One of my Chapman writing professors, published author Martin Nakell, has an Iranian pen pal who is a student and aspiring writer. Recently, I found Vahid on Facebook, and connected the two men. Dr. Nakell sent the following email, which really served to put into perspective how blessed I am to be an American.
studenti --
thanks to sera, vahid got the request to be my friend on facebook. incredibly, the regime shut down facebook (as well as other sites communicating with the outside world) after the last presidential election and the riots that followed. so vahid cannot access facebook anymore.
i just got this message from vahid as well:
Some terrifying news is that they have arrested a very big number of those who were exchanging political news and spreading the events on FaceBook, too.
whew! a good thing i or we weren't on facebook with vahid after all!
'til tuesday, have a good weekend of enjoying our freedom, yes?
dr. nakell
The Voice
- Sera Melisa
- City of Angels
- I believe in many things and regret nothing. I love art and a good movie and a warm bed and the darkroom and making memories and capturing the moment and several other things. I draw inspiration from artists like Salvador Dali, Anna Gaskell, Larry Clark, Cindy Sherman, Ralph Eugene Meatyard, Jeff Wall, Nan Goldin, Edward Weston, Martin Munkacsi, Lillian Bassman, and Richard Avedon. "Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the things you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” –Mark Twain
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