Category: The “Other” Category (Page 2 of 3)

I am following my longest post of all time with my shortest post ever. This one is a simple request:

Get to know the custodian…

of your child’s school, of your office, of your university, of the library or community center, of the gym,,…

Look around you. Say hello.

You might see my dad. He does this work.

He also greets the kids in the morning and helps them out of their cars. He will quietly go over and open up a Lunchable® packet when he sees an embarrassed kid struggling. He will play games, repaint the gym and remove scuff marks, fix what needs to me fixed, deliver the mail, set up for an event, coordinate schedules, sign timesheets, engineer a better bathroom stall door, dress up as an elf, and clean up vomit. He will give a couple kids a few dollars if their pockets are empty on the day of the holiday gift shop or book fair. He wants to make sure the school is a place where kids want to be, a school they feel they want to help keep clean, a school that is as well-maintained as possible but still alive and active. He amazes me and I’m proud to be his daughter.

Before you read this blog post, stand up and turn around yourself once. See what you can see, experience any change, and then come back around in a new or similar state.

Perform a single revolution. You can even do it seated if you are in a swivel chair.

I am serious and will wait for you. It is good for the body to move anyways. Really. Go ahead.

A revolution is

1. a forcible overthrow of a government or social order in favor of a new system. (rebellion, seizure of power, insurgency)
2. an instance of revolving. (single turn rotation, spin)

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A revolution is a disruption and asks you to delay how you intended to operate online today: scroll, click link, scan and maybe read. A rotation is a vulnerable act in that you must turn your back to some things and focus on other things. It demands time. It can have anxiety in the need to come back around to facing the front, and an openness that maybe you will find a new front. There is the potential that after a revolution you will be facing a new enemy… or a familiar or morphed one.

In September, the Simon-Skjodt Center for the Prevention of Genocide, a think tank connected to the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, listed Egypt as the 4th country at greatest risk of state-led mass killings, ranking the threat above the violently divided states of Central African Republic and Yemen. TheSimon-Skjodt Center with Dartmouth on the Early Warning Project, a tool to alert policymakers and the public to places where the risk for mass atrocities is greatest.

And yes, celebrated and beautiful Masr (Egypt) simmers 4th on that list. The country where I hold a piece of my heart and a side of my family.

I care.

As a collective, we as the United States care for people and places very selectively and seemingly randomly. We cared about Paris. We cared about Rwanda, Northern Ireland and Bosnia (each eventually and briefly). We cared about Egypt intensely on January 25, 2011 and the 18 days following. This was five years ago tomorrow.

Something sprung that few could define, and the following five years have been a desperate and fumbling attempt to find and feed those sprouts. The activists have been revolving,

As you read the following timeline, maybe take a single rotation yourself.

• Mubarak regime has been in power since 1981 with a strong hand. Egyptians haven’t truly voted or demonstrated or grown an opposition party for generations. Lower-achieving students are told to study law. The Egyptian military runs hotels and gas stations and manufactures refrigerators and controls at least 40% of the economy. Corruption is fierce. Muslim Brotherhood is illegal and members are tortured; they conduct mass charity and operations underground.
• U.S. led or backed devastating wars in the region
• President Obama’s Speech at Cairo University in 2009 – Hope and change for the people of both Egypt and the U.S. “…tension has been fed by colonialism that denied rights and opportunities to many Muslims, and a Cold War in which Muslim-majority countries were too often treated as proxies without regard to their own aspirations. Violent extremists have exploited these tensions in a small but potent minority of Muslims.  The attacks of September 11, 2001 and the continued efforts of these extremists to engage in violence against civilians has led some in my country to view Islam as inevitably hostile not only to America and Western countries, but also to human rights.  All this has bred more fear and more mistrust…. And this cycle of suspicion and discord must end. I’ve come here to Cairo to seek a new beginning between the United States and Muslims around the world, one based on mutual interest and mutual respect.” 
• Arab Spring sparks from Tunisia in December 2010
• Egyptian Revolution in January-February 2011 – The People join together to demand bread, freedom and social justice. Toppling of Mubarak after decades of rule.
• Arab Spring takes different forms and scale in Libya, Syria, Yemen, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan. U.S./UN Military intervention in Libya in March 2011
• #July8 2011  A re-taking of the square after demands were not met and the revolution was unfulfilled. This, I was there for.

