#azad essa

[beguines]

Whereas the election of Modi had already demonstrated that this new India was prepared to sacrifice Muslims and others for the purported chance to economically transform the country (read: corporatize it), it was only natural that Palestinians too would be discarded if it meant getting closer to Israel and the boon of global capital. By refusing to allow parliament to pass a resolution against Israeli aggression in Gaza and by abstaining from the resolution endorsing the 2015 UN report that called for accountability for Israeli crimes, India had shown that it was no longer prepared to provide Palestinians even performative support. Moreover, equivocating that both sides had an "equal responsibility" to lower tensions and prevent unnecessary loss of life, Modi's government had already amended the substantive nature of its foreign policy on the question of Palestine.

India had normalized relations with Israel in 1992 without Palestinians achieving statehood or self-determination. In 2014, New Delhi went one step further. It upgraded its public appreciation for Zionism and Israel and reduced its foreign policy to a contorted and performative "sympathy" for the Palestinian cause. It also began to illustrate a respect and intention to emulate Israeli policy at home. In 2014, the Punjab Police traveled to Israel for training on "security and anti-terror operations." A year later, the Indian Police Service (IPS) began an annual program in which recent graduates would spend one week studying "best practices in counterinsurgency, managing low intensity warfare and use of technology in policing and countering terror" with the Israel National Police Academy. In 2015, the Indian government began the implementation of a "smart border" along the Line of Control. These partnerships with Israel did little to deter the Indian foreign ministry from insisting that its commitment to the Palestinians remained unchanged. But the changes had arrived. And it had been a long time coming. India's decision to abstain from holding Israel accountable to the UNHCR resolution in 2015, was the surest sign that India believed in Israel's fundamental right to self-defense, and therefore, its right to exist as a settler-colonial state, unconditionally.

Azad Essa, Hostile Homelands: The New Alliance Between India and Israel

[indizombie]

Under Modi's leadership, India has grown considerably closer to Israel. New Delhi is the largest purchaser of Israeli weapons, amounting to more than $1bn per year. Between 2015-2019, Indian purchases of Israeli weapons increased by 175 percent. But Indian and Israeli companies have also started producing weapons in factories across India. The bouquet of weapons being co-produced by the two countries includes Tavor X95 assault rifles, the Galil sniper rifles, Negev light machine guns, as well as Hermes 900 medium altitude long endurance drones. Defence analysts say the partnership with India could assist in the mass production of Israeli weapons. Meanwhile, Modi has used his relationship with Israel to modernise India's army as well as bolster his image as a champion of indigenising production and manufacturing, known as his "Make in India" programme.

Azad Essa, ‘War on Gaza: Indian-made Israeli 'killer' drones set to make their way to Gaza’, Middle East Eye

[3025-jasmines]

because I am also Indian, I want to also point this out. freedom for colonized people everywhere also means freedom for Kashmiris that are under a brutal Indian occupation. the right to self-determination for all colonized people everywhere, from Palestine to Kashmir to Ireland

a good book to read to learn more about the relationship between Israel and India is “Hostile Homelands” by Azad Essa. India is looking to Israel treatment of Palestinians as a blueprint for its own crimes against Kashmiris, Muslims and Dalits. India is also complicit in furthering Israeli settler colonialism in Palestine - the Port of Haifa is currently partly owned by Adani Ports & SEZ, the founder of which is one of the wealthiest men in India, Gautam Adani (won’t come as a surprise that Adani is also very close to Modi and the BJP)

[shehzadi]

the relationship between zionism, nazism, and hindutva in ‘hostile homelands’ by azad essa

[wingedalpacacupcake]

Mass arrests at NYC protest against US President Joe Biden's Israel policy

[timetravellingkitty]

hi!! I just found out about tumblr having an anti-hindutva tag and I shall be making myself comfortable here! just found your account like a few mins ago and if it’s ok, i wanted to ask some questions (you absolutely don't have to answer if you don't like any of them or even if you don't feel like answering :) ) (edit added, this ask got way too long lol. feel free to skip it! also, you're kinda super cool lol)

I'm Indian, currently outside India, and I've only started learning about the shitshow going on in my 'mahaan bharat' since November (specifically since finding out that we are Irahell's biggest weapons buyer). and the more I find out the more shocked and heartbroken I feel...

like this week i learnt about the immigration ban in US against Chinese women that existed a few decades ago, and the ongoing discrimination against Palestinians in Canadian immigration services... and both the times I was so disgusted and there was this subconscious feeling that India should never be like that. but then an hour ago I learnt about the 2019 CAA and wtf!?

another example being that currently we're seeing israhell's continuous bombing of heritage sites of great cultural and religious significance, that also held so many centuries old records and histories... and learning about how they are bulldozing over graveyards and exhuming them...

and then today I learnt about Akhonji Masjid and Gyanvapi Masjid and of course have known about Babri Masjid for a few weeks now...

and only learnt about Kashmir in november...

and I feel like my whole worldview has shifted from a previous foundation, except it's so drastic and I still don't have a new foundation...

