Cat Parenti featured on Close Up Radio for Afghanistan memoir and women’s project

By AI, Created 11:31 AM UTC, May 20, 2026, /AGP/ – Cat Parenti was featured on Close Up Radio on May 7 for an interview about her memoir, her years in Afghanistan and Pakistan, and her work helping Afghan women earn income through embroidery. The appearance highlights a life story that spans Soviet-era conflict, cultural exchange, and a business effort tied to the Afghan Women’s Empowerment Project.

Why it matters: - Cat Parenti’s story connects memoir, Afghan history, and women’s economic independence in one narrative. - Her work with Afghan widows shows how cultural preservation can become a source of income. - The interview adds attention to a decades-long life in Afghanistan and Pakistan that many listeners may not know.

What happened: - Close Up Radio featured Cat Parenti in an interview with Jim Masters on Thursday, May 7, at 4 p.m. Eastern. - The episode focused on Parenti’s memoir, From Brooklyn to Kabul, and the life experiences behind it. - The interview also covered Parenti’s Afghan Women’s Empowerment Project and her broader work with Afghan culture and goods. - Listen to the podcast: Apple Podcasts episode, iHeartRadio episode, Spotify episode

The details: - Parenti lived in Pakistan and Afghanistan for about 20 years, on and off, during a period that stretched from King Zahir Shah’s rule to the rise of the Taliban. - She went to Afghanistan for the first time at 22 and later traveled between the U.S., Pakistan, and Afghanistan every six months. - Her memoir title, From Brooklyn to Kabul, reflects that move from New York to Afghanistan. - Parenti said her early trips to Afghanistan felt like destiny, not recklessness. - She worked as a counterspy for the mujahideen during the Soviet war in Afghanistan, which lasted from 1978 to 1990. - Parenti said she used multiple-entry visas and once obtained U.S. visas for Afghans fleeing into refugee camps in Pakistan. - She was later awarded for helping people escape Soviet-era violence, including in places such as Kandahar. - Parenti also built a career exporting Afghan tribal goods, antique clothing, and tribal jewelry. - She is a Fordham University graduate and an Amazon bestseller with five books on Afghan and Pakistani customs and culture. - Her daughter, Chandra, was born from her relationship with Jamal, who died in a Soviet bombing raid. - Parenti has said Chandra has seizures and is nonverbal, which she links to her exposure to Soviet chemical warfare. - The Afghan Women’s Empowerment Project supplies cloth, thread, and workspace for Afghan widows to make embroidery goods. - Parenti sells the scarves and returns the money to the women, while an Afghan family helps manage the effort. - The women also sell their work in local bazaars and now earn their own income as household heads.

Between the lines: - The radio feature frames Parenti as both an eyewitness to Afghan conflict and a participant in cultural exchange. - Her story blends personal romance, war reporting-style detail, and humanitarian work, which gives the memoir broader appeal than a standard travel narrative. - The empowerment project points to a practical model: traditional skills turned into income without removing the cultural identity of the work.

What’s next: - Parenti said she will share more of her life story in the podcast, including experiences before and after her move from Brooklyn to Kabul. - More information about her books and work is available at Cat Parenti’s website. - Close Up Radio also directed listeners to its Facebook page.