is also part of the business. So he takes like he looks after everything. I mean and my daughter is there to help him as well. Like, you know, admin and all the office work. My sister is there to help with the other three. There are

00:28:29.050 - 00:28:50.750

three people in that group, to do all the behind the scenes right for us and he...I have two sisters. Three, yeah, two more other sisters which is Maggie and Jenny. Um when I left off, came to Canada, they picked up. Right? So Jenny and Maggie was looking

00:28:50.750 - 00:29:05.730

after the place. In fact there was one, I don't mean to say like anything negative about this one person who was working at the salon, they heard her saying like, you know, if we leave, you know, like there's some of them, they will never survive. Like,

00:29:05.730 - 00:29:22.850

you know, they will never survive. So, I mean, yeah, my sister heard it and things like that. It was so heartbroken that when you treat somebody, you know like as a family and then when somebody says that it's heartbroken. So then we says, no, we need

00:29:22.850 - 00:29:46.820

to stand strong and we need to support each other. This is our our family, we need to take care of that. Yeah, that imagine, right. Um, that, that type of strength a family give when, when you work in your family. So my, like I said again,

00:29:46.820 - 00:30:10.610

my grandmother, my uh, my my dad and all is totally about taking care of family. When we were coming from India to Bangladesh and we were crossing the border. My grandmother could not even walk and he piggy backed, you know, my grandmother, he helped walk and

00:30:10.610 - 00:30:31.600

he carried him, uh her, right across the border. My mom carried me and she was like young, she was 20 years old and I was only like 13 months, right? So, when you stick together. It's funny that there's a story about this one man was bringing

00:30:31.610 - 00:30:47.450

uh they have here five son. And he goes he goes like bring me a stick. So he brought a stick. He says, now can you break it? So he they were easily break the stick. And then the third the second son and the third son, everybody

00:30:47.450 - 00:31:07.870

was like, oh this is easy. And he says, okay, give me and he he combined all five sticks together and he says now to each and everyone to break that it could not, it was strong. Yeah. Right. So working in unity looking with family is amazing if

00:31:07.870 - 00:31:27.840

you can, you know, because sometimes there's some circumstances that you cannot but if you can I think it's a it's a great asset. [MB]: Yeah, that's nice. Um so your salon that you started here, the one that you run with your sisters and your husband now

00:31:27.840 - 00:31:44.140

and your family that I'll just ask it, I don't want to speak for you. So just can you tell me just like when you opened it and like um what what made you want to open it here? Exactly like in Peel? Because you had one in Lahore.

00:31:44.140 - 00:32:01.870

Right? [SW]: So yeah, okay, so very exciting. So I'll be when I moved here. So I was like in Markham. So we moved and we're in Scarborough for a little bit but then moved to Markham. Um so a lot of our clientele we had some in in

00:32:01.870 - 00:32:20.610

Markham as well. But in a lot of uh in York. So A lot of my client that's coming from Peel 95% of my of my people like my clients were coming from from Peel Region and they will always say and when they come they would

00:32:20.620 - 00:32:38.220

become for a as a as a for the bridal appointments. And there will be some that will drive pre-bridal services, they will come to Markham right? And every time I, every, pretty much every day, every day I will hear Shirley, I think you need

00:32:38.220 - 00:32:56.870

to come to Peel, Shirley I think you need to come to Peel. We love you, we come all the way. So for me I was thinking it would be nice for me to help them more often if I'm there for them closer. So uh and people will

00:32:56.870 - 00:33:20.510

be shocked. That's essentially how, you drive 50 minutes, 45 minutes. And uh I mean back then was 401, we didn't have 407, so 407 thank god we have 407 now, um driving like an hour to come to work, you know Peel and helping all my clients you know

00:33:20.510 - 00:33:37.070

to make it easier for them. So I'll bring myself to Peel, love Peel. In fact when I was coming to when I was every every weekend or would come to Peel to do my bridal makeup and you know have all the clients. Back then didn't even

