Meheria. Faces of the Festival 2019. Steven Meckler photoI came here as a refugee 18 years ago. I’m originally from Afghanistan. When I’m driving north in Tucson and I see the mountains, it really reminds me of back home. I left when I was only 12 years old. Tucson Meet Yourself has been one of the biggest parts of my life. Every time I come here I feel really good. I see the diversity of Tucson, and it helps me feel supported. It’s one of the events that I really look forward to every year. We have a small Afghani community here, and we have three events throughout the year when we get together. We celebrate the two Eids, one is a big celebration after the month of Ramadan, and then after that, when people return from pilgrimage. And then we have the Afghani new year, which happens on March 21. So those are the three big events that help us stay connected.
– Meheria