Today on the Equip & Elevate Podcast we got to chat with Zulaikha Patel regarding “prioritising your mental health while championing social change”. Zulaikha is anti-racism activist, best-selling author & international speaker. She became a symbol of the fight against school policies regarding black girls' hair in 2016, at the age of 13. She’s a BBC 100 women list 2016 and Brand SA Play your part ambassador. On today’s episode, Zulaikha will be sharing her overall journey, purpose and what drives her life.  Zulaikha also explains how she navigated through burn-out and depression. She also touches on her journey in creating a safe space and how she protects her mental health and well-being. Her book, "My Cowly Crowny Hair," targets young African girls with a positive message reflecting what she calls "the narrative of young girls of colour growing up. She hopes to empower young girls to embrace their natural hair and ignite a passion for African literature through her first book, My Coily Crowny Hair.1 This was such a rich conversation. We thoroughly enjoyed learning on how Zulaikha tackled “Prioritising her mental health while championing social change.”