Through Sahru's Eyes.

Divestment on My Mind

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 11:33:00 -0400

Packed in tight

Sittin every which way

On the carpeted floor

Of Eshleman library

Seventh floor, 11pm

Began the debate

ASUC Senate

April 2010

Senators circled round

Like knights center stage

Tension in the air

Cut like knives

Carving a calculated divide

Straight down

The aisle midway

That first night was such a tease

As we waited for the final count

My heart skipped not one

But two beats

Then tears of relief

As they announced

“This bill has been approved”

A bill to divest from two companies

Two companies supplying weapons

To the Israeli military

If there was ever a time

To feel proud about being a bear

It was then

To feel a part of a movement

That actually meant something

Did something

Said something

About the values we hold

As a campus community

Values inherited from

Inspired pasts

South African

Apartheid Movement

United students

fought then

United students

fought again

Not enough that majority ruled

Opposing senators, groups, individuals

brought out their big guns

swayed the opinion

of Will Smelko

the president

With the power of one

Silenced a student struggle

By clicking a magic button

“Vetoed, all done”

You thought that would stop us

From fighting for justice

Spend student cents

In my name

To commit war crimes

Against my Palestinian

Brothers and sisters

We came back out

This time stronger

In numbers, in voices

To stay for longer

Staying up until 7am

Had never been so easy

Somehow some senators

Scarred and scared

Changed their vote overnight

To our dismay

When the vote came around

The third time we met

It was barely defeated

By those who didn’t even really care

About the cause

About the purpose

This bill brought to the table

International attention

From world class peace leaders

Supporting OUR way

Desmond Tutu, Naomi Klein

Noam Chomsky

To name a few

Fists in the air, tears held back

Plans for the future in mind

Neon green stickers

Stuck on big, small, black, brown, white

All the colors of the rainbow

Under one roof tonight

“Another _Me_ for Human Rights.

Divest from the Isreali Occupation”

The struggle continues

Even if we lost that time

Two years later

Divestment still on my mind

United students

fought then

United students

Forever fight.

khabari-nist: islamreflection: Muhammad Ali was offered a star...

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 13:57:29 -0400

khabari-nist:

islamreflection:

Muhammad Ali was offered a star with his name on the famous “Walk of Fame” in Hollywood but he refused and said:

“I bear the name of our honourable
Prophet Muhammad Peace be upon him,
And it is impossible that I allow people to trample on his name.”

He is the only one whose name is not on the floor..
It hangs on the wall.

THIS

So Awesome

Singapore, the song you sing

Tue, 26 Feb 2013 02:59:00 -0500

Singapore, the song you sing

Sing-of how you define singular, oh how lonely you leave all those looking for community for there is no unity when all you care for is one.

Sing-of how you sing-a-Pour rain from the skies, sparing no being in sight to your monstrous monsoon rains

Sing-of how you scram sari wrapped aunties into suicidal residences, dozens in one tiny hole

Sing-of how you charge six dollars for a soda yet leave me thirsty for more because of your no refills policy

Sing-of how you sensor all sensuality, sexuality and sensibility off screens big and small. James Bond was just not the same.

Sing-of how you suck.

Sing-of how you scrape gum off the roads just as you do to the homeless and the old

Sing-of how Buddhe aunties and uncles stand for hours selling packets to passer-byers rarely buyers of brandless goods

Sing-of how domestic workers work weeks with with no ends growing weaker and poorer trapped in poverty cycles

Sing-of the scorching heat from the sun tainting no skin shielded by fairness skin creams sold at 70 a pop

Sing-of skinny jeans too small for even my right arm, shopping here is like being an overgrown 12 year old sticking to kids sizes.

Singapore, the song you sing is too soft, too slow, too soulless for this sister.

It was a really big Buddha. #takemeback #phuketphun (at Big...

Tue, 19 Feb 2013 06:13:04 -0500

It was a really big Buddha. #takemeback #phuketphun (at Big Buddha, Phuket Thailand)

Freeze Mob for Aware’s SHOUT campaign! (at Chevron House)

Thu, 14 Feb 2013 10:08:31 -0500

Freeze Mob for Aware’s SHOUT campaign! (at Chevron House)

Definitely dance on escalators around Singapore like...

Tue, 12 Feb 2013 02:44:05 -0500

Definitely dance on escalators around Singapore like that…definitely don’t look as cute though.

escapekit: Mila’s Daydreams Illustrator, artist and mom Adele...

Sat, 01 Dec 2012 07:48:52 -0500

escapekit:

Mila’s Daydreams

Illustrator, artist and mom Adele Enersen—who first came to fame with ‘Mila’s Daydreams’—has gotten creative with her newborn son’s naptime.

Baby. <3.

Photo

Mon, 26 Nov 2012 23:12:52 -0500

Photo

Wed, 07 Nov 2012 06:08:18 -0500

Photo

Sun, 04 Nov 2012 01:38:04 -0400

Celebrating being an adult by being a kid. (at Alexis...

Tue, 30 Oct 2012 10:25:04 -0400

Celebrating being an adult by being a kid. (at Alexis Apartments, Singapore)

This could make a cute shalwar kameez

Sat, 13 Oct 2012 01:04:05 -0400

This could make a cute shalwar kameez

Being tourists. #singapore #marinabay #gardensbythebay #MRTlove...

Sat, 06 Oct 2012 11:13:03 -0400

Being tourists. #singapore #marinabay #gardensbythebay #MRTlove #picstitch (Taken with Instagram)

One of the good ones to come out of Coke Studio in India.

Sun, 30 Sep 2012 12:28:07 -0400

One of the good ones to come out of Coke Studio in India.

Falling in love with coke studio all over again.

Sat, 29 Sep 2012 12:40:19 -0400

Falling in love with coke studio all over again.

Transition Mode

Tue, 25 Sep 2012 06:58:23 -0400

With just a few friends in a new land where I am unemployed, I have quite a bit of extra time on my hands.

I’ve been watching tons of Samantha Who?, How I Met Your Mother, Bollywood and Independent films on Netflix. Some of my favorite movies have been Salaam Bombay, Paa, Charlie Bartlett, Arranged, Partition, What’s Eating Gilbert Grape and Rabbit Hole. I wasn’t a huge fan of Miral…mainly because the main actress sucked. I watched this movie called Shades of Ray in which the main actor was supposed to be half Pakistani but he wasn’t and I just couldn’t get myself to look beyond that.

I have also accepted my fate as a housewife and am teaching myself how to cook using the four books I have here. One is actually a folder with recipes of Hyderabadi dishes put together by my favorite, Jabeen Aunty. The other is an international cookbook, a wedding gift from the lovely Simone, in which she wrote to me about how cooking as a wife actually promotes feminism because it proves that I can do anything I set my mind to…not to sure about that, but the recipes are great. The third is a compilation of recipes by GIS parents and faculty that I stole from my in-laws house. The fourth is a self-made recipe book with originals from my mother. The fourth is my favorite and the book I use the most. Somehow my dishes never come out like my mom’s but maybe one day I’ll get there.

Being a fresh graduate, it is hard not to compare myself to my friends that have also recently left the college scene. I don’t know if I should say unfortunately for me, but my friends just happen to be the best of the best. While some are applying for grad school, others have already started programs at top-notch schools. Yet others are working at amazing companies in the bay area. Being unemployed with no vision for an ideal job or career is no fun…its even less fun when you are applying for jobs in a foreign country with a visa that doesn’t necessarily allow you to work. The question I get asked most now that I’m married is “how is the job hunt?”…to which my truthful answer is “it sucks, stop asking, if I find a job, I’ll let you know.”

I have to be thankful though. I can’t forget how blessed I am to have the luxury of living a comfortable life with an awesome guy that not only takes care of me, but will go out of his way to keep me happy. I have the ability to sit in the AC all day long while watching tv and apply to jobs from a macbook in my pjs. I can choose what to cook everyday- having options reminds me of my privilege. It is weird though…this transition mode I’m in. I have changed in so many ways since I graduated. Even more so since I got married. Even more than that since I moved to another country. All these changes have made me grow up in ways I never thought I was ready for. That’s the funny thing about life though…you can never fully prepare for the changes that come your way. The best way to deal with them is just to accept them as inevitable.

Photo

Mon, 24 Sep 2012 06:30:56 -0400

Cookie Dough My favorite dessert for life.

Mon, 24 Sep 2012 06:22:43 -0400

Cookie Dough

My favorite dessert for life.

Singapore street art. @norafeh (Taken with Instagram)

Sun, 16 Sep 2012 10:08:22 -0400

Singapore street art. @norafeh (Taken with Instagram)

mehreenkasana: haiderz: ‘‘Each of these cultural...

Sun, 09 Sep 2012 09:30:20 -0400

mehreenkasana:

haiderz:

‘‘Each of these cultural change-makers has nudged the nation forward, and while they may be only a few out of legions of unsung heroes, this makes them no less heroic.’ VOGUE salutes eight Pakistani women for breaking stereotypes with their resilience and ‘true grit.’

Vogue India features Pakistani women doing things. Bravo!

I love this.

And I love this even more considering how all of them are in Pakistan at the moment working on issues pertinent to the country. Meesha Shafi is a well-known figure in the entertainment industry (listen to her sing in Coke Studio), Zeb and Haniya have won Pakistan’s collective heart with their innovative music style in Urdu, Pashto and Farsi (listen to them here), Sherbano Taseer is the daughter of the assassinated Salman Taseer and continues to speak bravely about human rights issues in Pakistan, Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy remains a prominent voice on women rights issues in Pakistan and has fearlessly documented Taliban tactics in the region, Sarah Belal is a human rights activist and lawyer, Aysha Raja is a great entrepreneur and radio jockey, Huma Mulji remains ever efficient with her artistic prowess over design who once correctly said: “Pakistan puts no restrictions on me, no more than anywhere else. Every country has its own censorship. Here, it is self-imposed.” Saba Gul is a social activist and architect and works in rural areas with young women for economic and social change.

And the best part? There are thousands, not documented in this issue, just like them waiting to share their success story and contribution to Pakistan as Pakistani women.