Freaba Morrad Oral History Interview
Freaba is an Afghan-American woman who was born and raised in the U.S. She talks about being an Afghan woman, how war and displacement has impacted her and her family's lives and the connection that she feels to her roots back home. She talks about education, holding various identities, and gender norms and roles here in the U.S. and in Afghanistan.
Sahar Oral History Interview
Sahar is a pseudonym used to protect the identity of the interviewee. Sahar is an Afghan woman who was recently resettled in Centreville, Virginia. She talks about her life in Afghanistan prior the fall of Kabul to the Taliban in August 2021.
RD Oral History Interview
RD is a pseudonym used to protect the identity of the interviewee. RD is an Afghan woman who was recently resettled in Centreville, Virginia. She talks about her life in Afghanistan prior the fall of Kabul to the Taliban in August 2021. She shares her experience as an Afghan woman who grew up in Iran and returned to Afghanistan after the fall of Taliban in the early 2000s.
Fiza Oral History Interview
Fiza is a pseudonym used to protect the identity of the interviewee. Fiza is an Afghan-American woman who immigrated to U.S. in 2003 through the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) after living for over a decade as an undocumented immigrant in Pakistan. She talks about the hardships that she faced throughout her life.
Fatima Oral History Interview
Fatima is an Afghan woman who has lived in the U.S. for the last 6 years. She discusses her struggles as a refugee living in Iran where she grew up. She lived in Afghanistan for 10 years before moving to the U.S. She has been very active in speaking out against injustices regarding women's rights, minority rights and human rights in general.
Fareschta Oral History Interview
Fareschta is a pseudonym used to protect the identity of the interviewee. Fareschta is an Afghan-born, German-raised, Afghan-American woman. She is married to a Colombian man and has two biracial children. She talks about her various identities including her identities as an Afghan-American woman. She talks about her fight against the societal definition of womanhood and creating a her own path.
Bamiyan Buddhas
Photo of the Bamiyan Buddhas taken by RD in April 2019. RD traveled all over Afghanistan to document the beauty and history of the country. Having lived in Iran as a refugee and going back to study for her Master's degree there made her realize how little people know about Afghanistan.
A Haft Seen
Photo of a haft seen that RD set up at her apartment in Kabul. This was the last time that she celebrated Nowruz in Kabul in March 2021. RD talks about leaving behind family, friends, traditions and everything that was dear to her. She misses that community that she had worked hard to build. Moving forward she will have to build a new life in the U.S. and create new traditions.
A City Street in Kabul, Afghanistan
Photograph of a city street in Kabul, Afghanistan in 2018. Freaba Morrad's father visited Afghanistan in 2018. You can see people going about their lives. Freaba talks about Afghans immigrating only due to war and poverty. If Afghanistan was peaceful, as shown in this picture, no one would leave.
Mountain Range in Faryab, Afghanistan
The mountain range where Freaba Morrad's family currently lives in Faryab, Afghanistan. This picture showcases the serenity and natural beauty of Freaba's ancestral town in Afghanistan. Freaba talks about the deep connection that she feels to Afghanistan in general but to Faryab in particular and the natural landscape is one of the reasons for that connection.
