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Author page: Ibtasam Elmaliki

arab August 13, 2021
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Positive Instagram accounts reminding us about the good of scrolling

Humanity is at a code red, Afghanistan is in turmoil, the list goes on… Social media used largely as an escape from the everyday world, highlights these unfortunate events but where can find positive Instagram accounts to help us reset?

When you’re not feeling the best mentally about what’s going on in the world, here are some Instagram pages that are sure to bring some joy and restore some faith in humanity.

Middle East Archive is the prime example of what a positive Instagram account looks like

Middle East Archive, is an Instagram photography page part of Nour Magazine, “an independent media platform that sheds light on the beauty and diversity of MENA (the Middle East and North Africa).”

The Arab world has been a victim of gross orientalism for centuries and then seen as a scary war zone, stricken with poverty and violence, post 9/11.

The page highlights the Middle East that the media doesn’t show, in the most beautiful humanistic way.


Images of people having fun, couples in love, fashion, and retro nostalgia from the past change the western narrative of the Arab world.

The archive also differentiates different countries of the MENA region, not lumping them into one collective group, bashing oriental stereotypes of what Arab or North African looks like.

Give them a follow to get a glimpse of history through aesthetic photography.

Laugh while you scroll on Instagram with these comedy queens on your feed

One of the greatest aspects to come out of social media is comedy. Here are some creatives to give a follow if you’re looking for a laugh with a lot of personalities.

Munera

Munera, a Somali, Muslim creator, is one of the comedy supremes on TikTok, with 6.3 million followers. With such a large following she decided to also branch out onto Instagram, giving Instagram users not only the same great comedy but also a look into her personal life on her stories.

Munera, and her sisters who feature in a majority of her videos, give a refreshing take to the comedy world of the internet.

They’re able to dominate comedy trends in their own way, giving a light hearted and wittiness to their videos everyone is sure to love.

They’re able to dominate comedy trends in their own way, giving a light hearted and wittiness to their videos everyone is sure to love.

Nadirah P.

Another female Black comedian is Nadirah P, who’s main platform is Instagram. Nadirah is a stand up comedian not afraid to talk about a variety of issues.

“Nobody else wants to talk about it, so I have to talk about it,” is the motto she goes by.

She ditches the trends, and is just herself, pursuing funny the old-fashioned way. Nadirah is best known for sharing her personal experiences to her viewers, bringing laughter through her storytelling.

With over 90k followers, and shares of her videos on multiple meme pages it’s easy to see how much she’s loved.

Beso Chai

A third POC comedian is all the way from the United Kingdom, Beso, which is her alias name. Although wanting to keep her name to herself she’s not shy of sharing her personal life with viewers.

Beso’s content turns shared trauma amongst woman, especially the Brown community, and translates it into comedy. First appearing on TikTok she later decided to start a personal blog on Instagram.

With aesthetic pop culture references on her posts, she’s able to create a community where girls can talk it out by sharing memes, while also sharing their thoughts and support for one another.

Her content is beyond relatable to any woman in a man’s world.

For the foodie: Mariyum’s Kitchen holds it down with delicious feel good content

One shared experience many of us have is our love for food. And that’s where Mariyum’s kitchen comes in.

Mariyum is a Palestinian home cook who quickly took a following by how she films her cooking videos. Her Instagram account positively provides simple step-by-step recipes that walks viewers through the process but still gets to the point.

Her food not only looks delicious but she creates a diverse set of recipes. She covers a wide range of cultural dishes, from full on meals to desserts.

And even if you’re not a cook or baker or never intend to be, there’s still something extremley comforting, homey, and positive about her Instagram account that you’re sure to enjoy.

10K80 August 4, 2021
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Nemo Rodriguez promotes humanitarianism with a most unique lens

The striking photographs on Nemo Rodriguez’s Instagram encompass her own personal project, offering a look at humanity in very dark times.

Rodriguez, with a pen name, and not a single image of herself, gives an aura of mystery but mostly perseverance, proving the work stands for itself.

The New York photograph documentarian, who now resides in California, opened up to Kulture Hub, on why she does the amazing work she does.