00:33:37.070 - 00:33:52.240

have GPS or anything. I would have like the yellow pages. I was not familiar with people most of the time, you know because it was far, I will stop by the gas station and pay phone, you know the bell pay phone. You guys probably have never

00:33:52.250 - 00:34:10.750

ever used to... [MB]: I have, I have. [SW]: So pay phone, go to the gas station ask and maps and all that. You know, I'm learning, you know, reading the map and everything. So coming then was like it was, it was harder. It's not like now you would just

00:34:10.750 - 00:34:27.460

open up your GPS and it'll take you. Right? And so and then it was funny that was driving and I go how imagine that your brain, you know like what's going on in south of Mississauga right now we are in on Burnhamthorpe and Mavis. So

00:34:27.470 - 00:34:40.430

on Burnhamthorpe there used to be a hotel. I think it's called Novotel, right? I think it's still there. There's a like a, it's like a bronze-y building. Right? So this is what and I go, it would be nice that if I have a

00:34:40.440 - 00:35:03.730

place, a salon somewhere around somewhere around here. Right. And guess what? Like I manifested it, it's there. And how and your question was like why did I started that? That was another thing that I wanted my family to come to Canada. You know, and because I was

00:35:03.730 - 00:35:16.160

all alone, I was by myself right and of course with my family but I didn't have my brothers and sisters. My mom would come and visit my parents would come and visit but I really would want to them. I said okay we have a salon. We

00:35:16.160 - 00:35:35.220

can have the same thing that how we did it in Pakistan that we all work together. Yeah. Right. So my sister-in-law works which is my brother's um wife and she's Pakistani. Mhm. And and so my my brother he works, he helps me he you know

00:35:35.220 - 00:35:56.240

in in photography as well. And uh yeah, I mean it's just like family but that is what I always have been my thing that it would be so awesome that we all work together. Yeah. [MV]: And it's happening now. Yeah. [SW]: Yeah and it's it's yes, I think

00:35:56.240 - 00:36:12.340

that my mind is so powerful that you know you can manifest anything, you have the information, you have that visual, you know visualization, you visualize that. It would be so amazing to have the whole family there. It would be amazing that I'll be doing brides and

00:36:12.340 - 00:36:34.760

bringing the culture, helping people, you know back in the days that when we were coming group that became with hardly any any place any um like South Asian maybe stores or you know now back then it might be just a handful of artists wow right. And I

00:36:34.760 - 00:36:57.020

would know maybe through um you know like bridal shows or through magazine prints and and then having that here to be able to do the whole styling right? Because at that time there were not too many. So you used to put it together with a, remember

00:36:57.020 - 00:37:12.550

is the aunts you know like maybe your aunt will get you ready. I'm sure this is how you put your jewelry but not like it, but they don't know exactly that the professional way. Um and then for me to provide that for them, that was like, oh

00:37:12.630 - 00:37:31.690

I'm free. I you know, I'm so happy that somebody can help me. You know, So that was that was a great joy of you know, being able to help the bride because then they grew up here uh you know, some of the second generation not knowing

00:37:31.690 - 00:37:48.580

where you know how to put things together where to look up things for, right? So for me to be there was like, you know the full trust and calling them up and seeing the joy on their face and bringing the rich culture. You know, it was just

00:37:48.580 - 00:38:05.570

so amazing. [MB]: yeah, I can imagine. I mean I don't, I mean I think you said this, there weren't a lot of South Asian, these facilities that you provide, like they weren't really popular back then. So you think you were one of the first, you're like the 1st

00:38:05.570 - 00:38:25.800

one, one of right? [SW]: I've been, til now, I've been told that I'm a pioneer of uh of the South Asian bridal, you know, in the bridal industry. [MB]: Is it just, do they say anywhere specific or just in general? [SW]: Say that again? [MB]: Like anywhere specific, because like,

