A Message to Iranian-Americans in California
By Shahbod Noori
For many years, I have lived beside this community.
I have watched Iranian families build businesses from nothing, raise successful children, become doctors, engineers, entrepreneurs, artists, and respected members of American society.
But despite all of our success, one question has always remained in my mind:
Why are Iranian-Americans still not as politically influential as we should be?
The answer is simple.
Because too many of us still stay silent when it is time to vote.
Today, California stands at a turning point.
The coming election is not just another political event. It is about the future of our businesses, our neighborhoods, our safety, our economy, and the future our children will inherit.
And honestly, if we do not participate now, we lose the right to complain later.
For years, California has been controlled by one political direction.
We were promised progress, fairness, and stability.
But what do ordinary people see today?
Higher taxes.
Rising crime in many areas.
More pressure on small businesses.
Families leaving California because life has become too expensive.
A middle class that feels ignored.
And many Iranian-Americans are part of that struggling middle class.
So let us ask ourselves honestly:
How much worse can things really become?
Some people are afraid of change.
Some say voting Republican may create uncertainty.
But the truth is this:
We have already seen what years of the current system have produced.
Change never comes from fear.
It comes from courage.
One of the names now gaining serious attention in California is
Steve Hilton.
Now let me be clear about something.
I do not personally know Steve Hilton.
And I do not pretend to know the future.
But I do know this:
Donald Trump was not a career politician either when he entered politics. He was a businessman. Yes, maybe he made mistakes. Every leader does.
But many Republican-led states experienced stronger business growth, lower costs, and better economic opportunities during those years. Businesses expanded. Jobs grew. Families felt more financial stability.
And perhaps most importantly, many Americans felt that someone was finally willing to challenge powerful political networks, hidden lobbying systems, and the corruption that ordinary citizens had complained about for years.
That matters.
I personally believe America’s future will improve when leadership focuses more on results and less on political games.
And let us also be honest about another reality:
The economic problems we face today were not created in one year.
The condition of a state or a country is shaped over many years of decisions.
Likewise, rebuilding America will also take time.
The benefits of what leaders do today may only fully appear years later.
That is how history works.
As Iranian-Americans, many of us also carry deep emotional scars from what happened in Iran.
We know what oppression looks like.
We know what it means when corrupt systems gain too much power.
For many of us, politics is not just theory.
It is personal.
And whether people agree or disagree politically, many Iranian-Americans saw something powerful in leaders who were willing to stand firmly against the Islamic regime and its influence.
For me personally, seeing strong pressure placed against those responsible for decades of suffering in Iran was meaningful. The future will decide the rest.
But if we remain silent today, we may never even have the chance to shape that future.
This election is bigger than Democrats or Republicans.
This is about Iranian-Americans finally understanding our political power.
We are no longer newcomers in this country.
We are taxpayers.
Business owners.
Homeowners.
Parents.
Contributors to America’s success.
And now it is time for our voices to be heard.
If you are a citizen, vote.
If your family members can vote, encourage them.
If your friends have become politically disappointed, remind them that silence changes nothing.
And if you believe California needs a different direction, then do not be afraid to vote for change.
Maybe that change includes supporting Steve Hilton for governor.
But whatever you decide, participate.
Because political power belongs to those who show up.
And this time, Iranian-Americans must show that we are here, we are united, and we refuse to stay invisible any longer.