Zaara Ahmed is a student at NYU who has lived in Astoria, Queens all her life. Her family is a mix of many cultures with Palestinian, Bengali, and Jewish origins. She shares with us the story of her grandfather coming to Astoria in the 70s with her father as a young boy. For the journey, the gift of a Quran box set was given to them by Zaara’s uncle. It’s clear from hearing Zaara talk about her family and community that Islam is very important to her family. She talks about how Astoria was the place they chose to make their home because of the accessibility of the Islamic religious ceremonies. She says that in a country like America, which can frequently be hostile to Islam and Arab identities, a place where Jumma (Friday Prayer), fasting for Ramadan, and Eid celebrations was vital to them feeling at home in a new country. Zaara says this American antagonism towards Arabness and Islamic identity has made it hard for her to feel like a true American, though she does feel like a true New Yorker. And, in moments of difficulty, she says her community in Astoria is able to lift her up and make her proud of where she’s from. 

– ZA

Relationship:  Im/migrant Im/migrant