• Maspero television station massacre in October 2011 – Miltary versus protestors (mostly Coptic Christians and allies)
• Mohamed Mahmoud St. battle in November 2011 – Military versus protestors, many of which were youth or artists labeled as thugs and vandals (approximately 50 killed and dozens maimed or blinded by ‘eye snipers’)
• First Democratic elections in May-June 2012 – Mubarak’s prime minister versus Muslim Brotherhood candidate, Morsi. Many revolutionaries refuse to cast a valid vote and the U.S. supports the winner, Morsi. Egyptians unite in giving Morsi a chance.
• The situation in Syria spirals into something beyond comprehension.
• I move to Cairo as a U.S. Fulbright Scholar.
• Anti-American demonstrations and storming of the embassy in September 2012 – Different than Benghazi but related in frustrations and perceptions of U.S. betrayal or lack of follow-through since Obama’s 2009 speech. Perhaps it was just over a video. There has been no creative changes to our diplomatic approaches or response to the Arab Spring.
• Concrete walls go up around Tahrir Square and the surrounding area in Fall 2012 making pedestrian and auto traffic difficult. Logistically more difficult to gather.
• Anti-Ikhwan (Muslim Brotherhood) demonstrations  in Tahrir Square in November 2012 – Progressives and opposition parties taking to the square after Morsi’s overreaching decrees. Lots of tear gas and some clashes
• Presidential palace clashes in December 2012 – Paid thugs and security forces versus progressive and opposition protestors
• Tamarod (revolt) grassroots campaign in Spring 2013 – Collects 22 million signatures in a petition for Morsi’s ouster

Tamarod campaigners

• U.S. suspends and then cancels the Fulbright program in Egypt.
• Arts and Culture uprising in April/May 2013 – Morsi’s administration replaces the Minister of Culture and more than a dozen staff with MB members who have little to no background in the arts. A law is proposed to ban ballet. The cast of Aida goes on strike. Artists occupy the Ministry building for 33 days, with a street performance each and every night.

• Largest political demonstration in modern history according to Google on #June30 2013 – The People demand Morsi’s ouster.
• ElSisi announces The People’s triumph and the plan for a diverse, bold transition government – ElSisi says there is no way he would run for president. People see that as inconceivable.
• Muslim Brotherhood members are demonized and the organization is labeled as terrorist.
• The headline on all state-run television is “Egypt is Fighting Terrorism.”
• Rabaa massacre in August 2013 – Security forces versus Muslim Brotherhood protestors who were labeled as terrorists (817-1000 killed and there is no public mourning)
• Supporting or empathizing with the Muslim Brotherhood members in any way is seen as a traitorous and illegal act.
• Protest Law (Act 107) in November 2013 – The law requires three days notification and permit before protesting (often requiring that all protestors be pre-named and listed with home addresses); in addition, the Ministry of Interior has the right to “cancel, postpone or move” any protest.
• Constitutional Referendum in January 2014 – Where citizens were giving the choice between yes (nam) and yes (nam) to ratifying the new constitution. Dissent is discouraged and seen as disloyalty or troublesome.
• Law and order, investment, security and beautification are in season.
• ElSisi is generally seen as a populist savior, a hero, and his picture can be seen everywhere.
• Presidential election in June 2014 – Voter turnout is incredibly low and ElSisi wins with 93% of the vote. Turnout is so low that an additional day and a national holiday are added.
• I demand the end of Blackface on Cairo stages but the petition is seen as an act of protest. I draw back. Rumors spread that I am racist and pro-MB.
• Deadly attacks on police and military from Summer 2014 to present
• Opening of a New Suez Canal with much nationalistic fanfare, continued investment of USAID (second highest in the world for the U.S., second only to Israel), artistic collaboration and exchange with Chinese artists, announcement of a new capital city that would rival Dubai in its advancement, economic forum in Egypt draws world leaders including Kerry, revitalized public park and underground parking for Tahrir Square, wifi on buses, billboards announcing a New Egypt go up in Times Square, new national museum in construction, Cairo Opera Ballet performs for Vladamir Putin, Islamic State terrorism in the Sinai and beyond, deadly crash of a passenger plane, Shaimaa el-Sabbagh is shot in broad daylight, visible reminders of the revolution are whitewashed or torn down, individuals and companies invest in education and the next generation of leadership, new subsidies and economic stimulus plans are introduced, as well as mass trials and mass death sentences, home searches without warrant, disappearances, and tens of thousands of political prisoners including journalists…
• Hope, pride, disgust and anger mix in my belly, even as an in-law to Egyptian-ism.