00:38:25.810 - 00:38:41.880

are they talking about Peel or the GTA, or just in general like you're like the first. [SW]: Everywhere, I mean because there's a lot of South Asian in like you know in North York and you know even like uh people in in the States have heard because because of

00:38:41.880 - 00:38:59.750

the marriage, like you know girls coming from the States and the guy is going, you know, so because you know South Asian wedding have like five different days, right? So they have a party, they have Nikkah, they have like you know, reception, and Mehndi and Maiya,

00:38:59.760 - 00:39:16.360

so there's a lot of occasions for them to come, they get a chance to come and get ready and get all done. So, and it is so exciting to see all this. [MB]: Yeah, I mean it's that I want to ask you so what do you think specifically

00:39:16.360 - 00:39:34.910

about Peel? Because you are so well known, just you just said like every pretty much everywhere like in North America and even in Pakistan, so what do you think there is about Peel, about the diaspora here, that's so specific. [SW]: Okay, so can you repeat the question

00:39:34.910 - 00:39:52.310

again? [MB]: So like what do you think it is about Peel specifically like the South Asian diaspora here, that's so like, I don't know, just made you want to open, because I know you said that people asked you to right, so just like is there, do you

00:39:52.310 - 00:40:14.900

think there's anything different about Peel than other places or no? [SW]: Um yeah, I feel like I honestly the more at first time that, that when I came from past 30 years I've been always being around Peel Region every weekend I'm driving and then you know attracted

00:40:14.910 - 00:40:33.350

to like because at times after the funny thing is like afterwards I will look for even till now you know we will look for any um bakeries or sweet place and all the, all the yummy you know um chaat and you know the other, all the

00:40:33.350 - 00:40:54.670

snacks and everything after work. It's just a joy of like having that, you know when we go to think of connecting food, you know in, in, in our, in our lives. And so that was something that I, I feel like very deeply connected to the Peel Region. That's

00:40:54.670 - 00:41:17.020

why like I said we moved even, you know, I mean we open our business in Peel to serve all our beautiful Asian, South Asian friends. Yeah, yeah. Uh so did that answer your question? I'm not sure. [MB]: Yeah yeah. Just to elaborate. Um I feel like you

00:41:17.020 - 00:41:34.970

touched on this already but how important do you think opening this kind of business was not just back then, but even now just because the south asian bridal scene is so popular um specifically I know you have other things that you offer, but I feel like

00:41:34.970 - 00:41:53.520

just the bridal is so significant. I don't know if it's just me but how what do you think about that? [SW]: Oh my gosh yeah bride for me is everything like I don't know I mean I feel every time that bride comes in front of me, is always feel that

00:41:53.530 - 00:42:15.420

that's the first right? So I I do Punjabi wedding so the Punjabi Sikh or Hindu wedding is very early in the morning. So and then it follows like the Pakistani wedding is usually in the afternoon, you know like about two, three or one o'clock we start at 12 like

00:42:15.420 - 00:42:37.500

something like and then and then it goes down to the the evening it doesn't matter how much you know like uh time that I spent the last bride would be like my first bride like you know helping them with yourself not that dressing up and everything.

00:42:38.900 - 00:43:02.430

It's really important for the day especially for them. It is to be because that's that's her day, right? Yeah that's her day and then for me as an expert to help them everything together without the stress is uh is 100% satisfying, important that it's really an

00:43:02.440 - 00:43:20.690

important thing for me to make sure that they are taken care of, and uh and I think the need here is um that in in the in the Peel Region for South Asian is there. Their culture is so rich and we want to make make

00:43:20.690 - 00:43:45.460

sure that they preserve it and they have it right? Um So really to me too or for for for the service to be provided like this for for the community is important because that way they can showcase how beautiful the rich and their culture and not

00:43:45.460 - 00:44:06.310

forgetting that right, bringing that. [MB]: So how important would you say it is to maintain your culture, the language of the food especially since I know you have kids that have grown up here. So like how different do you think your experience was than theirs? [SW]: Oh

00:44:07.090 - 00:44:24.470

uh it is, I mean you know what it is, it is a little different because they are born here. They don't necessarily really experience, I mean my daughter and my son they went to I mean we brought them back to Lahore when they were um 18

00:44:24.470 - 00:44:49.210

months and two years or three years so they can't remember any of that and you know, so I mean because as a because as of our group is back it's from Pakistan and from that culture we bring that culture through uh like food and we talk

00:44:49.210 - 00:45:07.680

about oh and then movies like you know if you come to our house was like we will have especially my sister's house, we will have like Bollywood there or um the drama of you know like the Pakistani dramas and all that so they are quite aware

00:45:07.690 - 00:45:27.640

and they see that right and then the food that we bring in on on the table that they love so we will always have like one dish of something like you know of Pakistani food or Indian or you know anything along with Chinese. Yeah so that

00:45:27.640 - 00:45:47.120

and there are it's different but they know that we are from there and they understand they have listened to the music, they have seen the movies. They have enough through food and our friends. Right. [MB]: So so do you think that being in the G. T. A.

00:45:47.130 - 00:46:03.020

sorry, has anything to do with that? Like do you think it would have been different if you had moved or immigrated somewhere else? [SW]: I think so because this place is such a multicultural and and I feel, you know what, hang on, actually I have to tell you

00:46:03.020 - 00:46:25.170

the story. Right? So imagine my cousin my distant cousin who's come from China and who had worked in Pakistan right? She they bought into the culture like the south asian culture the food and everything. So when we went back two years ago she still remember and

00:46:25.170 - 00:46:45.120

they want me to cook for them you know like the curry. Right? So it is it is I'm telling you it is like really strong you once you get in that culture like you know part of the South Asia it's very hard to get away, to get

00:46:45.120 - 00:47:01.230

rid of. So I think it doesn't matter where you are even if you're in a small town or so you know you will still have that connection. Deep connection and I will definitely would have introduced I mean, you know anything any culture that I brought up,

00:47:01.240 - 00:47:30.970

you know where share that with my children. [MB]: Yeah. Yeah. Um sorry, let me just go through my notes again. I mean you've touched on a lot of things that I wanted to get to. I just have a couple more questions. Um sorry. Uh huh. Yes. So yeah, what

00:47:30.970 - 00:47:46.760

does it mean for you to be just a south asian working woman? That's a really broad, like a vague statement, but just what does it mean to you to to just be, you know what I mean? [SW]: I'm...okay for the South Asian women. I feel I'm

00:47:46.760 - 00:48:10.770

proud of who I am, you know and uh being yeah being a woman and not even just South Asian, I think being a woman uh that working and helping people and you understand that you know, I mean that you are worth it right and the

00:48:10.780 - 00:48:31.460

confidence that you build for yourself and for others the good energy and I hope I'm going to do in the right direction. I'm not sure... [MB]: There's no wrong direction. There is no wrong direction. [SW]: There's no wrong direction. Yeah. So I mean, I mean I'm just like I

00:48:31.460 - 00:48:53.380

mean I feel very grateful of who I am and how I have become and what you know what life has taught me and uh me giving giving back um to what I have learned to many people as many as like whether it's South Asian or any

00:48:53.380 - 00:49:14.340

women or anybody in general who comes into my life. Uh huh. I just uh I don't know. [MB]: It's fine, just honestly there's no wrong answer. I was just giving you a vague statement. Yeah. However you wanna interpret it. Yeah. Okay. [SW]: That's what I I

00:49:14.350 - 00:49:38.190

feel and I just thought, you know like you know, being just being a woman and actually what happened is is like how in in in Pakistan I think when we were growing up, we were, my parents have been very protected, right? So as me being oldest,

00:49:38.570 - 00:49:56.400

they will say, you know, you have to give a good example and girls, you know, you have like younger siblings and you're not too so I wasn't brought up in a very protective wall and then there will be a lot of times like maybe um the

