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Smell and Taste Association of North America

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OUR VISION: A world where taste and smell are valued as essential to health, safety, and wellness!

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Before there was fragrance, there was absence.

House of Iyrah was born from anosmia, from witnessing what it means to move through the world without scent, and from learning how powerful the senses truly are when they return.

From February 27–March 27, 10% of all sales will support The Smell and Taste Association of North America (STANA), the first patient-led advocacy organization in North America dedicated to people living with smell and taste dysfunction.

STANA works to advance research, education, and patient advocacy because smell and taste are not luxuries. They are tied to memory, nourishment, safety, and connection.

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Today, on National Anosmia Awareness Day, we are honored to announce our partnership with the Smell and Taste Association of North America (STANA).

House of Iyrah was born from a deeply personal connection to anosmia. Samira’s mother was born without a sense of smell, she has never known the world through scent. And yet, she longed to participate in something so closely tied to femininity, presence, and ritual.

From February 27 through March 27, 10% of all House of Iyrah sales will be donated to STANA in support of education, advocacy, and awareness for those living with smell and taste disorders.

This is not a campaign.
It is a return to our origin.
An honoring of the sense, and of those who experience the world differently.
@stanaorg

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Happy Anosmia Awareness Day!!!

I have something to say… but I’m gonna say it tomorrow…

Shhh…. 🤫

#anosmiaawareness #congenitalanosmia #smell

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I’m a day late, but I hope you’ll still join me because it’s that time of year! 🥳

It’s Anosmia Awareness Week and to honor my friends who live with the inability to smell, as I do every year, I’m inviting the smelling community to join me in the 6th annual smell challenge all week long.

It’s a different kind of challenge, as many of you know.

4-Day Smell Challenge: {Day 1}

Here’s what I ask you to do – each day, for the next 4 days I will be posting a picture and I want you to DESCRIBE THE SMELL in the comments.

But here’s the catch, you can’t describe it using descriptors related to smelling, like floral, citrus, etc.

Try to describe using your other 4 senses - sight (i.e. bright), sound (i.e. loud), taste (i.e. sweet) or touch (i.e. texture).

I want our friends with anosmia to be able to connect with the smell of everyday things and with your help they’ll be able to have the experience.

Because so many of you are experiencing this right now, today’s smell is: A SNOWSTORM - put your description in the comments below…. Go!!

#AnosmiaAwarenessDay #Anosmia #SmellChallenge #AnosmiaAwarenessDay2026 #SenseOfSmell

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#Parosmia is a distorted sense of smell. Things that used to smell pleasant now smell foul to people with parosmia. People get parosmia for many reasons, including infections, medications and trauma. You can’t always prevent it, but in most cases, it’s temporary. Because parosmia is a symptom of so many conditions, it’s important to get an evaluation from a healthcare provider. #parosmiaawarenessday

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5-Day Smell Challenge: {Day 5}

It’s the final day of Anosmia Awareness Week, so let’s finish the smell challenge strong!

If you’re new here, this exercise is a way to support my friends who live with the inability to smell. This is the 5th year of the challenge - it’s a different kind of challenge, as you’ll see.

Here’s what to do: watch the video and then describe THE SMELL of the experience in the comments.

But here’s the catch, you can’t describe it using descriptors related to smelling, like floral, citrus, etc.
Try to describe THE SMELL using words from your other 4 senses - sight (i.e. bright), sound (i.e. loud), taste (i.e. sweet) or touch (i.e. texture).

I want our friends with anosmia to be able to connect with the smell of everyday things and with your help they’ll be able to have the experience.

Today’s smell: BACON - put your description in the comments below…. Go!!

#AnosmiaAwarenessDay #Anosmia #SmellChallenge #AnosmiaAwarenessDay2025 #SenseOfSmell #Bacon #SmellOfBacon #ScentMemories #FiveDayChallenge #DescribeTheSmell #Scent #Smell #SmellOfBaconSizzling #ScentOfBacon #ScentLanguage #Texture #Sound #Sight #Taste #BaconSmell #AllTheOsmias #SmellOfTheDay

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5-Day Smell Challenge: {Day 3}

It’s still Anosmia Awareness Week and to honor my friends who live with the inability to smell, as I do every year, I’m inviting the smelling community to join me in the 5th annual smell challenge all week long. It’s a different kind of challenge, as you’ll see.

Here’s what to do: watch the video and then describe THE SMELL of the experience in the comments.

But here’s the catch, you can’t describe it using descriptors related to smelling, like floral, citrus, etc. Try to describe using your other 4 senses - sight (i.e. bright), sound (i.e. loud), taste (i.e. sweet) or touch (i.e. texture).

I want our friends with anosmia to be able to connect with the smell of everyday things and with your help they’ll be able to have the experience.

Today’s smell: PAINTING A ROOM - put your description in the comments below…. Go!!