2. Creative Time Report scathing in the face of the Obama administration for standing with Sisi.

3. I was terribly wrong. Journalists’ stories.

4. President Elsisi’s speech to the Egyptian people on the eve of the 5-year anniversary of the revolution – condemning the attacks on the police and military, and offering public support to the victims “I requested authorization to fight possible violence and terrorism in July [2013], you thought it would be easy. But you have seen the numbers of the martyrs who have fallen.”

Some Americans won’t care about this. They probably stopped reading long ago. But there is much to learn and inspiration to gain. We all have a radical potential and some times demand it. I believe this is one of those times.

Last week, our neighbor said this in conversation, “Talking about sex won’t get you pregnant. Talking about death won’t kill you.” Same holds true for revolution. We need to find the social courage to talk, no matter how uncomfortable the ignorance, or divide. As the rhetoric gets more violent in America, we need to find nonbelligerent ways of discussion. Talking about a revolution (of some definition) is something conservatives and liberals can do together. We have the same fire in our bellies and we share a system of decision-making.

The typical American adult lives only 18 miles from his or her mother, according to a comprehensive survey. Over the last few decades, Americans have become less mobile, and most adults do not live far from their hometowns. We are a country of close-knit families, leaning on one another for financial and practical support. 61-64% of Americans do not have passports.

According to Pew Research Center, nearly two-thirds (63%) of consistent conservatives and about half (49%) of consistent liberals say most of their close friends share their views; conservatives are likely to attach importance to living in a place where many people share their religious faith (Pew Research Center 2014). “Ideological silos are now common on both the left and right. Liberals and conservatives disagree over where they want to live, the kind of people they want to live around and even whom they would welcome into their families” (Pew Research Center 2014). I feel that this divide is intensifying during this politicized year in the United States and could reach a dangerous level of distrust and segregation if not addressed.

It can start with outrage, but we need a revolution of…

Body (in space and in and of itself, in relation to other bodies and the environment, the living body)

Mind (knowledge of heritage, history, questioning those narratives, critical thinking, self-awareness)

Spirit (belief, faith, hope, kindness, empathy, love, peace, joy, in touch with both positive and negative feelings)

Okay, time for a cheesy but lovely break. Thanks for reading. Take a minute to watch Tim McGraw’s video for Humble and Kind, based on Oprah’s Belief series.

I imagine the world turning, one big celebratory spin today. With each increment in the rotation, an hourly slice of humanity launches fireworks off the face of the earth. Reaching out to the sky. Wide eyed. Reaching for someone to kiss, something to drink. Some other people decide to reach inward, towards their own center, their family. Some perform rituals. Some ignore them.

The world turns, and each section of the planet takes its first collective breath of our next collective tour around the sun. We will do this journey together. Animals, friends, loved ones will expectedly or unexpectedly leave us this new year. Babies will join us. Politicians will be elected. Others will topple. Devastating things will happen. Brillant things will happen. We as 2016 human beings may have decided to classify ourselves by ever-changing definitions of race, divide ourselves by religion-based teams, wall-up ourselves for peace, arm ourselves and attack others for the sake of safety, exhaust ourselves on 1st world and 3rd world problems… none-the-less, we will go around the sun together.

