How does it feel to be a refugee and a veteran in Trump’s America?
Assal Ravandi was a Iranian refugee and a veteran of the US army.
How does it feel to go from refugee, to soldier, to organizing the veterans' ball for President Donald Trump's inauguration? Complicated, says Assal Ravandi.
On the one hand, "I'm a soldier first," the Iranian refugee told us. The military community gave her a sense of self, and a sense of citizenship. But that doesn't mean politics aren't important, and it doesn't mean getting up in front of a crowd of veterans to give a speech congratulating the new president doesn't feel a little strange.
The e-mailer who inspired this episode told Rupa he thinks veterans of color are feeling divided and unsure under President Trump, whom most soldiers and veterans supported. He imagined immigrant and refugee vets might be feeling similarly, especially in light of Trump's travel ban.
"It's just a feeling," he said. But we'd like to know if it's more. How are immigrant veterans and their kids feeling about the military's new commander in chief?
In this episode we're not reporting on a story so much as taking a snapshot. We think that's important, too.
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