#except she’s desi and I’m arab

[wlwsuperheroine]

You guys I’m literally kamala khan. This is no joke. I’m literally her in a different dimension where superpowers aren’t real and I’m 100% serious. You guys you gotta believe me.

[cbcdiversity]

Author Q&A with Nadine Jolie Courtney

Tell us about your most recent book and how you came to write/illustrate it.

All-American Muslim Girl is a YA novel born of my own experiences as a white-passing mixed-race Muslim in Georgia. I’m the daughter of a Jordanian-Circassian father and a blond Catholic cheerleader from Florida who converted to Islam when she and my dad got married. Most people have an image in their minds when they hear the words ‘Muslim girl’—and it’s definitely not me. As a result, I was exposed to a lot of harmful stealth Islamophobia over the years, moving unnoticed through predominantly white spaces as guards were down and people dropped casually bigoted comments. Post Trump, that stealth Islamophobia became blatant. I felt compelled to write an Islam-positive story of a young girl who, like me, initially struggles with a lack of connection to her religion but eventually chooses to actively embrace it, exploring how that affects her relationships along the way.

Do you think of yourself as a diverse author/illustrator?

I’ve always had lot of anxiety about my identity, something I address in AAMG (and tried to work through, in my MC of Allie Abraham!) On the one hand, I grew up feeling very much like an outsider, no matter what room I was in. When I was out with my visibly foreign father or my hijabi family members, the reception was noticeably different to what I’d get when out alone with my Barbie-esque mom. People would make fun of my last name (an impossible to pronounce Circassian name rife with consonants). Faces would change when they found out my family’s religion or background. But, on the other hand, my experience as a Muslim has still been very different from those of my Muslim friends and family members—to say nothing of my Brown and Black Muslim sisters. My lighter skin and ability to “pass” as a basic blonde has shielded me from the worst Islamophobia—something I am both grateful for and, honestly, a little ashamed of.

Who is your favorite character of all time in children’s or young adult literature?

It’s a four-way tie between Ramona Quimby, Anne Shirley, Jo March, and Hermione Granger. Feisty young women for the win!

Hypothetically speaking, let’s say you are forced to sell all of the books you own except for one. Which do you keep?

Oh my goodness! Okay, well, since this is purely hypothetical, I’m going to pretend we’re only talking about fiction books. From there…oof. When my husband and I got married, we thinned out our respective book collections, and it was torture. My answer would probably change depending on my mood, but for right now, I’d say my most dog-eared, weather-beaten book: an ancient, well-loved Norton Anthology of Poetry that I’ve had since I was 14. Barring that, my Harry Potter series, which I’m saving to read with my daughter when she’s old enough.

What does diversity mean to you as you think about your own books?

I feel like there’s often this checklist mentality toward diversity in literature, and it comes across as not only inauthentic but completely harmful. To me personally, diversity is about moving past seeing white as a default and not prioritizing the white gaze. It’s about recognizing that our stories are better when they reflect the world as it really is, in all its complexity. When you’re a marginalized teenager, maybe somebody who’s occasionally ill at ease around your peers, books can be your safe haven—a place where you can lose yourself and forget about whatever issues you’re going through, if briefly. Now imagine you read a book and it’s you, your life, your experiences reflected back on the page. How much less alone might you feel? How meaningful is that for a young person—questioning themselves, questioning their place—to realize there are others out there like them? That’s why I think it’s so important to not have publishing continue to churn out the same perspectives, the same heroes and heroines. Those stories have been told. Let’s shine the light elsewhere for a while and see what blooms.

What is your thought process in including or excluding characters of diverse backgrounds?

For All-American Muslim Girl, it was important to me to include Muslims from a variety of backgrounds, races, and ethnicities—because that’s the reality of Islam. It’s not just Arab Muslims, which is the default in the media. It’s Indonesian Muslims and Black Muslims and Desi Muslims and Muslim converts. I’m a Circassian Muslim, so though I’m fair like a lot of Muslims from the Caucausus region, my family have been Muslims for generations. I wanted to show not just that diversity of background, but also of thought: the book is full of a variety of young Muslim women who interpret the religion in vastly different ways and enjoy respectfully debating those disparate views. The Ummah is stronger and richer not in spite of our differences but because of them.

Nadine Jolie Courtney is the author of the upcoming YA novel All-American Muslim Girl (November 12, 2019, FSG), as well as the YA novel Romancing the Throne, and two adult books: Confessions of a Beauty Addict, and Beauty Confidential. A graduate of Barnard College, her articles have appeared in Town & Country, Angeleno, OprahMag.com, and Vogue.com. She lives in Santa Monica, California, with her family. 

