Inspiring! Immigrant Parents Sacrificed Everything So That Their Child Could Be Called 'Unique'

YOUR TOWN, USA—Many immigrants leave their home countries to escape corruption, find new opportunities, or to create a better future for their families, but Azadeh and Farhad Ahmadi made the sacrifice for a more meaningful reason: so their daughter Daria could be the ‘different’ one in every setting.

“Sure, some immigrant parents dream that their child would one day become a doctor, lawyer, or simply just find success in a country that is constantly working against them, but not mine,” Daria explains to us. “They’re just happy that I’m able to be the 'unique' one among my friends and coworkers. They are so proud!” 

Growing up, Daria managed to stay at the top of her class, excel in extracurriculars, and even volunteer within her community, but none of that seemed to matter in the eyes of her teachers or peers. Despite her accomplishments and efforts in school, people mostly seemed to focus on the different traditions her family celebrated, or even just the food she would bring for lunch. All of these little moments of attention made their sacrifice all the more worth it.

“We just felt like we fit in too much back home,” admits Farhad. “Our whole family was there, everyone we loved and knew, and we had our daughter’s future in mind. We thought about how she could live this life with more opportunity, in a country that would grant her more freedoms as a woman, but most importantly where she could explain our culture to people who didn’t understand it so that they could be like, 'Whoa, that’s so interesting!'”

We asked Daria’s parents how they felt about everything else she has accomplished in life and if they were happy to see that she found success in other aspects of her life as well.

“When she told us that she landed a job at one of the most prestigious business firms in the country, we did not care! Thousands of people do that,” claimed Azadeh. “But then when she complained that she was a 'diversity hire' and has the lowest title and pay in the entire company, that’s when we knew to celebrate. Our baby girl has something more to offer than everyone else – she’s different.”