Striking Universal Chords
Jan Porvas was only seven years old when he picked up the drum that would change his life. Surrounded by his friends and family at home, he was captivated by
Tag: iran
Food Feeds our Souls
Born in Tehran, Iran in 1978, during the Iranian revolution, Sara came to Portland with her family in 1986. As young teenagers,
Finding Identity in Resilience
Looking back on the many changes in her life, Sara Houranpay likes to quote her father’s advice: “When life throws you down, you get up,
I was a child of revolution
Sara Houranpay describes herself as a child of the revolution. She grew up during the Iranian Revolution. Her family fled to the United States,
Even the Angels Could Be Capricious
Shahryar Houranpay’s name translates to “the angels are with you.” “Shay,” the American moniker of this Iranian restaurateur, has needed all the angelic
A Modern Day Odyssey
Farzad Larki was born in Iran prior to the Revolution. He grew up in a comfortable middle class family, but when the Shah was overthrown, everything changed.
A Nation Without Borders
Shabnam Rostami stood in her backyard with her children, watching the Oregon International Air Show. Suddenly, childhood memories
Like A Modern Day Odysseus
Homer’s Odysseus took 20 years to return to his native land from the Trojan War, battling hostile forces, deceiving enemies, even changing identities to stay alive.
What Gives Us Power
“Sometimes it’s what we are most afraid of — or wish were different — in ourselves that gives us our power,” says young adult (YA) author Abdi Nazemian, describing the […]
Designing a Better Future
“After the travel ban and after Trump, I had the hard feeling — I felt ignored and voiceless,” says Shiva Farrohki. “I was thinking, how can we change
On Becoming a Cardiologist
In 1983, Mehran Arabpour was a 17-year-old high school graduate with exceptional grades unwilling to settle in his native Iran. Having lost both his grandparent