(upbeat music)
- All right everybody, we're back with Ryan Phillippe,
give it up.
(audience cheers and claps)
So when we see tragedies happening halfway across the world,
it's all too easy to feel powerless,
but we've seen time and time again on this show, in fact,
that no matter where you are, you can make a difference.
Our next guests are proving just that,
they're the co-presidents of the Iranian Student Group
at UCLA, and they're helping bring awareness
to the very tragic situation happening right now in Iran.
Everybody please welcome Melody and Paria.
(audience cheer and claps)
Meet Ryan, everybody.
- Hi - Hi, Ladies.
- Everybody meet everybody.
So, Paria, for those who haven't been following,
can you give us kind of an overview
of, like, what's happening in Iran?
- Absolutely, yeah.
Thank you for asking.
So, in Iran, there is a theocratic regime.
And for those of you who may not know
at home, a theocratic regime is
when government and religion are entangled.
And so, as a result, consequently,
there is a head-scarf mandate for women.
And so, women are forced to wear the hijab.
And Mahsa Amini was a Kurdish-Iranian woman,
visiting in Iran.
She had her hijab on, however
there seemed to be a few strands of hair still showing.
And so, the morality police took her in,
and allegedly beat her to death.
Which is very unfortunate.
That was a triggering point for Iranians.
And so, woman, the youth, they're all out
on the streets right now
protesting and voicing themselves.
Which is imperative.
- Yeah, it's sad that it takes that for people to,
you know, rally, but I mean, can you, you're a dad.
You know, a girl dad, like, I mean, can you even imagine
that kind of circumstances for your daughter?
Like, she just wasn't covering her head properly?
- I, I can't.
And injustice in general is heartbreaking.
Especially in this regard.
It's been on my mind a lot.
- Yeah, it's hard to not, because you turn on the news,
and you're just like uh.
But we feel like, what can we do?
So that's why we're so happy that y'all are here.
So Melody, you actually lived in Iran
for a short while, right?
- I did, from ages three to seven, actually.
So the early, like educational part of my life
started in the Iranian education system.
I was wearing the head-scarf, the uniform.
All girls school, no boys, no English.
And then when I moved back to America, culture shock.
Like, immediately, like boys are in my school.
I'm learning a new language.
The freedoms, I got to pick out an outfit every day.
Like, it was just like the freedoms that I got to enjoy,
like my friends that I made back in Iran,
would never be able to see or enjoy.
And I think that's why this really hits home for us,
and we want to fight for this
because every woman should have those freedoms,
those fundamental rights.
- Yeah (audience claps and cheers)
- Absolutely. Absolutely.
Well your student group has become outspoken
on what's happening in Iran, so what have you done?
- Absolutely, yeah, thank you for asking.
And so, we planned a vigil immediately.
And so, we are actually in Westwood,
which is known as Tehrangeles after the capitol in Teh Iran.
Because there's a substantial Iranian population.
- [Kelly] Yeah
- And so we need to represent that population,
especially at UCLA,
there's so many Persian students at UCLA.
And so, immediately we got on it, we hosted a vigil.
And so, we had posters, candles.
It was such a sentimental moment
for everyone to come together.
There were speeches.
People were crying.
It was honestly, just so, so beautiful.
And so, now we're trying to do everything we possibly can.
- Yeah 'cause it's horrific to see somebody
that their life was taken for that.
- Yeah.
- Like, that it's incredibly disturbing.
- Yeah.
- So Melody, what do you want viewers to know about Iran?
- Um, honestly, the culture is so beautiful.
And it's been so overshadowed by the tragedies recently.
And that's why I feel like, until we,
once we get this tragedy fixed,
like the culture, the traditions,
the dance, the music, that's the Iran we want to talk about.
The Iran we want to see.
And it all starts with like, just doing your part.
Like, I know posting on social media,
I know it seems like you're not doing anything,
but it makes a difference.
Like you're spreading - [Kelly] Awareness!
- You're spreading awareness,
like #mahsaamini, #freedomforiran.
Just self-education as well.
Like, different sources that will keep you updated
on what's happening on the ground
in Iran with the protestors.
- How you can help.
- Exactly, so just doing that
would honestly just make all the difference.
So, we're excited.
- It's so cool, to just see young people like making change.
That's so cool.
- Thank You
- [Kelly] Thank you for doing it.
- We appreciate it.
(audience cheers)
- [Kelly] And it's important to like constantly educate us,
because people don't know sometimes.
- Absolutely
- As I did not.
Thank you so much everyone for taking the time
today to come and hang out.