“What’s it like in America?” This is a question I have heard from my relatives my whole life. I often feel like a bridge. Every good bridge has a responsibility to connect two opposite worlds and make them one, bringing new perspectives, new knowledge, and new insight to a distant community. As they listen to descriptions of my life here in the United States, I listen to their depictions of life in Kurdistan. I am humbled every time I realize the insignificance of the struggles I face in comparison to the ones they face on a daily basis.
There will be a day when this world will be passed onto us – the youth. But what legacy will we leave? Will we be known as the generation of Kurds who halted the progression of the Kurdistan Region because we were too focused on our own interests abroad? The ones who lost their identity by fully assimilating into their new culture? Or will we be a generation that advocates abroad for our Kurdistan, as we fight for the betterment of the region? Although we are on the cusp of historic advancements in the Kurdistan Region, it is up to the youth to continue the fight and push forward. We in the diaspora have an important part to play.
What can a Kurdish-American student do to help advocate for Kurdistan abroad? In the United States, you are granted the opportunity to speak directly to your congressional representatives; take advantage of that. As a constituent, your voice matters. By opening up a dialogue with your government representatives, you can help advocate for Kurdistan.
As a student, you can establish a Kurdistan-oriented group at your school or university. By launching a club at your institution, you are enriching students with knowledge about Kurdistan and our distinct culture.
Organize language seminars, hold screenings of Kurdish films, or even hand out Kurdish food – these are all ways you can offer exposure to our Kurdish culture and heritage. When you are asked where you are from, do not shy away from saying “Kurdistan”.
When you explain to your peers and acquaintances where the Kurdistan Region is, you are spreading awareness, making individuals abroad more knowledgeable of your people.
Assimilation is mandatory to be successful abroad, as we must compete with our fellow Americans. Still, we cannot afford to fully lose our connection to Kurdistan. With the same determination and courage our parents had when they emigrated out of Kurdistan, we have an obligation to use the platform we have been granted to raise awareness and gain support for our homeland. Our parents sacrificed everything to give us a better life. Therefore, we have no other option, not only for our parents, but also for the kids in Kurdistan who are not as fortunate as us. Whether you are a Kurd living abroad or in the beloved homeland, until we both have the same opportunities to succeed, we cannot rest.
I have faith in my fellow diaspora of Kurdish youth. Seeing people like Herro Mustafa, the first Kurd ever to become a US ambassador, not only brings me hope, but it also shows how far we’ve come. As we grow up abroad and begin to turn into the adults our parents hoped we’d become when they decided to leave Kurdistan, we must never forget the mountains of Barzan or the chaikhanes of Hewler: our Kurdish identity.
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Hezha Faris Barzani is a student of international relations at Virginia Commonwealth University and currently interning at the Kurdistan Regional Government Representation in the United States. |
