— February 15, 2022
I want to first thank Dr. Minoo Varzegar for inviting me to speak at this program.
Dr. Varzegar is well known in the Persian cultural community in New Jersey, New York, Georgia, and other states in the United States who follow her programs. We all have a deep respect for her work in the arts and culture. I would like to also thank those who have worked so hard to put together this gathering and have made this event come into play and those who participate in tonight’s session.
Living as a diaspora, whether by will or force, Iranians for the past 40 years have passed on their cultural values from generation to generation. We should no longer refer to them as Iranian diaspora once the second and third generation Iranian is born in their new homeland. We should no longer refer to them as refugees away from home. The sources of connecting these second and third generations are the language, cultural traditions and history that has passed down from the first-generation immigrants on to their children and grandchildren.
I would like to start my speech by using a personal example, my daughter Negar Ahkami. She is an accomplished artist in the American art world who is not well recognized in the Iranian American community. Presently her work is being exhibited for an entire month at an art gallery in Arlington Virginia. I would like to read an excerpt regarding her work from the gallery’s program pamphlet.
“In these recent paintings Negar depicts European film and fashion icons clad in caftans and turbans. The paintings fuse campy fashion references in Ahkami’s ornate Persian sensibility with motifs from Ancient Greek and Italian pottery, French religious objects and 1960s psychedelics. These diverse Western stylistic references are united in their under acknowledged Middle Eastern influences. This denial of influence has been Negar’s commitment to have in her works display this connection to the West. The exhibition includes small self-portraits based on Henri Matisse’s portraits of the model Lorette. These stark self-portraits contrast with her fanciful paintings of white women, thereby exploring feelings of being otherized as Iranian American woman. “
In reading further, I came to find out that my daughter Negar acknowledges that her success was based on her parents, her mother Nahid and me. She states as follows: “My Iranian-American life is possible because of my parents, Nahid and Shahrokh Ahkami, who immigrated to the United States in 1969, before my birth in 1971. It’s being called Negi to avoid racist associations with my name, and later embracing my name after my college professor told me “Negar” means painting. It’s trauma from taunts during the Hostage crisis and the constant backdrop of dehumanizing news images of Iran. It’s being exposed to Iranian pride while being immersed in an American system that regards Iran with suspicion, derision, or overlooks and lumps it together with other old cultures. It’s being regarded as lost and not Iranian by some diaspora because I don’t speak Persian, but then also countlessly being asked “where are you from?” or “what are you?” It’s finding -through – through Iranian art-my version of language, my deepest connection, my escape from depressing news, into places I can’t travel. It’s rolling my eyes at the countless times my father points out Persian origins of things; and realizing that I have become my father, as an artist who constantly points to Persian art’s global relevance.”
While reading these words, that have probably been read by thousands of Americans and Iranian Americans, and with tears streaming down my face, I realized one truth; perhaps all the work, persistence, efforts, and hardships that my wife and I endured in the past 40 years, if we have not influenced other Iranians, we have at least been successful in influencing our children. We see how it has encouraged our daughter to find her interest and connection to her ancestry.
Most museums that exhibit Persian art insist to present the art and the artist under the flag of Islam. Negar on the other hand is working to change this perspective and present Persian art and artists as Persian who come from the era of the Islamic period.
Take me for example. I am a physician who is enthusiastic about it and thankfully has been successful. But I am also enthusiastic about journalism, a passion that started at an early age when I published my first journal. As a 10–12-year-old my grandfather would ask me to read the news. I must say that during those days in our little town of Ghouchan we only had only access to a few newspapers and magazines. Loving writing, I began writing wall newspapers at my high school. Later I wrote a medical and research journal while I served in the army.
One of the major struggles in the US for my wife and I, and I am sure most diaspora, was finding the proper way to instill in our children, in our case Persian values, as they were growing up and going to school. How could we make them understand and appreciate what their Iranian ancestry contributed to society? There was no internet or social media venues for them to engage in conversation or receive immediate information. The only resources were the Encyclopedia Britannica, or a few books written in English that would briefly cover the culture and history of Persia (Iran) in a meaningful way. Certainly, at that time the media coverage was all negative. The few Persian publications that existed could not compete with the American based publications.