I try to talk to members of my family about this but they're the Indian equivalent of the U.S. liberals, and every single time they'll tell me "whatever news you're hearing is propaganda written by Pakistan/China/U.S./Russia. trust me I have Muslim friends and they're very happy. you just don't know the situation cause you're not in India" and like it sometimes make me think maybe I'm the one losing my mind...

I even read some places about free Punjab and that confused the fuck out of me cause I'm Punjabi (who does not live in Punjab) and I don't have any clue what it's about... I asked my fam, but they just gave me a weird look and told me to stay away from anyone that mentions Khalistan😭💀

(this got way longer than I expected, so sorry) but would you have any recommendations for any blogs/articles/books/podcast resources or any personal recommendations for news publications that are reliable (finding God would probably be easier than finding such publications lmao) like I thought Al-Jazeera is super credible, but then read that they're super credible when it comes to Palestine, not when it's global...

like where tf do I go from here lol

hello nonnie! some news sites I'd recommend are newslaundry (they have a youtube channel too), the wire, scroll.in and newsclick. maktoob media is mostly focused on minority rights in india. hindutvawatch.org is about hindu fascist violence committed against minorities. I still think you should stick to al-jazeera at least when it comes to palestine (they have journalists on the ground there, shireen abu akleh was one of them)

this is a good introduction to anyone wanting to learn about hindutva, this and this are about how india is becoming increasingly unsafe for minorites and is undergoing a democratic backsliding. this and this are about the rss link to nazism

hostile homelands by azad essa is about india's historical relationship with israel and the parallels between hindutva and zionism. the brown history podcast has an episode about how india went from the first non-arab state to recognise palestine to its largest buyer of weapons, featuring azad essa (x). you can also read colonising kashmir by hafsa kanjwal about how india came to militarily occupy kashmir. if you want to learn more about kashmir there are the blogs kashmiraction.org and standwithkashmir (which is um. blocked in india. i wonder why)

i have not read khaki shorts and saffron flags yet but this one is about the history of the rss. i also suggest watching the documentaries ram ke naam and jai bhim, comrade which are about the hindutva mobilisation in the 1980s

for me free punjab is very ?? the indian government is beyond evil as they continue to spy on sikhs abroad (and ofc, the 1984 sikh genocide) but i don't think liberation will be achieved through a religious ethnostate. any state formed on the basis of religion will inevitably turn out to be a disaster. i do encourage you to read lost in history: 1984 reconstructed by gunisha kaur, which is about the human rights violations committed against sikhs during this time and why operation bluestar was in fact not about freeing sri harmandir sahib from "terrorists." all i can say is to stand with sikhs unapologetically as our shitass government continues to commit more and more human rights violations against them

in general, i'd tell you to observe the language used by different news outlets and question it (eg. american news referring to israelis below the age of 18 as children but the same courtesy is not extended to palestinians) and check their sources. if it's from whatsapp university don't even bother

[good-old-gossip]

Harvard Silences Pro-Palestinian Voices

Harvard University has suspended the Harvard Undergraduate Palestine Solidarity Committee after months of administrative repression, harassment and intimidation from right-wing politicians and donors, the group said in a statement sent to Middle East Eye.

"For months, we have been disproportionately targeted by the administration on the grounds of technicalities that we tried to observe vigilantly in the interest of protecting student safety," the statement on Monday read. Harvard PSC said on 6 March that it had been retroactively placed on probation since 1 March, for a February event that it had not officially sponsored. The student group was subsequently suspended this week because it held a rally in solidarity with the Columbia students and in protest against student repression with group that were not official student organisations.

The group said that Harvard University has demonstrated time and again that Palestine remains the exception to free speech.

"After standing idly by as pro-Palestine students faced physical and cyber harassment, death threats and rape threats, and racist doxxing, Harvard has now decided to dismantle the only official student group dedicated to the task of representing the Palestinian cause," the group said.

