Occupation: Student

Country of Birth: Afghanistan

Current: Minneapolis, MN

“I am proud to be a Hazara. I didn’t have much freedom in Afghanistan, but now I have freedom and I can do whatever I want. I will study very hard to be a good person in the future.”

Fariha lived in Mazār-e Sharīf, the second largest city after Kabul. She loved her city, which had beautiful mosques, extensive parks, big stores, tall and beautiful mountains, and green grass too. This city was like a sparkling jewel to Fariha, and she loved it. At night, Fariha would stand on the balcony of her house and look at the stars she felt she could almost touch them.

Fariha thinks it’s tough to live in Afghanistan, especially when you are Hazara. Fariha is proud to be Hazara despite not having much freedom back in Afghanistan. Fariha describes her journey from Afghanistan to America as an unforgettable story of her life, but it was hard too. She felt like she was in the ocean and needed to go across all this ocean to arrive in America. She is very happy to be here.

After resettling in Minnesota, Fariha got a new house, a new life, a new school, and new friends. When she started living in her family’s new home, Fariha was happy because she was finally living a life of freedom that she had always wanted and fled Afghanistan to create.

Fariha wants to study hard to be a good person in the future, like a surgeon or heart doctor. She wants Joe Biden to talk to the Taliban and advocate for Afghan girls’ education so they can go to school. Fariha hopes that one day every country will have freedom.