ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the emergence of an Iranian community—‘Irangeles’—in Southern California, in the United States of America, and its impact on the lives of a group of Iranian women living in the area. It presents the background of these women in Iran and their experiences of the revolution. The chapter describes the context of California where these women live at present. It argues that cultural communities in a new country can contribute to a sense of belonging for immigrants. The involvement of women in the Iranian revolution of 1979 took place at many different levels. A sizeable community of Iranians lives in the United States, especially in Southern California, mainly in Los Angeles. Iranians in Los Angeles are considered by many to be a successful community with good educations and high incomes. In many ways, the Iranian community in Los Angeles is a re-creation of the years before the revolution, an Iran outside of Iran.
