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![I was working on a crossword puzzle and listening to news from Iran.](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/d5f7b76/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2500x3500+0+0/resize/2000x2800!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F0e%2F0e%2F77eafdf341fcacf3aa3da6c4950d%2Fla-oe-nasrin-comic-1.jpg)
![Puzzle answers were "Iran" and "Israel" and "Middle East." Squares connected "Iran" and "Israel." I imagined a hamas tunnel.](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/6547a29/2147483647/strip/true/crop/940x1316+0+0/resize/2000x2800!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F4b%2F0e%2F25d2e2be4c26985ea99c1e1471cc%2Fla-oe-nasrin-comic-2.jpg)
![I started drawing the first letters of "Iran" and "Israel" into missiles. Hamas' tunnel expanded. Bombs above "Middle East."](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/154033f/2147483647/strip/true/crop/940x1316+0+0/resize/2000x2800!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fb2%2Fe8%2F76b10f6d45db91e26d71e0978308%2Fla-oe-nasrin-comic-3.jpg)
![I thought about my family in Iran. "Middle East" mixed with my tears until nothing was left but a stain of black.](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/473236f/2147483647/strip/true/crop/940x1316+0+0/resize/2000x2800!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fd1%2F61%2F657eca124df991b6c2248ad10433%2Fla-oe-nasrin-comic-4.jpg)
Nasrin Sheykhi is an Iranian artist whose work has won awards in international competitions. She is now living and working in the United States.
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