On October 7th, we are coming back on the air with the second season of #UnitedStatesofAL Needless to say, the events of the last two months had a massive impact on all of us, and especially on the many Afghans who write, produce, and work on the show. After the fall of Kabul, we made a conscious decision to write an entirely new Season 2 premiere that deals directly with what was happening in Afghanistan. As the only show on network television that features Afghan and Afghan-American characters — the only show that showcases the writing and acting of Afghan writers and actors — we felt that we had a responsibility to tell this story, even though none of us knew what was about to happen on the ground. At the same time that we were writing this episode, we unexpectedly found ourselves running a desperate rescue operation out of the writer’s room. It was a challenging and traumatizing experience — one many of you are surely familiar with — as our Afghan and veteran colleagues worked together to evacuate vulnerable family members. By week’s end, we knew we were writing a rescue story. What we didn’t know was how the story would end. The resulting episode captures the emotional experience of what was unfolding in our midst. This is our story, but it may be yours as well. Here we are now, two weeks before the premiere, and it already feels like mainstream news has moved on from Afghanistan. By the time we go to air, there will be tens of thousands of Afghan refugees in the U.S. Their stories will play out in towns across America, to people whose sole exposure to Afghans and Afghan refugees will likely be our show. Our dream, our hope, our goal is that they are welcomed with open arms, that we fulfill the promises we made to them, and that their lives will be as full of love and friendship in America as Awalmir's has been. @boomgenstudios @usofalcbs @cbstv