“Together, Josephine and Mary are like a brain, one side intellect and one side artistic. Friends would best describe them as a package deal; you can’t have one without the other.”

Josephine and Mary are sisters who are first generation Assyrian-Americans. They were born and raised in the North Park area of Chicago, Illinois, for most of their lives until they moved to San Diego, California. They shared their lives with each other until they got married and now live on opposite sides of the country. This didn’t stop them from creating “Before There Were Borders.”

Josephine studied English at the University of San Diego and specialized in medieval literature along with philosophy and history. She is fluent in several dialects of Aramaic. She can also read and write classical and modern Aramaic. After college, she moved to Detroit, Michigan, where she lives with her family.

Josephine has a decade of experience in the building industry and project management. She recently earned a Master’s in Public Administration at Central Michigan University. Josephine’s passions include volunteering in the community, training for races, spending time with her family, reading books, writing, and cooking.

The creation of Before There Were Borders started when Josephine wanted to write a book, a goal she wanted to mark off her bucket list. She wanted to write a story about her culture so people could understand that Assyrians are more than just a chapter in history books. She wanted to show that the Assyrian community is still alive in today’s modern world. Then she decided to reach out to her sister, Mary, and ask for her feedback. Once Mary came on board with the project, the story came alive. Mary’s creativity helped make the story and characters blossom and reach its true potential. 

Josephine and Mary overcame lots of challenges over the course of three months, in addition to living across the country from one another. But this didn’t stop them from completing their mission. Josephine and Mary’s writing routine consisted of waking up early and being on the phone several hours as they formulated scenes and character development while fulfilling their marital and maternal duties. This went on back and forth until the story was edited and finally complete. 

Mary currently resides in a well-manicured suburb of San Diego with her family. Mary lives a life that consists of constantly improving herself spiritually, intellectually, and physically. 

Mary hopes she can reach one person and make a positive change in his/her life, which would be enough for her. She’s first and foremost a humanitarian and believes change starts at home and with those within her reach. She tries to contribute to making a big difference in little ways. Mary’s passions include reading books and watching movies, listening to all kinds of music, cooking, decorating homes, and hosting big family gatherings. She is artistically talented with an unforgettable sense of humor.

Together, Josephine and Mary are like a brain, one side intellect and one side artistic. Friends would best describe them as a package deal; you can’t have one without the other. Together they’ve put together this beautiful book that takes place in none other than their family’s homeland, Iraq. 

The church is very important in their lives and they hope that all who reside in the Middle East will be able to worship and live in peace. Josephine’s goal is to use her work experience and degree to help rebuild the Nineveh Plains. Both Josephine and Mary hope to return to Iraq and visit the areas where their parents were raised.