Tuesday, Nov. 14, 2023
Volume 121, Issue 10
VISTA The
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Tuesday, Feb.
“OUR WORDS, YOUR VOICE.”
Volume 119, Issue 19
Three months in America: An Iranian student recounts life as a woman in Iran Sam Kozlowski Contributing Writer
Eating Braum’s sugary ice cream is common for many Oklahomans. But Braum’s is new to UCO student Saradokht Samea, as she has been enjoying new food and freedoms here. “Braums is my favorite now,” Samea said laughing. “Their ice cream is so good!” After moving from Iran in August, Samea’s delight in Braum’s reflects a different way of life that she has embraced here in America. A stark contrast to the vast cultural and social issues in her home country. “Sometimes we take things for granted. In America, you can be how you want to be. You can follow your dreams,” Samea said. “In other countries, you don’t have that.” Samea, who goes by Sara, is still adjusting to the challenges of college life in America. She is preparing for the final exams of the semester in just a few weeks, having arrived here only three months ago. “As a woman, you have to follow very strict rules,” Samea said. “We don’t have much opportunity [in Iran].” Women’s rights in Iran are influenced by interpretations of Islamic law and social norms. With a mix of democracy and theocracy, women and young girls expe-
rience many different regulations that women in the United States have not had to worry about for nearly a century. Iran’s 1906 constitution promised “equal rights before the law”, but made no specific mention about women in regards to the law, according to the United States Institute of Peace. Fourteen years later, in 1920, the 19th amendment to the U.S. constitution was ratified, women’s right to vote. It was not too long ago that our grandparents and great-grandparents did not always have a right to vote in the U.S. Family in Iran encourages Samea not to look back and to keep following her dreams, as they continue to support her on the journey for success as a nutrition major at UCO. Gender inequality, child marriage and morality police are a few of the challenges that make living in Iran difficult for women. Iranian women must obey the country’s dress code, covering their hair, neck, arms, chest and legs, for modesty and protection . In recent years, protests have led many women to disregard this dress code law altogether, risking their lives every time they go out in public. Although women in Iran face these stern rules, Samea felt safe growing up in her country because of their deeply-ingrained cultural values and how the government strictly enforces the protection of women. However, the government has also killed women in recent
Saradokht Samea (UCENTRAL MEDIA, EDITED BY SAM ROYKA)
Women walk around with uncovered hair in the capital city Tehran, risking their lives at all times (AP PHOTO/VAHID SALEMI). years for protesting and not following the country’s laws. Last month, security footage showed 17-yearold Armita Geravand entering a subway in Tehran with her hair out. Soon after, she slipped into a coma and was carried out of the subway after a reported assault from The Guidance Patrol, or better known as Iran’s morality police, what happened in the train was unclear. Geravand died weeks later. Another instance that ended with someone’s death took place in September 2022. Iranian hijab opposer Mahsa Amini died in Tehran following an alleged beating from the morality police. The Iranian police denied any involvement in relation to the girls’ deaths. “When I was a child, it was better,” Samea said. “We had more freedom of choice, but since last year, everything is getting worse and worse.” In both modern day Iran and the U.S. a century ago, women had limited opportunities to participate and enter politics. However, their limited legal rights go beyond just politics. As for family law, the Civil Code
requires that a man is granted his deceased wife’s entire estate, but a widow receives only one-eighth of her husband’s estate. Parliament voted to let women inherit land only 14 years ago, in 2009. The country of Iran is approximately 636,000 square miles and contains many different environments, including: beaches, deserts, fertile plains and snow-capped mountains. Mount Damavand at 18,402 feet, is the tallest mountain in Iran and tallest volcano in Asia. Samea’s favorite spots in Iran are on the Persian Gulf, located South of the country. “My dad would rent a boat and fish and I would relax,” Samea said. “The water is so clean and beautiful, I miss it.” As safety becomes an increasing concern for women who want to express themselves, Samea protested for her rights in Iran before arriving in America. Despite strict rules limiting women’s liberties, Samea is excited to go back to Iran one day when their government is doing better, so she can see her family and experience the many natural beauties of the country once again.
Wewoka suffers community disruption in the wake of continuous poverty and violence Jake Ramsey Managing Editor
The largely underfunded community of Wewoka, Oklahoma, located within the Seminole Nation, has faced a number of hardships in the past month, with gang-related shootings and house-fires, the people of Wewoka are left without support from the state. The town of Wewoka is largely made-up of people from the Seminole Nation Tribe, and due to the events taking place in Wewoka, the tribe has also faced many challenges. “Well, one it has disrupted a lot of the community events,” said Melissa Rosenfelt, a member of the Seminole Nation and advocate for Indigenous rights. “I know a lot of them are canceled due to the issues.” “With the disruption and the violence going on they weren’t able to hold many events this year,” said Rosenfelt. “So it’s affecting the tribe itself, but also the tribal community.” Wewoka is a small community made up of around 3,080 people as of a 2021 census, and has an average income of
$30,000 per household. With 30% of the population below the poverty-line, many are left without proper resources, and being that it is a mostly Seminole town, the tribe attempts to help, but the Seminole Tribe doesn’t have the same resources as some of the wealthier tribes in the state, like the Cherokee or Chickasaw. “It’s a political issue,” said Rosenfelt. “Using the Chickasaw and Cherokee for example. They’re very established economically.” “They have a lot of enterprise and economic means to provide,” said Rosenfelt. “The Seminole Nation hasn’t really grasped how to do that.” The Seminole Nation owns three casinos in the state, whereas the Chickasaw own 23 casinos, as well as hundreds of varying businesses throughout the state, making them the most commercially successful tribe. “They each have their own economic and institutional way of doing things,” said Rosenfelt. “The Seminole Nation had trouble establishing their businesses.”
Rosenfelt goes on to discuss the political impacts many laws have had on the tribes, and how Oklahoma lawmakers can better help the Seminole Nation and the people of Wewoka. “There’s a lack of economic opportunity more than anything,” said Rosenfelt. “How could they help? They could really bring jobs here, and not just to the metro area.” Many workers in Wewoka have to travel long distances in order to find better job opportunities, causing many jobs within the town to not be employed. This in-turn is harming the overall economy of the town. With the economy of the town being impacted, as well as the Seminole Nation not having the resources to provide for the community, members have been left to fend for themselves. Even with nearly 20 shootings taking place during the month of October, as well as six arrests in connection with the shootings being made recently, the town has still seen very little help from officials.
Wewoka has suffered from a lack of reporting by news media. (OFFICIAL/CITY OF WEWOKA)