Bahais in Iran Coming to America Hussein Ahdieh: I always thought “aliens” came from another planet, I didn’t know it applied also to human beings.
Bahai Community More stories from Harlem Prep Hussein Ahdieh: There was a kid at our school walking around with a gun in his hand.
Segregation in America How race and class intersect Tavoria Kellam: Our Baha’i Center is in a neighborhood of a certain class, it doesn’t always attract people from uptown.
Racial Identity Debunking color-blindness Tavoria Kellam: In the real world, the most salient thing about me is that I am black.
Bahai Religion Purifying character to uproot racism Tavoria Kellam: I’m done with reading about the Central Park Five, or Tamir Rice, because I know already.
Racial Discrimination A loving community surrounded by danger Growing up in Boston, you didn’t go into Irish or Italian neighbourhoods. You’d be taking your life into your hands.
Racial Discrimination Hard times and harder questions Thirty of us were among the first American-Americans to go to Massachusetts University – they called us the “Dirty Thirty”.
Bahai Community Building Overcoming injustice through service not contention The Baha’i writings forbid conflict – we must oppose oppression by falling in love with people of other backgrounds.
Racial Discrimination Pushing back against mediocrity and racism A lot of artists had great careers because they slept with the right people – I had to decide what kind of person I wanted to be.
Racial Identity Racism at home and abroad South African Baha’is of different races would meet and be visited by the police.
Racial Identity Born in the Midwest – and in the Far East My parents were sometimes told to go back where they came from – I would always try to defend my parents.
Racial Discrimination Turning anger into search My interest in social issues and injustice was my soul searching for answers and the truth.
Racial Discrimination Learning from incarcerated African-Americans Maya Mansour: There's not a lot to do in prison. You're left with a lot of time for reflection.
Racism in America Sharing the burden of racism Ken Bowers: America really is the story of struggle, horrific in many ways, and it needs to be acknowledged.
Bahai Religion From South Carolina to Michigan My church was filled with Civil Rights protestors – one of them said I should explore the Baha’i faith.
Segregation in America A domestic, a laundryman & a professor My parents sent me to an integrated school but I was too mischievous – so I returned to an all-black community.
Racial Identity Hollow options in the 1960s We had friends who were Black Panthers – there was a lot of fronting with bullets and guns.
Racial Identity Black is beautiful here was a deeply entrenched self-hate among dark-skinned African-Americans – it dated back to slavery.
Bahai Community Building Building new communities in the inner cities What’s facing us now in achieving race unity is that some people are privileged – many others are severely disadvantaged.
