Two prominent figures in American politics have emerged, signaling a new era for South Asian and Muslim leadership in the United States. Zohran Mamdani is the first South Asian and Muslim mayor of New York, representing a significant breakthrough for political representation in one of the world’s most influential cities. In addition, Ghazala Hashmi’s election…
“Should you be paralyzed by fear? I encourage you to look to Palestinians in Gaza, who, in the face of annihilation, turn the hum of drones into music for children, trash into makeshift weights to work out. Who turn tents into classrooms, who strung Eid lights onto the rubble of what once was their homes.…
Before the war, long before she ever imagined living anywhere else, UCLA Psychobiology student Afnan Gabir woke up each day to the sound of her name being called from downstairs. The voices of neighbors drifted through open windows, the market buzzed in the distance and the Nile hummed softly behind the city. In her world,…
Fleeing upon dirtied feet, Hands clutch tightly both each other and the fragments that remain. A new home is built upon the remnants, And a small suitcase of clothes and dreams, Become what survives of one’s legacy. The rest, stolen by merciless hands, And swallowed upon a parched, insatiable tongue. Young Jasmine flowers flourish upon…
On April 25, 2024, a student protest began at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) to protest the school administration’s investments in Israel. Self-titled as the ‘Palestine Solidarity Encampment’, the demonstration was a part of pro-Palestine protests on university campuses campaigning for divestment from Israel. The early morning of May 2, amidst chaos and…
When I turn on the news, I see men who look like my father called suspicious, and women who look like my mother deemed oppressed. I see some protests described as peaceful and others as hateful and violent, though to me, they don’t look all that different. This type of binary emerges from a gaze…
Today, as the world is filled with economic instability and a growing demand for ethical financial systems, Islamic finance is slowly emerging as a strong alternative to conventional finance systems. Rooted in risk-sharing principles, fairness, and social responsibility, it offers a sustainable model that is attracting Muslims, governments, corporations, and financial institutions worldwide. In 2023…
U.S. President Donald Trump shocked the world when he posted an AI-generated video of “Trump Gaza.” The simulated video depicts a golden statue of Trump in the middle of a bustling city, as well as Trump seemingly basking in the sun with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The “new and improved” Gaza seems to be…
Growing up in a South Asian household meant having a constant supply of delicious food: rotis, parathas, mithais (sweets), mouth-watering curries, and deep-fried goodness during Ramadan, the month of fasting and reflection. But it also meant hearing older relatives talk about their diabetes and blood pressure and discussing the mountain of medications they had to…
Since October 2023, students across the nation have spoken out in protest of the U.S. government’s funding and equipping of Israel to commit genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. In addition, this past spring saw a rise in the establishment of encampments to demand that their universities divest funds from pro-Israel groups. However, U.S. university administrations…