The Big, Brown Suitcase

Raised in a traditional Iranian family, eighteen-year-old Parvin Kolahdooz felt

increasingly restricted after the 1979 Islamic revolution. She was trapped in

a society where just a few strands of her hair showing from under her hijab

could land her in jail, where her fatherlessness left her increasingly vulnerable

to being given away in marriage, and where venturing alone put her at risk of

sexual harassment or death. Left with no other choice, Parvin prepared to flee.

In a candid retelling of her escape from an oppressive regime to gain freedom,

Parvin leads others through her courageous journey as she purchased a big

brown suitcase and made her first trip alone to apply for a US student visa

where she was confronted, at gunpoint, during the hostage crisis at the American

embassy. As she details the numerous social, political, and personal challenges

that followed, Parvin reveals how she remained steadfast in her pursuit of

freedom, confronted inner conflicts stemming from generational beliefs, and

ultimately tapped into an inner strength that paved a clear path to freedom.

The Big Brown Suitcase is the inspiring true story of a young Iranian woman’s

escape from an oppressive regime to gain freedom, change her beliefs, and

step into the life she desired.