#AnosmiaAwarenessDay #Anosmia #SmellChallenge #AnosmiaAwarenessDay2025 #SenseOfSmell #Cheese #SmellToBeWell #ScentMemories #FiveDayChallenge #DescribeTheSmell #Scent #Smell #SmellOfPaint #SmellOfAPaintedRoom #ScentLanguage #Texture #Sound #Sight #Taste #PaintSmell #AllTheOsmias #SmellOfTheDay

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5-Day Smell Challenge: {Day 2}

We’re celebrating all week long. To honor my friends who live with the inability to smell, as I do every year, I’m inviting the smelling community to join me in the 5th annual smell challenge this week. It’s a different kind of challenge, as you’ll see.

Here’s what I ask you to do – each day this week I will be posting a video and I want you to describe the SMELL ONLY in the comments.

But here’s the catch, you can’t describe it using descriptors related to smelling, like floral, citrus, etc. Try to describe using your other 4 senses - sight (i.e. bright), sound (i.e. loud), taste (i.e. sweet) or touch (i.e. texture).

I want our friends with anosmia to be able to connect with the smell of everyday things and with your help they’ll be able to have the experience.

Today’s smell: A BONFIRE - put your description in the comments below…. Go!!

#AnosmiaAwarenessDay #Anosmia #SmellChallenge #AnosmiaAwarenessDay2025 #SenseOfSmell #FreshLaundrySmell #SmellToBeWell #ScentMemories #FiveDayChallenge #DescribeTheSmell #Scent #Smell #SmellOfABonfire #BonfireSmell #ScentLanguage #Texture #Sound #Sight #Taste #SmellOfABonfire #AllTheOsmias #SmellOfTheDay

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It’s that time of year! 🥳

It’s Anosmia Awareness Week and to honor my friends who live with the inability to smell, as I do every year, I’m inviting the smelling community to join me in the 5th annual scent challenge all week long. It’s a different kind of challenge, as you know.

5-Day Smell Challenge: {Day 1}

Here’s what I ask you to do – each day, for the next 5 days I will be posting a video and I want you to describe the smell in the comments.

But here’s the catch, you can’t describe it using descriptors related to smelling, like floral, citrus, etc. Try to describe using your other 4 senses - sight (i.e. bright), sound (i.e. loud), taste (i.e. sweet) or touch (i.e. texture).

I want our friends with anosmia to be able to connect with the smell of everyday things and with your help they’ll be able to have the experience.

Today’s smell: PEELING AN ORANGE - put your description in the comments below…. Go!!

#AnosmiaAwarenessDay #Anosmia #SmellChallenge #AnosmiaAwarenessDay2025 #SenseOfSmell #Orange #MandarinOrange #SmellOfOrangePeel #ScentMemories #FiveDayChallenge #DescribeTheSmell #Scent #Smell #OrangePeel #PeelingAnOrange #ScentLanguage #Texture #Sound #Sight #Taste #AllTheOsmias #SmellOfTheDay

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Check out the latest @internetofsensesinstitute podcast episode, featuring @katieaboateng, President of The Smell and Taste Association of North America (@stanaorg).

In our interview, Katie shared her personal journey with anosmia, or the complete loss of her sense of smell which began after a respiratory infection in 2009. We explored how her experience sparked her to launch @thesmellpodcast and to co-found STANA. Both initiatives empower and educate those with smell and taste disorders.

Head to the link in bio to dive into my latest @substack post for top moments and insights from our conversation!

#olfaction #smell #anosmiaawareness #podcast

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Happy world #tasteandsmellday ❤️

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I had the honor of speaking at the inaugural seminar for the Smell and Taste Clinic at the NIH led by Drs. Joshua Levy & Paule Valery Joseph. As an educator, ambassador, entertainer, and disability advocate for congenital anosmia (born without the ability to smell), I was invited to share my personal experiences, insights, and perspectives on a condition rarely represented in discussions about anosmia.

During my presentation, I spoke about the human side of medicine and treatment, drawing inspiration from Dr. Oliver Sacks’ work and emphasizing the importance of individual stories that support scientific understanding. I highly recommend listening to a Radiolab podcast episode celebrating Oliver Sacks to understand his profound impact on science and humanity. “Happy Birthday, Good Dr. Sacks.”

My goal was to advocate for recognizing and including congenital anosmics in the broader conversation about anosmia. Our unique challenges and perspectives are needed voices in the scientific discourse. Historically, we have been consistently overlooked, lumped into a world that doesn’t include us, and inaccurately defined by acquired anosmia, a totally separate condition.

Over the past five years, I have used my platform to educate and entertain people about my congenital anosmia. My videos and words are meant to spark discussions and create BIG moments of change in thoughts and actions. That’s why I speak up. That’s why I create.

However, my experiences have taught me one thing. I need to do a whole lot more talking. From respected and trusted doctors to loving and well-meaning family members, people everywhere have been tragically underinformed and misinformed about anosmia in general and congenital anosmia, specifically.

From my childhood into adulthood, the medical community has failed to support, diagnose, and educate me. It is high time we reclaim the conversation and work towards changing the life experiences of diagnosed and yet-to-be-diagnosed congenital anosmics. Let’s educate our DOCTORS, demand early-detection smell kits in schools, and build a community so big and vocal that the shared experience of being nameless and dismissed can be a distant memory.

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