"As the death toll in Gaza rises with each day of the ongoing genocide, our right to protest this violence only becomes more important. It is shameful - but not surprising - that an institution that is actively invested in Israel’s blatant violence against Palestinians, one that hesitates to even recognize the existence of Palestinians in its official communications, has taken the extra step to erase the only official student group dedicated to solidarity with the people of Palestine."

Since the events of 7 October, when a Hamas-led attack on southern Israel killed 1,150 and over 200 were taken back to Gaza as hostages, the Strip has been under siege and deprived of basic necessities while facing a devastating bombing campaign by Israel.

At least 34,000 Palestinians have been killed and around a million displaced, in what has been described as an unfolding "genocide". Harvard University, like several other educational institutions in the US, has been a key site of struggle for pro-Palestinian protesters since Israel's war on Gaza began. Pro-Israel groups and billionaire donors have repeatedly conflated criticism of Israel with antisemitism.

In December, Harvard president Claudine Gay testified at a Congressional hearing about antisemitism on campus. Her testimony drew widespread criticism and led to her resignation in January. Harvard University did not respond to MEE's request for comment.

✍️ by: Azad Essa

[viserionz]

A  distância  não  nos  permite  enxergar  melhor,  mas  achamos  que  em  cima  daquele  dragão  está  VISERION  AZAD,  um  cavaleiro  de  28  ANOS,  que  atualmente  cursa  a  QUARTA  SÉRIE  e  faz  parte  do  QUADRANTE  DOS  CAVALEIROS.  Dizem  que  é  DETERMINADO,  mas  também  IMPULSIVO. 

𝓥 i s e r i o n.

Cinco garotos, de rostos idênticos, dormiam aconchegados uns nos outros como filhotes à procura por calor. A vida no orfanato era simples. "Sobrevivência" resumia todos os aspectos do dia a dia, por mais que, no fundo do peito, alguns deles nutrissem uma esperança silenciosa por vidas melhores —  esperança essa que, contudo, jamais semearia o amanhecer do futuro. A verdade é que não precisa ser um gênio para ligar os fatos: se a condição de órfãos não os condenasse à miséria, o formato pontiagudo de suas orelhas certamente o faria. E o fez, com a chegada dos soldados imperiais ao modesto orfanato que os abrigou desde o nascimento. 

Hoje, Viserion pouco se lembra dos quatro irmãos. Agora, as pontas dele não têm mais a quem se apegar para impedir o temperamento volátil. Na segunda série, sua fama sangrenta o precedia; ele honrou o preconceito dos khajol's ao estripar dois cadetes da mesma idade, pegos tentando roubar seus pertences na calada da noite. Não que fizesse o tipo bruto, na opinião dele. É só que Viserion sempre fora apegado ao colar que habitualmente adorna o seu pescoço, sob o couro do uniforme militar. Tocar o item foi, ao mesmo tempo que uma sentença de morte, também uma chave para abrir a porta do rumor que o cercaria pelos anos adiante — “O louco”, os colegas o chamam.

╱ ISTP.

𝓐 n a h k i n.

Anahkin é o nome da besta que escolheu Viserion para montá-lo. De olhos amarelos e cor escura, como o sangue depois de seco; o dragão do tipo flamion quase levou seu cavaleiro a conhecer os vermes e os ratos a sete palmos da terra, durante a cerimônia do primeiro voo. Não é surpresa nenhuma afirmar que a relação entre os dois é complicada. "Muito incerta", segundo os cadetes que os acompanham no exército. Ao passo que Viserion sente-se fascinado pela criatura, ele também tem a esperteza de temê-lo — e com toda razão. Anahkin, às vezes, parece reconsiderar a escolha. Parece, de repente, pensativo. Os olhos amarelos retraem dentro das órbitas, e por breves instantes, o dragão trava uma batalha interna e perigosa: deveria apenas devorar o garoto ou permitir-lhe a chance de uma última montaria? Eis a questão. Pelo jeito como as coisas andam, e como o pescoço dele continua conectado à cabeça, Viserion considera-se um cadete de muita sorte. Ainda assim, os momentos bons existem. E, apesar de certamente hostil, o limite da tolerância de Anahkin se estende apenas a este rapaz. 

[agentshilonglang]

Palestinian Authors at Bluestockings

Join us next week for two events where we will gather, mourn, witness and raise funds for various Palestinian causes. If you can't make it, please help spread the word on social media, [Link: since Palestinian causes are heavily censored, Instagram.]

