Speaking Up About Sexism in My Family
Names have been changed. After 28 days of fasting, Muslim families like mine mark the end of Ramadan with a holiday called Eid al-Fitr. My family invites our friends over for a dawat, which means feast in Urdu, the main language in Pakistan, where my parents are from. But last year I had no interest […]
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Pride and Prejudice and ESL
I was careful not to fall as I slowly climbed up the wooden ladder to the dusty attic. The stuffy space smelled of damp socks and spoiled milk. In the dim light from the tiny attic window, I found the enormous cardboard box of books I was looking for. As a 3rd grader with a […]
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How I Became a Racist
Names have been changed. The summer after 8th grade, I was nervous about starting high school. A lot of my middle school friends were going to be attending other schools. I didn’t want to be alone; I was shy and found it hard to make new friends. So I tried joining a clique from my […]
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Raising My Voice Against Racism
I was in 6th grade, and was walking home after I’d gotten off the school bus. Up the street, I spotted an old White man lying on the sidewalk in ragged clothes and soiled towels. He looked at me while I tried to look away. “Hey, you.” What? Why am I the target? I looked […]
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