Protesting in Iran began on Sept. 16, 2022, and is still ongoing after the death of a Persian woman, Mahsa Amini, who died after being arrested for violating laws that require women to wear a headscarf. Since then, the country has become increasingly dangerous and people of Iranian descent or individuals with family are currently in Iran, over 400,000 people, report being affected by these matters according to the New York Times. From being concerned for family members or upset about mistreatment in general, these events have made their mark on Iranian people everywhere.

“I feel upset that so many people are suffering and that it could easily be my family in their situation because almost everyone in my family lives in Iran except for my mom, dad, and sister,” Freshman, Hanna Fadavi said. “It’s so sad that it could happen to anyone there, even if you’re innocent,” Fadavi said.

Hanna Fadavi feels that this conflict was a long time in the making. She goes on to explain that Iranians have been angry about the abundance of rules and mass control since the revolution. Many are afraid that if they act out, they or their family members will be harmed. But the tipping point was when young Mahsa Amini was killed for not wearing her hijab “correctly”, that’s when people really started to take action. 

“My family outside of Iran is really worried, a lot of the time my mom is crying when she hears more awful things have happened. My parents are very grateful that they were able to come here so my sister and I didn’t have to have that life,” Fadavi said.