Client Cameo: Moji Agha

Cultivate is so fortunate to provide services for such a diverse client base, and it is our honor to introduce our newest Client Cameo, Moji Agha, a 65 year old client who lives in Boulder. He is an Iranian-American reformist Muslim Sufi monk (or dervish) with a vow of service and poverty. Born and raised in Tehran, Iran, "Brother" Moji is the youngest of eight siblings. He says his (now late) mother was a "supreme manager" of all of her children and educated them about resolving conflict nonviolently. For example she taught them that "if you drop your end of the rope (voluntarily) the fight will end."  Mr. Agha is now a seasoned nonviolence, peace, democracy, human rights, and Earth activist, but he is not able to go back to Iran. If he does he will be imprisoned or possibly executed due to his nonviolent activism work.

With his family's help, Moji came to North America at the age of 19, in order to gain a higher education. He didn't return to Iran because of the 1979 Revolution. He studied agriculture in Nova Scotia, Canada, and obtained his undergraduate degree from McGill University in Montreal, Quebec. Subsequently, Moji received two Masters degrees in psychology (University of West Georgia and Duquesne University in Pennsylvania) and nearly finished his doctoral dissertation at Saybrook University in California. 

Besides Canada (and now Colorado), Mr. Agha has lived, studied, worked, and pursued activism in many states of the U.S., including Georgia, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, California, Arizona, New Mexico, Idaho, Washington, North Dakota, Nevada and Texas. While living in Northern California he founded a nonprofit for the Persian-speaking and Middle Eastern communities. He taught counseling and cross-culturally psychology courses (California State University, Hayward) and later was a part-time faculty member at the University of Phoenix, teaching psychology and cultural diversity studies.

Besides being a mental health professional for over two decades, throughout Moji's 40+ year career, he has founded many nonprofit organizations and projects, including: Persian-speaking and Middle Eastern Community Services, Iransara Community Organization, Universal Coalition for Interfaith and Intercultural Knowledge and Action, Project on Culture and Conflict, International Institute to Study Climate Change in the Islamic World, Mossadegh Legacy Institute, Iranian Nonviolence Initiative, Culture-analysis Institute, and the Intersectional Circes Initiative.   

Some of Moji's hobbies include playing backgammon and chess, and he writes essays, bilingual poetry (and song lyrics) and scripts for plays. He describes himself as a "peace-seeker" who is "trying to be compassionate and humble." Moji and John Russell (his 85-year-old peace activist housemate) have been using Cultivate services since the start of Covid. They have used both our Carry-Out Caravan and Fix It programs, and appreciate the help they have received.  Moji is grateful to Cultivate volunteers for helping he and John stay independent and healthy.

We thank you "brother" Moji for all the peace, compassion, and care you put out in the world.  It is our honor to help you and John.