About Accent

BI-LINGUAL IRANIAN TV TALK SHOW HOST DEBUTS “ACCENT,”
BROADENING APPEAL TO our diverse community

Zohreh “Zoe” Rastegar is the host of Accent, a groundbreaking talk show promoting education and cultural understanding of the Middle East during these increasingly volatile political times. Accent offers a positive message encouraging assimilation of Iranian-Americans, Iraqi-Americans, and other foreign nationals into American culture without losing touch with their proud, magnificent heritage. This cutting-edge program was launched to: promote dialogue among diverse individuals and groups in an unbiased forum; introduce Middle Eastern culture and traditions to Americans; educate the public about Middle Eastern contributions to American society; discuss the issues involved in integrating foreign and American values; and to identify and acknowledge the American way of life. Zoe believes that it is the job of immigrants to open a dialogue and to educate Americans about their cultures and traditions. In turn, Americans must welcome such dialogues as the only way toward global peace.
Accent debuted as a half-hour show in the Washington Metro area focusing primarily on second-generation Iranians in America and their adaptation to the American culture. The show has greatly expanded its focus since then to encompass the entire Middle East, as well as other regions, worldwide. The show features guests with different cultural backgrounds, including experts on Middle Eastern history, culture, heritage, and politics. Guests include prominent politicians, celebrities, and experts in various areas. Past guests have included: Afshin Molavi, author of PERSIAN PILGRIMAGE: TRAVEL ACROSS IRAN, Elaine Sciolino, New York Times American journalist and author of PERSIAN MIRRORS: THE ELUSIVE FACE OF IRAN, Barbara Slavin, Senior Correspondent, Nasrin Gross, USA Today’s Middle East expert and activist for Afghan Women’s Council, Sohrab Sobhani, Virginia candidate for Senator, and Ashley Brown, attorney of immigration law.
Accent continues to gain momentum and plans to go national in the near future. Zoe has been interviewed numerous times in the mainstream media, including CBS’s local “Morning show”, Voice of America, several radio stations, and most recently on WUSA channel 9 and Sky News based in London as a commentator on the current issues regarding US/ Iran conflicts. The talk show airs on Fairfax Public Access and DC TV and will soon be available on YouTube, additional cable channels, and on Zoe’s website www.accentproductions.org.
Watch some of Zoe's interviews on www.youtube.com