Imaan’s grandfather was a special man, a brave man. The human spirit and strength required to not abandon his people is in Imaan’s nostalgic and literal fiber. The revolution happened. The borders closed. The hostage crisis. The US became the number one enemy. The country was upside down. The Islamic Republic under Khomeni began arresting and executing heads of the community. They were martyrs. They had the choice to convert, but they all chose to hold their faith and be executed as a result.
Imaan's grandfather and his uncle Faran were sent to the notorious Evin prison. There they were tortured for months, which then evolved into the death warrant for both of them. On the bus to be executed, his great uncle convinced the person in charge to release one of the men. His grandfather sent his son Faran off the bus that day, but remained on. “My father got this tragic call and then managed to get the whole family—3 brothers, a sister, a cousin,2 sisters and all their children— in waves to safety in Tennessee. Whether it was traveling on foot through the mountains of Pakistan, or in a high speed car chase to the border, Imaan’s family members were smuggled to safe places and finally arrived in Nashville. I never got to meet my grandfather. He got to see me once on a film reel when I was just a year old. I think he is with me somehow,” Imaan can barely share this true story through the emotion.
This is the choice—to look at all that darkness and continue to dream, to continue to put one foot in front of the other, to continue to contribute despite the realities and foibles of humankind. Faith lifts spirits out of disgust, despair and into compassion. Education and giving back are a part of the Ferdowsi family and they have done so over the decades here in the Nashville community. Much of this giving is thanks to Taco Bell and the foundation they have put in place. The Taco Bell Foundation has awarded more than 110 million dollars in scholarships and grants to youth-serving nonprofit organizations focused on education and career readiness. Sometimes it is hard to remember, that amidst business hoops and acumen, behind life in the fast-food lane, there are people with inspiring stories of lives dedicated to going above and beyond the mere day-to-day. Amidst the growth and productivity, there is an intention to lead and stand for one’s values to do the right thing. Therefore the successes are rich beyond lions and tigers and bears, beyond wildest dreams. The ice cream cones and fantasy of Imaan’s childhood— proof that traumas can heal and transform. Imaan life is born of the gumption to continue to reinvent and to heal what human beings do out of fear and misinformation.
Imaan’s childhood dream, drawing in Kindergarten, was one of a boy with a briefcase. He wrote,“I am going to grow up to be my father.” Imaan explains clearly, “My grandfather was my spiritual role model with his bravery and devotion to faith. My life role model was my father and seeing him as a successful businessman with such a magnanimous character.” At the end of 2017, Imaan was able to pivot from his own insurance venture and come into the family business at last. He is glad he had time away from it because he knows the skills and experiences he acquired, he can now bring back into the business. His father, brother and Homey and his kids are still “the “team.’” “We are all Partners and don’t need a specific title to navigate our roles and responsibilities within the company. He is thriving in Operations, Development and Outreach to make his legacy one to follow just as he walks in the footsteps of his role models. He has the same drive to prove himself to himself; to take what was given and to run with it, in his own way, in his own direction and with the wellness of a global universe in mind. We are all role models for the next generation. We look inside ourselves and those who came before us and through this source of identity, find our way and ways to give back. What a gift to merge material with spiritual. Human beings can choose to be on a treasure hunt to learn and keep our minds open to these worlds apart. We can take every day and envision it as a modern day Pangea, dissolve the borders physically and mentally created, and connect with the people in our global community. As the Baha’i say, “the earth is but one country, and mankind its citizens.” Whatever Imaan does next, he is not taking it lightly. My feeling after meeting him—A double decker taco will never taste the same and now we can join them in making a difference through education by giving to The Taco Bell Foundation—as easy as one hot sauce packet at a time.
OD: “What’s Next?”
IF: “I want to grow the restaurant portfolio with the new generation team. We want to grow domestically and internationally. With the TB Foundation doing so much good there is joint effort between franchisees and corporate to drive passion and education and youth aspirations and dreams. Scholarships and investments into education and start-ups. To give them whatever it is to help them grow. We are becoming more of an international brand. We want to give opportunities and expand what people perceive as their ceiling or limits—to not label; to promote civic duty and social responsibility. We have been given so much and we have to use it to help others.”
OD: “On your playlist?”
IF: “Children’s singer Andy Grammer’s father Red Grammer. I really like Rap, Travis Scott, and Tame Impala.
OD: “On your bedside?”
IF: The book, “41: A Portrait of my Father” by George W. Bush for his father George H. W. Bush. I like learning about the values of great people and, of course, father-son connections.
Imaan is truly a tapestry of his forerunners. He presents as more focused and wiser than his years. He gives himself some rare slack and becomes animated at the success of it all, but one can sense that he knows believing in himself comes from the focus it takes—vision and intention put into real practice. Speaking with him was both educational and heart wrenching. His voice and manner is calming with the inherited twist of the mixture of whimsical caprice backed with the fortitude to make anything possible—the kind of dreams-come-true born of a combination of true necessity, drive and leaps of faith.
