Meet Gina of the blog, 'What the Doost.' We were lucky enough to meet up in New York where she got acquainted with the A,F message and tees, and we got acquainted with her style and genuinely kind attitude. Please introduce yourself, including what you do and what you are passionate about. In which situation/ series of events/ moment did you realize your passion? My name is Gina Doost and I'm obsessively passionate about making a positive impact in our world. I'm a full-time blogger and consult on marketing strategies as well. I work primarily in the luxury field for travel and fashion, and since volunteering in Greece at their refugee camps, I've been involved with the United Nations as well. Awareness is important and it's my mission to spread that for a better tomorrow -- for women, children, animals, and all around the world. I realized my passion when I moved to NYC -- it was something like a calling. I started working for Inside Edition at CBS and the types of topics I would cover were shocking and political. So I started blogging about things that made me happy, quotes that inspired me with images to motivate me. The site was called Yours Truly Lady G and I kept it anonymous for a while. Being anonymous allowed me to be really real. I soon started getting a lot of feedback and messages from people around the world -- places I never even heard of. That had an extreme impact on me. I soon went public and relaunched thanks to Jeff Fransen, he's something like a secret weapon and lucky for me my husband. He has helped me transform my dreams into reality. To A,F, postponing your freedom usually means holding off on what you’d prefer to to in order to please others, or follow a “norm”. When/ how did you decide notto postpone your freedom? It's been tough and I'm consistently still learning. Moving to NYC from California was a big action towards that and as much as it hurts not being close to my family and friends (distant wise) I know it's been the right decision. And thankfully, now, they see that too. The biggest affect came in the form of a blessing in disguise. My department at Penguin Random House was being terminated and as a result, I was let go. It was hard on me but eventually, I did take it as an opportunity to go full-time with my blog. Having the safety net of a full-time job kept me from fully pursuing my dream. Having the freedom has allowed me to work on bigger and longer campaigns with brands and attend all the events I want leading to better connections. The restriction I had before was lifted. What is a setting/ activity/ routine that makes you the most happy? Anything at all. I'm my most happiest when I'm surrounded by my family, the Doosts and Shomalis. They're the funniest, most loving, and supportive people I know. My parents and their siblings migrated from Iran and Afghanistan for their children, us, to have better opportunities -- that courage and determination consistently inspires me. Their sacrifice has taught me, tremendously, what it means to do right and to love big. We have about 1-2 family reunions a year and that's when I'm at my happiest. There are so many of us, over a 100, and each person is so unique. What is your motto to yourself? / What motivates you? "If not now, then when -- if not you, then who?" I have many mottos and that's one I use often. I'm motivated by my family, friends, and colleagues. By the kindness of strangers and the world around us. The love that illuminates from children and animals. Mother Nature plays a huge role in everything I do. What simple advice would you give to people hesitant to pursue their interests? Create a vision board. This act alone will help steer you in the right direction. I believe in the power of love, so whatever it is your heart desires -- ask yourself -- does it align with the greater good? And if the answer is yes, if what you're passionate about today has the power to impact even one person for the better, then don't just do it for yourself, do it for the greater good. Which is your favorite AF tee? This is a hard one -- I'm a fan of them all but especially these two: On Ice Tee and Universe Tee! They both speak to me in a magical way - and every time I wear either one, I feel more alive! It's taken the basic tee to another level. Words are very impactful and they linger on long after we're gone. With that said, I would love to see some Nelson Mandela tee's too =) What is your favorite quote? My most favorite quote of all time is by the timeless beauty Audrey Hepburn "The best thing to hold onto in life is each other." I also live by these words from Maya Angelou "People may not remember exactly what you did, or what you said, but they will always remember how you made them feel." Both would make excellent tees.
