Firoozeh Dumas, author of “Funny in Farsi: A Memoir of Growing Up Iranian in America” – Sacramento State’s first offering in the One Book program – spoke with The State Hornet.

Dumas was born in 1965 in Abadan, Iran. At the age of 7, she moved with her family to Whittier, Calif. Two years later, the family moved back to Iran, then returned to Whittier in 1976. In her book, Dumas uses humorous anecdotes to describe her life growing up in two very different cultures.

The Sac State One Book program started this semester with a $100,000 grant from the Wells Fargo Foundation. The university distributed free copies of the book at freshmen orientation and have encouraged faculty members to incorporate “Funny in Farsi” into their curriculum. Dumas will be on campus to talk about her book today.

SH: What can a first-year college student get from reading your book?

FD: I think that when first-year college students read it, they go into their college with more of an open mind. This book isn’t just about Iranians; it’s really about anybody being an outsider. I like to think that when they meet their fellow classmates, they’re not thinking of a stereotype that this person comes with. Hopefully it will give that person a chance to show who he or she is.

SH: You receive a lot of letters from students telling you their stories. Is there one story that sticks out?

FD: It’s not that there’s one story. What I always get from students so much of the time is they feel like outsiders, it doesn’t matter what they look like. I remember one student who wrote to me; (he) was a surfer. I actually got the chance to meet him at his high school and he didn’t look like a kid who you would think would be an outsider. He described to me that as a surfer, he feels he is stereotyped. Of course, if you put all the students in one room who have written to me, you have everything from the third-generation Caucasian to the Mexican immigrant, the Indian immigrant, the Chinese. I have actually spoken two times at Gallaudet University for the deaf. I think, if anything, it proves we’re all outsiders.

SH: After students read your book, how do you think it can help the professors?

FD: There are so many things in “Funny in Farsi.” I think depending on what they choose. I think professors can choose whatever subject they want. The great thing is that when they find “Funny in Farsi,” they will find that students actually read the book. That is generally the greatest obstacle for educators. There are lots of great books out there, but if students don’t read them, it’s a moot point. Because my style is “accessible,” I think professors find that even students that normally don’t participate will be participating and I do have two educator’s guides on my websites. That’s an important thing for educators to know. Although, when they assign “Funny in Farsi,” they will find that the conversations will just happen. If people prefer set questions and discussions, they are there on my website and the guides are free.

SH: You said on your website that you cry every time you read the chapter “Girls just want to have funds.” What is it about that chapter and time of your life that leaves you with such strong feelings?

FD: That chapter really gets to me. It was so powerful to me that people I didn’t even know were helping me to go to college. It almost felt like a random act of kindness. People I didn’t know and would never meet were helping me pay for my education. It’s still a very heartwarming and powerful feeling.

SH: When you wrote the book, did you know about the One Book program?

FD: I had never heard of these One Book programs. Orange County Reads One Book was the first community program to select my book. That’s when I found out what it was. My first thought was, I wished growing up there had been something like this. I love these programs.

SH: Why do you love these programs?

FD: I love the sense of community and I think that anything that brings people together makes a wonderful program. What’s interesting about when I did Orange County Reads One Book; they selected “Funny in Farsi” because they thought it would attract all age groups. I would have events and we would literally have seniors with teenagers. I love that connection because how often do seniors and adolescents sit and talk about the same thing? It pretty much never happens. They watch different TV shows, different everything. To be honest, it reminded me of growing up in Iran and how we always had some old person with us all the time. There was no differentiation. It’s very different than in this country.

SH: Why was your book picked for Sac State’s One-Book program?

FD: My book was probably picked because of those fruit baskets I sent to the selection committee or perhaps because of its universal message. Even though my book is about my Iranian family, it’s ultimately about anyone who has ever been an outsider.

SH: Are you writing another book now?

FD: At this moment I’m not. I have a very active 2-year-old, so my writing is on hold for maybe a few months.

Sally King can be reached at [email protected]