@hrayrattarian
“I hope that…one day there will be no borders between countries. That we can celebrate differences yet unite based on our similarities.”
These are street photographs I took both at a May 1st rally and in my neighborhood. Since May 1st started in Chicago, I joined the rally on May 1, 2020, which had a strong immigrant presence. The photos I took represented my feelings on that day.
The color photo was taken in my neighborhood. The mother-child relationship shows the humanity of the migrants who are being demonized with derogatory words.
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In 1992, I arrived in the USA on my own to further my education. A charitable organization in Lebanon gave me a $1,200 loan for my travel expenses, which I repaid $100 per month over the following year.
The subtle discrimination I have faced and the more overt prejudice I have witnessed have made me more compassionate towards other immigrants who were not lucky enough to get the help I did to get here. I also try to help as many people as possible who were in a situation similar to mine in 1992. My current community is primarily made up of minorities and immigrants like myself from all over the world.
My relationship with home and its traditions has become a bit strained. I feel I fit here more now, even though I may still not fully belong, and some of the things back home that did not bother me do feel odd. On the other hand, I maintain my native identity and, even after 34 years, I still can’t get used to some things here.
Living outside of my native country and having traveled the world has made me more open-minded. That sometimes puts me at odds with the way people think back home. In contrast, when I am with other immigrants from my home country, I feel a stronger pull towards my native culture. For the former, I remind myself that the way some people still think back home stems from ignorance, and I will try to educate them. Meanwhile, here, I try to dispel myths about my own culture that exist in the West. Ultimately, I balance things out by seeking people of my background who have had similar experiences.
I hope that, much like in Europe, one day there will be no borders between countries. That we can celebrate differences yet unite based on our similarities. I have already achieved my professional dreams, and I currently volunteer my services to those who need them while helping immigrants as much as I can. In the last part of my life, I also want to cultivate my artistic and literary side.