Pause. And Rewind...
I’m Neil (he/him) - host of my podcast, Pause. And Rewind… I’ll be chatting to change makers, thought leaders & role models who all share a common goal. They’re striving to make the world a more inclusive place. And let’s face, we need it!
Each guest has a unique story when it comes to doing their thing. We often know who people are in the now. But how much do we really know about them?
Pause. And Rewind… takes a moment to explore the experiences in my guests’ lives that led them to where & who they are now. Cos’ everyone loves an origin story!
We’ll dive into tales, anecdotes and what makes our guests tick. So, are you ready to Pause. And Rewind… ?
Pause. And Rewind...
Pause. And Rewind... with Saba Ali | Defiant. Compassionate. Humble.
“I've never shied away from my past, I've never hidden anything. I don't believe in sugarcoating, what's happened to me. Because the reality is that my life's turned out amazing. I've been able to use my trauma to actually help heal other people as well as myself. I'm still learning every day and I've never forgotten my roots.”
Powerful words from Saba Ali (she/her) - this week’s guest for ‘Pause. And Rewind…’ Saba is one of the most consistent, engaged & supportive humans I have the privilege of knowing. She’s an award-winning advocate & consultant with a broad range of expertise in areas with marginalised groups around intersectionality, race & sexuality, violence against women & girls and cultural abuse. She’s worked extensively with the Met & Crown Prosecution Service and she’s the Safety and Met Liaison Manager at UK Black Pride, Interim Chair for the Ban Conversion Therapy Coalition & LGBTQIA+ Network Lead for the Royal Society of Arts.
It’s been quite a year for Saba. Back in April, she was awarded the Role Model of the Year at the Diva Awards 2025 - a thoroughly well-deserved & proud moment I got to witness. And very recently, Saba & her affectionately described ‘partner-in-crime’ Eva Echo recently won a long, drawn out tribunal case against some TERFS. We reflect on these moments & before diving into Saba’s origin story.
Little Saba didn’t have the best start to live and often daydreamed of a fantasy world to escape childhood trauma & cultural abuse. With her mother as her perpetrator, she found it difficult to make sense of the world & felt a lot of anger. She looked for love in the wrong places & drug abuse followed.
Finding herself in priority housing, nudged along by the support of a former colleague, Saba began her journey of healing - something she attributes to therapy & closure when her mother passed when Saba was in her early 40s. Her chosen words ‘defiant, compassionate & humble’ make a lot of sense for her origin story.
Today, Saba shares how she lives life day to day and describes her world as a happy one. We chat about her love of community, the people who have shaped her, finding her way into inclusion & discovering her identity. Oh and her cats! There’s a few laughs around her belief that people are ‘just so stupid’ - Enjoy!
PLEASE NOTE: This episode features conversations around cultural abuse, drug use & challenging family circumstances to please take care of yourself whilst listening.