Mehran Khalili
Mehran Khalili is half British and half Iranian. Raised in Luxembourg, he is currently based in Greece where he designs strategy for NGOs, political causes and grassroots organizations as a consultant. To relax, he takes black and white photos.
What do you do?
I’m
a consultant, working
remotely with political movements, NGOs and grassroots activists. My mission is
to give everyday people the tools to challenge power, so they can fix the
world. Or at least, so they can give it a damn good shot!
I’ve got a weekly newsletter which sets out to do this.
But to relax, I take black and white photos. I publish them as projects. And I’m working towards making a book. I actually exhibited my work at the Tafkaj gallery in Geneva a while ago.
Why do you do it?
Photography
for me is like meditation. I do it because I have things to say, things that
this medium helps me to express. And because I can’t imagine not doing it.
When it comes to my work in politics and activism, I remember seeing a Venn diagram once. It said you should find the sweet spot between what you’re good at, what you can be paid for, and what you love doing. I think my work is pretty close to the centre of that diagram. It also makes me feel useful.
When is the last time you felt really good about something?
Probably
last night. I don’t want to get philosophical, but this is a tough time for
humans as a species. So many people have lost so much, and many more stand to
lose.
And I was lying there thinking how I feel grateful for what I have now. No prayer emoji. Just grateful.