Nemo Rodriguez getting into human rights and falling in love with the camera

Born in 1982, Rodriguez is a daughter of Chilean immigrants who escaped the dictatorship of their home country. Her parents jumped from one dictatorship, and then came to America, hyper-aware of the injustice here, something noticeable to her as a child.

“My political consciousness came from my family and when I was little,” she says.

Exposed to the political state of the world at such a young age, it’s no surprise that Rodriguez geared towards the humanities, add a camera to the equation and she would be unstoppable.

Her father being an amazing painter, the artistic gene was always in her. She came to realize she couldn’t actually paint like her dad, but once her uncle gifted her a camera at 8 years old, that’s when she fell in love with the craft.

In undergrad, she studied history and literature, minoring in photography. She became interested in the civil rights movements, getting the chance to interview civil rights leaders and activists. This sparked her decision to pursue human rights for her master’s degree, and that’s where she found the connection between human rights and photography.

“I’ve always wanted to be a photographer but didn’t know how to combine activism and photography, later I found out how,” she says.

During her masters she explored the Human Rights Watch and how they exposed the world to important issues through photography, this is where Rodriguez was able to see how instrumental photography was to human rights issues, and social justice organizing.

This is the time period where she also learned how problematic the process was, especially when white people entered spaces not meant for them to take photographs only meant for shock factor. Witnessing how certain people served as “gatekeepers of the art world” influenced how she went about her own work, never wanting to do the same.

Nemo Rodriguez’s work is heavily rooted in social justice 

Rodriguez’s entire identity in being Latina has always been rooted in social justice. Throughout history, Latinx photographers have not been credited for their powerful work. She recommends the book written by Elizabeth Ferrer, Latinx Photography in the United States: A Visual History. The book showcases the incredible history of latinx photographers and their work.

Knowing that there were Latinx photographers before her makes her less alone, and more acknowledged for the work she does.

“To just say, okay, I do have predecessors here, and they were making beautiful photographs. And it’s just that they went unnoticed, and our society didn’t acknowledge them the way they do other artists for a long, long time.”

Nemo Rodriguez

Rodriguez has always been involved in activism especially when she experienced police brutality first hand, her brother falling a victim to it in 2010. She considers herself lucky that her brother ended up being ok, especially compared to other situations where loved ones are lost.

When the Black Lives Matters protests happened after George Floyd’s death, Rodriguez knew she had to get out there and document it, especially the families affected. Her instagram, started in 2020, gives personal glimpses of those affected by the movement. Rodriguez’s key to her photographs is building a strong connection to those she photographs, putting humanity back into the art form.

“I usually talk with them, we’ve had this exchange, and it feels meaningful to me. And I think a lot of photographers are worried that it doesn’t necessarily make a good photo. But for me the camera is a tool to show and do this work. And to learn about other people, and our world.”

A choice to remain anonymous 

Rodriguez’s choice to keep her work under a pen name came early,  knowing she had to keep herself protected in order to continue doing her work.

At the very onset, she made her decision after police forces started tracking protesters. She cemented her decision once she started attending Trump rallies. Being alone as a woman, who was visibly different at these rallies, it was normal for her to feel scared especially when many were aggressive towards her.

“I started to be followed after the protest, I would be harassed during the protests. And they were the Proud Boys, and they were very dangerous. I had also taken photos of them, I have photos of all of them. And I know that that is kind of dangerous material to have.”

Nemo Rodriguez

Despite the dangers, she chose to go to MAGA protests to document what was going on, and who the people were on the other side. While she specializes in taking photographs of beautiful pictures of humanity, the lack of humanity in other circumstances can be just as glaring in its obtrusive way.

Keeping Black creatives in mind

She believes it’s a great question on how photographers can keep Black creatives in mind especially when documenting the BLM movement. Rodriguez personally does not take any paid assignments or jobs when she documents protests, her photographs of humanity being her own personal project.

She also always makes sure to not be in the forefront when photographing, taking a less aggressive approach compared to other photographers. Her purpose is to serve the community, not for the glory.

“So I’ll do it for the community when it’s called on me to do that.”

Nemo Rodriguez

Being very community-oriented, she gives the names of organizations she’s involved with that do phenomenal work to help the community out during hard times, especially during COVID, and get the youth involved.

Some of these organizations are; Anti Police Terrorist Project, Communities United Looking For Restorative Youth Justice, The Hood Squad, and the East Oakland Collective.

