Iranian | Argentinian/Native American/African-American

Photo credit: selfie

I am Iranian, Argentinian, Native and African American. My religion is Catholic and sexual orientation straight-ish. When people look at me they really don't know what I am, which is why I get that question a lot. Most people think I'm from Monaco or Arab. My Mom is from Maryland and my Dad came to the US from Iran in 1988. They met at a gas station and my Dad asked for her number because she had ‘the most beautiful eyes he has ever seen’. My Mom has always been accepting of my Dad's culture (she loves the culture) and has always made sure I spent time with my family, go to my Dad's country and celebrate the holidays. My Dad also celebrates American holidays too. Even though he was raised Muslim he still took me to Sunday school classes. My Mom actually married another Iranian before so the Iranian culture is something she has been a part of since she was 18. My Mom is also Native American so I was raised being a part of the Piscataway Conoy. 

I love interracial relationships because it has made me a very accepting person. I don't judge people based on their skin because I know what it feels like to be the odd one out.  My Mom was placed for adoption because she was mixed with African American, so things are a lot different now vs then. You have somebody like my Mom who came from a prejudice/semi racist family and she become this amazing and accepting women who went on to be in her own interracial relationship. The only way my culture would affect how I choose a partner is if somebody makes racist and prejudiced comments because I'm mixed or where my Father is from. Also I’d like for my partner to embrace other peoples cultures (celebrating Persian New Year), meeting my multicultural family and being able to be around anybody (without letting color or race affect anything). As long as my partner accepts my culture that's all that matters. 

I feel like I have the ability to adapt and be around all different types of cultures. Also because of that positive experience I'm able to educate people on different cultures. Another positive thing is that you’re breaking barriers on something that initially wasn’t ok, and you as a mixed person are living proof that it's okay to be different and mixed. It's not a bad thing. It's a good way to bring all different types of people together. 

When I was younger I had a hard time fitting in with people because I'm mixed. Sometimes people would say oh you aren't this because you don't speak the language or you don't look like this or that. It really made me feel left out and even with my family I felt left out because everybody was 100% Iranian (speaking Farsi) and I'm the mixed cousin with curly hair who felt like the Black sheep. My Mom being adopted because of who she is was hard because I never got to know a whole part of my culture, which is probably why people said I wasn’t Hispanic enough because I don't speak fluent Spanish.   

I've been listening to Persian music my whole life as well as eating the traditional food which I love! I get nervous dancing but the older I have gotten the more I love to dance at family events. I know some of the languages too (Farsi and Spanish). 

I have visited Iran 6 times. I love going to Iran because most of my family is still there (Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles and cousins) I always enjoy seeing them and eating the food. I also love to look at all the fashion there and see how people dress. A lot of the people I meet there are so artistic and just like people back home. It's sad that you have to cover up your body and hair when you visit Iran (that is the one thing that makes me sad because I have so much freedom in the US). I have also been to a lot of historical places (Shiraz, Isfahan, Persepolis etc.). I also love going to peoples houses because they are so polite and giving people. 

When I was a kid I didn't like being mixed because I had a hard time fitting in. The older I have gotten the more I learned to embrace all my different cultures because that's what makes me the person I am today. The older I get the more I will love being mixed and who I am. 

In all the places I worked luckily they always embraced and were inclusive of different cultures, gender and sexuality. When I worked at Nordstrom they actually wanted to make sure you're being called by the pronoun you like to be called. 

If I had the opportunity to be reborn I would like to stay who I am because I will never want to stop sharing my story and the women in Iran's story (the oppression and stuff like that). It's something I have been speaking up about since I was a kid and I couldn't imagine being anybody else and not being able to use my voice for those women (my family). I am very thankful and happy to be able to share my story and experiences on being mixed.