On September 11, we remember the nearly 3,000 people whose lives were taken in
New York City, at the Pentagon, and aboard United Airlines Flight 93 over Pennsylvania.
They were passengers and crew members, office workers, first responders, and people
from across the United States and around the world. They began an ordinary morning
that became one of the darkest days in American history.

We remember the extraordinary courage shown that day: the first responders who ran
toward danger, the passengers who acted to protect others, and the countless people
who opened their homes, donated blood, searched for loved ones, and helped
strangers. We honor the families and survivors who carried unimaginable loss, as well
as the rescue and recovery workers and others who became ill or died from conditions
related to the attacks.

Among those we lost was Touri Bolourchi, who was born in Iran and had lived in the
United States since 1979. She was traveling aboard United Airlines Flight 175 when it
struck the South Tower of the World Trade Center. Her story reflects the breadth of the
loss suffered that day and the many communities forever changed by it, including our
own.

The aftermath of September 11 also brought heightened fear and suspicion toward
communities perceived as Middle Eastern or Muslim. Iranian nationals were subjected
to special federal registration under the National Security Entry-Exit Registration System
(NSEERS), while Iranian Americans across the country faced increased bias and
discrimination. That suspicion reached beyond immigration status, affecting American
citizens and multigenerational families deeply rooted in the United States and fully at
home here.

Twenty-five years later, an entire generation of Americans has come of age with no
personal memory of September 11. The passage of time makes preserving the stories
of those who were lost, those who responded, and those who still bear the
consequences of that day all the more important. Remembrance is not only an act of
looking back; it is a responsibility passed from one generation to the next.
Remembrance also finds expression in what we do for one another. Over the past
twenty-five years, Iranian Americans have continued to serve the United States and
invest in its future. Members of our community have served in the U.S. military and
contributed to national security and defense. As educators, entrepreneurs, researchers,
public servants, healthcare professionals, and neighbors, they have cared for others,
strengthened communities, and helped shape America’s future.

On September 11, we honor those we lost and remember the courage and service of
those who responded. We reflect not only on the hardships our community has
experienced, but also on its enduring commitment to serving our communities,
strengthening our country, and building America’s future