COLLECTION NAME:
Jews of Color: Histories and Futures
Record
Collection Name:
Jews of Color: Histories and Futures
Content Note:
In the interest of preserving and presenting the historical record, the University Libraries collects materials that document and demonstrate the perspectives presented by the creator. As a result, this item contains descriptions of pregnancy loss.
Title:
Interview with Noor Jahan Ahmad
Title Type:
Devised Title
Name:
Espinola, Rose
Resource Type:
Moving image
Genre:
interviews
Date Created:
2023-02-24
Language Term:
English
Extent:
1 online resource (1 video file, 1 hour, 44 min.)
Form:
digital moving image formats
Abstract:
A recorded zoom interview taken by Rose Espinola (interviewer) of Noorjahan Ahmad (interviewee) for the Jews of Color: Pregnancy and Postpartum oral history project on January 24, 2023. Topics include: Ashkenazi, Cambodian, and Cherokee ancestry, pregnancy loss, genetic testing, PTSD, religious rituals, their conversion to Muslim, family traditions, food, and adoption.
Note:
00:00:00 Rose Espinola (interviewer) introduces Noorjahan Ahmad (interviewee) and the Jews of Color: Pregnancy and Postpartum research project. 00:00:54 Ahmad discusses when and where they were born. 00:01:16 Ahmad discusses their family ancestry. 00:02:04 Ahmad discusses their experiences in pregnancy. They connect it to discovering their connection to Ashkenazi Jewish identity and assimilation. 00:04:36 Ahmad discusses pregnancy loss due to Anencephaly. 00:07:10 Ahmad discusses another pregnancy loss from Tay-Sachs. They also discuss the two children they have had since and attribute the success of those pregnancies to the clear knowledge of their ancestry and genetic testing. 00:08:35 Ahmad discusses asking their grandmother for advice regarding genetic testing. 00:10:50 Ahmad discusses genetic testing on their pregnancies. 00:13:52 Ahmad discusses the disabilities they experience and the MTHFR gene mutation they carry that can contribute to birthing issues. 00:15:34 Ahmad discusses their experience with birth and what it felt like losing children and what it felt like having children after loss. 00:21:48 Ahmad discusses how they found the counselor they found after their miscarriage because of the postpartum PTSD they were experiencing. 00:24:25 Ahmad discusses what bottleneck disorders are. 00:25:48 Ahmad discusses how they picked their doctors for their pregnancies. 00:28:08 Ahmad discusses how they discovered their Ashkenazi Jewish heritage. 00:32:04 Ahmad discusses how their grandmother knew they were Jewish. 00:35:04 Ahmad discusses their mother?s experience with pregnancy loss. 00:37:06 Ahmad discusses any rituals or family traditions they used during their pregnancies. They discuss indigenous and Jewish traditions. 00:41:48 Ahmad discusses The Blessing Over Children their sister performed. 00:43:15 Ahmad discusses and prayers and blessing they performed for themselves during and after pregnancy. 00:47:19 Ahmad discusses how and why they converted to Muslim. 00:51:12 Ahmad spells the Muslim prayer they had mentioned previously: adhan. 00:52:28 Ahmad discusses family heirlooms/traditions they used when they were experiencing pregnancy. They specifically discuss a lotion that has been passed down within their family. 00:54:37 Ahmad discusses the connection between the lotion and the way the ingredients tie back to their Ashkenazi heritage. 00:55:44 Ahmad discusses their memories surrounding making the lotion and its association with prayer. 00:57:56 Ahmad discusses the food they ate during their pregnancy. 01:00:24 Ahmad discusses food they ate that are not traditionally Jewish foods. 01:02:07 Ahmad discusses the type of clothes they wore during pregnancy and postpartum. 01:04:33 Ahmad discusses wearing a thobe and other religious clothing. 01:08:04 Ahmad discusses their favorite photographs and videos from their pregnancy/postpartum. 01:11:37 Ahmad discusses how they chose their doula and midwife. 01:15:56 Ahmad continues to discuss their experience giving birth. 01:18:45 Ahmad discusses finding the adoptive family for one of their pregnancies. They touch on the topic of abortion and adoption agencies. 01:23:45 Ahmad discusses wanting a religiously open family specifically in the adoption process. 01:25:58 Ahmad discusses the how the child they put up for adoption was a planned pregnancy. They discuss how they define planned pregnancy. 01:28:16 Ahmad discusses any rituals they used during the adoption process. 01:30:55 Ahmad explains how to spell the ceremony: Aqiqah. 01:31:31 Ahmad discusses any rituals they used during or after their miscarriage and rituals they wish they had. 01:36:23 Ahmad discusses how grateful they are for learning about their Ashkenazi heritage. 01:38:42 Ahmad discusses Cambodian and Cherokee traditions they practice. 01:44:00 End of recording.
Note Type:
Segment sequence
Subject Topic:
Jews
Subject Topic:
Puerperium
Subject Topic:
Doulas
Subject Topic:
Miscarriage
Subject Topic:
Muslim converts
Subject Topic:
Multiracial non-binary people
Subject Topic:
Non-binary disabled people
Subject Topic:
Pregnant transgender people
Subject Topic:
Adoption
Subject Topic:
Ashkenazim
Subject Topic:
Emigration and immigration
Subject Topic:
Ritual
Subject Topic:
Pregnancy
Subject Geographic:
United States (North and Central America) (nation)
Subject Geographic:
Cambodia (Asia) (nation)
Identifier:
narv_jewsofColor_ahmadNoorjahan_interview.mp4
Physical Location:
University of Colorado Boulder Libraries Rare and Distinctive Collections
Shelf Locator:
COU: 5093
Related Item:
Transcript from interview with Noor Jahan Ahmad
Related Item Type:
constituent
Related Item Identifier:
narv_jewsofColor_ahmadNoorjahan_transcript.pdf
Date Captured:
2023
Internet Media Type:
audio/mp3
Digital Origin:
born digital
Access Condition:
This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).