Environmental Warfare in Gaza: Reading and Panel Discussion

Panel led by Shourideh C. Molavi, Paulo Tavares, Azad Essa, and Michelle Téllez.

Tuesday, April 23rd, 6pm-7:300pm

Bluestockings Cooperative Bookstore 116 Suffolk Street New York, NY 10002

Since 2014, the bulldozing of Palestinian lands by Israeli occupation forces has been complemented by the unannounced aerial spraying of military herbicides, extending the reach of Israeli colonial violence into the realm of chemical warfare. The spraying has destroyed entire swaths of arable land in Gaza, contributing to decades-long practices that have forcibly changed a once-lush Palestinian landscape. This book is an urgent accounting of the violence against the land itself as well as the people if Palestine. Join us Tuesday April 23rd for the launch and to raise funds for Ain Media Gaza. [Link: Bluestockings Collective, Instagram.]

Suggested donations of $10-$20.

Sliding scale starts at $1 if this is too high, however no one will be turned away for lack of funds.

Masks required when not eating or drinking. The event space has a HEPA HVAC.

Event is on the first floor with no stairs into the building.

[Link: Tickets to register available from Eventbrite.]

Bluestockings Collective will also be hosting an event on Friday, April 25th 2024, [Link: "Blood Orange: Queer Palestinian Poetry of Rage and Resistance," Tumblr]

[b0ringasfuck]

Yet it was not a sentiment restricted only to the upper echelons of Indian government. As Azad Essa, a journalist and author of Hostile Homelands: The New Alliance Between India and Israel, said: “This messaging gave a clear signal to the whole rightwing internet cell in India.” In the aftermath, the Indian internet factcheckers AltNews and Boom began to observe a flood of disinformation targeting Palestine pushed out by Indian social media accounts, which included fake stories about atrocities committed by Palestinians and Hamas that were shared sometimes millions of times, and often using the conflict to push the same Islamophobic narrative that has been used regularly to demonise India’s Muslim population since the BJP came to power.

A turning point came in 1999 when India went to war with Pakistan and Israel proved willing to provide arms and ammunition. It was the beginning of a defence relationship that has grown exponentially. India buys about $2bn-worth of arms from Israel every year – its largest arms supplier after Russia – and accounts for 46% of Israel’s overall weapons exports.

[tieflingkisser]

Protesters in New York demand ceasefire and end to Israeli occupation

In New York, US, a protest captured by MEE's Azad Essa on Monday brought together several hundred demonstrators marching in solidarity with Gaza. The protesters called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and an end to Israeli occupation in Palestinian territories.

[beguines]

The Indian state has already begun to evict indigenous communities from their homes. In late 2020, tribal communities received notice that labeled their homes as illegally occupying forest land. Their homes were demolished. This bears an eerie resemblance to Israel's targeting of Bedouin communities of Naqab, where Israel gave the lands of these communities to Jewish settlers and the military. The logic of Bedouin dispossession was premised on the fact that as nomads, they had no right to the land.

In Kashmir, these communities were living on lands that the Indian state wanted to use for the development of tourist infrastructure. Part of the plan is to transfer agricultural land to Indian state and private corporations. Kashmir has already lost 78,700 hectares of agricultural land to non-agricultural purposes between 2015–19. This decline in agricultural land—which a majority of Kashmiris still rely upon as the foundation of their economy—will disempower farmers, result in a loss of essential crops, make Kashmir less agriculturally self-sufficient, and create grounds for economic collapse in the near future. It is of course, only when Kashmiris are economically devastated that India's job in securing their land will be made even easier.

Alongside the destruction of agricultural land, the Indian government has also been charged with "ecocide" in Kashmir, which, "masked under the development rhetoric . . . destroys the environment without care, extracting resources and expanding illegal infrastructure as a way of contesting the indigenous peoples' right of belonging and using the territory for their own gain." During the lockdown in late 2019, the valley saw unprecedented forest clearances. In June 2020, the Jammu & Kashmir Forest Department became a government-owned corporation, allowing it to sell public forest land to private entities, including to Indian corporations. The rush to secure and extract Kashmir's resources has typically come at an immense cost to the region's vulnerable ecology, prompting local activists' fears that a lack of accountability will almost certainly exacerbate the climate crisis in South Asia. Just as Israel has secured control over Palestinian resources, India's stranglehold of Kashmir's natural resources and interference with the environment will ultimately make Kashmiris dependent on the Indian state for their livelihoods.

