Reporter talks about his own experience as a refugee
One year after the fall of Afghanistan, millions of Afghans are still trapped in poverty and hunger. But many of those who escaped are starting new lives in countries like the United States. CBS News tech and politics reporter Musadiq Bidar knows exactly what that’s like. His family fled Afghanistan in the 1990s, when the Taliban first ruled the country. For “CBS Mornings,” Bidar reflects on his own experiences as a refugee and what it means to be an Afghan-American.
Images of Afghans chasing a US military plane and clinging to their last hope of freedom reminded me of my family’s struggle to escape the Taliban nearly 30 years ago.
I was born in the basement of our home in Kabul in 1992. The Taliban were just beginning to conquer Afghanistan. Outside, rockets and bombs exploded as my family sought shelter underground during the civil war. My mother, an airline stewardess, and my father, a radio journalist who had been reporting on Taliban human rights abuses, became targets once the group took control of Afghanistan in 1996. A grenade Destined to kill my father, she took my grandfather’s life and injured other members of our family. We find ourselves in the same situation millions of Afghans find themselves in now: stay home and face potential death, or leave everything behind in search of freedom and opportunity. We left Kabul in the middle of the night, hiding in the homes of family and friends for months before arriving in a refugee camp in Pakistan.
I was 6 years old when my brother and I started working 10 hour days to help put food on the table. We weave luxury rugs that are sold in America and Europe.
My dad’s polio limits his physical mobility, so he homeschooled us at night. My mom waited outside various embassies in Islamabad, desperately trying to apply for a refugee visa.
We sleep on the floor and share simple treats like birthday cakes, but continue to work for a better future. In May 2003, we received a call that changed our lives: Pack your bags, you’re going to the United States. I was 10 years old and could barely say “hello” or “how are you” in English, but I soon found myself translating government documents for my parents.
We resettled in a small two-bedroom apartment in Concord, California. My mom made sandwiches at Subway in San Francisco during the day and took English classes after her shift.
I put on a Team USA jersey, watched reruns of “Full House” and “The Fresh Prince of Bel Air,” and brought a basketball to fit in. For me, education was the catalyst for success and the United States gave me the opportunity to take advantage of it. The community in the Bay Area provided me with a welcoming environment and gave me the opportunity to proudly call myself Afghan-American. Student volunteers here at the Athenian School tutored me on the weekends and took me to Giants games. It was at this high school, with a full scholarship, that I discovered my passion for reporting and telling stories. I studied journalism in Washington, D.C., where I stayed for 10 years. My dad often says that coming to the United States was like winning the lottery. But it also reminds me that prosperity is not guaranteed. My family’s success is the success of America and the countless mentors, teachers, friends, and colleagues who have supported us every step of the way. I followed my father and pursued a career in journalism, the same career that the Taliban tried to kill him for in Afghanistan. Last summer I was driving from California to Washington, D.C., a quintessential cross-country road trip as part of an American dream come true. The beauty of the Great Salt Lake and the wonders of Yellowstone National Park were an easy reminder of the enchanting values and ideals that symbolize America beyond its borders. Twenty-five years ago, rockets and bombs drove my family from our homeland in Afghanistan. Today, my younger brother is preparing to study engineering at university. My sister recently graduated and started her own business. My middle brother is a Physician Assistant and sees elderly patients. Together, last year, we bought our first house. A piece of land that we can call our own. As a family. For that Afghan refugees who came to the United States in the last year are now working. This is what families caught up with last summer at Kabul airport while chasing a plane. they were gripped by the hope and freedom that the world knows America will provide.
CBS News reporter who covers the intersection between politics and technology.
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