Author: Ramisa Anjum (Page 2 of 5)

 In “Love and Black Lives on a Brooklyn Street” By Annie Correal, she came across a Photo Album which she found in a recycling bin. She mentioned “I had never seen a black family’s account of that time” which stood out very surprising to me. As she begins her journey with curious questions which grapes my interest to learn why would someone through an album where many memories have been preserved for years and years. As she looked through the album she spotted Etta Mae and a guy with her quite often in the album. In the pictures, the people are dressed in suits and gorgeous dresses, and they were smiling which portrays they were wealthy and very happy. At the end of the article, all the questions were unveiled the album was thrown by the landowner of Etta Mae after her death because her family members didn’t want that album. It was very upsetting to find out that the pictures in the album were preserved for many and each picture speaks a story and has a history behind it, but her family member didn’t value that.  

After watching “I Am Not Your Negro” By James Baldwin one quote that attracted me was “People cannot bear too much reality.” This sentence describes there is a huge meaningful disparity in the way view ourselves and our universe. We often protect ourselves with delusions and distractions to escape from the reality because somewhere we all know that the reality will hurt. Such as the misery created by the racial regime in the Deep South persisted even further than it should have, however, when the violence was brought under the light an unusual extent of anti-black fanaticism that for decades had occurred there. Additionally, another quote that drew my attention when James Baldwin said “Not everything that is faced can be changed. But nothing can be changed until it has been faced. History is not the past. It is the present. We carry our history with us. We are our history. If we pretend otherwise we are criminals.” This quote has so much meaning as well as inspiring because what he said is very true. It is criminal to be in ignorance of the enormously destructive influence of that history. In this world, black people can’t restore the damages that have been done. Which must be performed by white people. History is the present, brought within us, and replicated before effective attempts to avoid and reverse direction are made. Although to be responsible for the past and taking responsibility for the damages is challenging but it shows dignity. Therefore, we all have to open our eyes and see the reality and take an effective step to bring a change and making sure history doesn’t repeat itself. 

Where I’m From-

An invisible country mentioned very less, not many shows interest.

Mentioned in history once, then forgotten like any other old news. 

People roam around the street, some with the nasty sites and some with purpose. 

Yet people ask Where Are You From?

A scarf covered around my face, people notice I’m Muslim,

Yet they confuse me with Arab, Yemeni & Pakistani, 

Am I too different not to be noticeable?

Judgy eyes following through the streets millions of assumptions, yet none are true. 

Closed curtains and closed doors, with permission out of the door. 

Behind the door before the sunset, Wildfire if not returned. 

Yet they ask Where Are You From?

Freedom is given but not much to fly like a bird,

Caged Bird until another owner comes to put the bird in a new cage. 

Crushed dreams like broken glasses, yet there is no-one to free the bird. 

Yet you ask me Where I’m From?

Clothed with a long gown with an orna on the side of the shoulder, yet you assume I’m Indian. 

It is just like India, but language, culture, tradition, and religion is very unlike Indian,

Yet the name of the country doesn’t come to your tongue.

The clothed brought from H&M made by the hand of an uneducated and undermined women from that country, 

Yet you ask me Where I’m From? 

= After reading “Together, You Can Redeem the Soul of Our Nation” and watching CCNY 2019 Commencement Speech By John Lewis I have learned our generation have the potential to bring change in the world but the question Dr.Lwis asked what are you willing to get in a “good trouble”. As I read through the article he said “ “In my life, I have done all I can to demonstrate that the way of peace, the way of love and nonviolence is the more excellent way. Now it is your turn to let freedom ring.” This sentence is so inspiring because we live in a world where constantly things need to change especially the worst things. Thus, My Good Trouble would bring a change for my countries people especially women because in many parts of Bangladesh where the girls can’t afford education and their parents treat them as if they are some sort of burden and some have to work countless hours to eat.