For Rodriguez, she just hopes to continue doing what she does best in taking photographs of humanity and honoring victims, especially the ones no longer with us, and their families.

“It’s the least that I can do, and sort of the biggest honor for me to be able to hear those stories and to hear about who all these people were. And they were incredible people, every one of them.”

10K80 July 28, 2021
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Black Women Photographers offers a new outlook for Black creatives

It’s been just a year since Black Women Photographers was founded, on July 7, 2020, and the organization has already done so much to help Black and non-binary photographers. The organization was founded by Polly Irungu in order to give Black women photographers like herself not only the platform and attention they deserve but also the appreciation and pay.

With 600 members from all around the world, big strides have been made to help the community. Just recently, BWP partnered with Nikon, receiving $40k in grants and $10k for gear. 

Polly Irungu, who just quit her job to do BWP full time, sat down with Kulture Hub, to discuss BWP’s inception, and what she hopes the future will look like.

How Polly Irungu’s love for photography developed

Originally from Nairobi, Kenya, Irungu moved to the states when she was four. Settling in Kansas, before moving to Oregon. The constant moves, and being in a new place made it hard for her to adjust, and that’s when her teachers in high school suggested she join the yearbook club, and that’s where it all started.

Polly Irungu
Headshot of Polly Irungu (Photo credit @Polly Irungu)

Falling in love with the camera, she soon learned about photojournalism, something she didn’t even know was a career option. Telling people’s stories through the photo was what she wanted to do, so she worked a job in high school to get equipment to foster her dream.

“I bought a camera and a laptop with my McDonald’s money and the rest really feels like history,” Irungu says.

The beginnings of Black Women Photographers 

During her time at the University of Oregon, where she pursued journalism, Irungu noticed how few Black photographers were actually in Oregon. But just because she didn’t see them, didn’t mean they didn’t exist.

She would come to find this out when she joined the National Association for Black Journalists (NABJ).

“I found that there’s actually hundreds and thousands of Black journalists across the country. And I had no idea because all I knew was, you know, what I saw around me, and I didn’t see any,” she says.

“And so for me, that sparked a fire. I found a tribe at that conference.”

Polly Irungu

After attending the conference, Irungu desired a sense of community, and that’s what she went after. The first steps were seeing if others wanted the same thing, and that’s when she reached out to Black women photographers on Twitter, asking if they were interested in creating a community. It seems simple, but that’s the power of social media.

“If you feel like you could do right by your community, then do right by your community. If there’s a space where you feel like that’s not out there, that’s not creative. You can go out and create it,” she says.

Black Women Photographers’ progress

Last year, during the pandemic, BWP created a COVID-19 relief fund for photographers who needed financial relief, raising over $14k for them, as well as an additional $10k for Nigerian photojournalists who were covering SARS.

On top of their recent Nikon financial grants, there’s also a $1,250 grant opportunity thanks to Flickr. Also, BWP has partnered with Capture One, an industry-standard software, which has donated over 100 licenses to the community, as well as offered free training and resources for BPW members.

With all the opportunities new emerging photographers are getting, Irungu gets to finally witness the fruits of her labor.

“That’s the whole reason why I started this organization, because I’m trying to make it easier for the next emerging Black woman photographer out there. Because why in the world, why should someone else have to go through the same uphill battle?”

The future of BWP and what Irungu hopes to see

Polly Irungu wants to keep the great work going, and wants Black photographers to continue getting the recognition and pay they deserve.

However, she also wants to see the support from allies continue. With Black Lives Matter protests erupting last year, allies joined together in support. Irungu hopes to see that continuing, not just in a moment of unrest, but constantly.

“I don’t want to see us settle for exposure or for whatever opportunity that may come during like Black History Month or whatever. I’m starting to see that momentum and a tide turning, and that’s great,” she says.

“But you never know how long it will last. I just hope that they’re still supporting, and beyond posting a black square or whatever they did at that time. I want them to continue showing up for Black creatives.”

Polly Irungu
Bruh July 23, 2021
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What NYC flooding reveals about the future of the great metropolis

At the start of the month, a viral video of New Yorkers waddling in waist-high water due to massive flooding in NYC was shared all over social media. The viral video with thousands of views and comments on Twitter and Instagram, had a wide range of comments.

Some comments shared their disgust at the murky waters, vowing to never enter, opting to walk or take an expensive Uber. While others voiced their confusion on the city’s crumbling infrastructure.

NYC is not prepared for major flooding

Photo credit: Angela Weiss via Getty Images

Instagram user, Kdridan, commented,  “This is an example of how overpriced our city is to live in with poor infrastructure.”

His comment received over 1,000 likes, along with 71 replies with others agreeing with him.

In a recent NYT article, the subway water problem was attributed to global warming. The ancient and outdated NYC subway system is not meant to accommodate heavy storms, a climate change phenomenon.

Global warming isn’t only causing issues in the subways, the air quality of the city is being affected as well.

Just this week a TikTok video was created, showing viewers a hazy NYC sky caused by wildfires. The user, bagshopnyc, captioned the video, “Today while billionaire Jeff Bezos went to space, NYC experienced the worst air quality in 7 years due to wildfires 2,500 mile away.”

@bagshopnyc

What’s happening to this planet 😢 #tiktokfanfest #climatecrisis #fypage

♬ Know Yourself – Drake

Accuweather announced, due to the wildfires, the air quality index in the city was at a dangerous level, advising citizens to limit outdoor exposure. The AQI reached 137, the highest level this year, which could cause breathing issues, and throat irritation, especially to sensitive individuals.

Exposing New Yorkers to danger

Not only is the smoke in the air dangerous, but so is flood water. Users on social media made jokes about not wanting to dip into the dirty water but weren’t aware of how toxic floodwater actually is.

Alex Petrovnia, a hydrologist specializing in infectious diseases, shared an important thread informing how dangerous the water is in NYC.

“If water reaches a certain level these flows will back up and combine. Meaning, sewage will mix with stormwater and floodwater is a combination of these…In fact, death and disease from sanitation concerns AFTER a flood are often deadlier than the flood itself,” he tweeted.

NYC flooding sparks criticism of capitalism

Under his tweet, discussions ensued on the working class not having a choice to avoid the subways despite flood water being dangerous. For some, they can’t afford to miss a day of work no matter the weather conditions.

The conversation then turned into one about capitalism, and how it could be dangerous to the middle class. Everyday people can’t control global warming, but are forced to face the consequences head-on since they live in a capitalist society. The very capitalism that directly contributes to global warming.

Under the thread, Twitter users questioned why the city doesn’t step in within these situations, suggesting the mayor give everyone a day off, especially if there are any harmful effects with the mode of transportation.

On Instagram, users underneath the viral New Yorkers subway video shared the same resentment toward capitalism.

“This is what capitalist infrastructure collapsing around us due to climate change looks like and the US will handle it like COVID…leaving the poor to suffer and pay the price,” says user whitesaucenohotsauce, his comment receiving over a hundred likes.

So where do we, and the city, go from here?

Even with mass social media attention, there has been no immediate action to prevent flooding in the subways.

The City reports that the MTA repairs meant to protect from intensive weather have not been finished.

For now, New Yorkers have to remain cautious during wild weather, and try their best to avoid fatal situations.

ancient dreams in a modern land July 20, 2021
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Marina Diamandis’ Ancient Dreams in a Modern Land review

Marina’s fifth studio album, Ancient Dreams in a Modern Land, is the pop record for the modern age, and she calls it her “best album” yet. Marina Diamandis, the Welsh and Greek singer-songwriter, previously known as Marina And The Diamonds, takes on a different sound and aesthetic in her new record.

Two years in the making, she ditches the pop formula to make radio hits, and makes it authentically hers.

A still from Marina’s title track music video

Ancient Dreams in a Modern Land is modern femininity with an 80s aesthetic

Ancient Dreams in a Modern Land, Marina’s shortest album that’s 100 percent self-written, has an 80s, campy vibe. It’s nostalgic from her first 2010 record, The Family Jewels, but displays Marina’s more mature side.

The album explores a woman’s place in the modern age; critiquing the male patriarchy, and the capitalism tied in with it, while dealing with heartbreak in the most mature way.

