World Unity Media: Audiobooks, a Podcast & More!

When Teri Ghaemmaghami sees a need, she rises to the occasion to meet it! In this interview, she tells us about World Unity Media which produces Baha’i and Baha’i-inspired audiobooks, a podcast series and more!

Can you please tell us a little bit about yourself?

I have been married for 46 years and proud to be a mom to two wonderful daughters and a “Nonna” to our four amazing granddaughters. I grew up in New Jersey but moved to the West Coast in my early 20s—I didn’t want to miss the energy of the ‘70s: the sunshine, the Beach Boys, and the whole California vibe. This is where I met my husband, Kamran, and I truly believe we were destined to meet. He insists that Abdu’l-Baha wanted Him to take care of me—and what a beautiful thought that is. It was through Kamran that I first learned about the Baha’i Faith. It took me a long time to realize there was something profoundly different about this religion. It provided answers to questions I had developed having attended Catholic school, which I had abandoned to a “I don’t believe in organized religion” stance. I moved past this mindset and came to embrace the Revelation of Baha’u’llah.

I’m a retired marketing director, having spent much of my career working with international law firms. These days, I’m the president of Assistance League Glendale, a local (Glendale, California) nonprofit where we run a thrift shop that helps fund seven philanthropic programs supporting our community. Our thrift shop has seriously benefited from the trend on sustainability and vintage clothing. I also run World Unity Media, which keeps me inspired and connected to a bigger vision.

Can you please tell us a little bit about World Unity Media? 

World Unity Media may sound like a big operation, but it’s really just me—and I run it like a nonprofit. Any income goes right back into creating the next project. I bring in collaborators—such as voice actors or other creatives—on a project-by-project basis, depending on the needs of the production. It’s my personal effort to help spread the Baha’i message to a wider audience through accessible and engaging media.

Overtime, I began collaborating with the U.S. Baha’i Publishing Trust to help expand their audiobook offerings—both for newer titles and classics, especially those highlighting the lives of the Hands of the Cause and the early history of the Faith.

I was also invited to help launch a new podcast initiative for the Publishing Trust, which we named Baha’i Books & Authors. Hosted by Jan Grammer, a professional international broadcaster, the podcast features engaging interviews with authors of Baha’i titles. These brief, 15–20-minute episodes offer insightful stories and behind-the-scenes perspectives on each book, directly from the authors themselves. You can find the podcast on the Publishing Trust’s website, as well as on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and other major podcast platforms, including the World Unity Media YouTube Channel, where you can also find numerous Baha’i prayers in an audio/video format professionally recorded.

Based on the feedback we’ve received, this new podcast format has been very well received by the community. Our plan is to continue releasing at least one new episode each month in the coming months.

What products does it offer?

World Unity Media Products include:

Audiobooks:

Gleanings from the Writings of Baha’u’llah
Paris Talks
Some Answered Questions
God Speaks Again
Baha’i Prayer Book
The Hidden Words
The Story of Baha’u’llah
When the Moon Set Over Haifa
Crossing the Line, a memoir of Race, Religion and Change
Champions of Oneness, Louis Gregory and His Shining Circle
Servant to the Servants: Roy C. Wilhelm, Hand of the Cause of God
Pearls of Bounty
Selections from the Writings of Abdu’l-Baha

Other:

Two years ago, World Unity Media, in collaboration with the U.S. Baha’i Publishing Trust, produced an audio version of the Nine Year Plan (2022-2031), which can be found on the Baha’i Publishing Trust for free.

Podcasts:

We are in Season 1 of Baha’i Books & Authors. We have posted the podcast featuring the authors for the following books:

When the Moon Set Over Haifa by Angelina Diliberto Allen
Servant to the Servants: Roy C. Wilhelm, Hand of the Cause of God by Joel Nizin, Kathryn Jewett Hogenson, Gary Hogenson
Adasiyyih by Paul Hanley
A Child in the Holy Land by Gisu Mohadjer
Crossing the Line, a Memoir on Race, Religion and Change by Richard Abercrombie and JoAnn Borovicka
Champions of Oneness by Janet Ruhe-Schoen
A World Without Wars by Janet Khan and Hoda Mahmoudi

What inspired you to start this company? 

I’ve always had a deep love for books—whether reading them or listening to audiobooks. During my years of battling a long, gruelling commute to work in LA, audiobooks became my saving grace. But I noticed a gap: there just weren’t any Baha’i audiobooks available. So, I decided to change that.

I found a studio, hired a voice actor, and jumped in. Since then, I’ve been producing Baha’i audiobooks to help bring these beautiful writings to more people in accessible ways.

Along the way, I started collecting email addresses to share inspirational Bahá’í quotes and let folks know about new audiobook releases. Eventually, that grew into a freestanding daily email offering just one quote a day—sometimes with a bit of historical context, especially on Holy Days (though I occasionally let readers know about the podcasts). You can sign up for this free service at worldunitymedia.com. These daily quotes are simply meant to uplift and inspire—not to replace our personal devotions and prayers, but to complement them.

What is something you’ve learned in your work creating audio books, podcasts and daily quote emails?

Producing an audiobook takes a lot of care—you have to listen to the audio and follow along with the printed text multiple times to make sure everything is accurate and ensure the delivery is on point. The hardest part is getting the foreign words. It’s definitely a labour of love… and while it can be painstaking, there’s such joy in reading these lovely Baha’i books over and over again. But it would be great to have help. If this kind of act of service speaks to you and you’d like to help, I’d be delighted to hear from you. You can reach me at: [email protected]

What was your favourite project so far?

That is a difficult question to answer because they are all special. Having said that, one book is my favourite: Some Answered Questions. Before I could produce it, I had to wait for the newly translated version done by a Committee at the Baha’i World Centre. Once that happened, I went right into production. It is just wonderful to listen to this book and you can play it over and over and find new nuggets of gold. It is profound to say the least—but I guess they all are!

Thank you so much, Teri, for telling us about World Unity Media!

Find out more by visiting worldunitymedia.com!

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Sonjel Vreeland

In her innermost heart, Sonjel is a stay-at-home parent and a bookworm with a maxed out library card but professionally she is a museologist with a background in English Literature. She currently lives on Prince Edward Island, an isle in the shape of a smile on the eastern Canadian coast. Sonjel is a writer who loves to listen to jazz when she's driving at night.