Chapman’s Iranian Student Cultural Organization holds remembrance for Mahsa Amini
A remembrance on Sept. 27, held one year after the death of Mahsa Amini, reflects on her legacy and what can be done to help the suffering women of Iran. Photo by EMI THOMAS, Staff Photographer
“This is necessary but dangerous.”
This phrase marked the beginning of the remembrance for Mahsa Amini held by Chapman’s Iranian Student Cultural Organization (ISCO) on Sept. 27.
It was part of a request by the event’s organizers to ask them before any photos or videos were taken in order to preserve their identities. If their identities were made known to the public, they could be arrested upon entrance to Iran since they were both Iranian citizens.
A year ago, Amini, 22, was arrested by Iran’s morality police after being accused of violating rules about how her hijab was supposed to be worn. Police then beat her into a coma, leading to her death several hours later.
“We decided at our first board meeting that as an organization, something we want to do is honor Mahsa and spread her story and the story of so many other women in Iran,” said Layla Rezaei, an alias used by one of the event’s organizers who wished to remain anonymous. “We felt that it was our responsibility as Iranians to speak about this because the voices of the Iranians in Iran have been silenced and we are their voices.”
“We decided at our first board meeting that as an organization, something we want to do is honor Mahsa and spread her story and the story of so many other women in Iran. We felt that it was our responsibility as Iranians to speak about this because the voices of the Iranians in Iran have been silenced and we are their voices.”
The circumstances surrounding Amini’s death resulted in a massive wave of protests across Iran, unlike any seen in the country’s history before. The protests led to 20,000 arrests and an estimated 500 deaths, if not more — many of which were children.
Both organizers of the event who were interviewed wished to remain anonymous due to the aforementioned concerns about being arrested over speaking out against the Iranian regime.
“Speaking out about this topic takes a lot of courage for Persian women because of the laws there are in Iran,” said Ariana Shahi, a freshman majoring in business marketing who attended the event and did not wish for anonymity. “Obviously, we are in the U.S. right now, so those restrictions don't necessarily apply to us. However, if we were to ever go back, the government as of right now, would take us straight to prison.”
The event was more than just a remembrance for Amini, though, as it had a heavy focus on her legacy and the impact her death had on Iran. Much of it was devoted to the ensuing protests and exploring what the protestor’s goals were, with the common slogan being “Woman. Life. Freedom.” or “Zan Zendegi Azadi.”
“It is important for others to know what is happening in Iran and how our human rights are taken away,” said an anonymous member of the ISCO. “I hope our government leaves and never comes back and that Iran will be free again.”
The remembrance exposed parts of the protests that those in attendance were likely unaware of, such as the use of music through the protest song “Baraye” and social media to garner support through expressing the movement’s messages to the rest of the world.
“Our goal was to allow the Iranians of Chapman to find a place where they can grieve about what is happening in Iran and feel like they are being heard and supported,” Rezaei said. “Our story was not being talked about for the last several months, and having the one year of Mahsa Amini’s death come up is the perfect time to get people talking about this again.”
“Our goal was to allow the Iranians of Chapman to find a place where they can grieve about what is happening in Iran and feel like they are being heard and supported. Our story was not being talked about for the last several months, and having the one year of Mahsa Amini’s death come up is the perfect time to get people talking about this again.”
Part of the slideshow displayed at the remembrance was also dedicated to showing acts of support from the international community, including celebrities like Coldplay and French actors Juliette Binoche and Isabelle Huppert. The slideshow emphasized that the plight of people in Iran was a global concern, and the overall message of the remembrance was one of solidarity with Iran, regardless of national borders.
“The thing that we ask is for people outside of the Iranian community to be our voices and talk about what is happening in our country,” Rezaei said. “Speaking about what is happening and educating other people is the most important thing because the Iranian community can only spread their message so far; the rest is in the hands of everyone else.”
“The thing that we ask is for people outside of the Iranian community to be our voices and talk about what is happening in our country. Speaking about what is happening and educating other people is the most important thing because the Iranian community can only spread their message so far; the rest is in the hands of everyone else.”
Both ISCO presenters spoke of their experiences within Iran prior to and after the death of Amini. Both expressed a deep fear during their time in Iran, especially due to the oppression of Iranian women under the strict codes of the morality police. One presenter even said that she had almost been arrested by the morality police on a visit to Iran due to showing too much hair under her hijab –– the same reason Amini was arrested.
“It is so necessary for our generation to help spread this news; it is for all the families who are suffering, it is for the parents who are silenced (and) for the people constantly crying about the loss of their friends,” Shahi said. “And more importantly, for me, it is for my parents who had the ability to leave but never were able to forget the trauma that they gained living in a regime of corruption.”
“It is so necessary for our generation to help spread this news; it is for all the families who are suffering, it is for the parents who are silenced (and) for the people constantly crying about the loss of their friends. And more importantly, for me, it is for my parents who had the ability to leave but never were able to forget the trauma that they gained living in a regime of corruption.”
Even now, past the one-year anniversary of Amini’s death, protests against the Iranian regime continue, especially following the hospitalization of a 16-year-old by the very same morality police who arrested Amini.
“These protests shine the light so that the government can be overruled,” Shahi said. “Iran needs all of our voices because all of theirs are suppressed. Change needs to happen, and it needs to happen now.”