Marina Diamandis song “Purge The Poison,” takes on a variety of topics, critiquing Hollywood elites, capitalism, and America’s War on Terror, as well as mentioning the Free Britney movement, and global warming.

The official music video for “Purge The Poison”

With catchy songs and strong lyrics, ADIAML definitely shows Marina’s growth as an artist, stabilizing her place in the pop world.

However, it’s been a month since its release and fans are still urging for another Electra Heart.

A tweet requesting Marina to go back to her depressing Electra Heart era

Calls for suicidal barbie to make a comeback

Marina Diamandis made her mark in America after Electra Heart’s release. The 2012 cult classic record, was 31 on the US Billboard 200, and became her highest-charting album in the U.S.

Fans were attracted to the electro pop dance songs, but mostly the dark aesthetic. Ten years, and three records later since Electra Heart, and fans on Twitter are still demanding a part two. Comments like “we want your electra heart era back” pop up under her promotional tweets for her new work.

It’s no surprise since Marina Diamandis’ album remains timeless, managing to stay relevant on platforms with a younger audience. Songs from the record such as “Bubblegum bitch” gained popularity once again through TikTok videos.

@jonisann

Egirl + 💚! What other aesthetics should I combine!! #egirl #makeup #transformation #egirlmakeup

♬ Bubblegum Bitch – MARINA
Marina’s “Bubblegum Bitch” being used by TikTok users

What made the era so iconic was how much creative effort Marina put in, even creating a persona, “Electra heart”, the protagonist of the album story.

Electra was a mentally unstable hopeless romantic, cold-hearted, and materialistic but afraid of heartbreak; the image of perfection, while decaying slowly inside, a suicidal barbie.

Marina’s “Primadonna”, with over a 100 million views

The character was inspired by the four archetypes; House Wife, Beauty Queen, Homewrecker, and Idle Teen.

Dedicated to the persona, she adorned Electra’s signature look in interviews, never leaving her house without her platinum blonde wig, a 50s look, and the iconic small eyeliner drawn heart on her cheek (a reference to wearing her heart on her cheek instead of her sleeve to avoid heartbreak).

Marina explaining the concept of Electra Heart

Tumblr users, her targeted audience, quickly fell in love with Electra, and thus began the “Sad girl” era.

The flawed Sad girl tumblr era

The “Sad girl” tumblr era, which started in 2012, heightened in 2014, and still continues to mildly live on, is a controversial one.

The “Sad girl” icons of the era comprised mostly of female artists who had somber music. Some of these artists included Lana Del Rey, Halsey, and of course Marina Diamandis.

The dark themes in Electra Heart that fans related to were; suicide, depression, mental illness, narcissism, eating disorders, being over-sexualized, and the male gaze.

An example is lyrics from her song, “Teen Idle”: “Wish I’d been a prom queen fighting for the title, instead of being sixteen and burning up a bible, feeling super, super, super suicidal.”

These stood as relatable lyrics to lost teens trying to find themselves.

Her live performance of “Teen Idle”

Relatable expression in Marina Diamandis’ early work

Tumblr was a way to make friends who liked the album, while being able to have shared experiences with other users who experienced any of the themes that the album expressed. However, although it was a platform to feel like you belonged, there was a big problem with it.

There was little to no space for getting better, or seeking help for mental illnesses, instead it was romanticized. Teens would spend hours on the internet, getting into a deeper hole, instead of getting better.

This also became an issue when artists’ creative integrity and freedom were now being challenged because of the way their music was being consumed. 

Becoming a “Sad Girl” artist was deemed as cool and glorifying, a good thing for marketing but horrible for artist’s mental health since now they felt like they had to sing somber songs in order to have appeal, thus what happened with Marina post-Electra.

So what happens when the sad girl is no longer sad?

A lot of thought processing and a long break. After FROOT, Marina’s 2015 album post-Electra Heart, she confessed she was unhappy and took a much-needed three-year hiatus before releasing new music.

Coming back to the scene in 2019 for her album Love + Fear, to find her place in music again, and take back her own artistic integrity.

“With Electra Heart, it was disappointing for me,” Marina reveals in a recent NYT interview. “Not because of the music, but because people think you’re different from who you really are,” she says.

It was a long path to self discovery, which required getting off of social media.

“Because of the internet and the close proximity people feel to an artist, they also feel that they have ownership,” says Marina in an interview with NME where she discussed her new album.

“And I had to say no to that… people are gonna change and some part of the fan base might not like it but then you know that’s the way that music shifts and moves. You can’t stop yourself from doing that to please other people.”

Ancient Dreams in a Modern Land

Making radio hits is something her younger self cared about but her present 35 year old self doesn’t care as much, preferring to sing on topics that interest her, thus the inception of her latest record ADIAML.

“I do feel like that ship has sailed, and in a positive way. I feel like I’ve had those moments but as an artist that’s not what really excites me anymore. It’s more like what am I interested in at the time and what do I wanna explore in myself,” she says. 

Marina performing “Venus Fly Trap”, in the Californian Desert

Marina is just the pop star we need; an artist who’s not shy to address important issues, stepping out of the box on what constitutes pop music, while continuing to evolve. 

But most importantly, she is letting fans know it’s ok to be a woman just figuring yourself out.

breakdancing July 7, 2021
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How breakdancing is the key to future sustainability

What does the future of breakdancing have to do with sustainability? As it turns out, it may have more to do with it than one may think.

Breakdancing is slowly but surely entering the mainstream with France announcing it as an official category in its Paris 2024 Olympics, bringing dancers from neighborhood blocks to the global stage.

Breakdancing has always been community driven

The art form has always been community-oriented. The dance origins from Black and Latinx neighborhoods in NYC used it as a means of expression and distraction. Youth feeling trapped in gang activity, as well as feeling helpless from urban planners ignoring them and the people of the city, inspired the street dance. 

Breakdancing is so ingrained in the community that auditions for breakdancing are done in public, with acceptance determined on public approval. This is what the future of art and sustainability looks like.

Breakdancing is essentially a means of preserving the community, bringing people of the neighborhood together, and in its future, has the power of sustainability.

How the future of breakdancing plays into sustainability

It’s currently almost Olympics season and past the celebration of great athletes comes the daunting remembrance of postgames, when empty stadiums are left. Business Insider shared photos of abandoned stadiums, the eerie photos looking like a wasteland.

Breakdancing, unlike other sports, doesn’t require a big arena to perform. The beauty of the art is how versatile it is, being able to be done in any public space, from parks to subway carts. The usage of public space makes it sustainable, not harming the environment. 

In this sense, it is not absurd to wonder whether the future of more activities will be like breakdancing.

The future of breakdancing is representative of preserving culture

Although breakdancing is a means of retaliating from urban planners, studies show that it can actually foster urban planning.

In a The Urban Activist article, a research study done by Tonje Fjogstad Langnes of the Oslo Metropolitan University and Kari Fasting of the Norwegian School of Sport Sciences is discussed. The study shows evidence that breakdancing creates strong identification within communities, which leads to acceptance rather than negligence.

Breakdance offers young people identification with and acceptance by a global society that crosses racial, ethnic and geographical boundaries.

Susana F. Molina speaking of the research study of Tonje Fjogstad Langnes

As seen in the Red Bull BC One World competitions, people from all over the world participate in the art form, the competitors a large pool of diversity. In their own hometowns, they take up their own spaces, creating strong ties within their communities. 

They’re keeping their own neighborhoods alive, allowing community engagement to thrive through creative expression. Once there’s community engagement then civic engagement comes along with it. Citizens are able to make changes in their city by coming together, a mode of activism.

Urban activism through these means is a method of sustainability. Not only protesting to make living conditions better, but to preserve the community itself not just culturally but environmentally.

Keeping communities together leads to sustainability

In his article, Thomas Easley, a hip-hop artist, urges youth in the hip-hop industry to think about green issues. He raises the thought that BIPOC think of the environment last when thinking of other pressing issues, such as poverty and police brutality, but stresses how important green issues are.

As city planners try to disrupt communities in order to build high rises and buildings with flashing lights (contributing heavily to the deterioration of the environment), art forms such as break dancing prevent this. 

As much as we don’t think about sustainability, keeping communities and people together contributes to sustainability and bettering the environment.

