Self Evident Presents: “Before They Were your Parents” (by Immigrantly)

About the episode:

For writer and reporter Neda Toloui-Semnani, understanding who her parents were and what motivated them to participate in the 1979 Iranian Revolution as young Iranian activists became crucial to making sense of her present. Her father was imprisoned and killed by the Islamic Republic, while her then-pregnant mother and three-year-old Neda escaped Iran for America. After her mother passed away, Neda tried to comprehend why her parents did what they did, which could be argued as both brave sacrifices and selfish risks.

On this episode of Immigrantly, join host Saadia Khan as she dives into conversation with Neda about the journey she went on while researching and writing a book about all of this, titled THEY SAID THEY WANTED REVOLUTION: A Memoir of My Parents.

Reading and Resources:

THEY SAID THEY WANTED REVOLUTION: A Memoir of My Parents by Neda Toloui-Semnan, published by Little A

Credits:

• Host & Producer: Saadia Khan

• Content Writer: Ashley Lanuza & Saadia Khan

• Editorial Review: Yudi Li 

• Sound Designer & Editor: Manni Simon

• Immigrantly Theme Music: Evan Ray Suzuki 

• Other Music: Epidemic Sound