Things you should know about me to truly know me.

• Everywhere I’ve been, every stage of my life, every time it mattered, I’ve always been counted out. Yet here I stand. On the shoulders of giants. I’m very used to hearing “you can’t do that” and so I don’t take it too seriously.

• I come from a family of immigrants, from back when being an immigrant family was crazy hard. Toronto wasn’t always the cultural mosaic it is today.

• I’m a product of the jungle, growing up an inner-city kid. I was lucky enough to get out early, but I carry that place with me every day.

• I’m very liberal when it comes to my identity, I don’t really lend my allegiance anywhere. I was born in Thailand, raised in Persian culture, and assimilated to Canadian culture in public school. I’ve never been back to Thailand, I can barely speak Farsi (but I’m trying!), and I often feel an outcast amongst Canadian-born friends. When people ask what I am, I generally tell them that I am Sina.

• I have three nieces. The oldest was born when I was 8 and my sister was 16. She also has a severe form of muscular dystrophy. I won’t get more into this one….

• I love math. It keeps me awake at night and monitors my sanity, for the most part.

I guess I’ll add to this as it comes to me — nah probably not, I’m lazy. I mostly just wanted to make it clear that you shouldn’t talk shit to me like you know me. Who I am. Where I come from. Where I’ve been. What I’ve seen. Or all that’s gone into making me and bringing me here before you today.