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Gohar Sedighi (MPA '11): Global Leadership Awards Dinner
My journey actually begins with my mother’s journey. By all accounts I should not really be standing here before you today. I could have been a lost opportunity.
But because of my mother’s courage and vision and because of my access to public school education, I am here. And because of SIPA I have a future in this country.
First, I must tell you a bit about the events that took place even before I was born. In 1982, Iran was in the midst of an Islamic revolution. My mother was a 24-year old college student in Tehran and she was pregnant with me.
Every day, my mother marched in demonstrations demanding political freedom, civil liberties, and most of all democracy for her people.
She continued to fight even-though her friends, classmates and close family members, and her husband, had recently been killed for their activism. There was civil war in the streets of Tehran, but my mother remained undaunted. Once I was born, my mom made the very difficult decision to leave her beloved homeland.
Imagine: it is winter and snow is coming down like bullets. You are fleeing on horseback holding your baby daughter in your arms, praying that the life-saving border will soon appear. By the grace of God, we made it to neighboring Turkey and lived in a refugee camp for months until we were granted political asylum in France.
I could have been a lost opportunity. But because of my mother’s vision to get me out of danger, to keep me safe, to protect me, I am not.
My mother and I moved to southern California when I was nine years old. Neither of us spoke English. On my second day of living in the United States, I walked into Mrs. Garner’s third grade classroom. I was in awe of the colorful artwork on the walls, the shiny clean textbooks, and the brand new computers.
I have since learned that this is not the reality for most minority students attending public schools in this country. My free access to a quality public education: starting with elementary school, moving on to secondary school and even a public university prepared me not only for a career but served as a pathway for my contribution to society.
After attending college in California, I moved to the east coast and began working at the International Institute of Boston, a not-for-profit organization that helps immigrants and refugees become self sufficient in New England. As part of the leadership team, I helped turn-around the organization so that we could provide the very best services to our clients. After all, these clients were just like my family and me. They had seen bloodshed, lost loved ones and somehow had made it to the U.S. and were struggling to start their lives all over again. For three years, I served as the face of all the institute’s immigrants and refugees and fought for their rights.
I could have been a lost opportunity because I couldn’t afford private school. But because I had access to great public education, I was able to achieve academic and career success.
I came to SIPA with the goal of continuing to advocate for immigrants. Thanks to my advisor and mentor, Dr. Ester Fuchs, I became passionate about urban issues and, especially, urban education. Minorities and immigrants are the main demographic group hurt by failing schools in this country. I have dedicated my graduate research to finding innovative ways to bring needed resources to disadvantaged schools. I believe education is the big equalizer. My goal is to help provide a quality education to ALL students, including those from the most depressed urban areas in the country. I hope to really level the playing field.
After two years at SIPA, through my courses, internships, group projects-- and many long conversations with my peers, I have developed the critical skills to achieve this goal. SIPA not only gave me the tools to succeed, it gave me options!
Last week, I learned that I was selected as a Presidential Management Fellow finalist and will be working for a federal agency after graduation. As a PMF, I will contribute to creating policies that will help other minorities like me have access to the American dream. For I am the embodiment of the dream.
And thanks to SIPA, I am not a lost opportunity. Graduating from SIPA has ensured that there will be many amazing opportunities in my future. Just imagine where I would be if I did not have: my mother, my public school education and SIPA? Just imagine where I would be.
I know that a journey which began in my mother’s arms, on the back of a fleeing horse will continue on a bright path towards equality for others. And I know that you are here today to make these opportunities available to more students. And for that I am grateful.