Haleh Massey

Dr. Haleh Massey ’03 writes: “On August 26, 2025, my debut middle grade graphic novel, Say Something, Poupeh Babaee! (Little Bee), illustrated by Ghazal Qadri, will be published. The story follows an Iranian girl who develops selective mutism after being separated from her parents due to the 2017 Muslim travel ban. While it is a deeply personal and culturally specific story, the themes are unfortunately still very relevant in today’s political climate, where immigrants continue to face family separation, restrictive travel policies, and the mental health toll that follows. I believe this book contributes to timely conversations about immigration, mental health, and resilience—values I cultivated during my time at Berkeley.”