Khushnuda Shukurova: I want Tajik girls to fight for their rights

The conversation between two old good friends after years.

“I believe that you can lose your position or money, but you can never lose your education” says Khushnuda Shukurova, a graduate student majoring in Media Studies at the New School University in New York City. I used to go to school with Shukurova while we were studying in the Department of Journalism at Tajik State National University. She is one of the bravest girls I have ever known, who has been challenging herself endlessly for five years by continuing her education abroad. “The start is always difficult. I entered to Journalism School at the University of Montana in 2008. It has been 2 and half long challenging years of study. The professors were strict, but kind and the only difficulties I faced was the language barrier. But it did not stop me from learning and trying my best to please my instructors with my projects. I treasured every second of my studies at the University of Montana, because I learned how to direct news shows and other skills such as editing with Final Cut Pro, Avid, Photoshop, After Effect and etcetera.” It was her persistence and courageous character that she received her bachelor degree as news director and video photographer from Department of Radio/TV of Journalism School at the University of Montana. The two and half years of studies were not in vain. Shukurova with her course mates created three documentary movies: Patrolling the Big Sky, about male and female highway patrols of Montana and their dangers career. Cannabusiness is another big project about business side of medical marijuana and Death Inc. which was also about funeral business in Montana. These three projects were shown on PBS Montana and received a student Emmy awards. However, it was only beginning for Shukurova. “After graduating from The University of Montana, I interned as part of her requirement course on Local TV, KPAX. Right after my internship in Montana, I interned in Washington, DC, at National Geographic Society as editor. There I edited several short commercial trailers and a 13 minutes documentary film about Global Warming effect on Humpback whales in Antarctica. I was very fortunate with my internships because I was constantly gaining as much knowledge about directing and editing documentary films as possible. Although Shukurova’s parents being away from her so many years and wanted her to finish her bachelors and come back to Tajikistan, she did not give up. Shukurova just started liking what she is doing, editing and directing. While working at National Geographic Society, she applied for graduate school in one of the well-known universities of New York City, The New School. She got accepted to Media Studies a two- year-master’s program. Shukurova’s father, a professor of math and physics Tagaybobo Shukurov, was happy with the news of her admission at The New School. “Our family is big; I have four sisters and one brother. Everyone, except the youngest sister, has higher education in our family. Our father is an example for us; he always supported and supports us when we want to study. So far, I am the only one pursuing master’s degree out of all my siblings. My two youngest sisters were fortunate enough to continue their education In the United States. Also, I should say, my mother Khadicha Kodirova, influenced us to receive an education. She has been always supportive of us. I think we are all fortunate people by having such wonderful parents.” Says Shukurova with pride. As Shukurova continues: “The master’s degree at The New School was very challenging. The first semester, indeed was very difficult because while you are in graduate school, the requirements are higher. If you writing and researching in undergraduate years were not as hard, in graduate level you have to switch to academic writing and researching. It was not only challenging for me, but also for native speakers. Media Studies is a program where we combine theory with practice. If I studied journalism in my undergraduate years, in Media Studies we studied about journalism and media in general.” Shukurova said that the first semester was very difficult for her that she tried to find the Russian translation of some of her topics, and even found YouTube as useful tool. Even with the difficulties that Shukurova faced in her first semester, she found courage to work with two very well-known directors in documentary world. Carl Deal and Tia Lessen are the directors of the documentary film “Trouble the Water,” which was nominated for Academy Award as the best documentary film in 2009. Shukurova served as a researcher for their new documentary film, which is scheduled to come up in 2012. It has been several weeks that Shukurova is visiting her family in Tajikistan. “I am very happy that I’m home” said Shukurova and continued: “After being away from home for so many years, I still can adjust to life here. I feel like I need to finish my project, just a habit.” I understand Shukurova because I have the same feelings and I think everyone who likes to work and study appreciate each moment in life. We had a really long and pleasant chat with Shukurova, I asked her what she think about her life in the United States and Americans? Americans are very nice to foreign students. The only disadvantage was that they do not know a lot about our country, Tajikistan. Fortunately, when I was student at The University of Montana,they had International Food Festival each year. We, internationals students, presented the culture and food of our countries. A small group of Tajik students represented our country, Tajiksitan. We, Tajik girls, cooked our traditional food and danced for them. They loved our dance and showed their gratitude to us. When I asked about Americans, Shukurova, told me how they have a long history and how they well off. She remembered a funny situation she had when first went there. “One morning I was going to school and I saw a man, approximately age 50, and was jogging in the morning. He approached me and asked me how I am doing, I was surprised. I thought how it is possible I do not know this person, but later I was told that this is how people are in Montana. I, then, got used to it and also greeted people in my way. I have never been treated badly all these years in the USA. By the end of our conversation Shukurova talked about her future plans. I am planning to direct a documentary movie as a part of my theses project about the women’s rights in Tajikistan.
As we know today there are less and less girls are receiving education. If they are receiving then only, because of the status. Especially when they get married they face challenges while pursuing education or continuing working. I would like to talk about several women or girls in my movie and follow them while they are making their decision regarding university. In developed countries women have the rights to pursue education and work in public domains regardless of their marital status. And with regards to all mothers, I think educated women can bring up well behaved and smart children. I want Tajik women to fight for their rights and support each other. I hope younger generation of girls would choose their majors not because it has status, but to choose the majors they want to. I want to come back to Tajikistan and teach part time journalism to journalist students in the country. “I was already aware of Khushnuda Shukurova’s difficulties in her studies and her success in the USA by internet, and I can for sure say that she is indeed capable and qualified to teach journalism to our future journalists, and they would be fortunate for having her as their instructor.