Minoo Derayeh’s This Is My Story is a deeply personal memoir exploring memory, migration, Iranian heritage, Persian culture, identity, womanhood, prejudice, discrimination, academia, and belonging in Canada. Drawing from childhood memories, family traditions, and her experiences as an Iranian born Canadian scholar, mother, feminist, and humanitarian, Derayeh challenges stereotypes while celebrating the resilience and richness of Persian culture.
New Memoir This Is My Story by Minoo Derayeh, Explores Memory, Migration, Culture, Prejudice, Discrimination and the Courage to Speak Truth
Toronto, Ontario – August 5, 2026 – In her deeply personal memoir, This Is My Story, Minoo Derayeh invites readers into a life shaped by Iranian heritage, Persian culture, family memory, migration, and the complexities of belonging in Canada.
Blending intimate storytelling with reflections on identity, womanhood, academia, faith, and social justice, Derayeh offers a moving account of what it means to remember, to question, and to remain rooted while crossing borders.
The memoir follows Derayeh’s journey from Iran to Canada, beginning with vivid stories of childhood, grandparents, customs such as Norouz and Chahar Shanbeh Souri, and the lasting influence of family elders. It then expands into her experiences as a student, mother, scholar, feminist, humanitarian, and “invisible visible minority” navigating Canadian academic and social life.
At the heart of This Is My Story is Derayeh’s belief that stories themselves are a form of knowledge. Her memoir challenges readers to look beyond stereotypes about Islam, migrants, refugees, Iranians, and racialized communities, while also celebrating the beauty, resilience, and emotional richness of Persian culture.
“Readers will relate to the stories, and my experiences will resonate with them,” Derayeh writes in the memoir. “My memoir is authentic. It may narrate selective stories, but it is not imagined.”
Honest, reflective, and emotionally compelling, This Is My Story is ideal for readers interested in memoir, migration, Iranian culture, women’s voices, family history, identity, and the lived experiences of racialized Canadians.
About the Author
Minoo Derayeh, PhD, is a scholar, author, human rights activist, humanitarian, and feminist. She is affiliated with York University and has written extensively from her perspective as an Iranian-born Canadian woman, professor, mother, and grandmother.