This generation in Afghanistan will not give up

Third-year student Maryam Karimi was born in Afghanistan in September 2001. A month later, the United States invaded Afghanistan following the Sept. 11 attacks. The Taliban was ousted from power, but everyday violence remained. Her family applied for asylum and eventually settled in Fremont, California, when Maryam was 12. Now, she and her family watch as the Taliban once again takes control of their home country. But Maryam knows that Afghans — especially her generation — won’t give up. “The fire of revolution and freedom is lit in their hearts. And with a little breeze, it’s going to burn brighter than ever before,” she said.

Photo of Maryam embracing a tree in a bright red shirt with a scarf that is black, red, and green.

Maryam Karimi, who's double majoring in political economy and Persian, wears a scarf the colors of the Afghanistan flag. “I want people to see us as humans, not statistics — with real pain in our minds and hearts.” Photo by Brittany Hosea-Small.

In this episode of the podcast Berkeley Voices, Maryam shares her thoughts on survival, the education of girls, the power of social media to connect people during times of turmoil, and the need for hope and love.

Visit Berkeley News to listen to the episode, read the transcript, and subscribe to this podcast.

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