And today the unhealthy planet that we have treated so poorly is treating us to something special by physically tilting each of us into this new year in our own time.

Today, I got up for a 10 am haircut and blowout for NYE. I had an appointment with my longtime buddy Jason at Robert Jeffrey Hair Studio, Lakeview. I walked to the bus stop. The sun rays were out strong, offering their services to the earth, but the Chicago concrete seemed to be refusing it. This got me thinking about the concept of offering, acknowledging and receiving. Taking in the goodness of what the world offers.

A slight breeze was briskly chill on my cheeks. I tucked in my poorly-gloved hands like a wintery Mary Katherine Gallagher. It wasn’t too bad. Bright and calm. And it was the last morning of 2015, and now that morning has passed. Wow, time goes fast.

On the walk home, as the last noontime of the year settled in, I looked down and something caught my attention. A bunch of blue glitter in some day-old snow, glistening blue on glistening white. You should have seen it. A broken jar of blue glitter spilt and scattered. I stood there for a moment, soaking in this simple sight. As I pushed the button on my iPhone camera app, the phone shut down from lack of battery. So I stood there longer taking a mental picture.

A few days ago, when I posted online about my long struggle to end the use of Blackface and racist caricature at the Cairo Opera, a Facebook friend who often has opposing views left a comment instructing me to “Get a life.” I am pretty sure he meant it insultingly.

But getting a life is actually a great intention for 2016. Being active in the getting, receiving.

3..2..1.. and a here we go! Another collective journey around the sun. Get it!

On December 21, 2013, after a year and a half of the most naturally-developing romantic and companionate relationship in my life, the fella and I performed the rituals of marriage in our own way. We exchanged rings and made original vows in private. Then I put on a white dress I had found at Zara for $40. And when I stepped out into the living room, his face lit up in love.

He wore dark jeans and t-shirt that we had “I will” printed on the sleeve. We gathered with friends at a local Cairo club to pronounce and celebrate this love, joy and commitment. He pretended to go off to the restroom while a mutual friend pulled me onto the dancefloor. The music stopped as the crowd mysteriously parted. And there stood my new husband smiling. Our buddy, DJ Freedo, nodded and put a needle on “our song.” We danced our first dance. A few weeks later on 1/1/2014 we went to the Foreign Ministry building to officially sign up to our life together, after months on bi-national bureaucracy. The new adventure began.

Then a few months ago, in Cairo, the small diamond fell out of the tiny Depression-era ring I wear which belonged to my late grandmother. I never found that diamond and haven’t been able to afford a replacement. But I say the hole left is filled with love.

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Last year on our first anniversary (which is paper), we were visiting my family in Michigan and my parents toilet-papered our hallway. They are a funny duo. Back on June 21, 1978, I was born as the only child of that funny duo. In terms of daylight, I should thank my parents because I have the longest birthday in the calendar, the most hours to celebrate, more hours for cake.

Solstices are good. Change is good. All I want from my life is love and the unexpected. I adore seasons, as they bring change throughout each year. I dearly missed the four seasons while living in Egypt. In Cairo, the length of daylight in a day varied little while here in Chicago, the variance is stark. Winter days here are very dark days.  December 21st signifies that only more light is to come.

Solstices are also a moment to pause, to stand still. “The word solstice is derived from the Latin sol (sun) and sistere (to stand still), because at the solstices, the sun stands still in declination; that is, the seasonal movement of the sun’s path (as seen from Earth) comes to a stop before reversing direction.” (Wikipedia)

On December 21, 1990, a friend started a Chicago tradition. Michael Zerang, along with Hamid Drake, decided to put on a 6:00 AM percussion concert welcoming the winter solstice, the shift, the standing still. For 25 years, the Winter Solstice Concerts have been a Chi-town tradition.

Photo by Links Hall / Constellation

I know of no better way to celebrate the fella and I’s 2nd anniversary. And I urge you to get your tickets if you are in town! This year, Michael and Hamid have an expanded program due to their silver anniversary.

