PREACH CONVERSATIONS
PREACH Conversations, hosted by Priya Aggarwal‑Shah, is the home of raw, unfiltered dialogue on race, identity, cultural heritage, and the pressing social issues shaping our world. It’s where honesty meets courage, and where diverse voices come together to challenge, inspire, and reimagine what inclusion can look like.
Past Event: An evening with Hashi Mohamed
In January 2025, we hosted an exclusive live interview with renowned author, barrister and broadcaster, Hashi Mohamed, in conversation with PREACH Inclusion® founder, Priya Aggarwal-Shah. The event was hosted at Montagu Evans, one of our valued corporate partners.
The evening was filled with thought-provoking insights, as Hashi shared his powerful journey – from refugee to barrister – offering a candid and relatable discussion on social mobility, inclusion, the housing crisis, and much more.
In addition to the compelling conversation, attendees had the chance to get their copies of Hashi's critically acclaimed debut People Like Us signed, while networking with industry professionals across various sectors.
All proceeds from the event, totalling £880, were donated to Da'aro Youth Project, an organisation supporting refugees and asylum seekers from the Horn of Africa. This charity was personally chosen by Hashi, given his own background as a refugee from Kenya.
Past Event: In conversation with Jaspreet Kaur
As part of our 2026 South Asian Heritage Month (SAHM) event, PREACH Inclusion® partnered with Newmark UK to host a raw and unfiltered conversation with Jaspreet Kaur, author of Brown Girl Like Me.
Following a beautiful spoken-word opening by Jaspreet, the discussion moved through themes of mental health, microaggressions, women’s health, motherhood and more. Underpinning their conversation was intersectionality – that there is diversity in our lived experiences, even within the South Asian community.
The evening took our audience on a powerful journey – inviting them to listen, reflect, and participate. The room was filled with affirming nods, laughter – at times, and even some quiet tears. It was a real reflection of why these conversations matter.
And although the book centres the experiences of brown women – and naturally drew a majority female audience – we were delighted to have men in the room too. Every single one shared how impactful it was to listen to experiences different from their own. That is allyship in action: showing up, even when you’re in the minority.
The conversation continued well into the evening, and many guests shared how they felt “seen and heard”, with many others sharing reflective posts on social media.
“Working with Priya for [the 2026] SAHM in conversation event was such a warm and thoughtful experience. It was honestly one of the best discussions I’ve had around my work. Her questions were meaningful, sensitive and allowed the conversation to feel natural and honest. You could tell from how engaged the audience was that they really connected with it too. I’d love to work with Priya again.”
Past Event: In conversation with Sheela Banerjee
As part of our 2025 South Asian Heritage Month (SAHM) event, PREACH Inclusion® partnered with Newmark UK to deliver an unforgettable evening of dialogue and reflection. At the heart of this event was a live conversation between our founder, Priya Aggarwal-Shah, and Sheela Banerjee, author of What’s In A Name?
In a raw and authentic conversation, Priya and Sheela unpacked the layered meanings behind our names – what makes them beautifully distinctive, and what happens when they’re mispronounced, shortened, or erased. Each of those moments chipping away at our identity, culture, and our sense of belonging.
The evening took the audience on a powerful journey – through race riots, migration stories, the 1947 India-Pakistan Partition, complex social hierarchies, and more. The room was filled with affirming nods and quiet recognition, a reflection of why these conversations matter.
Following the event, there were numerous posts on LinkedIn from attendees sharing reflections on how the event fostered belonging, validation, and a renewed pride in South Asian heritage.
“My conversation with Priya was a deeply rewarding experience. I was blown away by the depth of her preparation, and the sensitivity with which she guided the discussion, allowing for an incredibly engaging, wide-ranging and effortless evening. Priya cultivated a beautiful atmosphere in which I felt safe and supported to give unvarnished answers. And it was a joy to witness our audience respond with equal candour.”
In Conversation with Jassa Ahluwalia hosted at WSP, January 2026.
Many of these photos have kindly been provided by Raj Gedhu.
Cultural diversity in Later Living: our joint event with NLA
For South Asian Heritage Month 2023, we partnered with NLA to host an event focused on later living in South Asian communities. The discussion aimed to address several key topics, including the taboo surrounding later living housing options in many South Asian families, and why multigenerational living remains the preferred choice in these households. Additionally, the conversation explored how architects and developers can incorporate South Asian influences into housing design while still appealing to broader markets, as well as ways to integrate later living developments into town centres to keep older people engaged in the community and economy.
The event, attended by 75 people from the Built Environment sector, sparked a fascinating and candid discussion. Attendees appreciated the chance to hear personal stories and engage in open dialogue about a difficult yet important topic. The networking session that followed further emphasised the strong interest in this subject and the need to continue the conversation moving forward.
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