This entire piece is beautiful. And this, especially:
"I mourn what I could have been had this been a different life; if my ancestors were given a chance to thrive on the land that was theirs, what different people we’d all be if we were all given the dignity of life."
... hit me particularly hard. An older white woman asked me at a recent event if I ever thought how my life would be different if my father and/or grandfather would have acknowledged our Anishinaabek ancestry. I was a little stunned by the question. The wound is much deeper than just the result of a couple men trying to pass as white. The easier question to answer is what would my life be like if my grandmother had never made a point for me to know who lives in me. I like to think I'd still be essentially the same person, but who can say.
Grieving the recent loss of my father, who never stopped yearning for the homeland, and shortly after that, idk why, but the loss of Marjane toppled me. I also read most of Persopolis in the bookstore after first leaving my childhood home. This relentless monstrosity of empire all around us while mundanely navigating it's day to day stupidity in the core is so hard to have words for. Thank you for this and all your writing.
Beautifully written, Fariha. Sometimes I feel so alone and helpless in the face the mass destruction of all the beauty, art and soul gone now in Gaza, and now being rapaciously destroyed in the most evil and hateful of ways in Beirut. Reading your essay and feeling your palpable anguish and anger made me feel so much less alone. And you're right the veil has lifted. People know what they're up against now. Monsters like Trump, Netanyahu and their cronies- they never had a problem with harming vulnerable people around them, just like they don't care about dropping 900 kilo bombs on innocent civilians. Thanks so much for writing <3
This book stuck with me. I’m so sad to find out she’s passed away! I didn’t even know. This book is so relevant for those of us in the US right now. I’m going to pick up a new copy, I think.
This made me feel so seen, thank you for sharing this reflection that I can resonate so closely with ❤️
Cried through this, love you F <3
Thank you so much for all of this! I am taking this quote, especially, and tucking it inside my eyelids so I can stare at it all day long:
Fanon writes: “O my body, make of me always a man who questions!”
Thanks for this ❤️
This entire piece is beautiful. And this, especially:
"I mourn what I could have been had this been a different life; if my ancestors were given a chance to thrive on the land that was theirs, what different people we’d all be if we were all given the dignity of life."
... hit me particularly hard. An older white woman asked me at a recent event if I ever thought how my life would be different if my father and/or grandfather would have acknowledged our Anishinaabek ancestry. I was a little stunned by the question. The wound is much deeper than just the result of a couple men trying to pass as white. The easier question to answer is what would my life be like if my grandmother had never made a point for me to know who lives in me. I like to think I'd still be essentially the same person, but who can say.
finding some much needed solace through your words, your wisdom, and your hope-inspiring reflections. thank you for this 💛
gifting in grieving. always thanking you
Grieving the recent loss of my father, who never stopped yearning for the homeland, and shortly after that, idk why, but the loss of Marjane toppled me. I also read most of Persopolis in the bookstore after first leaving my childhood home. This relentless monstrosity of empire all around us while mundanely navigating it's day to day stupidity in the core is so hard to have words for. Thank you for this and all your writing.
Beautifully written, Fariha. Sometimes I feel so alone and helpless in the face the mass destruction of all the beauty, art and soul gone now in Gaza, and now being rapaciously destroyed in the most evil and hateful of ways in Beirut. Reading your essay and feeling your palpable anguish and anger made me feel so much less alone. And you're right the veil has lifted. People know what they're up against now. Monsters like Trump, Netanyahu and their cronies- they never had a problem with harming vulnerable people around them, just like they don't care about dropping 900 kilo bombs on innocent civilians. Thanks so much for writing <3
Absolutely. Thank you so very much for this🙏🏽❤️🔥🌿
This book stuck with me. I’m so sad to find out she’s passed away! I didn’t even know. This book is so relevant for those of us in the US right now. I’m going to pick up a new copy, I think.