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Rockabye - Annie Marie

This song reminds me of my first year in Seattle, when everything felt unfamiliar, and I was struggling to adjust. The lyrics about sacrifice and resilience remind me of my mom’s journey and everything she did for us to have a better life here. This song is the sound of that transition—hard, but necessary.

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Clean Bandit - Rockabye (feat. Sean Paul & Anne-Marie) [Official Video]

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A Mosque I Used to Visit as a Kid

This is a place that represents my faith. Even though I drifted away from religion in high school, I still remember how peaceful it felt here. I would visit often because it was really close to my house.

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Childhood home

This was my childhood home in Turkey, the place where everything felt familiar. Looking at this photo now, I see how much has changed since moving to America, not just the buildings, but myself too. This marks the beginning of my journey and the contrast between where I started and where I am now.

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My First Day of School in the U.S.

I was really nervous to even get on the school bus because it was the first time I was going to be alone without my parents and I think they cried too but I was scared and excited at the same time. But they followed me to school with their car to make sure I was okay. At the end of the day I was fine.

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Eastside - Halsey & Khalid, benny blanco

This song represents starting high school in Redmond and struggling to find my place in a new environment. The lyrics about love, change, and escape remind me of my efforts to fit in. It was the time when I started becoming more outgoing and social in middle school

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benny blanco, Halsey & Khalid – Eastside (official video)

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Middle School

This was my middle school for the first year I was in America where my first ESL class was in a portable had to run in the rain to get to class which was a different experience for me because before we never had to leave the building, teachers would come to class for us.

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Symphony - Clean Bandit ft. Zara Larson

This was a song I had on repeat in middle school when I was still adjusting to American culture. It reminds me of feeling lost but also slowly finding my place. The idea of being part of a bigger “symphony” connected with my search for belonging.

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Clean Bandit - Symphony (feat. Zara Larsson) [Official Video]

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Beauty and A Beat - Justin Bieber ft. Nicki Minaj

One of the first songs I downloaded and listened to non-stop. It reminds me of freedom and fun, a time when I was becoming more confident in group settings. This song feels like middle school memories, running, gym, and feeling more Americanized.

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Justin Bieber - Beauty And A Beat (Official Music Video) ft. Nicki Minaj

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Dum Tek Tea - Hadise

A song I always heard on the radio in Turkey before moving. It reminds me of Turkish pop culture and how I felt before coming to the U.S.. Eurovision was a big deal for us, and this song makes me feel nostalgic for home.

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Turkish Tea Pot

Drinking Turkish tea was something I always did at home. No matter how "American" I became, tea always connected me to home. Turkish people drink a lot of Tea and I think its an important part of the identity itself.

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Miş Miş - Simge

A song played at Henna Nights before weddings, but I loved it even outside of that. It represents Turkish traditions and the parts of my culture that I still carry with me. Even though I moved, these cultural elements never left me.

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Hasbi Rabbi - Sami Yusuf

The first concert I ever attended as a kid with my parents. I didn’t understand openers, so I kept waiting for Sami Yusuf to come out. This song is both religious and nostalgic, reminding me of my childhood faith and family memories.

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Sami Yusuf - Hasbi Rabbi (Official Video HD)

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A Sami Yusuf Concert

This image was not exactly the one I went to but it looked similar especially since it was so long ago. I think going here kind of intrigued me and now I go to a lot of concerts to the new artists I listen to but it would be amazing if I had the opportunity to go see him again after many years.

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Turkish - Kurdish - American Flag

This flag represents my struggle of always being caught between three worlds, Turkish, Kurdish, and American. At times, I felt like I had to choose one, but now I realize I don’t have to. My identity is a mix of all three, and that’s what makes it unique.

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Ya Nabi Salam Alaska - Maher Zain

I used to listen to Maher Zain’s religious songs a lot growing up. He was one of the few artists who made Islamic music in different languages, and I loved his Turkish-English versions. This song takes me back to a time when I was more connected to my faith before I lost touch in high school.

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Maher Zain - Ya Nabi Salam Alayka (Turkish Version - Türkçe) | Official Music Video

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Relatable Quote

"Language shapes identity. To be forced to abandon your language is to be forced to abandon yourself."

This quote relates to how I felt learning English and losing parts of my Turkish/Kurdish self.

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My High School

I went to a choice high school that was STEM based that pushed me to my limits when it came to academics but it was also the place where I met a lot of my life long friends. I';m still very close with these people and I hope that I continue to do so.

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The Quran

High school was when I felt the most conflicted about faith. I was surrounded by people who didn’t share my beliefs, and I questioned if Islam was truly mine or something I had just inherited. But deep down, I never let go of it completely, and now I feel more connected than ever.

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Equity Team

Freshman year of high school I got selected to be a part of the equity team to figure out how we can educate others about other cultures and religious an make sure everyone gets fair chances at stuff. met school population was mostly asian/south asian with it being 68% of our school so equity was important.

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Picture of me Today

Now, I realize I don’t have to choose between cultures, beliefs, or social life. I’ve found a balance that works for me, and that’s what truly matters. I found a good balance between everything and I am proud to be muslim.