About
Awesta Zarif is a performing artist, educator, public speaking coach, political campaigner and activist residing in NYC. She was born in Kabul but unfortunately she and her family were forced to flee Afghanistan less than two years after she was born. They spent some years in Germany and eventually settled in San Diego, CA near other family members.
Awesta grew up there and attended the San Diego School of Creative and Performing Arts where she first cultivated her love of acting and singing. She later went on to attend Boston University, College of Fine Arts. She received a B.F.A. degree in Theatre Arts with a minor in Cultural Anthropology.
Disillusioned with the lack of diversity and representation in American theatre and media, Awesta decided to move abroad for a while. She relocated to Shanghai, China and began teaching drama and music. While there, she discovered a flourishing performing arts scene and continued her work as a performer, starring in over 20 plays and several film and TV projects, as well as voicing countless video games, commercials and education apps. While in Shanghai, she also discovered a passion for teaching public speaking and coaching people who were looking to find their professional and personal voice.
Continuing her international journey, Awesta is the recipient of two separate theatre fellowships, one with Accademia dell’Arte in Italy and one with UNESCO’s International Theatre Institute, which took place in Croatia.
Awesta moved to NYC in 2019 where she continues her work as an actor and educator. Since moving back to the states she has started teaching STEM subjects in schools to promote the presence of BIPOC women in the field. In 2021 Awesta worked as communications and social media manager for a progressive, grassroots city council campaign in Queens. Since the fall of Kabul she has been involved with Afghan led organizations as a volunteer, helping to organize protests and rallies in NYC; as well as providing translation and application services to newly arrived Afghans.