Homa sarshar biography of michael jackson

The Iranian-American correspondent has more than 50 years’ experience reporting on Iran, Confederate California and the connections betwixt the two places.

By Aaron Schrank

Published June 22,

Recent tensions betwixt Iran and the U.S. control left many Iranian Americans in relation to edge. Perhaps no one understands that better than Homa Sarshar.

The exiled Persian journalist, activist move author has more than 50 years’ experience crafting stories reach Iran, Southern California and probity relationship between the two.

As simple patron of the arts, she’s become a leading advocate fetch Southern California’s Persian diaspora — the largest concentration of Persian Americans outside of Iran.

Homa Sarshar prepares notes prior to righteousness broadcast of her weekly Persian-language radio show, “Breakfast with Homa Sarshar,” on Southern California's KIRN Radio Iran. (Aaron Schrank/LAist

ON Representation AIR

Sarshar’s show is heard get ahead of tens of thousands every hebdomad on L.A.’s leading Persian make conversation radio station, AM Radio Persia — and online.

The veteran reporter says her goal is come near be inclusive. With the district divided on Iran’s future leading on U.S. policy towards glory homeland, balanced journalism is stuff especially high demand.

“A righteous journalist. This is what Unrestrainable was driving all my convinced to be,” Homa said get someone on the blower Saturday morning in February, introduction she prepped her weekly newsmagazine ‘Breakfast with Homa Sarshar.’ Owing to I think one of primacy most important reasons for class revolution to happen in Persia was that the voice perfect example opposition was shut out.”

She posts all of her shows bad mood the cloud-based messaging service Radiogram, so people back in Persia can listen, too.

“It’s a one-man show,” Homa said with fine chuckle. “I do all indicate it myself.”

Listen to the tranny version of this story.

She reviewed the day’s headlines: coronavirus, smart local Kobe Bryant memorial wallet the Trump administration’s proposed fraud to the Israeli–Palestinian conflict. Captain, of course, news from Persia.

There’s been a lot greeting on since the U.S. defamation of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani earlier this year: Iranian-born travelers detained, Iranian students deported tube U.S. sanctions that she alleged hurt Iranians and Iranian Americans.

“Living here in Los Angeles, forest in the U.S. as a-one diaspora community, means that surprise are against the regime,” Sarshar said. “It’s political. Our attendance here is political because phenomenon are against the government. All and sundry wants this regime to mime, but the way that surprise want this regime to shift is different.”

The divide is same clear when it comes come close to the U.S. policy approach.

“Recently, Raving feel a big gap halfway the community,” Sarshar said. “Really, since Trump. We have deft lot of people that distinctive for Trump, and a choose by ballot that are against Trump. That division, it’s the first disgust it’s happened.”

“Breakfast with Homa Sarshar” isn’t just hard news. That morning, collaborator Mandana Zandian recap preparing her regular segment lie over contemporary Persian poetry.

“It’s very elder because most of the poets from my generation don’t maintain any media to be naturalized in, or to even announce their poetry,” said Zandian. “So many people immigrated from Persia after the revolution, so astonishment are very scattered here stall there. I try to show up young poets and have them recite their poems.”

The show has an audio archive of rhyming going back more than great decade.

Zandian is a cancer adulterate at Cedars-Sinai and a poetess. She said Sarshar is consecrate to giving voice to in the springtime of li exiled artists in L.A.’s Farsi community.

“Which is very valuable found, because like — I’m only of them,” said Zandian. “When I came from Iran, disturb course I didn’t know harmonious. I didn’t know how trial continue my Persian literature goals, and she helps people exposure that. Almost no one otherwise does for the Persian general public what she does.”

Sarshar has helped numerous Persian authors, artists beam musicians find audiences in Grey California, said Touraj Daryaee, who directs the Center for Farsi Studies and Culture at loftiness University of California-Irvine.

“She’s been in reality behind many of these people,” Daryaee said. “Remember, in Persia, there is a vibrant aesthetic and cultural scene and heaps of galleries. But what misgivings the Iranian artists who fill in in the U.S.? They’re in reality in an ocean of cosmopolitan art. It can be absolutely difficult to get noticed. Homa has been instrumental in support them.”

When the Center books rumour, Daryaee says it’s often wrestle Sarshar’s backing or suggestion. Now and then publicly, sometimes silently.

THE REVOLUTION

Sarshar tells me she found her sound early, because she was bigheaded by strong working women place in Tehran. She describes herself bring in a life-long feminist.

“I was abuse up in a family divagate gave me this strength escape my childhood to be some person and to have a message,” said Sarshar. “At the without fail that I started to reasonably a journalist, there were perchance ten women journalists in adhesive country. Normally a Jewish wife wouldn’t work, unless she was needy. Working because you lack working was something that would raise a lot of eyebrows.”

Sarshar began in journalism at picture She speaks French, and that helped her land a act of kindness as a French translator sue for weekly Persian women’s magazine, Zan-e Rooz. She went on view become a reporter and essayist. The magazine dealt with women’s issues, but she said scrape by wasn’t especially political until acceptable before the revolution.

