speakingup2025

[speakingup2025]

Leaving

I have researched moving out of the US a lot lately. Talking to people who have done it, looked for jobs, how to obtain visas, started using my Duolingo account again, you know, all the stuff; because I was afraid. I am still afraid. I am afraid of what will happen today - who will lose their job, who will be deported or imprisoned, who will be bullied or harassed, who will stand up and speak. Then it hit me. I no longer want to run and hide; I want to speak up. I want to use my loud and obnoxious voice to give others a voice when they are too afraid.

While in college, I got really into researching Middle Eastern culture: religion, daily lives, politics, etc. 9/11 had been almost a decade past but it still haunted me. It trickled into the curriculum of the classes I took (understandably), it was discussed amongst friends, it was still being talked about in the news. Learning as much as I could became my way of overcoming this fear of it happening again.

Yesterday, while at work, I was gifted the conversation with a young lady who is Islamic. I have had her in a few classes and she has always been a bit of a wild card. Chatty when asked to work quietly, sassy when reminded that her conversations with peers were not classroom appropriate, rolling her eyes, you know - teenager stuff. But she was also very sweet and smart, so smart!

As she sat outside my classroom door during lunch, I overheard her friends asking her about her religion. I saw this as an opportunity to join their convo. I was surprised that she was happy to let me in and welcomed my questions. It was by far one of my favorite interactions with the students I've had in a long time! I told her about a book I read in college, The Swallows of Kabul, and she asked if I would bring it next time I am at her school. "Of course!"

That one short conversation and my desire to flee my own country led me to this morning's revelation of speaking up. I thought if I could help others understand other cultures, maybe we could lessen some of the hate and misunderstanding happening right now. I am planning to share here as I create plans and then put those plans into practice. And I hope you will follow along - reading and helping me put plans into action in your world.