The Life Of An Immigrant

From the lens of a first gen

• ** Maybe do an intro about him being so poor he wasn’t sure when his birthday is? and lead from there? Opening with the story and why people immigrate in teh first place. Different reasons. Tell Sadaf’s story.
• It was May 5th. I remember the date as I wake up from sleep. “It’s my uncle’s birthday” I said aloud. Well, I think it’s my uncle’s birthday. I don’t know if it’s his real birthday or the birthday he created so he could come over to America. It’s a weird thought right? Not knowing if I should send him a birthday message or not because today, might not even be his real birthday.

I was born at a hospital in metro Atlanta. Raised in Smyrna, GA, went to college in Kennesaw, and lived in Atlanta with my family for years. I married an American and had children, and I have never had to worry about whether or not I would be kicked out of this country.

I’m privileged in that way. But so many are not.

I met a girl in grad school who was born and raised in Persia, she came over to America to attend SCAD the same year I began grad school. We got to know each other mainly because she was one of three woman of color in our program and as women of color often do, we all stuck together.