10K80 July 1, 2021
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Constructing a powerful debut fantasy novel, with Aamna Qureshi

“Should she send him to the lady? So that he may live his days with another, leaving the Shehzadi to her envy and her grief? Or should he be sent to the lion? Who would surely tear him to shreds before she had a moment to regret her decision? Either way, they could never be together,” Aamna Qureshi reads in her debut fantasy novel The Lady or the Lion.

Aamna Qureshi easefully reads the prologue of her new book, the words putting into life the fantasy world she has built, in her debut novel. The Lady or the Lion is a story of forbidden love and rivalry, set for release in July.

Qureshi, 22, is excited to talk about her novel and to share her passion for writing and books in general. Her tall bookshelf in her room is an affirmation of this. Her work is a representation of her culture, the setting of the young adult fiction novel inspired by Pakistan with Pakistani, Muslim characters.

Aamna Qureshi’s love story with writing 

Her parents emigrated from Islamabad, Pakistan, settling in Long Island, New York, where Qureshi was born and currently resides with her parents and three siblings.

She attended Stony Brook University, graduating with a minor in English but a degree in applied math and statistics, an odd degree choice for a natural-born writer. 

At 14, she wrote her first full-length manuscript “just for fun.” Growing up she always loved reading, she shares, especially fantasy and romance novels. It instantly became a pastime for her and sparked an interest in writing.

“It was just a natural reaction for me to want to write my own stories one day and sort of recreate that euphoria that I got from reading a really good book, and trying my own hand at writing,” she says.

The debut fantasy novel that is The Lady or the Lion

Being an author was always a dream, but the uncertainty of the publishing industry geared her towards a more “financially stable” degree.

However, she still continued to write despite her internal doubts. Qureshi’s idea for her debut fantasy novel came to her in 2016, while she was still in high school. And her subsequent trip to Pakistan in the summer of 2017, where she was struck by the beauty of the northern side of the country.

The stunning landscape with high mountains, lush greenery, tranquil rivers, and scenic views, cemented the idea, becoming the inspiration for the world she would create in her fantasy novel.

debut fantasy novel the lady or the lion

Southern Pakistan, (Photo credit @Aamna Qureshi)

Before her summer trip, she was used to the western worlds in the fantasy books she grew up reading, not considering including Pakistani culture or characters until that moment. 

“It just didn’t even occur to me, because I had never read a book like that.”

Bringing diversity into publishing and building a connection with readers

Through her work Qureshi is able to share her culture, exposing readers to the beauty of the Urdu language, and a diverse set of South Asian characters.

She also eclipses harmful stereotypes surrounding her culture, especially through her strong female protagonist, the crowned Princess Durkhanai Miangul.

“I really want readers to see that Pakistan isn’t just this stereotypical backwards country,” she says. “It’s really a beautiful country with such a vibrant culture that has so many different parts to it, that I think people will really enjoy.”

She started writing the book in 2018, and got her publishing deal in August 2020, through a Twitter pitch contest. CamCat Books, her current publisher, liked her tweet and invited her to submit to them. After reading her manuscript, they decided to go ahead with publishing.

Qureshi has a clear connection with her readers, constantly keeping them on the loop on her personal blog, and Twitter; one of the many factors for the wide range of approval for her upcoming novel. Qureshi’s audience was the number one thing she kept in mind when writing.

“When I’m writing, I think, I wish this was a book that I read when I was growing up. Something my masjid friends, or my younger cousins will really like, or people that I know will enjoy and relate to and see themselves in.”

Immense support and positive feedback for her debut fantasy novel

Qureshi has received outpouring support from her family, friends, and strangers on the internet, excited to see diverse representation in the book industry.

Early readers on her Goodreads profile gave her rave reviews; connecting most with the diversity of the novel, loving the Pakistani characters, and tidbits of Urdu included. 

Faiza Susan, a resident of Wylie, Texas who works as an analyst for United Healthcare, was one of the early readers, giving the novel five stars on Goodreads.

“It really means a lot for me to have a novel representing Pakistani culture, especially representing a story that showed a woman in charge of her life and refusing to accept the circumstances,” says Susan in her response for the exceptional review she gave on Goodreads. 

“For a genre that is usually dominated by a western perspective, it was really nice to have a Pakistani show our culture in its full glory,” further explains Susan about The Lady or the Lion.

Susan loved the work most for its love story, but also for the vivid descriptions Qureshi paints through her words.