Again, once the Iranian revolution took place and the hostages were taken, the media coverage of anything Iranian and of Iran was a negative portrayal of the Iranian people, Iranian history, and Iranian culture. It is ironic that other immigrants who came from Eastern European countries such a Lithuania, Poland, and Cuba, though referred to as immigrants from communist countries, they were separated from their communist regime governments. They were treated with kindness and compassion. They were accepted into mainstream society. But because of the hostage crisis Iranians were seen as terrorists and enemies of the US and its people. Sadly, to this day some remain ignorant and still recognize Iranians as terrorists. In my Persian Heritage editorials, I try to impress that the people of a country need to be separated from their government. Yet, after 40 years there is no distinction between Iran’s regime and their citizens. There is no understanding or compassion for the Iranian people and the heavy burdens and hardships they have endured during these years. With every positive news or success story that comes out of Iran, to dilute the influence of the story, the media immediately would rerun movies like “Not Without My Daughter” or display footage of the hostages in Iran.
It was during this period that my wife Nahid Ahkami and a few friends decided to form and register Persian Cultural Heritage Association, PCHA as a nonprofit corporation. This was one of the first foundations found on the East coast of the United States that represented the Persian community. I was president of the PCHA for the first 4 years and it was a true honor. Everyone involved worked diligently to make it a success. We all agreed that the organization needed a newsletter that could reach the Persian community in our area. It began as one page and would get out news and updates about PCHA’s work. Though one page, I cannot impress upon you the amount of work involved, especially not being able to type or use a computer to make a one-page newsletter. It would take a few weeks to complete.
After a while I realized it was time for me to start a magazine in place of a newsletter. Twenty-seven years ago, the first issue of the magazine went into publication in two languages Persian and English. For the first issue all the members took ownership of the project, but within a couple of months and at the time of preparing for the second edition everyone cleaned their hands and stepped away; the second issue never came out.
I saw this as an opportunity to fulfill my lifelong dream to become a real journalist. It was not easy and there were obstacles to move, go through or step over but we succeeded in publishing the first bilingual Persian and English magazine in 1996, Persian Heritage (Mirass Iran). It was the first Persian publication that had a 50/50 ratio of both languages published in the US. Our purpose for the magazine was to introduce our culture and history to second generation Iranians and the American people. We wanted to have them understand Iran and its glorious history. We wanted to have them learn that Iran and its people were not the hostage takers or terrorists they read about. Our purpose was also to shed light on the success stories and achievements of Iranian Americans and Iranian diaspora. Our purpose was to instill pride. Our purpose was to show the American people, who initially welcomed us and then turned on us, due to regime change in Iran, what being Persian was all about. Of course, to this day Iranians who travel within the US or elsewhere in the world may still receive unwelcome treatment when authorities see where they were born. It is this perception that our magazine wishes to change. And I believe we have had success.
Because of these reasons and other issues, I was determined to publish this magazine despite the emotional and financial burdens that we faced and continue to face. Despite harsh criticism from those who forgot the country of their birth I made the decision I would, for as long as I am able, to continue to publish this magazine.
For the initial publications I sought help from friends I knew in publishing. In a brief time, however, I was able to continue without their help, and became a sort of expert myself in the field of publishing and editing of the Persian section. I am honored to say that the colleagues of the magazine continue to support the publication and give so much of their own time each issue published.
I have continuously been impressed with the number of second-generation Iranians who have reached out to me to express their gratitude and support for this publication. Many of them speak of their experiences of having parents who did not have much knowledge on Iran. Too often when they asked their parents about Iran the question was unanswered or dismissed with a response, “Oh Iran is a land with an ancient history.” It brings such satisfaction to know that Persian Heritage has been a source to answer their questions through our articles. The other night I was entertained by an Iranian comedian who made a joke about Iranians, how the only attachment and knowledge they have if asked a question on the subject is, “Oh Iran has a rich history.” The joke was on them. Over the past twenty-six years Persian Heritage has addressed current issues, news, and events that Iranians have found valuable in its publication.
