Zarmina is an Account Strategist at Google, working with companies all across the U.S. in different industries to develop and execute their marketing efforts. She is originally from Omaha, Nebraska and spends her free time on frequent road trips around the Bay Area and eating her weight in hot pot with friends.
“When I was younger, I read fiction books for hours and hours, until my mom had to physically take them away from me at bedtime. I dreamed of a day when I’d become the protagonist — living in a big city, meeting interesting people, experiencing magical things. But in my family, that isn’t the typical life path.
My parents were born in Afghanistan, ethnically from Turkmenistan. My mom escaped to the U.S. as a teenager, from the Helmand Province to Omaha, Nebraska. Many people in my family don’t typically move away from home, especially the women. So for most of my life, I thought my dreams would stay just that — dreams. I didn’t realize until after college that just because my mom’s life circumstances didn’t allow her the opportunity to explore her dreams, it didn’t mean she wouldn’t support me exploring mine. Still, I was afraid to leave her and the comforts of home behind. But, I did it. I moved to San Francisco two years ago. I’ve met all kinds of interesting people, and I’ve had magical things happen to me. The most magical thing is how proud my younger self would be of who I am today. I’m living out her dreams. And while I still love to escape in books, my adventures now take place in real life.”
