Raised in a traditional Iranian family, eighteen-year-old Parvin Kolahdooz felt increasingly restricted after the 1979 Islamic revolution. She was trapped in a society where just a few strands of her hair showing from under her hijab could land her in jail, where her fatherlessness left her increasingly vulnerable to being given away in marriage, and where venturing alone put her at risk of sexual harassment or death. Left with no other choice, Parvin prepared to flee.

In a candid retelling of her escape from an oppressive regime to gain freedom, Parvin leads others through her courageous journey as she purchased a big brown suitcase and made her first trip alone to apply for a US student visa where she was confronted, at gunpoint, during the hostage crisis at the American embassy. As she details the numerous social, political, and personal challenges that followed, Parvin reveals how she remained steadfast in her pursuit of freedom, confronted inner conflicts stemming from generational beliefs, and ultimately tapped into an inner strength that paved a clear path to freedom. The Big Brown Suitcase is the inspiring true story of a young Iranian woman’s escape from an oppressive regime to gain freedom, change her beliefs, and step into the life she desired.