00:49:56.410 - 00:50:16.100

things that you don't say, you know, and and then also being over there they will say, you know, you're just because of all the male dominant um country, right? You know, for women as for me, you know as that it was kind of you just you

00:50:16.100 - 00:50:33.020

just don't say anything, you just work like, you know, but it's so different. I don't know, it's not like I don't care but I can stay up stand up confidently and say, you know um all those things really doesn't matter and um you love woman who

00:50:33.030 - 00:50:54.760

can't be you know, be who you are and stand up for your right and say what you think. Mhm. Like as I said, I said, oh I don't know if it's like can I say that or not? You know? [MB]: No, no, yeah. This is your interview. [SW]: Yeah. So

00:50:54.760 - 00:51:14.580

but then Yeah. And then it was it was very uh but it was great. I mean people were there the girls and the friends we have like beautiful, beautiful family that we always you know together and feel like family too. [MB]: Mm hmm. So do you think,

00:51:15.060 - 00:51:28.850

I mean how different do you think it would have been if you if you had stayed in Pakistan, do you think you would have been able to work as as much as you do now or I mean I don't want to put words in your mouth.

00:51:28.860 - 00:51:46.660

But yeah. [SW]: I think absolutely. Absolutely. I mean, you know you can there is doesn't matter where you are and I feel like you know, you can help them in any part of the world, right? And they're the same. I mean we all that's the whole thing

00:51:46.670 - 00:52:16.080

was just like and and skin different different features and all that. But women, you know, women are women like there's nowhere anywhere you can help can help people, you can inspire....It's a part of the world, there's no difference, right. [MB]: Yeah, that's true. Yeah. Um I'm gonna give

00:52:16.080 - 00:52:36.030

you another vague statement. I just I just kind of want to just it's very vague but um what does it mean to you to be South Asian, especially considering that you don't stereotypically look South Asian and just I don't know like what has your experience been

00:52:36.030 - 00:52:57.960

like in that sense here and in Pakistan? [SW]: Okay. Okay. Uh well it's they're all positive like all positive. Like I said, you know like I may look a certain way but I am totally well both ways. Like everybody has been like very welcoming and never have

00:52:57.960 - 00:53:20.210

seen like any races like oh asian looking, you know asian looking why why do I look this way? And then, but I am South Asian right? So it always has been a very positive thing. From here, Like when I came here, nobody could think that I would be able

00:53:20.220 - 00:53:43.730

to speak the language. That was something I always would have amazed people that oh my gosh! You speak the language and they will be very, you know, shocking, and and they will love and people love it. I was able to connect you know, mom's everybody. You know because

00:53:43.730 - 00:54:03.220

I feel that there's a connection there. Like you know, there's a kind of a bond, every in human, you know, nature, we are all about like herd like we want to be together, we want to be familiar with one another, right? And for me to be

00:54:03.220 - 00:54:19.730

able to connect uh that way, you know and for them to connect with me it's just so nice that it just feels the sense of like security or says, oh yeah, she knows like, you know, she can, because you can speak the language and at the

00:54:19.730 - 00:54:42.320

same time it's just a plus thing like, you know, oh, I can get my beautiful hair done, and plus you can speak the language, right? So I think both there and here and, and then the culture it's so nice that I am be able to use that and connect people in

00:54:42.320 - 00:55:12.540

that way from more even Yeah, Hearty way. I don't know if that's the word, I don't know either, but it's just like it just feels that warm and yeah, Yeah. [MB]: Yeah. Uh, so how would you define South Asian I guess then just being South Asian? How

00:55:12.540 - 00:55:37.350

would you define that? Because I think, I think people have a very narrow perception um, of what being South Asian is. [SW]: Yeah, I know. Okay. I maybe I have also like experienced one few times that when I said, oh I'm because I look different right? So

00:55:37.350 - 00:55:54.370

I'm not as like Asia and I said, oh I'm from South Asia. But then I feel like few times their thinking kind of change the mentality does this mindset, that's me, oh, you're from Pakistan. But first they thought, oh, I'm from somebody somewhere else and all that.

