This year marks the 40th anniversary of the execution of 10 Baha’i women in Iran, most of them young, for their religious beliefs and efforts toward justice and equality. The events surrounding this tragedy are personal for me, as my wife has been deeply affected by it. It was during the Iranian Revolution in 1979 when her family’s house was burned down due to their affiliation with the Baha’i faith. This traumatic experience and the subsequent radio announcement of her close friends’ execution on our honeymoon in India have left a lasting impact on her life.

However, my wife’s involvement in the “#ourstoryisone” campaign has given her renewed purpose. Through this movement, she champions causes close to her heart, such as women’s rights, equality and freedom. Witnessing her dedication has shown me the importance of working toward justice and equality and the role we all can play as upstanders instead of bystanders.

I earnestly hope that, as a society, we can come together and transcend the many barriers that divide us. Only through collective effort can we create a world that values and respects the inherent worth of every individual. Let us recognize that our stories are interconnected, bound by our shared humanity, and let us work toward a future where persecution for one’s beliefs is a thing of the past, where every voice is heard, and equality reigns supreme.

Nasser Rohani
Portland