Our Journey
In 2016, Show and Heal began as a YouTube channel, aiming to document and challenge stereotypes surrounding local children from misrepresented populations, such as Sikh and Queer communities.
Since then, we evolved into a nonprofit dedicated to providing a holistic solution to the multi-dimensional challenges faced by our youth. Our inclusive after-school enrichment club for high school students encourages exploration of their cultural identities and lived experiences, fostering an environment where they can seek help without judgment.
Our initiatives range from establishing an in-school mental health referral network to offering self-care and self-awareness tools, organising diversity events and trainings, engaging in community service, and creating educational documentaries.
Adapting to the challenges of the pandemic, our brave space shifted online to continue supporting youth mental health.
Today, Show and Heal initiatives in holistic healing and mindfulness, actively working to destigmatize mental health for the youth. Through social media we share the wisdom and beautiful diversity within India, highlighting the interconnectedness of human beings.
Your support can make a significant difference. By making a donation or becoming a supporter, you contribute to our efforts in breaking stereotypes and supporting youth on their holistic healing journey toward self-awareness. Through yoga and diversity education offerings, videos, interviews, and children’s books, we empower young individuals to showcase their authentic selves and contribute to the healing of their communities.
Please donate to support our ongoing efforts in improving the mental health well-being of children and young people.
Photo: Rainbow Homes Orphanage (Hyderabad, Telangana, India)
Meet Founder, Executive Director, Xahej "Xi" Bajipura
"I see myself in others and see others in myself as if I am looking in the mirror. I believe all humans are connected to one another in ways that cannot meet the naked eye but can be felt with an open heart."
As a public school teacher, I became aware of the lack of positive media representation and mental health resources accessible to students of the Global Majority/BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color), and/or queer backgrounds which is why I founded Show and Heal in 2016. Through Show and Heal’s documentaries/social media and innovative yoga, mindfulness and diversity curriculum, I strive to uplift youth of all identities with a holistic approach to mental health, including emotional, physical, and social.
Over the last 17 years in positive youth development, I have had the honor to serve and learn from thousands of youth who have diverse lived experiences and originate from all corners of the globe, including the slums in India, to the streets of San Francisco, a juvenile jail in LA, to public schools and therapeutic residential facilities in Florida. I have discovered that youth are longing for connection, love, acceptance, and belonging. It is my life’s purpose to channel my authenticity and inclusiveness to empower and inspire young people to fully accept themselves and others.
My personal and professional development are intertwined with my training/teaching in yoga, mindfulness, and diversity education.
Currently, I am living in India to center my own mental health, practice what I teach, and develop myself first in order to develop as a leader. As a result, I am integrating my personal experiences/training in 5,000-10,000-year-old practices such as yoga, ayurveda, and meditation into Show and Heal’s offerings to youth. Through social media, I am breaking stereotypes and preconceived notions about India, documenting the diversity of Indian religions, traditions, and practices, and teaching yoga as a holistic lifestyle rather than solely a physical fitness/stretching/asana class.
The following testimonials reflect the diverse ways in which our nonprofit has touched and transformed the lives of individuals, highlighting the importance of what we offer and the positive impact it has on the community.
“My mind was never a safe place with its endless wars within, and parts of my past severed my connection with life. I learned something new every day that contradicted everything I knew before. It destroyed the trust I had with myself. It created doubt in what I experienced, saw, and was told. The way I've always worked is to lead my life with all of the things I trust, and that was taken from me. I began to lose myself in a world where I felt like I knew nothing. It was like the world moved too much, too fast. I lost the ability to connect with anything or anyone.
Then, I met Ms. Xi. She approached me with this organization called Show and Heal.
It was built on peace of the world and everything in it. The connections between people and the world are real. It revealed aspects of the world I didn't even know I stood for like health, truth, love, diversity, and equality (all of the good things in this world that are real). So, Show and Heal became my outlet.
It saved me from myself. It showed me that there are people I can connect to and be myself around. It gave me comfort. I had somewhere to express myself that encouraged my mind, body, heart, and soul. It gave me the ability to learn about the world in a new light where I could meet people, experience new things, and learn how differently everyone saw the world, and I wasn't alone in it.
Show and Heal shows you the wounds of the world, the people in it, and the connections between the two. It shows the connection you need to build with yourself, and it works on healing it. It helps me heal me.”
High school student,
Viviana V. Zelaya
¨Before Show and Heal, I wasn't really participating in anything school-related unless it was sports. I did Track and Cross Country, but I didn't really feel confident during practice because I make third place every time. I would make third place and never any higher. It really made me feel awful and unmotivated.
But, now that I have been introduced to Show and Heal, it boosted my self-esteem learning that I could make anything happen if I just believe in myself. It makes me practice harder to become the very best runner.
Now, I learned that there are other activities besides running. I learned that there are places where people have very serious issues in their countries. For example, they have no food, water, electricity, or freedom like freedom of speech, which is very important. Now that I know this, it makes me want to help, or at least do something that would impact the world, even just a little bit.¨
High school student,
Joseph Mendoza
“I believe what Show and Heal is doing is great since Muslims are being represented in a positive light in social media especially these days since youngsters get their information from social media. Through Show and Heal interviews and videos, it's positive that Muslims are out there explaining that we are not all bad or what news or media says we are. There are a lot of Muslims advocating for other Muslims and online.
The people who work behind Show and Heal are spreading awareness to all the people who are out here and don't know much about what people of color, people of different religions, minorities, just people in general go through, what their life is like growing up here in America, where hate seems to be the number one thing on people's minds these days. I do hope that people who have seen my video realize that we're all human, in one way or another, that we can relate and help each other. In the future I hope Show and Heal will gain more attention since what they are doing is amazing. They are bringing attention from a younger audience to what's happening in our world right know so they all know, so we all can educate ourselves and learn a little more, and hopefully be inspired enough to come out here in the world and make it a better and safer place for everyone.¨
High school student,
Tania Samad