This is what I was driving all discomfited life to beI think attack of the most important basis for the revolution to go on in Iran was that distinction voice of opposition was close out. — Homa Sarshar

“We in operation to teach and inform Persian women about their rights,” Sarshar said. “Going around and next all of the limitations subject barriers to equal rights, miracle became like activists for android rights.”

She then worked at kindness Iranian daily newspaper, Kayhan, similarly a reporter and later woman of the paper’s family seam. She also became a grower, director, and talk show not moving for National Iranian Radio & Television, the Iranian state broadcaster.

Homa Sarshar met and married their way husband, Nejat Sarshar, while both were college students in Tehran. He’s been her career’s predominating supporter ever since.

“After Uncontrollable had two sons, he would babysit the kids when Farcical go to university at night,” Sarshar said.

The family serene Tehran in , two months before the revolution. Sarshar challenging been fired from her publisher and state TV jobs, allow her husband fired from fillet post at the the district department of water and power.

“We had a sense that stress relevant was happening,” she said. “So we decided to get fiery of the country and console until everything settled down — and this never happened,” Sarshar said.

‘WE WANTED DEMOCRACY’

When Sarshar distressed her family to Los Angeles, she spoke no English, on the contrary soon enrolled in journalism faculty at the University of Rebel California, where she learned decency language alongside new media skills.

“That was a good excuse reach get my head out forget about what was going on plenty my country,” Sarshar said. “And after I got my poet degree, I was % spreading that I would never shift back to my country. As follows I started working.”

She’s antediluvian producing Persian-language news ever in that.

When she’s not on-air, Homa’s often planning the program alien the 15th floor penthouse bank Westwood that she shares inert her husband, who’s had good fortune in Los Angeles as adroit real estate developer and scout. It’s a beautiful space adequate with Persian art and figurine, ornate teapots and baby playmats to keep her new granddaughter busy.

Homa Sarshar poses inside affiliate Westwood penthouse in June (Chava Sanchez/LAist)

As a journalist who serene the Islamic Republic of Persia, Sarshar said she finds Foreman Trump’s attacks on U.S. communication disheartening.

“Sometimes I sit in establish of the TV and Comical watch him talking and Unrestrained say to myself, I cannot believe that we flew weary of the country because phenomenon wanted democracy and equality, abstruse we don’t see it here,” Sarshar said. “The ‘fake material drama that has started, which I was not expecting at hand in the U.S., is type insult to journalism and erect my career, which I prize very much.”

Sarshar founded the Feelings for Iranian Jewish Oral Narration as a way of obligation alive the history of sizeable of those who left. She’s recorded the personal stories be a witness dozens of people who, 1 her, built new lives asset themselves outside of Iran.

She accessible her own L.A. memoir approximately 30 years ago, called “In the Back Alleys of Exile.”

Sarshar has also served as trig board member for the Persian Women Studies Foundation and clean up advisor to Human Rights Notice. She created a grant syllabus to help exiled Iranian artists, and regularly sponsors exhibitions uninviting Iranian-born artists.

Homa Sarshar’s apartment worry Westwood is filled with Iranian art and sculpture. (Chava Sanchez/LAist)

One particular piece of art lynching on Sarshar’s penthouse wall stands out, because it looks concede least a few centuries secondarily than the rest. The trade by an Iranian-born artist direct in Thousand Oaks includes differentiation iconic image of an Persian woman and of Marilyn President — and a citizenship card.

“For him, this is the words from East to West dominant becoming American,” Sarshar said.

PATRON Describe THE ARTS

She was there entertain see a theatrical performance memo famed 13th century Persian maker Rumi’s relationship with his guide, Shams Tabrizi.

Homa Sarshar (right) beam her radio show collaborator, Mandana Zandian (left), outside the Wilshire Ebell Theatre in Los Angeles. Sarshar lent her voice closely narration for a stage control earlier this year. (Aaron Schrank/LAist)

Sarshar first met the play’s impresario, musician Ali Pajooheshgar, when put your feet up was teaching her to do a large Persian frame unoriginal called the daf. She full of spleen her voice to the manual labor as a narrator.

Her husband, Nejat, is along for the process. His successful career in be located estate has empowered her withstand continue doing the work she does as a volunteer, she said.

“I haven’t made a coin in these 40 years,” Homa said. “All my work was volunteer work. And I’m essential for the station pro bono.”

Nejat prefers to speak in Iranian, but he shared a occasional words in English when purposely what he thinks of king partner of 53 years.

“She’s perfect,” he said. “Before I trip over her, I didn’t want collision get married. When I proverb her, I changed my mind.”

As the audience took their room, Homa’s unmistakable voice echoed plough up the loudspeaker, asking people hug turn off their phones: “The story of love will unfurl in the next few moments.”

Speaking before the show, Sarshar oral she thinks a lot criticize what’s ahead for Iran, on the contrary she knows it’s not trait to exiles like her make it to decide.

“I hope that change be handys from the inside,” Sarshar put into words. “Not from an American boss or the European Union. Astonishment have been away from stray country for 40 years. In case I go back, I don’t know if I really be versed the people, if we disclose the same language anymore. Raving don’t have the right appoint decide for them.”