Website: nadinejoliecourtney.com; Instagram: @nadinejoliecourtney; Twitter: @nadinecourtney

[layaltheblogger2019]

A compilation of your favorite songs this semester: what experiences do they remind you of? when you like to listen to them?

A year in music

Aka freshman year was pretty wild.

Note: I’ve linked the music that I mention to start at around the time the quoted lyrics start playing but feel free to listen to the songs from the beginning!

Music. Whether you’re the kind of person that rarely listens or the kind that always has a soundtrack playing in your head, you can’t deny that music is sort of everywhere you go. I myself am not a very regular listener, but I can appreciate a good chorus or beat when I hear it. When I listen to music, I close my eyes and allow myself to be carried away by the poetry of the lyrics and pulled under by the hidden meanings of certain verses. When I listen to music, I envelop myself in a song like a caterpillar in a cocoon, and invariably attach a feeling, person, or life event to it. Particularly when I am at the highs and lows of the sine graph that is my life do I look to music to find some way to explain how I feel.

Freshman year at MIT was one of the craziest sine curves I could have ever imagined; it was one of the most life-changing years of my life. I transformed so much that there were times I didn’t recognize the girl in the mirror. I morphed in such a way that sometimes others didn’t recognize me. I made a lot of mistakes. But I also grew up, became more experienced, found my identity, and blazed my own trail. This is my freshman year in music:

September – Phone by Mickey Singh Making new friends

I was in Aliza’s room. After a good venting session on my part and some delicious pudding, courtesy of her snack shelf, we each began to work on our own assignments and responsibilities, her at her desk, me sitting on her bed. She asked if she could play music, to which I agreed. There were awkward pauses in the flow of interaction between us, but it was endearing, as is typical on the path of new friendship. Everything was quite normal, until a song I didn’t recognize began to play. It was poppy; it was intriguing. And it was in a different language. ‘Do you want me to skip this’, she asked quickly. ‘My YouTube is on autoplay and it automatically played desi music’. As it stood in that moment, we were two people from unlike backgrounds who didn’t know that much about each other yet. I was an Arab from Florida, she, a Pakistani from New Jersey. I hesitated momentarily before I replied with ‘no, I like it’. And I did like it.

Little did I know that this would become a common soundtrack throughout my fall, a beat that reminded me of my first naïve but confident steps into independence. A beat that reminded me of true happiness and freedom. A beat that reminded me of my first, wonderful group of friends.

  October – My Blood by Twenty One Pilots Making a home somewhere new

Homesickness. If you asked me in December, freshman fall was like heaven on earth. At least that’s how it felt like when it was ending. But near its beginning, I wasn’t totally happy. I missed home, my family, and my friends. Everyone I loved was together back in Florida, I was much further north. It was colder here, lonelier here. Sometimes I got impatient that I wasn’t good at conversation, that I somehow couldn’t make as many friends, that I couldn’t figure out my academics, that I just couldn’t do anything—as well as my peers could.

I just felt at a loss sometimes.

Stay with me, no, you don't need to run Stay with me, my blood, you don't need to run

(I may be biased because I went to a Twenty One Pilots concert at the end of October)

 November – Still Feel by Half Alive Making it through

I was kind of killing it: getting psets done, practicing swimming (to pass the boat test), going to the gym. This was the beginning of what I guess I could call my sprint to the finish. I had my life together – for like the first two weeks anyway.

But then I was barely holding on. Psets were crammed hours before they were due, swimming turned into sinking, and things weren’t going too well. Then I found a medium place, where I was just making it. I was half alive, and I was okay with that.

I still feel alive When it is hopeless, I start to notice And I still feel alive Falling forward, back into orbit

That’s what November felt like.

  December – Castle on the Hill by Ed Sheeran Made it

December was hugs farewell and tying loose ends. December was last assignments and final exams. December was crossing the finish line with a second to spare. December was the feeling of belonging somewhere. (And then shortly after, having to leave it)

I said goodbye to a good friend, Samar along with a few others as we drove her to the airport, Castle on the Hill playing in the background. I made a semester recap video to the same song, which brought back nostalgia for times I had only experienced a few weeks prior.

Found my heart and broke it here Made friends and lost them through the years And I've not seen the roaring fields in so long, I know I've grown But I can't wait to go home

And going home for winter break, my last view of MIT in 2018 was a room filled with people I really cared about, all playing the same game, eating pizza and laughing, all smiling and waving back at me.

Since when could you feel homesick for two places at once?

 January –What You Know by Two Door Cinema Club Making a new path

I don’t remember much about January except that it was very cold and very dark. Over IAP, I was still surrounded by the warmth and light of friends who were here, and I was also taking more classes than humanly possible. This song reminds me of waking up on a lazy and dim IAP morning, looking at the gray sky and frosty-covered outside as it snowed, wrapped up in navy bedsheets.

