Whenever anyone asks me what my background is I am quick to say that I am Iranian. Usually people will smile and nod, but sometimes you get that person that gives you "the look". The look of judgement and distaste because they think that every person from a Middle Eastern country is a threat, and that is where they are SO wrong.

Iran is a beautiful place. It is where my parents grew up until they immigrated to America in their late teens. The stories I have heard of this place were all filled with happy and fond memories that my parents will forever cherish. It wasn't until I went to school that I heard bad things about the country that I had grown to love through my parents and grandparents recollections.

My parents have always instilled a very good sense of my culture in me. I learned to speak Farsi fluently in order to communicate with my relatives who live in Iran and my grandparents who live close to me, and to be able to secretly tell my mom that the woman across from us on the airplane has a really botched nose job. My father is the President of the New York Persian Parade and I have met some of the most successful and distinguished Iranian people through that organization. My family and I always celebrate Iranian holidays like Eid e Norooz (Persian New Year), Charshanbe Soori (a holiday where you jump over fire to get rid of any sickness and problems and to bring you health and happiness/ basically like a purification).

Imagine now how sad it is to see this country, that I am so in love with, being portrayed so negatively by the media. I might not agree with the way that Iran is governed, but that does not mean that the people or the country are bad. I mean there are, of course, some bad people there, but there are also PLENTY of bad people here in our own backyard in America. The media doesn't even know how to pronounce Iran correctly, (pronounced Ee-Ron NOT I-Ran), let alone know how amazing of a place it is. I have been called a terrorist by kids in school, I have heard someone tell my mother to "go back to where she came from", but with every ignorant word that comes out of their mouths, my heart grows fonder for my country and its values. I was taught by my parents to be kind, open-minded, and to never let other people's opinions deter my love and passion for anything. And I have seen those values in every Iranian person I meet because they were all taught the same.

I am an Iranian and I am so damn proud. Páyandeh bád khak-e Iran-e má. (May the land of Iran be eternal).