00:55:54.370 - 00:56:12.880

And then as soon as they say from Pakistan, not many times, not very often, but sometimes, um, so you know, but I'm proud to be, you know, say that I'm south asian and I'm from Pakistan I'm from India, I was born in India just said that right.

00:56:12.890 - 00:56:33.780

And then, but most of the time I get positive, that's it. [MB]: Yeah. Okay, that's good. Honestly. Yeah. [SW]: Um really, it's not that you see as a person just the skin. I mean we all, we're all the same, right? Mhm. But I like to create people like so beautiful.

00:56:33.790 - 00:56:48.310

But I think there's a lot of like now they have a lot the love for South Asia, like the colorful they want. In fact, some of the brides that I've done like the white gowns and dresses, ours are so boring, you know, I wish I could wear

00:56:48.310 - 00:57:07.340

like the lehengas and the colorful outfit. Yeah. Yeah. And actually I had one girl, she's Iranian and when she got married. So instead of her wearing white gown, she wore a Pakistani lehenga. [MB]: Oh really? [SW]: Yeah and she was so happy. She was like happy. It was

00:57:07.340 - 00:57:26.640

like a few years ago, maybe about maybe 10 years ago. [MB]: Just was she marrying someone South Asian or just...[SW]: No, no, she just married in another Iranian guy. [MB]: She just... oh okay. [SW]: Yeah, so it was, it was pretty, pretty cool and she was so happy. I still

00:57:26.640 - 00:57:49.620

remember she wrote like a turquoise lehenga, you know. [MB]: and yeah, I think Pakistani bridals are so gorgeous, like makeup and everything and you get brides done all the time. Um Yeah, that's yeah. [SW]: No, no, they love it. Uh so many people, I have so many things

00:57:49.620 - 00:58:06.770

that like that, our is like, you know but we just love and they were just like amazed and they love it. They just and I know there's a lot of interracial like inter, you know like mixed marriages you know and they love doing

00:58:06.770 - 00:58:23.380

that, they love wearing the outfit and also learning about the culture too. Yeah, I will give them some guidance you know okay so this is what you do this what okay how do I have to sit and what kind of outfit to wear you know so

00:58:23.380 - 00:58:47.350

I pair with them like you know, different saris, or salwar kameez and just connect them with people, businesses right? Like jewelry and outfits [MB]: So yeah you are probably probably really interconnected with a lot of south asian businesses here I would assume. [SW]: Yea, a lot and very supportive I

00:58:47.350 - 00:59:07.890

think you know we have worked with so many different vendors and people connected with the bridal everybody with honestly you just have to pick up the phone ask them and they were just ready ready to help. I mean look at that, I mean we love watching

00:59:07.900 - 00:59:28.700

um some of the food um food travelers who eats who goes to you know India and Pakistan and all that one thing that I noticed in Pakistan, you know it doesn't matter, it could be a small vendor and the food you know over the cart, they

00:59:28.710 - 00:59:45.040

are such a big heart that they will not even charge a single penny from them. It could be like 60 cents of that plate. Right? But they said no, no, no. I mean they, it's 60 cents for them is huge. Right? One plate is one plate.

00:59:46.020 - 01:00:01.160

They worked so hard. But they have such a big heart. That's one thing we always notice how and then as I mean we've been brought up like that right? So we know we always invite people to come to the house. The door is welcome. The doors open.

