My Shadow is My Skin Episode 1: the Iranian Diaspora

"In the four decades since the Iranian Revolution in 1979, Iranian-Americans have made sense of their lives and reconciled their sense of belonging and not belonging through writing, first through poetry and memoir in the immediacy of migration and exile, and later in a developing and rich explosion of fiction. In the past decade, we have seen a blossoming of nonfiction writing that reflects complex voices and modern sensibilities and that reveals a broader range of stories and remembrances than ever before." - Katherine Whitney and Leila Emery, Editors, My Shadow Is My Skin: Voices from the Iranian Diaspora. 

In association with the University of Texas Press, we are proud to present "My Shadow Is My Skin: Voices from the Iranian Diaspora: a Special Series on What's That Noise?!" - a collaboration that aims to lend a hand, if only modestly, in further cultivating this ongoing blossoming of otherwise marginalized reflections about life, identity, and belonging from the Iranian diaspora. 

In this first episode, Tommy chats with the book's editors about their project, of how it came together, its sources of inspiration, its aims, and its aspirations. We trust you will find, just as Tommy did, that My Shadow Is My Skin: Voices from the Iranian Diaspora is a vitally important contribution to an often overlooked, ongoing struggle - particularly in a time filled with system political intolerance, exceptionalism, and racism; in a world of increased distancing, My Shadow Is My Skin: Voices from the Iranian Diaspora brings us closer together. Stay tuned for future episodes that interview contributors to this excellent book, which we aim to bring to you every month. On behalf of Katherine, Leila, their wonderful contributors and the University of Texas Press, thank you for opening your heart and mind to these powerful stories.

Follow your host: @whatsthatdata | @wtncast

Follow Katherine, Leila and their contributors: @IRANMusings

Follow the University of Texas Press: @UTexasPress

A very special thanks to Dr. Babak Elahi and The Resonant Freqs for sharing their incredible music for this special series. Dr. Elahi is also a contributor to My Shadow Is My Skin: Voices from the Iranian Diaspora - we look forward to his interview, indeed!