  February –100 Bad Days by AJR Making mistakes

A rough start to a semester. But it’s too early to give up isn’t it?

When all is going wrong and you're scared as hell What you gonna do? Who you gonna tell? Maybe a hundred bad days made a hundred good stories A hundred good stories make me interesting at parties

  March – Connection by OneRepublic Making choices

Things are moving too fast, I’m changing too fast, there’s so much to do and so much to think about. I don’t know what I’m doing. I am an impostor.  I wish I could take a break. I need help. Who do I turn to? Why do I feel like such a burden?

Maybe I should try to find the old me Take me to the places and the people that know me Tryin’ to disconnect, thinking maybe you could show me If there’s so many people here, then why am I so lonely? Can I get a connection? Can I get, can I get a connection?

  April – Viva La Vida by Coldplay Making progress

There was one very special Sunday in April. I made time with some others to go to Revere Beach. And to say it was a welcome distraction from the stress is an understatement. We were there for maybe a collective hour, but the entirety of the trip gave me a feeling of love I didn’t know I needed. Self love. Love of nature. Love from others. Love for others. Loving the small moments of bliss and joy that I can get in these busy times.

On our way there, we sat in the car singing along to the sound of nostalgia, laughing our responsibilities away, and putting our arms out the window to feel the wind on our skin: all to feel something again.

And once we were driving on a bridge we heard this:

I hear Jerusalem bells are ringing Roman Cavalry choirs are singing Be my mirror, my sword and shield My missionaries in a foreign field For some reason I can’t explain Once you go there was never, never a honest word And that was when I ruled the world

For a brief moment, we did rule the world. All of us in that car. That is what happiness feels like when you most need it.

  May – Chasing Cars by Snow Patrol Breaking down

May was hugs farewell and tying loose ends. May was last-minute projects and final exams. May was crossing the finish line with two seconds to spare. May was loss, heartbreak, and unstoppable tears.

Aliza was killed by a drunk driver shortly after we all said goodbye to her for the summer. We didn’t realize how long we’d be saying goodbye for.

The night before she left MIT to go home we got late night from Maseeh dining and then, because of the beautiful weather, decided to sit on the sidewalk, right between Maseeh and McCormick. And we sat there for a wonderous half hour. I had a final the next morning, but the weather was too good, the company even better. We could see the remains of the full moon in our periphery. We didn’t know what would happen when the sun rose, but we focused on the cool breeze on our faces, the stars in our eyes. I never wanted to leave.

If I lay here If I just lay here Would you lie with me and just forget the world? Forget what we're told Before we get too old Show me a garden that's bursting into life

I am so lucky to have met her.

 June (encore) – Good Grief by Bastille Making it through life, one step at a time

A summer in Boston that I put together very last minute, my life is slowly rebuilding. It’s a mess, but what life isn’t? I’m nervous to see the outcome, and I worry about tomorrow before I get through today. What can I do except try my best then hope it all works out?

Watching through my fingers, watching through my fingers In my thoughts you're far away And you are whistling the melody, whistling the melody Crystallizing clear as day Oh, I can picture you so easily, picture you so easily   What's gonna be left of the world if you're not in it? What's gonna be left of the world, oh   Every minute and every hour I miss you, I miss you, I miss you more Every stumble and each misfire I miss you, I miss you, I miss you more

(I still miss you)

Since my freshman year has ended, I haven’t really been able to slow down and reflect on everything that has happened. Until I sat in front of my computer to write this.

From where I stand now, I know things will get better again. Then they will inevitably get worse. It’s kind of how sine graphs flow. But I am the producer of my own track, I am the composer of my life symphony. There are three more years of new people to meet, interesting classes to take, difficult problems to face, and melodies for me to piece together. And once it’s all over, I can’t wait to take a look at what has been created. Once it’s all over, I can’t wait to press play.

[flowerclad]

desi tag

i was tagged by @lblis​ @aurtae​ @jinseas​ @2awake​ thank u my loves okay lets go time to r a n t 

1. What’s your name and what does it mean?   my name is Aisha, which comes from Arabic. I think literally it means “she who lives” but my arabic teacher says it also means like “lively woman” so that’s what i’m going with

2. Where from the motherland is you/your family from? my parents are from maharashtra - they grew up in a town right outside Mumbai and then moved to America 10 years or so before i was born

3. Would you move back to where your family is from, why or why not? i would love to visit again, and but I don’t want to move there permanently; my family and my life is established here.  