01:00:01.160 - 01:00:18.630

You're welcome to come in. We feed people. You know, we welcome them and we have to say, come and stay here with us One dinner has not even finished the second dinner's invitation is already there. Right. They say, come back and the same thing we

01:00:18.640 - 01:00:36.320

always have like our doors are always open. Never feel you know, So I'm so like when we, when I go to brides at the house right? So all the people like they're so hospitable, right? You know they were bring things that you keep on telling you

01:00:36.320 - 01:00:55.630

must have this or if you are not having, their always say Okay here take it, take it home. That, that warm, that beautiful family culture is amazing. Which is like so much in love. Mm hmm I think this can be useful. You can, you can take it

01:00:55.640 - 01:01:20.040

with you anywhere. [MB]: Yeah, especially in the diaspora right here just, Pakistani love. [SW]: I know pandemic is like uh we can, you know do this, we have to play twice, you know? I think it's very hard for everybody, but I feel like it's more so for the for the for

01:01:20.040 - 01:01:38.250

the culture, for south asian culture, right? Because we have all well, you know how they say you can't mingle you can't. Um Yes, I mean totally. But when you have one big family, like if my sisters and I were working from the salon, we're working together

01:01:38.260 - 01:01:53.640

and then we have a different home, we're working together or we go home and we said no we're not going to come to you. Like, you know, it's like very hard. It's hard. I mean I would just hope this whole pandemic thing. [MB]: I know, I hope

01:01:53.640 - 01:02:19.880

so too. [SW]: Soon and then we can be all together again. [MB]: Hopefully. Yeah, I mean hopefully by the end of this year Hope you get to run your salons properly. [SW] Oh no, we're locked down for another 28 days, so let's see what happens. [MB]: Yeah. Um Yeah, I think

01:02:19.880 - 01:02:36.210

you pretty much covered everything that I wanted to talk about? Um I mean, yeah, like I'm just looking at my notes and I'm pretty sure you just checked everything. Um Is there anything else you want to add or do you think this is like a good

01:02:36.210 - 01:02:59.030

stopping point? [SW]: Um I think I have, I pretty much covered everything that you wanted to ask. [MB]: I mean pretty much for the most. Yeah, I think so. I mean all my questions were just, you mean you've covered all the topics pretty much. Yeah. [SW]: Oh maybe I

01:02:59.040 - 01:03:17.920

don't know you have like one I think one of the questions that you was saying that will the, you know how in in the city of Peel um like the businesses, I mean I feel like maybe back then was very little like I think I can,

01:03:17.930 - 01:03:38.730

I can no add more a little bit about that. Yeah so back when I came in at that time was not that many, it's not that many south asian beauty you know uh to help people at that time but now like it's a lot of, a

01:03:38.740 - 01:03:59.770

lot of think about us and businesses that have come up right in the GTA but mostly the Peel Region. The positive thing is great because there's a lot of, we can use those services right? And at the same time I feel that people who are

01:03:59.770 - 01:04:24.780

coming up should, you know be that the, you know the upcoming would really, I think invested their time to learn deeply more about the culture and even styling the proper way or they can give more value to all the clients and people who are in need who

01:04:24.780 - 01:04:44.310

are looking out for those services right? [MB]: There's so many people here anything, there's so many brow artist just popping up all over the place. [SW]: Everywhere, everywhere, but I I just find that you know will be really um to help to help you know to do every when they're

01:04:44.310 - 01:05:02.760

doing clients and they need to really kind of say okay, you know what we need to do is really in a professional way that way they can, you know, really provide a good service and the right service for them and not feeling oh um really giving

01:05:02.760 - 01:05:24.080

the value to the clients. [MB]: Yeah the comfort is really important just having that support I think. [SW]: Exactly. Yeah and I'm here like I always like, you know, helping people if there's some makeup artists, the new ones that come up, you know, they say if there's any need

01:05:24.080 - 01:05:45.720

of help and all, it's always like I'm always there to help them out. [MB]: Mhm Oh okay. I mean because you're such a big popular name. That would make sense. Um Yeah, I mean do you, do you maybe want to elaborate a little bit on?