“I felt instantly transported there.”

aamna qureshi

Southern Pakistan, (Photo credit @Aamna Qureshi)

Qureshi hopes she’s one of the many writers to change the direction of diversity within the publishing industry, wanting teens now to grow up with stories like hers and “broaden their viewpoints of the world.”

“So many other authors of color are doing such great work in the industry. It is very slow, but there are amazing books being published by other authors of color.”

What’s to come for Aamna Qureshi

Always writing, it’s no surprise a sequel for her novel is already in the works. But in the meantime she is just eager for people to read her debut novel.

She is looking forward to her book launch, and wants readers to keep an eye out for any updates on her very first book signing. 

“This is just the beginning and things are gonna get even more exciting.”

Aamna Qureshi
Bruh June 29, 2021
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TikTok reminds the world that NYC was never dead

With 70 percent of New Yorkers vaccinated, and the mask mandate lifted just a couple of weeks ago, social media has been filled with videos of packed subway stations, bar hopping, and resumed brunch hours. It has been proclaimed, even on TikTok, that NYC is back. But this is all to the disdain of native NYC residents who claim that the city was never dead.

TikTok is known for having trends that pervade the platform. Some are inherently positive, and some are quite the opposite. In this case, there is no ill-will, but it is a matter of accuracy for New Yorkers. If NYC was never dead, take it from them; and if TikTok says NYC is back, let’s examine what has in fact changed.

NYC was never dead, but there were dark times in the Empire State

NYC was the epicenter of the pandemic. The virus tragically took 30,386 lives.

While hundreds of thousands of people escaped the pandemic-riddled city back to their hometowns, NYC residents were left at the hands of the virus. Empty streets, deserted subway stations, and an empty Times Square were just the tip of the iceberg.

Businesses that have been there for decades closed down for good, 631,000 jobs were lost, and while people worried about tourism, residents couldn’t afford to pay for rent or food. Images of stuffed hospitals, and panicked staff trying to find room for the piling dead bodies flooded the local news. Scared citizens were left to watch from their homes.

After relentless months of hardship and collected fear, the city that never sleeps took a much-deserved rest, and while others labeled it dead, New Yorkers proved what truly made the city, not the crowded streets, and Broadway shows, but the people. During hard times, New Yorkers stayed strong, and took care of one another.

“Nature is healing,” TikTok says NYC is back

A TikTok video showing the city slowly returning to normal, and proving critics wrong who called the city “dead forever,” had hundreds of comments from New Yorkers who voiced how resilient the city truly is.

“Whoever said it was dead must not have been born here. The city always bounces back. We’re resilient & strong. Love my city,” reads one comment.

@itslauraperuchi

#newyorkcity #newyorkornowhere #newyorkisback #nycisnotdead #nyc #lovenyc

♬ original sound – Caity Begg

The reality of the city isn’t meant to be funny

The app has also been flooded with NYC vlogs, especially from out of state residents who are slowly moving back, who claim the city is back by showing shenanigans of the city, depicting it as a zoo.

Although it’s all meant for comical purposes, native New Yorkers have shown disapproval of these videos, upset that real communities are put into a negative light by people who weren’t here during tough times. 

In a TikTok video from dutchdeccc, he reacts to these type of videos, criticizing them for creating a false narrative of the city. As well as being insensitive to people’s livelihoods.

@dutchdeccc

will it ever click? #nycvlogger #nyc #newyorker

♬ original sound – Dutch

“This whole making fun of the city trend..all of the quirky New York things, none of it is quirky or funny. Like seeing a dead body or talking about a shooting ‘LOL shooting on my block so funny,’ what? Someone lost their life, somebody’s family is grieving, someone’s community is grieving. New York is not a Disney World ride, that’s a real person, and this is a real place,” he says.

He then finishes off the video by challenging people who make these kinds of vlogs to actually think about the real issues within the neighborhoods they inhabit. And how they’re directly causing some of these issues (kicking people out of their neighborhoods, causing higher rent, and cost of living for other New Yorkers…).

He urges them to do better, and to simply think before they post.

The video received thousands of comments sharing the same thoughts as him, and asking for sensitivity for communities who’ve gone through a lot, especially in the last year.

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