In 2001, I moved to United States shortly after the loss of my father. I was 10 years old at the time and had lived in a country that was extremely racist. My family and I felt like outsiders. Now at 27, I have moved and lived in three different countries. Being accepted by the United States was probably one the happiest moments that my family had experienced in a very long while. At a young age, tragedy was a constant for me and my siblings, and we were finally able to gain freedom here.
In recent weeks, seeing the images of young children being separated from their families broke my heart. I often imagine how I would have felt. How scary it would have been. I cannot imagine the fear and pain those kids felt. Most of them were like me, already experienced in the trauma that life randomly hands out. Separating them from their family only further hurts them. No one leaves their home/country without cause. People are running away from horrific circumstances.
This is an inhumane way of handling people fleeing to freedom. I am an Afghan-American woman who has done everything in my power to give back to a country I am so grateful for. I have taken advantage of every opportunity and made the best of it. I have worked, and progressed in life due to my hard work. I went to college and graduated with two degrees. I have not taken away from the community, I have added to the community. We come to our adopted homeland, not to take away, but to give back. Par