Watching the brutish Russian invasion of Ukraine and the West’s reaction, I cannot help but think about my childhood in the United States post 9/11, growing up as a Muslim Iranian American girl.
I remember this feeling, even as a child, when my rows of Barbie dolls included none that looked like me. As a teen, I hid my ethnic origin because even the faintest mention of Islam or Iran ignited contention rather than celebration of my beautiful culture.
