In the United States, oppression is nearly non-existent. People are encouraged to speak what they feel and have no fear of punishment. However, this is not the case in other parts of the world, such as Iran. The graphic novel Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi influenced me by showing how education, which Americans consider a right, is merely a privilege.
The story of Persepolis outlines the educational oppression people faced during the Iranian Revolution. The focus around Satrapi’s childhood demonstrated the controlling nature of military government. According to the novel, the Islamic Regime forced Satrapi to leave her secular school and attend a devout Islamic school. Furthermore, she was forced to wear a veil over her hair to adhere to the religious standards. The veil is used in Islamic society
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This book inspired me to join the fight towards equality. I started working with the group Free the Children, an international organization of children helping children against child labor and providing for education in underserved areas of the world. This is where I first learned of Malala Yousafzai. The Taliban shot Malala in the head while she was trying to get an education. Miraculously, she survived and is now a leader in the fight for youth education and the youngest Nobel Peace Prize winner for her advocacy for children’s rights. She stated, “There is a moment where you have to decide whether to be silent or whether to stand up.” Through her words, I was inspired to join Free the Children’s “We Are Silent” campaign, in which you stay silent for 24 hours. For the past 3 years, I have spread awareness to my community of her story and those who don’t have a voice of their own. Through the messages in this book, I became dedicated to the termination of educational oppression that permeates the poverty-stricken portions of the world. The world is always filled with despair, but we cannot just turn our