With Commencement just around the corner, meet Class of 2026 graduate Zakira Bakhshi! Zakira Bakhshi’s early life often involved crossing borders. Born to Afghan parents, she moved between Iran, Pakistan, and Afghanistan — and each country shaped her understanding of displacement, belonging, and home. “Those experiences came with their own political, social, and economic realities,” said Bakhshi, who studied in India before coming to Yale. “They made me very aware of the most overlooked aspects of the world and how access to stability and opportunity is so uneven.” Bakhshi arrived on campus filled with doubt but determined to open doors for those who lack the opportunities that haven been afforded to her. Despite her initial uncertainty, she quickly found her footing. “I stopped navigating the social systems on campus and began building within them,” said Bakhshi, a resident of Trumbull College. Two years ago, she founded the Yale Afghan Student Association, which brings togethe...