A Leaderless Movement

Opinion by Camryn Banafsheha ’27, Donna Enayati ’27, Darya Ghassemieh ’27, and Ellika LeSage ’26

A movement from the people for the people. Mahsa Amini, 22, died in the custody of the Iranian morality police for loosely wearing the mandatory hijab in Tehran. Amini was taken into custody on Sept. 13 and was said by the police to have died of a heart attack on Sept. 16 in Tehran Hospital.
However, this account is heavily disputed with claims from Amini’s family that she died of skull fracture from several blows to the head. Amini’s death provoked widespread protests and outrage, with people rising up against the oppressive regime that has dominated Iran for the past forty years.
The uprising has been summed up in a few Farsi words, “zan zendegi azadi,” which translates to “women, life, freedom.” These words have been plastered around the world, as they truly reflect the fearless state of the women in Iran. The phrase echoes the perspective of standing in unity with the Iranian people. Maybe our memory of the protests will fade through time, but the pain and suffering of the people of Iran is unforgettable.
Artists and journalists have taken a stand through creativity, as well. 25-year old Iranian singer Shervin Hajipour posted a song titled, “Baraye” on Sept. 28. “Baraye” is a Farsi term that translates to “for/because of.” Hajipour crafted the lyrics using tweets with the hashtag: #MahsaAmini. This is a true reflection of the assembly of voices from all around. Since its release, the video has rapidly circulated social media, becoming the anthem for this movement. At protests, this song is repeatedly chanted and blasted from the speakers of every car. Songwriter and lead singer of Coldplay, Chris Martin sang this song in support of women in Iran at Coldplay’s concert in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
In Iran, girls of all ages are risking their lives by gathering in protest. According to Alarabiya News, 244 deaths have been confirmed in Iran. However, there is heavy speculation that the number is greater. Communication has been cut in and out of Iran, but many videos have managed to leak through social media. The videos show the streets overflowing with determined protestors, marching to gain the rights they have been stripped of for many generations.
Middle Eastern and North African Student Association (MENASA) has brought the movement into Harvard-Westlake. During their club meetings, the leaders show footage of current events and discuss how to raise awareness in the HW community. The power and courage of the Iranian women has united the world with the hopes of achieving a safe and liberated future.

About the Contributors

Camryn Banafsheha

Camryn Banafsheha ’27 is a first year Spectrum reporter. She enjoys interviewing people, and she truly loves to write as a part of the journalism team. She started off writing as a hobby and loves to write formally for school. She writes the weekly Wolverweek, which gives an overview of the week’s events, athletics, and some funny fails from students. Banafsheha plans on joining the Chronicle at the upper school and to continue pursuing her passion for journalism.

“I just love to write. It’s a great way for me to express myself, and I feel like it’s always been something I’ve been able to do.”

Donna Enayati, Editor

Donna Enayati ’27 is an editor in her second year with The Spectrum. She got interested in journalism to make a difference in writing for causes she cared about.

“I want to shed light on people who don’t have a voice and bring attention to various issues in our community,” Enayati said.

She is one of the first freshmen to write for The Chronicle, and also writes for High School Insider with the LA Times. Enayati is highly engaged in the Harvard-Westlake community. She leads the affinity group MENASA as well as the activism club Drive Action, and is a member of the track team.

Darya Ghassemieh, Editor

Darya Ghassemieh ’27 is a second-year Spectrum reporter. Ghassemieh joined the Spectrum as an 8th grader with an interest in writing and distributing news about things that matter to her. “I’m really excited to have a future in journalism and contribute to our school, whether it’s in Chronicle or yearbook,” Ghassemieh said. This year she has her sights set on her potential beats, specifically writing and photographing a class or sports team. She’s also interested in HW Media’s new environmental portraits. “I want to be able to go to the classes and take environmental portraits of people in their classes and just learn more about the departments here,” she said.

Ellika LeSage, Reporter

Ellika LeSage ’26 has been in journalism since elementary school where she ran her school newspaper. LeSage enjoys educating people on topics they may not have a lot of knowledge about, she especially enjoys writing features and opinions she enjoys the creative freedom. She is excited to continue her journalism path with Spectrum this year.

“I really like features and opinions because you have a lot of creative freedom and you get to really write what you want, I believe in autonomy.”

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A Leaderless Movement

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