With a dual Masters degree in African-American studies and Public Policy from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs, she once worked as a policy advisor for the city of New York but left for a career in the arts. A TED Senior Fellow, author of How to Make White People Laugh, and one of the few Iranian-American Muslim female comedian/filmmakers, Farsad uses humor to defuse tensions on issues of race, religion, and immigration. In her award-winning feature film, The Muslims are Coming!, Farsad took a group of Muslim-American comedian across America to perform, connect with local people, and counteract Islamophobia through humor.