The greatest thing about America is its diversity. It can boast off its great material wealth and great technological achievements but to me America is America because it can bring together thousands of ethnic groups, races and religions from around the world to live and work together, either at their offices, or on a baseball field, or in an apartment building. It is not a perfect place but a place where many come escaping persecution, war, economic deprivation, lack of education opportunities and just a chance for a better life. It is the flow of new immigrants that keeps the blood of America fresh and vibrant.
It was religious persecution that drove my family from Iran, to India and finally to the United States. Our plane landed in New York in the middle of the winter of 1984. I will never forget the first harsh, cold wind that hit my face as I along with my family left the airport walking towards the parking lot.
We settled in Holyoke, in the state of Massachusetts, a town located in western part of the state, about 90 miles from Boston. Holyoke was economically depressed and racially divided. The population was divided between old Irish-Polish-French American immigrants (who referred to themselves as "whites") and the recent immigrants, the Puerto Ricans, who were just Puerto Ricans and were different from the "whites" because they spoke Spanish and most had black hair and brown skin! For most part, the "whites" lived in houses and Puerto Ricans were in apartments in the downtown area.
I have the kind of look that can qualify me for many cultures, you name it and I look like them! Indian, Turkish, Mexican, Italians, Lebanese, Pakistani, and in Holyoke's case, Puerto Rican!
After settling in Holyoke, I started going to school. I enrolled in John J. Lynch School and started in 8th grade. Soon after attending school, I realized that I was caught in no man's land! The school was divided between the two ethnic groups, whites would hangout with each other and Puerto Ricans would hangout with each other. I soon realized the whites did not want to interact with me because I wasn't white and the Puerto Ricans were not interacting with me because I did not speak Spanish though most of them assumed I was a Puerto Rican who did not want to speak Spanish!!!!
As Charles Dickens said in his Tale of Two Cities, "It was the Best of times, it was the Worst of times" and indeed it was for me in Holyoke in 1984.
One day, the strangest thing happened...
I came to school feeling sick, and hanged on till noon time, not getting better I decided I should just go home. So I went to the principle's office. Those familiar with the American school buildings know that the principle's office is pretty big and usually has two or three secretaries working there. It resembles the 1950s America. The office at John J Lynch was a prototype of the 1950s look.
So I entered and stood behind the counter, one of the women who looked like she was from the 1950s came towards me and said, "can I help you?", I replied, "yes, my name is Behzad Roohi, I am in Miss Doyle's home-room and I am not feeling well, I want to leave early today". As I started to talk to her I noticed she started to turn extremely red and pink, and looked very angry...and then suddenly she stopped me and screamed, saying, "Why do you Puerto Ricans speak Spanish, you think everybody understands Spanish?" and before I knew what the hell she was talking about, she had gone to grab some poor student by the name of Julio and asked him to translate what I was telling her into English!!! So Julio came to me and started to speak in Spanish and now I turn to Julio and tell him I don't speak Spanish!!! The issue was finally solved when I spoke in English to Julio who now translated my English to the secretary in English!!!
Those were some tough days, but I survived and found my place within the diversity of America. I still face situations where certain people blinded by their prejudice can't see you for who you are as an individual or that you are part of this country and always look at you as the "other" or the "outsider". Too bad for them...
So in 2017 and beyond, let us respect and appreciate each others diversity. Make sure you reach out to that coworker or neighbor you avoided because you may be looking at them through the prism of stereotype rather than who they really are. And more than anything lets listen to each other and don't assume the other person is speaking a language different from yours....at this point I would like to end by saying, Muchas Gracias!
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