4. What language(s) can you speak? i can speak hindi/urdu, english, french and arabic (i’m not as fluent), i can make myself understood in konkani, and i can understand marathi. for the Desi languages  (hindi/urdu, konkani, marathi) the grammar escapes me sometimes and I can’t read anything except for urdu (and that’s bc of Arabic) but yeah

5. Favorite Bollywood movie?  i haven’t watched Bollywood in awhile but movies i’ll never hesitate to rewatch are Lagaan and Piku. honorary mention for kal ho naa ho because that movie broke my heart and made me aware of my own mortality when i was 6 years old and my older sisters had the audacity to laugh at me when i couldn’t stop crying #funfamilymemories

6. Favorite desi meal? my mom’s chicken salan....or her shrimp salan... honestly any of her food. pav baji, sabudana vada.. idk how you spell it umm shrikhand?? like sweet yoghurt, my mom makes it every year for eid. 

7. Where in the motherland do you want to visit? Rajasthan... my sisters got to go to Jaipur but i’ve never been on a long enough visit to do super touristy stuff. anyways it’s just seems really beautiful 

8. Favorite desi singer? Lata Mangeshkar, Alka Yagnik, Sonu Nigam, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, A.R. Rahman omg my childhood askfjh

9. Describe your favorite desi outfit? i'm sure these are both super out of style now but 1) shalwar kameez with super balloony colorful shalwar or 2) shalwar kameez with churi daar shalwar and super tall high heels. Also lahengas in general

10. Can you make a round roti? i mean like probably but like... i won’t. patel bros readymade parathay exist for a reason. (im sorry)

11. Favorite Bollywood actor? I like Irrfan Khan a lot, and I enjoy a lot of Aamir Khan’s older work (rang de basanti, lagaan, taare zameen par, 3 idiots) rn i can’t remember any of the new generation of Bolly actors rip

12. Favorite Bollywood actress? Deepika, Kajol, Madhuri Dixit, Sonam Kapoor, Sanya Malhotra gets an honorary mention bc i saw her in Dangal and she was so cute akldhf

13. Favorite Desi in western media? Riz Ahmed, Hasan Minhaj sometimes

14. Strange superstitions you’ve heard from relatives. don’t whistle at night (or ever), otherwise snakes will come and get you. close the curtains once the sun sets otherwise bad things will enter your home. if you’re hiccuping it means someone is remembering you/thinking of you, don’t tell anyone any good thing that’s happening to you to protect from evil eye.

15. Describe your spice tolerance. I mean if we’re talking tolerance it’s high but like genuine enjoyment????? not much. my mom doesn’t cook that spicy.

16. Best street food. pani puri, bhel puri, those snow cones that come in plastic pouches

17. The weirdest question you got from a non desi person. how can i be muslim and from India. i’m p sure i remember someone asking me why i was eating beef if i’m from India smh 

18. How do you like your chai? milk, sugar, cardamom and cinnamon! 

19. When was the last time you have visited the motherland (if you dont live there)? when i was 11, so ten years ago :(

20. Your favorite and least favorite part of your culture?

favorite:  i like the sense of family and community in desi households. i like the idea that i can go to your house once and then call your parents auntie and uncle and if our families have been to each others’ houses multiple times i can just call you my cousin. i like the vibrancy and diversity of our cultures. i love how song and dance is just kind of ingrained into the culture. (My dad who “hates films” used to not go a day without singing his old favorite songs from the 70s and 80s.)

least favorite:  (copied from the post i made awhile ago) the desi community in general needs to get past the whole “let’s not stir the pot” mentality where individuals care more about what the community folk/relatives say about them than fixing actual problems and this includes silencing people that rightfully call out their bigoted family members to “keep the peace” or show respect to your elders or whatever. like it just means we’re settling into racism, colorism, sexism, homophobia, a fundamental misunderstanding of mental illnesses, and a plethora of other issues because desi communities prize their reputation and their ties to traditionalism above all like. and ALSO for Desi Muslims specifically, we need to stop pretending it’s the sanctity of our religion we’re protecting when we’re being homophobic/transphobic/racist/sexist when it’s really that deeply protected conservatism that’s been socialized into us okay B YE 

i’ll tag @kuraepika @winwinwonwon @gothlaws @sitaaras @kwnsyg @jkslibragf also if you read this far down and you’re desi i’m tagging you too k love u

[desmondsuleiman]

Ethnicity preference in a wife ?

I like em black yellow Puerto Rican or hatian. My name is phife dawg from the Zulu nation. No but honestly I like em dark skin. Like dark chocolate. Gabriel union status. The perfect shade on a women. I like Arabs too and desi kinda girls. But I think the culture would be a deal breaker truthfully. I want someone who shares the same kind of culture honestly. Unless I’m really in love with this girl and I really like. Then in that case it doesn’t matter what she is. Except white. I’m cool on that.