The Girl Who Couldn't Leave Home?

Lauren Nassimi (Lauren Yaghoubi) is a member of the Mashadi community, perhaps the most conservative subculture among the handful of Persian communities in New York. Lauren was a student in my Biology class back in 2002 as a high school freshman. We talk very openly about how growing up as a female in this community has distinct impacts on her experiences in high school, and later in college. As a wife, a mom, and a daughter, she still struggles to this day to figure out how to balance her own desires with her cultural expectations. Her insights are a valuable guide for girls in similar situations.