From 2004-2016, Zahir passionately worked within the federal prison system helping to promote a variety of educational initiatives amongst inmates. This vulnerable population needed life skills services, personal coaching, secular and spiritual curriculums which Zahir helped to operationalize by personally teaching while at the same time working with chaplains and program directors. He continues similar work today counseling the formerly incarcerated population and facilitating their societal success by connecting them to the varied reentry services they desperately need. He is also a CA Registered Alcohol and Drug Technician (RADT-CA).
In 2016, Zahir began to mentor inner-city youth in several SoCal organizations by helping them to implement their personal action plans toward solving current social justice issues. He currently teaches 2nd and 3rd generation immigrant youth instructing them via a spiritual curriculum infused with civic and social justice awareness. In 2019, Zahir entered a Master’s of social work program to professionalize his advocacy work amongst the justice-impacted. His first-year internship was working as a mental health intern in a dual diagnosis residential clinic conducting client assessments, bio-psycho-socials, treatments plans, and advanced case management.
His second-year internship consisted of working with the justice-impacted providing one-on-one counseling, facilitating therapeutic groups, and developing a healthy family relationships program. Zahir has given interviews, presentations, run workshops, and written articles highlighting the intersections between mental health and recidivism. He has also has published his Master’s thesis entitled: “Mental Health, Substance Abuse, and Recidivism: Perceptions of Key Justice Stakeholders in Southern California”. He intends to continue working with the Muslim and justice-impacted populations as a mental health and substance abuse professional.