New University in Exile for Afghan Artist Fellow, Mujib Mehrdad, featured in USA TODAY
“America promised them safety. Now they fear what Trump will do next.“
April 23, 2025
Mujib Mehrdad and his wife, Aria Mushahed
“Mujib Mehrdad, 40, and his wife, Aria Mushahed, 35, were supposed to be on their honeymoon when Afghanistan collapsed in 2021. Instead of leaving the country for a romantic getaway, they were forced to flee without any of their belongings to escape persecution from the Taliban.
In Afghanistan, Mehrdad was editor in chief of Hasht-e Subh Daily, the most popular newspaper in the country, which received grants from nongovernmental organizations based in the United States. While he didn’t work with the U.S. military directly, his profession opened him up to persecution by the Taliban.
After six months as refugees in Albania, they boarded a flight to Virginia. It was March 2022, and the cherry blossoms were blooming. They were received by U.S. veterans, who presented them with flowers…”