Victoria Leal | The Bronx
Portrait by Sharon Shimonova
Victoria is powerful and captivating and colorful and creative. She talks a lot about the immigration process, her travel with her children to New York and the way that she decided to persevere and stand up against the domestic violence that she was enduring. She’s a mom and a superhero.
Victoria 充满力量、美丽、色彩和创意。她给我讲述了她移民到美国的故事，包括将孩子带到纽约来，以及决定站起来反抗家庭暴力的经历。她是一位母亲、又是一位超级英雄。
Victoria es poderosa y cautivadora y colorida y creativa. Ella habla mucho sobre el proceso de inmigración, su viaje con sus hijos a Nueva York y de cómo decidió perseverar y oponerse a la violencia doméstica que estaba soportando. Es madre y superheroína.
Sharon Shimonova | Queens
Portrait by Victoria Leal
I want others to know the excitement she has for helping her community because that way other people know that there are people who are trying to improve themselves to pass it on to the community. She was laughing in almost all the photos showing her excitement and her joy.
我想让人知道，Sharon 是一个助人为乐的人，为了改良社会，她在提高自己。在每张照片中，她都在欢笑着，表现着兴奋和喜悦。
Quiero que otras personas sepan de su entusiasmo por ayudar a su comunidad, porque así sabrán que hay personas que están tratando de mejorarse a sí mismas para transmitirlo a la comunidad. Se reía en casi todas las fotos, mostrando su emoción y su alegría.
I think we are loud, we are eccentric, we’re unique, and we’ve persevered against centuries of oppression and made it this far. So I think that it’s time to get comfortable in our seats and feel like we deserve space in the conversation, because I think that that’s a big reason why the Bukharian community hasn’t been at the forefront of any discussion of Jewish identity. It all starts from feeling like we are in fact worthy enough to take up some room in the discussion.
Sharon Shimonova
Victoria is from Oaxaca, Mexico with her first language being Mixtec. Growing up in a conservative home, she never imagined being able to use her voice after years of silence. In the process of overcoming great challenges, her goal has been clear, helping her community with the different barriers that can be overcome.
Victoria 来自墨西哥瓦哈卡州，母语为米斯特克语。在保守家庭成长的 Victoria，从未想经过过多年的沉默之后，还能发出自己的声音。在克服了巨大的挑战之后，她现在在帮助其他人打破她们的障碍。
Victoria es de Oaxaca, México con su primera lengua siendo el Mixteco. Durante su crianza en un hogar conservador, nunca imaginó poder usar su voz después de años de silencio. En el proceso de superación su meta ha sido clara, ayudar a su comunidad con las diferentes barreras que pueden superar.
Sharon is a first generation American-born Bukharian, and a practicing attorney. As a child of Jewish refugees from Uzbekistan, a former Soviet republic, the emphasis on maintaining cultural traditions has always been at the forefront of her upbringing. She founded Chai Podcast, which shares the experience of first-generation Buhkarian Jews, in order to provide younger generations with a well-rounded and authentic representation of the Bukharian-American experience.
第一代布哈里亚裔美国人Sharon 是一名执业律师。她的父母作为乌兹别克斯坦犹太难民，从小向子女们强调文化传承的重要性。为了像更多人分享布哈里亚裔美国人的经历，Sharon 创办了 Chai Podcast 播客。
Sharon es Bujariana, de primera generación nacida en Estados Unidos y abogada en ejercicio. Como hija de refugiados judíos de Uzbekistán, la importancia de mantener las tradiciones culturales fue central en su crianza. Fundó Chai Podcast, para compartir la experiencia bujariano-estadounidense.