#276 Mehria Ashuftah - Vom Flüchtlingskind zur Stimme der Hamburger Politik

·1 hr 2 min·5 clips

A one-year-old Afghan refugee's first memory is crying outside a German shelter, refusing to go inside.

The episode is an interview with Miria Ashuftah, a member of the Hamburg parliament for the SPD, conducted by hosts Kim Seidler and Cathrin Jacob. Ashuftah begins by describing her family's flight from Afghanistan when she was one year old and their life in a refugee shelter in Hamburg's Großborstel district. She shares early memories, including using washed yogurt cups as glasses and receiving sugar as a rare treat. Her parents' resilience and values of solidarity, tolerance, and never giving up are highlighted as foundational. A key narrative involves a teacher who told Ashuftah she could become a 'pretty cashier' due to her math skills and appearance, which her uncle Bobo countered by starting a photo ritual to envision her as a lawyer. Ashuftah later placed a photo of herself in a robe at his grave after her first court case. She details her path into politics, triggered by experiences after 9/11, Thilo Sarrazin's book, and Angela Merkel's comments on migration, leading her to join the SPD in 2011. Ashuftah passionately criticizes the AfD as a fascist party, referencing her first parliamentary speech against them. She contrasts media focus on celebrity news with underreporting of migrant shipwrecks. The conversation shifts to practical advice for activism, emphasizing speaking up in daily situations, engaging with NGOs, and using social media. Ashuftah shares anecdotes of subtle racism, like being explained what a Christmas market is. The hosts discuss challenges for women in politics, citing figures like Alice Weidel and Friedrich Merz. The episode closes with mutual appreciation and encouragement for continued advocacy.

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