Ms. Parenti published five books on Afghan culture. Her latest is an Amazon award-winning best-selling 2-volume set entitled Afghanistan: A Memoir from Brooklyn to Kabul.
BISBEE, AZ, March 12, 2024 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Cat Parenti has been selected for inclusion in Marquis Who's Who. As in all Marquis Who's Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process.
Ms. Parenti, a transplanted Brooklynite, is renowned for her humanitarian efforts and leadership. She is currently empowering young Afghan widows through the Afghan Women's Empowerment Program (AWEP), which she founded in 2023. Her dedication to this cause is a testament to her expertise in humanitarian aid.
Prior to this, Ms. Parenti was the Director of the Afghan Women's Work Project under the Afghanistan Foundation, a non-governmental organization in Afghanistan under the Soviet occupation, from 1988 to 1992. Here she laid the groundwork for her future endeavors.
a) Helped Afghan refugee women resurrect their handicraft business by providing sewing kits collected and donated by American grade school children to alleviate boredom and depression in camps in Pakistan.
b) Delivered RH neg. blood to the Women's Hospital in Peshawar, Pakistan, preventing Afghan refugee women's spontaneous abortions.
c) Climbed the Hindu Kush Mountains dividing Pakistan from Afghanistan three times with mujahideen groups delivering vegetable seeds for crop planting to the liberated areas of Afghanistan, collected by the Girl Scouts of America.
d) Interviewed Soviet captives, Afghan commanders, men and women mujahideen as well as women refugees, wrote books, articles and organized fundraisers in Phoenix on the behalf.
Her career is marked by a series of achievements that reflect her deep commitment to providing support and opportunities to those affected by conflict.
Ms. Parenti's personal journey is as remarkable as her professional one. From an early age, she experienced past life recall and visions that ultimately led her to Afghanistan, where she felt an inexplicable connection. This profound sense of destiny was further realized when she met her now late future husband, subconsciously following lucid dreams since age thirteen.
She lived in Afghanistan/Pakistan on and off for 20 years. Ms. Parenti's entrepreneurial spirit was evident when she started Cathy Parenti Imports dba Kabul Bizarre in Afghanistan/New York/Phoenix. Collected antique clothing and tribal jewelry for export. Sold to museums, museum shops along the East Coast of the U.S. as well as Bloomindale's and Bendel's in New York City. Bought directly from silversmiths and embroiderers, used local tailoring helping support the Afghan people before the Soviet invasion.
Ms. Parenti nurtured her passion for international speaking, teaching and cultural exchange by giving Afghan cultural slide presentations for MOMA (Museum of Modern Art), and classes at the New School for Social Research, Rotary Clubs, The Learning Annex, and hosted Afghan dinners to educate Americans on Afghan culture/foods.
In the Phoenix area, after studying Afghan aromatherapy with Islamic mystics in Afghanistan, she taught classes in various Arizona colleges.
A well-received author, Ms. Parenti published five books on Afghan culture. Her latest is an Amazon award-winning best-selling 2-volume set entitled Afghanistan: A Memoir from Brooklyn to Kabul.
Ms. Parenti's first book entitled A Taste of Afghanistan: The Cuisine of the Crossroads of the World is chock full of recipes, stories, interviews, poetry, and cultural beliefs. It is currently being sold in a bookstore in Kabul, Afghanistan, and was in the Smithsonian Library in Washington, D.C.
She was interviewed by numerous radio shows and newspapers, and wrote articles for the Arizona Republic and Christian Science Monitor, etc. She continues to write for the Bisbee Observer.
Ms. Parenti also spoke before the United Nations on behalf of Afghanistan and was instrumental in bringing the Stinger missiles to the Afghan mujahideen turning the tide of war against the Soviets.
Ms. Parenti's impact extends beyond professional achievements. Most notably, she has been involved in community initiatives through her work with the Intergovernmental Committee for Migration in Washington, D.C., bringing wounded Afghan resistance fighters to the U.S. for medical treatment, supplying room and board. She galvanized her local Muslim community to supply transportation to doctors and to the mosques on Fridays.
She is now applying her problem-solving prowess to improve the situation for Afghan women inside Afghanistan through her recently founded Afghan Women's Empowerment Program (AWEP) promoting "A Hand Up, Not A Handout." As a dedicated advocate for young Afghan widows and their children, Ms. Parenti supplies the materials for women to do their embroidery at home while ensuring they receive fair compensation for their work, fostering their independence and well-being.
Ms. Parenti's academic background includes an undergraduate degree in Russian studies, English, and political science from Fordham University. Her education has played a pivotal role in shaping her problem-solving skills, which have been instrumental in her success and ability to navigate complex humanitarian challenges.
As a testament to her success, Ms. Parenti was recognized with award letters from President Barack Obama, First Lady Hillary Clinton, the head of the Afghan Sufi Masters, and the Intergovernmental Committee on Migration.
Ms. Parenti's current goals are:
To have international speaking engagements and her books on Afghanistan used as worldwide educational tools promoting peace, understanding and diversity.
As the Founder of the Afghan Women's Empowerment Program (AWEP), Ms. Parenti looks forward to expanding this program to include disabled women.
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