Theresa: Next time on Stories From The Stage. SZIFRA BIRKE: My sister breaks out in hysterical laughter and says, "Oh, my God, Sue, they named you Szifra." SOFIA COLOMBO-ABDULLAH: What I didn't expect was the kid next to me looking me straight in the eyes, and then saying, "Are you a terrorist? Your name sounds like a terrorist name." U-MELENI MHLABA-ADEBO: So, my father said, in his native tongue, he's Ndebele, "What are we waiting for? U-Meleni." And thus, I had my given name.