Imagine a place where playing music in public was against the law. In a handful of countries, this is a reality. Growing up as a first-generation Iranian-American, Aryana was exposed to two different cultures, and music was her middle ground. Throughout her experiences, she discovered the power of music to mobilize and organize communities. With the recent events in Iran, she highlights how music is used to give the voiceless a voice. We can create our protest song with a simple melody and powerful words. I am a freshman at URI, and an engineering major. I am first generation as both of my parents immigrated from Iran. I love learning about different cultures, and sharing my own as well.

Music has always played a big role in my life, and the older I got it helped me gain different perspectives in cultures and languages. Being from Iran, I have heard many stereotypes, and music was one way I was able to share my culture in another light. With the current situation going on Iran and the lack of representation of it on the news, I would like to use my privilege and this spotlight to give a voice to the girls my age who are fighting for their basic rights. I want to show people what my creative spark was, and how I use the ability to perform music to give a voice to the voiceless. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx