Golsa Golestaneh, a 2016 recipient of the City of Vancouver’s Diversity and Inclusion Award. | Photo by Susan Hancock
Golsa Golestaneh’s journey began in Iran, where she, her younger brother and parents lived before immigrating to Canada as part of the Government-Assisted Refugee Program in 2014.
“Our [family’s] first option wasn’t to flee [Iran],” explains Golestaneh, a 2016 recipient of the City of Vancouver’s Diversity and Inclusion Award. “Our first option was to make a difference, but we failed, and then we had to flee.”
Flight from home
Golestaneh, 19, touches on a difficult time in her life. She remembers her father’s arrest for voicing his political beliefs and recounts how he was denied employment as part of his punishment. The Golestaneh family was in a vulnerable situation. If her father was arrested again, he would be executed, yet they didn’t have the means to survive without his employment.
With no options left, the Golestaneh family joined others who were protesting against the Iranian government. When the risk of being arrested became too great, the family sold all their possessions and secretly travelled to Turkey in 2012, where they received asylum from the United Nations.
“Eventually, the risk became too great for us,” says Golestaneh. “We had to go. We had to flee Iran.”
At 14 years of age, Golestaneh was conflicted with the cultural and political beliefs of other people living in Iran. She wanted to become a judge, yet she felt her dream was in jeopardy if she remained in Iran.
“How could I represent the institution of law in Iran until it changed?” says Golestaneh. “I love [Iran], but at this point it’s not a place where I can grow. Maybe later [it will be different].”
Helping others find their voice
A year and a half after the Golestaneh family arrived in Canada, Golestaneh was awarded the 2016 City of Vancouver Diversity and Inclusion Award under the individual youth category.
She was surprised to learn she had won, as she had no idea her efforts had been noticed by other people.
“It’s just confirmation that I’m doing the right things,” she says.
Her peers recognized her for her activism within youth leadership programs: Vancouver Foundation; Pave the Road, an organization focused on inter-religious action that promotes peace; and Leave Out Violence, a society that supports violence prevention and intervention programs for youth. Since her arrival to Vancouver, Golestaneh has worked with other refugees to create a sense of belonging in a new country. She is also a board member for BEATS Magazine, which provides a voice for other newcomer youth living in the Lower Mainland.
Looking forward
Golestaneh’s journey in advocacy continues. As a young woman who once lived in Iran, she knows the injustice of being ignored, of being invisible. She also knows what it’s like to take massive risks to fight for her personal beliefs, which is why she is passionate about helping others who feel marginalized.
“I want to help others find their voice through education, advocacy and by addressing women’s issues,” she says.
Golestaneh would like to return to Iran one day, but not quite yet. For now, she wants to focus on starting her post-secondary studies in political science, her first step toward becoming a judge. When she’s not volunteering, she enjoys hanging out at the beach with family and friends.
“The beach makes me feel close to other places,” says Golestaneh. “You see the water and you know that there is something beyond it: there are people beyond the shorelines of English Bay that are living their lives differently than me.”
For more information on Golestaneh’s Diversity and Inclusion Award, please visit
www.vancouver.ca/your-government/diversity-and-inclusion.aspx
