MADINA

WARDAK

MSW/ACSW

CULTURAL ADVISOR

SOCIAL SERVICES CONSULTANT

TRAINER & FACILITATOR

STAY TUNED FOR UPCOMING WORKSHOPS!

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STAY TUNED FOR UPCOMING WORKSHOPS! ⋆ 

MADINA'S STORY & PHILOSOPHY

Welcome to my site! I’m so glad you’re here.

I’m a social worker & youth advocate based out of Los Angeles, CA. Growing up as an Afghan in America, I was keenly aware of the intersections between politics and mental health. As the saying goes, “the personal is political”. I was raised in a tight-knit Afghan refugee community that was tasked with navigating life in a foreign country after escaping the unimaginable. Compounding this was the occupation of Afghanistan and Iraq. I grew up hearing of two Afghanistan’s - my parents’, and the medias’. One was a lively place with incredible potential. The other was a place to be feared. To be conquered.

I witnessed how trauma, specifically intergenerational trauma, devastated my community. It was not enough that we escaped war when the war continued to wage in our minds. We desperately needed culturally-competent care, accessible mental health and addiction services, and to be seen as full human beings. Bearing witness to the pain of my people led me to where I am today. I sought to make sense of my reality.

I pursued my Bachelors in Political Science with an emphasis on the Middle East, and my Masters in Social Work. I served in the first-ever Afghan American Conference, and continued to lead yearly workshops across university campuses on topics like addiction, mental health, and identity. I traveled to my homeland for the first time in 2018 to learn more about how we as Afghans approach mental health. I have served transitional-aged youth experiencing homelessness in Los Angeles for over five years as they transition into adulthood. And most recently, I have consulted social service agencies on culturally-competent, trauma-informed care as they work diligently to support our newly arrived Afghan refugees. I utilize my Instagram platform, @burqasandbeer to engage in dialogue tackling mental health and politics.

Learning & development has always been a passion of mine. Topics and areas I cover include cultural competency, trauma-informed training, the history of Afghanistan, the military-entertainment complex, the epigenetics of intergenerational trauma, and best-practices for serving refugees and immigrants. I utilize my background in both political science and mental health to provide digestible information. I am passionate about bridging gaps and inspiring us all to shift our paradigm. I’m so excited to provide whatever insight I may, and to learn on this journey with you!

  • Cultural Advising

    I am passionate about MENA & Muslim representation in the media. But far too often, the military-entertainment complex utilizes the white gaze, exotifying and diminishing our rich culture and people. As your cultural advisor, I will bring authenticity, humility and accuracy to your project or production.

  • Workshops & Trainings

    Are you a social services agency wanting to learn more about cultural competency?
    Maybe you’re a school system looking for a more nuanced curriculum regarding Afghanistan and the surrounding regions. I can tailor my workshops and trainings for your organizations specific needs!

  • Speaking & Guest Lecturing

    There’s nothing like engaging an audience. With my background in both Political Science and Social Work, along with my training as a clinical therapist, there is such a wide range of topics I cover! These include addiction, diaspora identity, refugee trauma, building resilience, and the intersections between policy and mental health.

  • Writing

    Writing has been the medium I’ve used to foster connections. I began my platform @burqasandbeer back in 2015 by blogging. I called it “social commentary from a brown girl’s perspective”. Writing has allowed me to get vulnerable and raw with my Instagram community, which has grown so much over the years! I offer Op-Eds, think-pieces, informational articles, and more.

“As a child, I did not know how to make sense of who I was. As an adult, not only do I have a deeper understanding of myself, but I take pride in being on the journey with you. ”

What People Are Saying

“Madina graciously visited our sixth grade class to talk about her family history and Afghan culture, tied to our fall study about Afghanistan. She was knowledgeable, witty, passionate, kind, an incredibly intuitive teacher, and now we consider her a friend of Westland. Our students' lives are forever enriched by her visit, which brought authenticity and honesty to the study. We are forever grateful. Thank you, Madina.”

— Brian Wright, Westland School

“Madina provided our cohort of young activists with comprehensive, developmentally appropriate training on the ongoing crisis in Afghanistan. Madina’s analysis connected the long history of intervention in West Asia with the current political context in Afghanistan, emphasizing the need for self-determination and solidarity among global south peoples. Our youth walked away from her workshop with a deeper understanding of the needs of the Afghan people, a more nuanced perspective on global militarism, and steps for acting in allyship. We loved having Madina in our space and community!

— Manijeh Azadi, Changeist

“Most of our clientele consists of foreign-medical graduates who often feel ill-prepared to practice medicine in a Western setting. Madina trained them in bedside manners, interpersonal communication, cultural competency, active listening, and trauma-informed care. She was able to communicate complex information to people with varying levels of learning styles. They left her training feeling more prepared to land a residency position in the United States.”

— Sheila Aula, Residents Medical

“Madina was invited into our space to give her Mental Health 101 training. Her wit, candor and easy-going nature fosters an environment for deeper understanding, growth and dialogue. Madina discussed signs of burnout, compassion fatigue, and supported our staff in accessing mental health resources. She was able to adapt the conversation & material for an international audience, as our attendees joined from Australia, New Zealand and across the United States. Our staff walked away with a more comprehensive, applicable understanding of mental health along with tangible resources to address it. I would suggest Madina over and over again!”

— Shivani Aysola, Josephmark