Most of the programs I’m running at Fairview Library take place in the program room. With two walls of glass it’s basically a glass ‘box’ on the first floor. Everyone coming in and out of the library passes the program room. It’s a favorite for people to use for quiet study. The glass walls muffle […]

Been being interviewed a lot these days! Here’s me on Radio Islam out of Chicago: And here’s the mayor of Edmonton reading Big Red Lollipop! http://www.edmonton.ca/city_government/city_organization/mayor/video-the-mayor-reads-eps2-big-red-lollipop.aspx?doAutoPlay=true  

Oh how quickly the year has passed. Mind you it does come ten days earlier than the Gregorian calendar. It’s funny with Ramadan, I always approach it with a mixture of dread and excitement. And yet, when it arrives there’s such a blessing of peace! It’s like no other time! Reminds me of the days […]

Apparently universities offer courses in Diaspora these days. Quite frankly I didn’t even know what a diaspora was a few years ago! And for those of you who might not be familiar with the term either, let’s just say it’s when a community spreads out. Like African diaspora is how the Africans were spread out […]

Yesterday I went down to Kitchener to be part of the Coalition of Muslim Women of Kitchener event. Did some storytelling a few years ago for them, and they were so sweet! And they asked so nicely, that even though I’m pretty tired and feel a bit burned out by the hectic schedule I’ve been […]

Had a fascinating conversation with a librarian today! That’s not surprising of course! Librarians tend to be great thinkers and it’s almost more unusual NOT to have a fascinating conversation with them! But what was intriguing was the consensus we both came to. She, a devout Catholic, me a practicing Muslim, we talked about how […]

When a rejection really hit me hard. All the platitudes I usually comfort myself with, rang empty. Even though, yeah, I still believe them. I can say rejection is part of the process over and over again, but right now, I just find it hard to believe it. I can say that Allah subhanahu wata […]

It’s interesting how things can come together. You can be mulling something over, and then you get an email from some random reader talking about the issues of voice appropriation and then a day later you read an excellent column on the New York Times by Christopher Myers, the son of the impeccable Walter Dean […]

This is going to be a long post! I have so much to tell to wind up my trip to India–but bear with me I think you might find it pretty funny! So I went to the Taj, straight from Delhi airport on Monday, Dec. 3rd. Our flight from Pune get delayed because the system […]

Today was supposed to be an in and out trip. Came into Amritsar at about 10 am, did three major presentations and two journalist interviews, and I was supposed to be out on the 8:45 pm flight. Only it got cancelled, so I’m stuck here, and my flight leaves at 3 am, back to Delhi […]