I am very excited about traveling to London for Islam Expo and more..I again rejoice at the opportunity to commune with the world in the greatest capital on the planet, London. And that makes me think of all that London means to me. As previously alluded to on this blog my travels have piqued the interests of my country, the USA, and that has put me in a vunerable position. It saddens me that I am afraid of my own government…but fearful I am. And so after this trip to London I have decided to stop my international travels, for the time being. Having US immigrations play rough with you is not a good position to be in...I have decided to remove myself from that position.
Still my lack of traveling will not change who I am, and I will always lust and crave knowledge of the world (and those who inhibit it) beyond my country of birth. And I will always love and be grateful to London for what that city had given me. And in the spirit of gratitude I would love to give thanks to a city that I have known intimately for 21 years, and a city I will always love.
London is:
1)One of the many cities that my dad was stationed in during WWII. It is the city that dad, a black man felt respected for the first time as a human being by Londoners.
2)It is the city that taught me I had a voice and a right to use it.
3)It is a city that embraced my writing – albeit in small grassroots women’s publications.
4)It is the city that exploded in my mind what it is to be a feminist...And the best word to describe it is global feminism.
5)It is the city that taught me that all policemen are not bad. And I will always be grateful for the wonderful patrolmen of Parliament Hills Field that made sure I got from the Kentish Town tube to my flat safely when I came home late at night after strategizing all day with other feminists.
6)It is the city in which I have huddled in dank, damp and dirty rooms with other women addressing political issues of the day.
7)It is the city that I have found other Muslim feminists.
8)It is the city that I have met women from across the globe that are fighting the fight and dealing with atrocities like forced marriage, rape, scaring, burning and murder of their children.
9)It is a city that celebrates IWD with a power and gusto matched by no other.
10)It is a city that is diversity and during IWD I literately was at an event in which Black, White, Asian, Jewish, Christian, Muslim, Baha’i and Buddhist women sat side by side exchanging names, emails and mobile numbers as we all strategized and pontificated on issues of importance to each of us.
11)It is the city in which 3 gay white men came to my rescue when a straight white man followed me (he was running after me) from a bus in an attempt to do God only knows what to me.
12)It is a city “filled” with other vegans like myself.
13)It is city that makes shopping for Halal, vegan food a breeze.
14)It is the city that I wrote a letter to a politician (an MP) asking for an explanation of abuse of domestic workers in the UK. Not only did the MP write back, but he arranged to have a friend talk with me for an hour to provide further clarification.
15)It is the city with St. Joseph’s church on Highgate Hill, the church that was my religious home for many, many years.
16)It is the city with the Feminist Library
17)It is the city with “Gay is the Word” bookstore. Back in the day that store provided a wealth of information for me to take back to my gay friends in Chicago who were being obliterated by the new and frightening AIDS crisis.
18)It is the city with Big Ben. And on New Year’s Eve I always find a way to hear the chimes. They even sound cool over the net.
19)It is the city with Westminster – a symbol of enduring democracy.
20)It is a city with a dynamic Muslim community.
21)It is a city with a dynamic Catholic community.
22)It is a city that in one week I can go to masjid and church.
23)It is the city that encouraged me o grown the perm out of my hair.
24)Home to the British Museum.
25)It is the home of the Thames
26)It is the place that I first met Europe.
27)It is the place I mourned the loss of my father then my mother.
28)It is the place I went to for a week to watch television in my hotel room when I was sad.
29)It is the place I returned to when I was healed.
30)It is the place that I am an American, Muslim, Catholic, and vegan, feminist AND a citizen of the world.
31)It is the place with inhabitants that never seem to believe I am an American…And I have been TOLD I must be South Africa, Northern Africa or Western Africa...It has even been suggested more than once that I must be a Black Arab. Who knew huh?
32)Home to Harrods...Although I do not pass the picket lines.
33)It is a city that has taught me that the world is not black or white but shades of grey.
34)It is the city with vegetarian Irish food.
35)It is a city that has taught me it is what it is..And though I have felt saddened at the fact that I have never been able to make inroads into either London’s Afro Caribbean or Nigerian communities..I know that it is what it is.
36)It is home to the beautiful London Central Mosque.
37)It is a city in which the amazing is possible and I am brought to tears at the memory of an Asian, Muslim, woman dressed in an Abaya and I a Black American, Muslim, feminist (while dressed modestly but not covered) moved beyond our differences and embraced and and expressed words of respect and a few tears while we each gave voice to the other’s rightful place in the Ummah while waiting in line at the 2006 Islam Expo.
