Boos by B

My faith has always been a huge part of me. I grew up memorizing prayers in Persian, Arabic, and English. I went to 19 day community feasts, where we would say prayers, sing songs (quietly because it was in the middle east and religious events can’t be made known), and read letters about service and community from our Spiritual Assemblies and Universal House of Justice.

I always knew I had secrets about my identity, because if certain people knew about me - I could face a very grave consequence.

I’ve been studying humanitarian aid since 2009. It’s hard for me to talk about issues I am personally connected to, because there are SO many violations to human rights in this world. What I realize though, is that people know what they seek to know or what’s presented to them. Sometimes it’s genuine ignorance (I hope to believe this more) - other times it feels like it’s a clout based interest in the hottest human rights crisis of the year that get the attention of donors, governments, NGOs, and our community. This is dangerous, and as a public health person we fight for prevention because we know when the issue has progressed into something that has to be treated we’ve already lost people we could’ve saved and/or we have already lost people to morbidity that will impact them and their community for a long time.

The wrongful imprisonments and torture of Baha’is in Iran has been going on since the faith was born in the 1800s. Today, 2021, we have little to no news coverage by media showcasing the mass incarceration of innocent Bahá’í’s. The government continues to rub salt into our deep and old wounds by releasing a statement that Bahá’í’s can go ahead and start digging graves for these Bahá’í’s who have been tortured in captivity now for 20+ years and recently executed. This has to stop, and I realize I have to keep speaking and sharing with you so you know. We can’t stay quiet.

Nowruz Mobarak to all my Iranian, Afghani, Armenian, Azerbaijani, Kurdish, Turkish, and other MENA & SWANA friends celebrating 🎊 May this New Year be full of good health, community, and love 💕 Let’s continue shaping a world of peace and unity, free of prejudice and discrimination. #1400