01:05:46.790 - 01:06:07.500

Yeah, just how important you think your role is in Peel. I mean I know you've touched on it like a few times but I just feel like because you're such a popular name, just like how do you think you've maybe like influence the bridal? The south

01:06:07.500 - 01:06:33.500

asian bridal scene not just in Peel but in the GTA or North America. [SW]: No um well my role, I feel like my duty is to really um inspire, you know South Asian, yeah, whether it will be a professional, wanting to become into a makeup artistry or hairstylist

01:06:33.880 - 01:07:03.690

and um, and then for their clients to be able to be comfortable, you know, doing getting services done right. So like for me to, I would love to continue um, help the upcoming artists and inspiring them and to, you know, so that they can continue uh the culture

01:07:03.690 - 01:07:30.760

and their knowing what's really best for them and for them meaning, you know, of course for themselves and for others too. Yeah. Does that answer your question. [MB]: Um, yeah, I think you've, you've covered everything. I was just, yeah, I think, I mean I said this to you beforehand,

01:07:30.760 - 01:07:50.360

but yeah. [SW]: Um, so I think also I feel like, you know these days there's a lot of um, I mean back then when I came there was no social media, there was nothing right and everything was just word of mouth and I was like, I think

01:07:50.360 - 01:08:06.550

I found a little bit about that that you know, my mom would say, oh Shirley's there you know, there's somebody over them out. Somebody getting married. Let's say go to her. So you really have to um show your work, I mean really do that on person.

01:08:06.550 - 01:08:28.880

So the feeling, you know how they feel and the word goes out right? Um, it's very different now, to see work on social media but just see work on social media, but you don't feel that experience, you know, it's different, you know what I mean? Like

01:08:28.890 - 01:08:48.190

if let's say I've got you ready and your experience with me would be so different if you're talking to somebody right, mm hmm. That word of mouth It was hard because it was just like one, to the next to the next. And even then I was able

01:08:48.190 - 01:09:09.690

to help people and build my business So working hard I would say is is the key, working hard meaning, true to yourself. Like when you have done something, when you have given that service to that bride or to your client, you will, you will

01:09:09.690 - 01:09:28.230

be able to sleep well at night because you know that you have done something great for them, right? And not just the pictures on social media because uh that that is great. I mean the technology is there, it's so much easier for people to look up.

01:09:28.240 - 01:09:50.020

Hey, I'm gonna just, make up artist. Let me look up, right. In our case, back 30 years ago. It's totally word of mouth or even going to bridal shows, magazine print, that was I think now is like easier. But I just wanted to say that you

01:09:50.020 - 01:10:16.590

know, to continue new others like, you know, continue to inspire people and work hard and true to yourself and to your clients that you know, so I think that yes, something that you will grow and be successful. [MB]: Mhm Yeah, I mean it's changed so much since you

01:10:16.590 - 01:10:42.000

started Yeah, it's been... [SW]: Started with nothing, with no GPS. [MB]: Yeah, completely different ball game. [SW]: There's no social media and I think, and with a small, you know, just coming in with knowing nobody, what do you know the business, Right? And then now here, yeah, look where

01:10:42.000 - 01:11:01.370

you are. Like, I don't know, I've seen so many, so many, I mean like the part of the beauty industry grew, like within this last 10 years. Yeah, it's amazing. And then a lot of things has to be contributed by social media really. When instagram started

01:11:01.380 - 01:11:33.870

facebook started, right? And that's how I mean, it's great. It's a great tool to have, right? But more than that, your, as a person, uh, skill set a mindset. Right? Mm hmm. Yeah. [MB]: Yeah. Okay. Um, so yeah, covered everything. Um, I really enjoyed talking to you.

01:11:33.880 - 01:12:00.560

I think you're so interesting. I think you're like a really good person to represent Peel in the South Asian diaspora. Um, yeah. [SW]: Thank you so much. Thank you. And then if there's anything missing or something I can come on and you know, mm hmm. Thanks. Okay.

01:12:00.570 - 01:12:14.180

[MB]: Um, sorry, let me just, I'm just going to end the recording now, is that okay? Yeah. Okay. Recording now and then post this