Overcoming Hate
Even after years of witnessing the supression of Kurds and a war within her home country, Rinaz could still not escape hate in the US. Unfortunately, most of it was experienced by her kids in school. Rinaz was upset and frustrated to see her children subject to insults that were not only hurtful, but also untrue. People would tease them based on offensive and vulgar stereotypes, while they tried to assimilate to their new life. Rinaz noted that these insults came from other kids who were likely unaware of the weight their words carried.
“The only way to fight this is through raising awareness about diversity and how we can celebrate it.” -Rinaz Mala
Despite the harmful impact of this bullying, Rinaz held onto her mentality that promoting diversity and education are the greatest tools for fighting hate. She reflected on her time as a teacher in Dubai and compared it to her experiences in Connecticut and Needham. The key difference was that diversity in the US was not celebrated the way it was in Dubai, so Rinaz set out to change that in any way she could.