Making Connections in Winston-Salem, NC

A Winston-Salem transplant details how she plugged into her new community.

By Rebecca Treon on January 4, 2024

Jasper and Fern

In 2014, Tasmin Farzana was working on her MBA at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, which is about a 40-minute drive to Winston- Salem, NC. Shortly thereafter, she was offered a job at HanesBrands, the Winston-Salem-based apparel manufacturer and one of the community’s corporate pillars. Farzana, senior manager of corporate strategy and planning for HanesBrands, details how she started making connections in Winston-Salem, NC.

What brought you to Winston-Salem? 

I was offered a job at HanesBrands International, which has historic roots in Winston-Salem. The company was founded here 120 years ago and attracts people from all around the world who come to work here. I thought it was a great opportunity and a great company to work for. 

How did you start making friends in your new city? 

At the beginning, many of my friends were people I met through my job. Hanes does teambuilding activities throughout the year and volunteers with nonprofit organizations like United Way or delivering Meals on Wheels. Sometimes Hanes will have groups of 200 to 400 volunteers, so I met lots of people that way. 

I also founded the HBI Internationals network in Winston-Salem, a group for all the expats and international employees of Hanes. We would gather together, bring food from different countries, listen to different music and give presentations about our countries to understand the culture and values and learn about each other. 

Before COVID, a group of us volunteered at a homeless shelter here called Samaritan House Ministries. We cooked our homeless neighbors some international food that they had never had before, and we really loved doing that! 

What are some of the other organizations you’re involved in? 

After some time, I got involved with Young Leaders United, which is part of United Way of Forsyth County. I was on the steering committee. Greater Winston-Salem, Inc., our chamber of commerce, hosts Winston Under 40, a group of young and thriving professionals in the city. I’m a board member and co-chair of their community partner initiative. Winston Under 40 has an annual nonprofit partnership, which this year is SECU Family House. They provide food and housing to relatives of hospital patients who may not be able to afford it so they can support their sick relatives. 

Winston Under 40 also hosts various events to attract and engage younger people, like Lunch with Leaders and Work Out for a Cause, where you work out and raise money for charity. The downtown Innovation Quarter also has a running club and yoga classes – there are plenty of avenues for people to get involved here!