Find Iraqi Refugee’s display at Point Park University, 322 Boulevard of the Allies.
“I’m from Iraq. Even when I wear a hijab, many people, even now, say, ‘you look very nice.’ But sometimes, our relatives was suffering from that hijab when they came in downtown.”
I’m from Iraq. I came from Baghdad to Syria because I was kidnapped in Baghdad, the center of Iraq. For this reason, we transfer all my family from Baghdad to Syria, to keep away all my family from terrors and kidnapping. We stayed there in Damascus, Syria for three years. After that, in 2009, we came to United States. I’m happy to see my family, but not almost, because my daughter and their family still in Baghdad. Even now, haven’t any chance to come to United States. She had case in the UN, but that case didn’t approve. Rejected.
I have some problems in my back and my knee after the kidnapping because they hit me with the end of the gun. I managed Baghdad Ministry of Finance. After the war, the people didn’t like to stay in the same office, so they kidnapped me. I didn’t go back to my job. They had me in kidnapping for three hours, with bad condition. They hit me and talk with a bad mouth, and my husband and my family didn’t find me. Some people from my job called my husband and they said your wife was kidnapping. You can’t imagine the shock you would receive at that time. All the people crying. When I came here, I feel happy. I feel safe, at least, and great people. All the people respect.
My younger son finish his graduate from high school, and the older is chemical engineer, and my other was a lawyer in Baghdad. My husband was chemical mechanic engineer. My daughter was pharmacist and her husband a doctor, Ph.D. All my family, we are a civilian people, not military. Well educated. We didn’t have any connection to politics, to any terror. We’re just saying give me a good chance to live here with good people and nice city. This is very short story, cause we have many things, but I couldn’t tell everything. I don’t work now. I’m disabled. I have some problems after the kidnapping. So, I work as volunteer with care organization in Oakland.
Many people love us and contact us with kindly behavior. Even when I wear a hijab, many people, even now, they say, “you look very nice, you’re great.” But sometimes, our relatives was suffering from that hijab when they came in downtown. But, I didn’t feel any hesitated, because all the people like us, even my neighbors. They said, “you are from Iraq. You are Muslim.” Me, my husband, we always treatment all the people with kindly behavior, because that my holy book teach us. My prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him) always say, you’re like each people: don’t hate, don’t hit any people. You’ll respect any people that give me any support, so I feel happy here.
Always Made New 