A blog to read and share about Iranian diaspora experiences and culture by the Center for Iranian Diaspora Studies at San Francisco State University.
“With a Trace” is a new blog established to share stories, feature diaspora studies scholars and their work, as well as to identify and share the rich cultural landscape produced by Iranian immigrant communities as well as second and third generation hyphenated Iranians from around the globe.
View the Center's Blog:
With a Trace: Documenting and Sharing the Experiences of the Iranian Diaspora
"Sinbad Voyage" by Mokhtar Paki
Intentionality in the Iranian Diaspora — A Report from Boulder Colorado
Rebellion in Rhyme — Fatemeh Shams and the Power of Perseverance
Drawing Freedom: Marjane Satrapi and The Voices of Revolution Through Art and Storytelling
The River’s Song — Taraneh Mousavi and the Fluid Harmonies of Home
Sirvan Manhoobi on The Power of Music to Unify a Divided World
Gordafarid and Niloofar Asadi’s Portrayal of the Female Body and Resistance
Through the Smoke — Yalda Moaiery’s Photographic Odyssey in the Face of Oppression
Exploring the Labyrinth of Narrative — The Literary Odyssey of Iranian Writer Shahriar Mandanipour
From Angst to Acceptance — Adib Khorram’s Metamorphic Storytelling
Unlocking Cultural Prisons with Poetic Keys — Sahba Aminikia’s Melodies Bridge Cultural Divides
Porochista Khakpour and the Glittery Iranian-American Pandemic Novel That Will Give You Fomo
A Remembrance of Musician and Composer Faramarz Aslani
“Saint Saffron” and Pantea Karimi’s Artistic Homage to the Queen of Spices
Hanif Sadr and Celebrating the Dream of the Bay Area’s “Komaaj” Restaurant
Playing with the “Home” of the Imagination — The Life and Writing of Moniro Ravanipour
Mahsa Vahdat On Leaving Iran and Finding A Home in Music
Recognizing the Life and Work of Shahrnush Parsipur — An Iranian Writer Who Belongs to the World
What the Latest Census Results Reveal about Iranian Americans
Let Her Sing 2023: Empowering Women’s Voices
Confronting Mystery and Poetry with Darius Atefat-Peckham
Embracing Identity Through the Body and Poetry — The Vision of Artist Mobina Nouri
Building Community and Making Music among Older Members of the Iranian Diaspora
Atlanta Councilmember Liliana Bakhtiari and the Many Facets of Iranian-American Resilience
PRIDE MONTH in the Bay Area — A Wrap Up
Transcending the Expectations of Grief in Writing — A Conversation with Shideh Etaat
Embodying Love and the Divine with Dr. shawndeez
Making Queerness Visible in the Arts—A Conversation with Novelist and Screenwriter Abdi Nazemian
The Subject of Objects — Parmida Mostafavi and Consumerism Within the Iranian Diaspora Community
Beyond Canons and Tokenization — A Conversation with Actor, Amir Malaklou
A Conversation with Poet Rooja Mohassessy on Healing Through Poetry and Art
Celebrating Norooz at the White House
A Tale of Two Worlds — Ana Maria Raietparvar, and the Iranian Diaspora in Brazil
SF State’s Professor Hafez Modirzadeh on Amplifying the Struggle for Freedom through Music
Ariana Vafadari and the Power of Weaving Connections Across Musical Traditions
“We are that poppy born of fire” — A Conversation with Artist, Pouya Afshar
Bay Area Attorney Paris Etemadi Scott on the Frontlines of the Refugee Crisis
The Iranian Diaspora in Spain: First Insights from Fieldwork 2019-2022
Iranians in Hungary in the Past and the Present
Spaces of Possibility with Iranian Diaspora Artist, Afruz Amighi
Finding My Language: A Personal Exploration of Identity in the Iranian Diaspora
The Push and Pull of Iranianness in and out of the Kitchen
Amir Sayadabdi — Advancing and Promoting Food Studies within Iranian/Persianate Studies
Pirooz Kalayeh on Making Films, Listening, and the Power of Healing
Dr. Laetitia Nanquette — A Scholar Writing from Outside and Inside
Dr. Halleh Ghorashi of Vrije University On Building a Sense of Empowerment and Home
Sepehr Haddad On Making Art from Life and On Making a Life in the Arts
Dr. Catherine Sameh On Finding the Bonds of Solidarity in the Transnational Feminist Frame
Sanaz Fotouhi on Connecting through Stories, Film, Literature, and Her Own Storytelling
“Joonopanir” — or How We Speak “Finglish” in the Iranian Diaspora
‘The Savage Muse’ — Building Community Across the Artful Dinner Table
Author Olivia Abtahi on Giving Voice to the Marginalized in YA Fiction
From the Granular to the Sweeping: Reflecting on the Evolution of a Diaspora
Vancouver’s Chef Hamid Salimian — Finding His Way through Food
California-Based Artist Keyvan Shovir and Movement Between Tradition, Modernity, and Diaspora
Atossa Soltani on Being a “Planetary Citizen” and Defending the Amazon
Forging a Progressive Future with Yasmin Radjy
Chef Hoss Zaré — A Tale of Persian Hospitality, Cooking Innovation, and Culinary Evangelism
Milad Odabaei — On Transitioning to the United States and Conducting Fieldwork in Iran
Sara Saedi — On Growing up Undocumented and Becoming a YA Novelist
“Daring to Look” – Pouran Jinchi and Re-Writing Women into the Great Calligraphic Traditions of Iran
Building A Bay Area Iranian-American Queer Community One Person-at-a-Time
Dr. Claudia Yaghoobi and the Importance of Making the Marginalized Visible
Reflections on Racism, Inequality, and the Role Iranian-Americans Can Play in Social Justice
Novelist Marjan Kamali — Writing from a Place of Nuance
Sepi Shyne – An Advocate for the LGBTQIA Community and Social Justice in Her City
Azin Seraj — Making Art from the Archive of Her Diasporic Life
Nima Rahimi, Attorney and Advocate for Political Participation and Democracy
Dr. Sahar Razavi, California State University, Sacramento
Dr. Taghi Amjadi On Hafez and the Power of Seeking Mental Healthcare
Iranian Diaspora Youth Essay Contest: Sam Rahbin
Iranian Diaspora Spotlight: The King and Queen of Kuku, Aisan Hoss and Mehdi Parnia
Iranian Diaspora Spotlight: Holly Fathi and the Emerging Literature of British Iranians
Elica Vafaie: An Iranian-American Attorney Committed to Social Justice
Iranian Diaspora Spotlight: Ana Bayat, Multilingual Actor and Playwright
Iranian Diaspora Spotlight: Artist and Murphy Award Winner Shirin Towfiq
Iranian Diaspora Spotlight: Dr. Shadee Abdi
Iranian Diaspora Scholar Spotlight: Marie Ostby, Connecticut College
“Chanting the Shores” Iranian Diaspora Spotlight with Amin Moghadam, Princeton University
Iranian Diaspora Spotlight: Jasmin Darznik, Novelist and Professor
Iranian Diaspora Spotlight: Dr. Shirin Vossoughi, Northwestern University
Iranian Diaspora Spotlight: Dr. Amy Malek, College of Charleston
Iranian Diaspora Spotlight: Dr. Manijeh Nasrabadi
Iranian Diaspora Spotlight: Dr. Camron Amin
Iranian Diaspora Spotlight: Dr. Sonja Moghaddari