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This year, the fella and I are celebrating our own cotton anniversary. And it is amidst an environment of anti-Islamic rhetoric and acts in the United States of America, whose founders decided that the very first part of the very first amendment in the Bill of Rights would be freedom of religion. It is only in this 2015 political backdrop do I use the term Muslim for my husband. He is profoundly more. It actually made me a little sick to my stomach to write the title for this post.

It is only amongst this ugly swirl right now do I even think an ounce about my husband’s religion being different from my own. I married a Middle-Eastern Muslim man, yes, and we pray to the same God. Even if we didn’t, we hold dear to one another and do our best in the world. The cultural and religious Muslims in our shared planet (from Detroit to Jakarta) offer so much. Our Arab and Middle-Eastern neighbors are closer than some of us might think in a number of ways, and they are of a multitude of faiths and they are dear. So much talent and heart. I often find myself ashamed of my fellow Americans lately. I am embarrassed and saddened by the divisiveness. We share a world and cannot continue to build walls for defense or walls for peace. These walls are constructed with ignorance and vengeance. For example, refugees (from Syria or elsewhere) had nothing to do with the terrorism in Colorado Springs, Roseburg, Charleston, Isla Vista, Newton, Brookfield, Minneapolis, Oak Creek, Aurora, Oakland, Seal Beach, Tucson, Manchester, Bighamton, San Bernadino, Columbine…. Ugh. I cannot go down into such darkness.

Thank God there is a coming solstice on Monday, a standing still, more light. And then for the first time in a long time, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and Lord Jesus Christ/Prophet Isa will share birthdays. With a full moon! Let us celebrate Christmas and Mawlid-al-Nabi together and lean toward the joy, inviting cultural and practicing Jews, Sikhs, Hindus, Shintos, Buddhists, Jains, Baha’is, Agnostics, Atheists, Non-realists, and Non-religious friends to the party. Let us open our ears to one another and learn before we preach. Create trust before we collect arsenals to protect our families. We must simultaneously be of faith and beyond faith.

Later this year or next, the fella and I hope to have a full wedding here in the U.S. and bring my family and his together for the first time for the ceremony. I sure hope they can get visas.

The official average nowadays for a job search in the United States is 6 months. Some far shorter, some far longer. A friend in the IT field found a new position in a week. I am on Month 5.

I have found a number of exciting opportunities, even developing dance programs for children with life-threatening illness, but most want me to work in a volunteer capacity.

My friends, family and followers have been by my side on this journey. Deeply grateful for that, but I know we are all getting exhausted. Health insurance seems to keep running further and further ahead like a dream I can’t catch…. as are paying off student loans and other debts.

Wondering if any of you have been in the position or are there with me now?

Well, there is good news. The exhaustion on my end was replaced with vigor this week by participating in two activities:

1. Joining a gym less than a block away with yoga classes, a whirlpool, and free cable TV on the cardio machines. My husband and I negotiated a great deal with them and we can cancel if needed. Being physically active each day has changed my outlook and enthusiasm. A job search can become an unhealthy cycle of activities. Get a body moving, and the world opens up.
2. Attending a $10 resume writing workshop with YNPN Chicago (Young Nonprofit Professionals Network). I realized two things during this workshop: I can no longer present myself as simply a non-profit professional and I am not young. Much of the information in this workshop was not new, but it was an amazing catalyst. I realized that it might be time to go for a less-readable and dense 2-page resume that has more meat and expresses my successes. In rewriting my resume until 2am and working with a few quality Fiverr proofreaders, I could step back and say Wow.

The job search has a new momentum. Thank God and the universe for that.

Today I am presenting myself boldly and joyfully. On my feet. Mantra is “I am who you have been waiting for.”

If you can help in any way, I am looking for either a full-time position, or two part-time / contractual positions in Cultural Diplomacy | Art & Culture Management especially Community Engagement or City-wide/Regional/National Scope | International Education or Exchange | Workshop Facilitation. Looking to find something in Chicago or remote/virtual work. Not particularly looking to be an executive director or development officer, more leaning toward programming with intercultural, international or cross-sectoral content. Check out or forward the new resume. Bio and other links are available here.