Protecting Civil Rights
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Building Political Power
 We're so excited to share that Florida Representative and NIAC Action endorsee Anna Eskamani has been nominated for Emily's List Rising Star Award for her extraordinary work while serving in office.
She is the first Iranian American to be elected to public office in Florida and her work advocating for marginalized voices has earned her this well deserved nomination -- but to win she needs you to vote! Check out the award page to cast your vote for Anna today!
Last week, NIAC Action hosted a virtual conversation with leading Iranian-American women building political power. Guests included Yassamin Ansari, candidate for Phoenix City Council, Shireen Ghorbani, Salt Lake County Council Member, and Nilofar Ganjaie, NIAC Action Board Member. Watch the discussion to learn more about their challenges in running for office, grassroots campaigning during COVID-19, why we need to recruit more Iranian-American women candidates, and more!
📺 Watch the panel discussion here >
🗳️ Support Yasamin Ansari for Phoenix City Council >
Have you signed up to become a NIAC Action member?
As election season ramps up, we want to make sure you're signed up to become a NIAC Action member! Membership is free and provides you inside information about Congressional candidates and much more. We'll be sending updates to our members about the very exciting New York primary on June 19th, so sign up today!
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Community & Culture
As people across the globe celebrate Pride month in June, we want to highlight Iranian-American LGBTQ+ voices that have been too often silenced both within and outside of our community. That is why NIAC is proud to launch IAPride.com, a platform to share stories of Pride and allyship.
We invite all of you--the LGBTQ+ community and allies--to share YOUR stories to be featured on IAPride.com. Just post your words, art, or video on Twitter or Instagram and use the hashtag #IAPride. And make sure to check out IAPride.com to see the growing gallery of powerful stories!
🌈 Visit IAPride.com >
Shahnameh Comes to Life in the Dazzling Shadow Play: “Feathers of Fire”
 In Feathers of Fire, Hamid Rahmanian’s live-performance play combines traditional puppets, masks, and costumes, with the modernity of digital animation, to create an unforgettable visual spectacle in its most primal form, shadows.
His shadow play depicts the legendary story of forbidden lovers Zaul and Rudābeh from Ferdowsi’s saga. Their love gives birth to the mightiest hero of ancient Iran, Rostam. This masterful retelling of an ancient story is sure to captivate any audience, young and old. Now available to stream online, don’t miss the chance to experience what Francis Ford Coppola calls, “Fantastic, spectacular… cinematic wizardry.”
Spotlighting Human Rights in Iran
 As we celebrate and show our pride, we must also remember the struggle for gay rights in Iran, which still criminalizes homosexuality. While some strides have been made to recognize transgender men and women, Iran still has a very long way to go in ensuring rights for its LGBTQ+ community and all its minority communities.
We condemn human rights violations against Iran’s LGBTQ+ community by Iranian officials, but we cannot stop there. It is also imperative to an honest discussion of gay rights in Iran, to recognize the cultural shifts that are necessary. Whether in Iran or in the diaspora, we must take an honest reflection of our own prejudices and biases. Read more >
On June 3rd, three Afghan men were burned alive in a car accident caused by the Iranian police, in Yazd province of Iran. According to Abdul-Ghafour Lival, Afghan ambassador in Iran, Iranian forces shot out the car’s tires after suspecting the vehicle was carrying illegal immigrants and drugs when it refused to stop at a checkpoint. Carrying 13 Afghan and one Pakistani individual, the car managed to drive 5 miles with its flat tire. Abbas-Ali Behdani Fard, the commander of Iranian law enforcement forces in Yazd, stated that the police received reports of five cars trafficking drugs and illegal immigrants on that road. Read more >
 "Amid the backdrop of the coronavirus pandemic, an economic recession and US sanctions, the power of Iran’s conservative establishment has dramatically increased, setting the stage for a new era of hard-line politics. In a sharp turn to the right, Iran’s legislative body is now dominated by multiple conservatives factions, virtually all of whom campaigned against Rouhani’s administration and his platform of external engagement and internal moderation." Read more >
Upcoming Events
Looking for something to do? We've got you covered! Check out our upcoming virtual events below and see the full calendar of NIAC's events here. RSVPs are required. We look forward to seeing you there!
Virtual Book Talk with Juan Cole: “The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam”
Saturday, June 20th at 4pm ET
NIAC Chicago will host a virtual book talk with Juan Cole, Professor of History at the University of Michigan. He will read from his new translation of The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam and draw connections with current circumstances. RSVP here >
Ensuring Black Lives Matter: Learning about the Movement
Monday, June 22 at 7pm ET
How has systemic racism shaped the Black American lives? What are movement leaders demanding at this time? How does the U.S's militaristic approach to global “safety” connect our experiences? How can we take steps to ensure that Black lives DO matter in the U.S? Join for a panel discussion to address these questions and more. RSVP here >
A Maximum Pressure Exit Strategy: Can the U.S. Save the Iran Nuclear Deal?
Wednesday, June 24 at 12pm ET
Would a Biden administration return to the deal, and if so what hurdles could it encounter? Could Trump pivot away from maximum pressure? And, if the nuclear accord is stabilized, how could the U.S. use diplomacy to resolve tensions across the region? Join us for an expert panel and report release addressing these important questions. RSVP here >
#ICYMI: Is Iran Weathering the COVID-19 Storm?
Recently, NIAC hosted a panel discussing the economic, political, and human rights situation in Iran amid the COVID-19 outbreak and ongoing U.S. sanctions. The discussion featured insights from NIAC's Sina Toossi, Virginia Tech Professor Djavad Salehi-Isfahani, Human Rights Watch's Tara Sepehri Far, and journalist Negar Mortazavi. The panelists explored a number of pressing issues, including the impact of coronavirus on Iran's economy, how the Iranian people are faring under the multiple crises faced by the country, and what all this means for U.S.-Iran relations.
📺 Watch the panel discussion here >
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