Picture this: I’m at a family gathering. People who have not seen each other in months are telling each other what’s new, the smell of masala and jeera fill the room, my cousin and I go back and forth sending each other links related to the things we’re talking about, I open my camera app […]
The oil company workers eat upstairs in the Executive Lounge of the Marriott. We stay there too when we return. MSNBC drones on in the background. Most of them, overdressed and sunburned in this place that hangs off the equator, are from Texas. My father, the son of a Cornelia-Ida rice farmer, worked his first […]
My mother had surgery last week. Bedrest, heavy medication, the works. The weight of being the oldest, the second in command, is always on my shoulders. It’s a comfort and a burden all the same, and I have never felt it so acutely weighing down on me than I have in the past few weeks. […]
Have you ever taken a break from social media and thought, this is really good for my mental health? How often do you ask yourself why it feels good to stay away? Whether it’s a year, a month, a week or 24 hours, an intentional break from social media can feel like a breath of […]
One question that I get very often is: “What can I do to help the environment?” And although it’s actually a vague question, I do have some answers for you. But first, a few things to know about me: I am very, very passionate about the environmental work that I do. Environmentalism encompasses both my […]
I love discussing politics. I enjoy the back and forth of debate and hearing other perspectives on issues. I also love to yell at people and tell them that they’re wrong. (Sorry, Dad.) Being informed and having an opinion is something that’s important to me. But when I sat down to work on my next […]
For the last four years I was a barista at Starbucks. One of the first things I did in my time there was tell a lie. Well, sort of. On the interview, when the manager asked about my availability, I told him I would be unable to work Sundays. He said that was unusual and […]
“Ms. Miah, it’s nice to be ambitious, but you shouldn’t get your hopes up about getting into Harvard. It’s a really competitive school and having a felony might make your chances of gaining acceptance unlikely.” I shifted in my seat and adjusted my hijab, unsure how to respond. I gritted my teeth and half-smiled. Were […]
Last semester, I officially joined QC Voices with “Unpacking and Repacking Love to Find Home.” That piece borrowed elements from lyric essays to find some means of consolation. Writing that piece was the NyQuil of alleviations, it only relieved the symptoms. In a sense, this piece will be a part two, or the strengthened body that […]
Upon discussion with a very kind human working for an airline ticket agency about what we each had for breakfast, I was transferred to a robotic representative. I was told this transfer would provide me with “quality assistance” regarding the importance of considering a purchase of Travel Protection Insurance. The voice spoke to me about […]
