Letter to Melanie Cervantes

Dear Melanie Cervantes,

I am writing this letter to you because you are the only Chicana artist who was involved in my life. Essentially it feels like we know each other without knowing each other. Do you remember "The Green Wave" of 2009 in Iran? Of course, you do because you created a poster to show your solidarity with Iranian people. The poster was used in the peaceful demonstration of 2010 in Los Angeles. Never in my wildest thoughts did I imagine a Chicana artist created this poster.

Iranian poet Sa'adi, from the 13^th century, has a very famous poem, Bani Adam (The Children of Adam), which decorates the gate of the United Nations' building:

 

The sons of Adam are limbs of each other,

Having been created of one essence.
When the calamity of time affects one limb
The other limbs cannot remain at rest.
If you have no sympathy for the troubles of others,
You are unworthy to be called by the name of a Human.

We are living in an era that carries a fundamental paradox within itself. We can easily have access to the news about the world because of today’s technology; however, we choose to stay in our solitude. We do not get involved with the problems of other parts of the world as long as our lives are not entangled with those problems. All of us need to understand this concept truly that we are not separate individuals rather we are individuals with interconnected lives. It is good to know that you were with us in that journey, and I appreciate what you do for the social movement of other communities.

Best Regards,

Mahyar Naghshvar