38)It is a city that always seems to be under attack, but never fails to prevail.
39)It is the city that I reached out to and London reached back…
40)A city I love.
Long may London reign.
Last update: 26 Dec 2018
Still my lack of traveling will not change who I am, and I will always lust and crave knowledge of the world (and those who inhibit it) beyond my country of birth. And I will always love and be grateful to London for what that city had given me. And in the spirit of gratitude I would love to give thanks to a city that I have known intimately for 21 years, and a city I will always love.
London is:
1)One of the many cities that my dad was stationed in during WWII. It is the city that dad, a black man felt respected for the first time as a human being by Londoners.
2)It is the city that taught me I had a voice and a right to use it.
3)It is a city that embraced my writing – albeit in small grassroots women’s publications.
4)It is the city that exploded in my mind what it is to be a feminist...And the best word to describe it is global feminism.
5)It is the city that taught me that all policemen are not bad. And I will always be grateful for the wonderful patrolmen of Parliament Hills Field that made sure I got from the Kentish Town tube to my flat safely when I came home late at night after strategizing all day with other feminists.
6)It is the city in which I have huddled in dank, damp and dirty rooms with other women addressing political issues of the day.
7)It is the city that I have found other Muslim feminists.
8)It is the city that I have met women from across the globe that are fighting the fight and dealing with atrocities like forced marriage, rape, scaring, burning and murder of their children.
9)It is a city that celebrates IWD with a power and gusto matched by no other.
10)It is a city that is diversity and during IWD I literately was at an event in which Black, White, Asian, Jewish, Christian, Muslim, Baha’i and Buddhist women sat side by side exchanging names, emails and mobile numbers as we all strategized and pontificated on issues of importance to each of us.
11)It is the city in which 3 gay white men came to my rescue when a straight white man followed me (he was running after me) from a bus in an attempt to do God only knows what to me.
12)It is a city “filled” with other vegans like myself.
13)It is city that makes shopping for Halal, vegan food a breeze.
14)It is the city that I wrote a letter to a politician (an MP) asking for an explanation of abuse of domestic workers in the UK. Not only did the MP write back, but he arranged to have a friend talk with me for an hour to provide further clarification.
15)It is the city with St. Joseph’s church on Highgate Hill, the church that was my religious home for many, many years.
16)It is the city with the Feminist Library
17)It is the city with “Gay is the Word” bookstore. Back in the day that store provided a wealth of information for me to take back to my gay friends in Chicago who were being obliterated by the new and frightening AIDS crisis.
18)It is the city with Big Ben. And on New Year’s Eve I always find a way to hear the chimes. They even sound cool over the net.
19)It is the city with Westminster – a symbol of enduring democracy.
20)It is a city with a dynamic Muslim community.
21)It is a city with a dynamic Catholic community.
22)It is a city that in one week I can go to masjid and church.
23)It is the city that encouraged me o grown the perm out of my hair.
24)Home to the British Museum.
25)It is the home of the Thames
26)It is the place that I first met Europe.
27)It is the place I mourned the loss of my father then my mother.
28)It is the place I went to for a week to watch television in my hotel room when I was sad.
29)It is the place I returned to when I was healed.
30)It is the place that I am an American, Muslim, Catholic, and vegan, feminist AND a citizen of the world.
31)It is the place with inhabitants that never seem to believe I am an American…And I have been TOLD I must be South Africa, Northern Africa or Western Africa...It has even been suggested more than once that I must be a Black Arab. Who knew huh?
32)Home to Harrods...Although I do not pass the picket lines.
33)It is a city that has taught me that the world is not black or white but shades of grey.
34)It is the city with vegetarian Irish food.
35)It is a city that has taught me it is what it is..And though I have felt saddened at the fact that I have never been able to make inroads into either London’s Afro Caribbean or Nigerian communities..I know that it is what it is.
36)It is home to the beautiful London Central Mosque.
37)It is a city in which the amazing is possible and I am brought to tears at the memory of an Asian, Muslim, woman dressed in an Abaya and I a Black American, Muslim, feminist (while dressed modestly but not covered) moved beyond our differences and embraced and and expressed words of respect and a few tears while we each gave voice to the other’s rightful place in the Ummah while waiting in line at the 2006 Islam Expo.
38)It is a city that always seems to be under attack, but never fails to prevail.
39)It is the city that I reached out to and London reached back…
40)A city I love.
Long may London reign.
Last update: 26 Dec 2018
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