I first heard of Pari when the internal note about my arrival at Reuters was sent. We were the two editors joining the newsroom's training team in early 2023. My initial reaction, "My credentials paled in comparison to Pari's. Did they make a mistake hiring me?"
Somehow, we got along well and I now call her my London and work bestie when I talk about her.
Pari is one of the sharpest, most thoughtful and dedicated journalists I know. She is not afraid to call out unpopular opinions and she's the first to remind us when a voice is not represented in a room. When she speaks, you have to listen.
And when she forgets how GREAT she is at her job, my job as her colleague and friend is to remind her.
For all that seriousness, Pari is one of the funniest people I know. Or maybe, for the most part, we just share the same humor. Our inboxes are filled with all kinds of memes. And when she described someone's behavior while we were on a vacation in Istanbul, all I needed to say was, "like Jake?"
Pari, and my other bestie, Aman (her husband), have been so kind to welcome me into their home, several times now. Having a roof over one's head in a city like London is a blessing. The highlight, though – tea before bed, where we talk about almost anything and everything.
When I wonder if I'm taking advantage of their kindness, I remind myself that I introduced Pari to the first musical she ever liked (Hadestown). She liked it so much she went a second time and took Aman.
Three years after that Reuters email was sent, I'm still a little intimidated by Pari. Today though, it's mostly admiration, because what they said about her in that email pales in comparison to what I've witnessed Pari do every single day.