San Francisco Celebrates Nation's First Iranian American Heritage Month

San Francisco marked a historic milestone on March 18 as city leaders, state officials and prominent Iranian American voices gathered to celebrate the first-ever designation of March as Iranian American Heritage Month by any U.S. city or county. The ceremonial event, which followed a unanimous Board of Supervisors vote on March 10, paired jubilant cultural pride with sober solidarity for Iranians enduring a humanitarian crisis back home.

• San Francisco becomes the first U.S. city to officially proclaim Iranian American Heritage Month after a unanimous Board of Supervisors vote

• Lieutenant Governor Kounalakis and Mayor Lurie deliver remarks affirming Iranian American contributions to California's economy and culture

• Keynote speaker details mass killings and imprisonment of protesters in Iran, connecting the heritage designation to an urgent call for peace

• Philanthropist Bita Daryabari receives certificate of honor for decades of immigrant services and Persian studies endowments

• Beverly Hills follows San Francisco's lead; Irvine expected to adopt similar recognition

A First-in-the-Nation Designation, a Year in the Making

Why it matters: The proclamation gives San Francisco's Iranian American community — present in the city for nearly five decades — its first formal civic platform to celebrate contributions, counter stereotypes and advocate on policy issues. Other cities are already replicating the model.

Where things stand: The Board of Supervisors voted unanimously on March 10 to designate March 2026 as Iranian American Heritage Month. The resolution was introduced by Supervisor Dorsey and co-sponsored by seven supervisors, including Board President Mandelman and Supervisors Mahmoud, Chen, Walton, Wong and Melgar, with full backing from the mayor's office.

Commissioner Mahsa Hakimi, who co-hosted the event and led the year-long advocacy campaign, described what the designation means for a community that has long lacked official recognition.

"We finally belong in the history of this magnificent city we proudly call home. It serves as a dedicated time to amplify our community's contributions and educate the broader public, giving us opportunity to change the negative mainstream narrative and the harmful stereotypes of the Iranian American community," said Commissioner Hakimi.

She also posed a pointed question: "Why did it take us over four decades to have" this recognition, despite substantial Iranian American contributions to the region?

The ripple effect is already visible. Commissioner Hakimi noted that on March 12, the City of Beverly Hills issued its own certificate recognizing March as Iranian Heritage Month, and the City of Irvine is planning to follow suit.

What's next: With a replicable template now established, advocates are watching whether additional California cities and jurisdictions beyond Beverly Hills and Irvine adopt similar designations in the coming weeks.

'Full Stop': Mayor and Lt. Governor Rally Behind Community

Mayor Daniel Lurie used the ceremony to deliver an unequivocal message of support amid geopolitical tensions.

"I want to say this clearly. San Francisco stands with our Iranian Americans and our Iranian community. Full stop," said Mayor Lurie. He added: "You all here today and Iranian Americans across San Francisco, our business owners, our artists, our teachers, our community leaders, you all make this city stronger."

Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis, the highest-ranking state official present, connected the celebration to California's economic story. "In business and technology, Iranian Americans have played a vital role in building California's innovation economy. Entrepreneurs and engineers have helped shape companies that define Silicon Valley," she said, adding that "California is stronger, more dynamic and more prosperous because Iranian Americans call it home."

Lt. Gov. Kounalakis also acknowledged the gravity of what was unfolding overseas, expressing hope that "as the month of Ramadan comes to an end and as Nowruz approaches, that somehow peace can be restored and the fighting brought to an end."

The remarks underscored a theme that ran through the entire event: the heritage designation was as much a statement of political solidarity as it was a cultural celebration.

Crisis in Iran Casts Shadow Over Celebration

The basics: Speakers throughout the ceremony returned repeatedly to the ongoing conflict in Iran, where mass protests against the Islamic Republic have been met with lethal force.

Keynote speaker Parisa Khosravi, a journalist and former CNN Senior Vice President, delivered the most searing account. "Within two nights this January, tens of thousands of Iranians were killed while protesting," she said, adding that tens of thousands more have been imprisoned and tortured.

Khosravi grounded her remarks in the Zoroastrian tradition central to pre-Islamic Iranian identity: "Good thoughts, good words, good deeds. These three principles are what I was raised with and grew up with as a Zoroastrian." She also referenced Cyrus the Great's human rights charter and the poem by Sa'di inscribed at the United Nations — touchstones she used to argue that advocacy for human rights is foundational to Iranian heritage, not a departure from it.

In one of the evening's most provocative moments, Khosravi challenged the diaspora's own identity politics, arguing that "if for all these years in the US the Iranian diaspora had all introduced ourselves as Iranian Americans rather than just saying Persians, there would be a much greater awareness and appreciation for Iranians, who we are and what we have contributed."

Commissioner Hakimi spoke of the "complex emotional journey of dealing with an unprecedented war" while simultaneously preparing Nowruz celebrations — a tension that defined the evening's mood.

Philanthropist Bita Daryabari also referenced Iran's "painful and uncertain days," weaving the crisis into her broader remarks about what the community has built in the United States over nearly half a century.

Daryabari Honored for Philanthropy and Immigrant Services

Mayor Lurie presented a certificate of honor to Bita Daryabari, founder of the PARS Equality Center and a major donor to Persian studies programs at Stanford University and UC Berkeley.

Daryabari reflected on how her adopted city shaped her trajectory. "San Francisco did not just educate me or employ me. It shaped me. It gave me opportunity, community, and a sense of belonging," she said.

She situated her own work within the broader community's record: "For the past 47 years, Iranian Americans have contributed not only through philanthropy, but through leadership in science, medicine, academia, entrepreneurship, the arts, and especially here in Silicon Valley."

Daryabari dedicated the award to those who will come after her: "I accept this award not only on my behalf, but on behalf of every Iranian American who has worked quietly and tirelessly to serve this city and this nation. And I dedicate this award to the next generation so they continue to lead with integrity, compassion, courage and generosity."

The PARS Equality Center, which Daryabari founded, has provided immigrant integration services since 2010, while her academic endowments sustain Persian language and literature programs at two of the state's flagship universities.

Personal Roots: Hakimi Closes With a Call to the Next Generation

Commissioner Hakimi delivered deeply personal closing remarks, sharing the story of her father — a first-generation Iranian immigrant who worked to preserve Iranian culture and traditions in the diaspora. She called on the community to teach the next generation civic engagement, framing the heritage month designation not as an endpoint but as a foundation for sustained advocacy and political participation.

Minor Items

• Lt. Gov. Kounalakis highlighted the growing number of Iranian Americans serving as elected officials, educators, nonprofit leaders and advocates across California — a sign of deepening civic engagement beyond cultural celebration.

• Khosravi used part of her remarks to advocate for autism awareness, sharing a personal message from her non-speaking son Payam, noting that her career in journalism had ultimately prepared her for motherhood: "I feel all that work was to prepare me to be a mom to my amazing son."