Student Culture Showcase

khongjennifer07
2 hours ago
4 min read

By Sarah Perez December 10, 2025

Growing up Persian-American in the U.S., senior Tara Kashani-Brink celebrated Persian cultural traditions, was spoken to in a mixture of English and Persian and enjoyed Persian food—experiences that led her to feel passionate and proud between her two cultures.

Kashani-Brink vividly remembers her mother’s book of Farsi poems; whenever her mother had a worry or unanswered question, she would read a poem to Kashani-Brink and follow its advice. Kashani-Brink continues the tradition as she learns to read Farsi, teaching herself to read Persian poetry and calligraphy to become more immersed in her culture.

During traditional holidays such as Nowruz (Persian New Year), Kashani-Brink participates in traditional dances, specifically belly dancing. Her mother used to play old Persian songs to Kashani-Brink when she was a child, instructing her while reassuring her in her dancing skills to help Kashani-Brink overcome the embarrassment she felt, a memory she now treasures.

Other times, Kashani-Brink heard her mother’s stories about life in Iran. Once, one of her mother’s friends shaved her head to present herself as her mother’s boyfriend, allowing her mother to go without a hijab. Kashani-Brink’s mother was once jailed for her advocacy, worrying Kashani-Brink’s grandparents, who had to pay a fine to release her. The teachers of Kashani-Brink’s mother were influential in her decisions; they made small actions such as leaving hair out during hijab mandates, even after threats and the execution of their principal, who advocated for women’s rights.

In 2022, the death of Iranian Mahsa Amini in police custody after not wearing a hijab sparked widespread protests. Kashani-Brink created an X account for activism related to the protest because she felt her country was becoming more unsafe.

“I created my X account to spread awareness about these issues for my classmates and the people around me. Although I did not want to talk about politics as a kid, the death of Mahsa Amini made the issue more important to me as a matter of human rights. My goal is to get the word out as I get more involved, so that the people of Iran do not have to worry about speaking out against the regime and can lead normal lives,” Kashani-Brink said.

Kashani-Brink called the offices of senators and congressmen in support of legislation to sanction Iran’s current regime. When her mother recorded one of these calls and encouraged Kashani-Brink to post it to her X, a cyberlegislative group called the Mahsa Advocacy Group invited her to join their efforts after the video went viral. She continues to work with them today, now traveling to Washington, D.C. frequently to visit congressmen and senators’ staff for impression meetings and for National Union for Democracy in Iran meetings with other Iranian activists.

Another student who is embracing their culture is sophomore Olga Balanchuk, whose Russian values are an integral part of her life. Since moving to the United States from Russia in 2016, Balanchuk has consistently demonstrated the will to enhance her learning and excel academically after learning English in 2nd grade.

“My family aimed for me and my sister to succeed. Having gone to high school and university in Russia, my parents have witnessed firsthand how academics impact your future. High achievement is a big part of my culture–focusing on building a better future, which can apply to many things beyond school,” Balanchuk said.

Balanchuk is fluent in Russian and speaks it exclusively at home to maintain her language skills and be able to communicate with relatives who do not speak English. She often helps host Russian holidays for her mother's friends and their children, by cooking traditional foods, leading arts and crafts, and reading Russian folk stories such as “Father Frost and His Brothers” and “The Snow Maiden Girl”. The stories teach the children how holidays such as New Year’s are centered around family and love, and hearing them read out loud helps them become more proficient in the language–a way of looking out for their future.

“Celebrating these holidays and keeping tradition alive is what has shaped my identity. During the holidays, the parents turn on Russian music from cartoons or elsewhere to dance with the kids. I dance with them because I find it very sweet, and I hope to create core memories for them as it did for me,” Balanchuk said.

On December 31st, Balanchuk's family celebrates one of her favorite holidays: The New Year. Her family cooks a large dinner spread, decorates a Christmas tree and watches a holiday movie. On Jan. 1st, they give and receive gifts. The holiday is celebrated like a blend of Christmas traditions with traditional Russian foods such as Olivier salad and a secular focus on family values. She fondly remembers going outside with her grandmother to shout “Ded Moroz!” (Grandfather Frost), ensuring that Grandfather Frost came to leave gifts. Balanchuk looks back to childhood in Russia with joy and hopes to continue to spread that joy through her celebration of Russian culture in the U.S.