Navila is a Muslim, Queer, Bangladeshi-American. She’s a trauma-informed forensic social worker, community educator, and gender based violence consultant. She is also the co-author of The Sex Talk: A Muslim’s Guide to Healthy Sex and Relationships, which is a self-guided reflection workbook for Muslims to break the ice around uncomfortable conversations and create safe, healthy relationships.
She joined HEART in 2019 full-time, and is the Director of Training and Survivor Advocacy. Before HEART, Navila was consulting for public defenders, government agency staff, and nonprofits to support in creating safe(r) spaces for victims & survivors either through organizational programming or 1:1 case management.
Navila also Co-Founded ‘The Cathartist’ in 2012, a web-based platform for victims & survivors, allies, and co-conspirators to find a safe, judgement-free home for their storytelling as a part of their journey on coping and healing. Navila is also featured as a survivor in the award winning documentary, Breaking Silence, where she addresses the nuances and experiences of being a survivor of sexual violence in a Muslim and South Asian community, and the journey towards healing.
She earned her Master’s in Social Work from Long Island University-Brooklyn, a Post-Baccalaureate Degree in Biology from University of North Carolina-Greensboro, and a BS in Health Science and Creative Writing from University of the Sciences in Philadelphia.
Navila is currently located in the DMV (DC, Maryland, Northern Virginia), where she resides with her spouse and two fur babies.
