06/17/2025
To our Community and Media:
We are Iranian individuals who love our people and homeland deeply, while also loving and appreciating Canada and Newfoundland and Labrador, which we now call home.
We work to create community, support Iranian students and families, and create spaces to celebrate Iranian culture and traditions alongside our Canadian family and friends. But we do not claim to speak on behalf of anyone.
Each of us carries a personal and complex history with Iran and the Islamic Republic, and no single narrative can capture the pain, fear, hope, and heartbreak that many of us feel right now.
Watching those responsible for so much suffering face consequences brings a mix of emotions: bittersweet justice, fear and grief for those caught in the crossfire, and the uncertainty of the aftermath.
Our loved ones remain unprotected by a regime that causes harm both within Iran and beyond its borders. All we can do is call, reassure our loved ones, and spend sleepless nights worrying and refreshing news feeds for updates.
We’re grateful that local media reach out to Iranian organizations when covering news about Iran.
It’s meaningful to be seen and heard. But this situation is especially complicated, layered with trauma, uncertainty, and intense emotion. Right now, none of us feels comfortable speaking publicly in a way that could be mistaken as representing an entire community.
If individuals want to share their own stories, that’s entirely their choice. But for now, we ask for understanding as we take time to process, reflect, and care for each other through yet another difficult moment.