I remember when the very offensive and demeaning movie, Not Without My Daughter, was released many Iranians had positive support for the film because they believed that the images portrayed would hurt the image of the regime in Iran. They did not realize how damaging this film would be on the world’s perception of the people in Iran, a perception that was one sided. The story was based on an American woman who after her Iranian husband completed his residency in anesthesiology in the US, moved back to Iran with their daughter. After time passed, with the help of Iranian friends she left Iran with her daughter and without her husband’s consent. The film was adapted from the book based on this woman’s life. It was published at the height of the hostage crisis. She became an overnight success and appeared on TV interviews. Eventually a production company received the rights to make the story a movie. It is important to mention here that the film was criticized when released by the NY Times and the LA Times. The movie was filmed at locations outside of Iran and the country and people were portrayed as ugly and dirty. It created an unjust image of the country. In my editorial at the time this film was released I wrote that the US won two wars in the Middle East; 1) the war against Saddam in the Gulf War and 2) with the making of this movie, that portrays Iranian men, their families and the country of Iran in a negative light. It is an image that remains in the minds of many around the world.
About the same time, I addressed this film in my editorial I also addressed the story of the US commercial airline pilot from Connecticut who placed his wife in a shredder. No one even blinked an eye. While they acknowledged the horrifying nature of the event, they never labeled the man as a representative of all American men. It was fairly reported as an isolated act of one and not a portrayal of a whole culture and its people. In the US if a spouse or other individual, without the permission of the other, removes their child from one state to another, let alone another country, the person is considered a criminal, a kidnapper, under US law. In this movie the mother does this without her husband’s consent and she is considered a hero. This profit driven propaganda against the Iranian people is unjust and unethical
This magazine remains neutral and has no affiliation to any religious or political groups. This magazine is a cultural and nonpolitical publication. For the past 26 years it has been financed by my family, since advertisements, and subscriptions are not enough. And only once, because of Covid have we missed a publication, the summer of 2020.
Even though Persian Heritage does not have a political affiliation but there are political and social events that impact the livelihood of the people of Iran and must be addressed. We cannot close our eyes and pretend that those that are suffering do not exist. It is our duty to address their hardships. I take full responsibility for writing about these events in my editorials. Only I as the editor in chief am responsible for those words.
Because of the time restrictions I will leave time for the questions and answers. Before I end this conversation, I would like to take a moment and mention something. In the early days of the publication of this magazine many asked me where I received my degree in journalism or what kind of degree I have in journalism. We must note that many scholars, journalists, and writers did not or do not have degrees, yet their work has been and continues to be of great value and appreciated by their readers.
So, in response to the question as to where I received my degree in journalism, “friends, I do not have a degree in this field of journalism, it has just been my passion and fate has given me this opportunity to do this work.”
I was once asked by a friend, who writes my editorials. I jokingly respond that I have a lovely grandmother who passed away many years ago but because of her love for me, every three months she appears and helps me write my editorials and assists me in assembling the work at the magazine. The friend realizing the extent of the question slowly disappeared into the crowd.
In closing I am not certain how I, who comes from a family without much wealth, has been able to withstand the trials and tribulations in publishing this magazine for 26 years. I question as to why at this age when others are retired and enjoying their golden years, I remain driven to keep this magazine alive. Why do I continue when subscriptions and advertisements do not sustain the costs? The answer is the love I have for my culture and my heritage.
And as I stated earlier as long as I, my family, and my voluntary staff have the strength and the power we will continue this path to serve our duties. That duty is to educate society on the reasons we take pride in our culture, our customs and our past and future accomplishments. From the deepest part of my heart, I wish all a wonderful Norooz, one that brings financial prosperity, laughter, and joy back to our hearts. As we watch the snow and frigid winter disappear let us all welcome the beauty of Spring.