All of these shifts in land use reflect the "Srinagar Master Plan 2035," which "proposes creating formal and informal housing colonies through town planning schemes as well as in Special Investment Corridors," primarily for the use of Indian settlers and outside investors. Indeed, the Indian government has signed a series of MOU's with outside investors to alter the nature of the state by building multiplexes, educational institutions, film production centers, tourist infrastructure, Hindu religious sites, and medical industries. Kashmiri investors are no competition for massive Indian and external corporations and have a fundamental disadvantage in investing in land banks that the government has apportioned toward these purposes. Back to back lockdowns have resulted in massive economic losses for Kashmir's industries, including tourism, handicrafts, horticulture, IT, and e-commerce. Furthermore, "as with other colonial powers, Indian officials are participating in international investment summits parroting Kashmir as a 'Land of Opportunity', setting off a scramble for Kashmir's resources, which will cause further environmental destruction." India has always kept a close eye on Kashmir's water resources and its capabilities to generate electricity, while intentionally depriving Kashmir of the electricity it produces.

As more economic and employment opportunities are opened up to Indian domiciles, Kashmiris will also be deprived of what little job security they had. In sum, "neoliberal policies come together with settler colonial ambitions under continued reference to private players, industrialization and development, with the 'steady flow of wealth outwards.'"

Azad Essa, Hostile Homelands: The New Alliance Between India and Israel

[indizombie]

Activists said that while the Indian foreign ministry has tried to portray its foreign policy towards Israel and Palestine as unchanged, its actions suggested it fully supported Israel's plans for Gaza. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was among the first leaders to unequivocally condemn the Hamas-led 7 October attack on southern Israel, and his administration was subsequently slow to join the global call for a ceasefire. New Delhi abstained from the first vote at the UN General Assembly and signed the resolution only in December. Following an application by the South African government to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on the charge of genocide against Israel, the Indian government steered clear from supporting the case.

Azad Essa, ‘War on Gaza: Indian-made Israeli 'killer' drones set to make their way to Gaza’, Middle East Eye

[shehzadi]

discussion about the israeli spyware ‘pegasus’ being used in india from ‘hostile homelands’ by azad essa

funnily enough, an article from maktoob media from literally a day ago (28.12.23) reports that pegasus has been found on two more journalists’ phones.

[fluorencie]

الأحلام هي أجنحة الروح

Full name: Nadia Ahmed. Nicknames: Nana, Nay, Nadie. Age: 23. Date of birth: June 12, 2001. Place of birth: London, England. Sexual orientation: Heterosexual. Positive traits: Empathetic, considerate, understanding. Negative traits: Anxious, insecure, conflict-avoidant, jealous. Neutral traits: Ambiverted, self-aware, sensitive. Zodiac sign: Gemini. MBTI: INFJ. Hogwarts house: Ravenclaw.

Nos anos incertos da década de 1950, quando o Oriente Médio fervilhava sob o peso de tensões políticas e conflitos ancestrais, o Curdistão sofria a dor silenciosa de um povo sem pátria, sua identidade abafada por regimes que se recusavam a reconhecê-lo. Em meio a essa agonia, Azad Ahmed e sua esposa, Amira, tomaram uma decisão que mudaria para sempre o curso de suas vidas. Embora prósperos em sua terra natal, onde a família há gerações construíra uma fortuna no comércio de tecidos finos, eles perceberam que a liberdade e a segurança que tanto prezavam estavam se esvaindo, como areia entre os dedos.

Azad era um homem de visão e espírito indomável. Ele sabia que, para proteger o futuro de sua família, seria necessário deixar para trás o conforto e arriscar tudo em terras desconhecidas. Partir do Curdistão não foi uma decisão fácil; deixar para trás as colinas verdejantes, o perfume das tâmaras maduras e a música das feiras, onde o som dos vendedores se misturava ao aroma das especiarias, era doloroso. Mas ele sabia que o amor pela terra não poderia ser maior que o dever de proteger os seus. Amira, com a força silenciosa de uma mulher que carregava o peso de gerações em seus ombros, apoiou a decisão do marido, embora soubesse que a despedida seria amarga.

Com o coração apertado e o espírito resoluto, partiram rumo ao Reino Unido, um país que lhes parecia, ao mesmo tempo, estranho e promissor. Londres, com sua aura cosmopolita, seus céus cinzentos e suas vozes e culturas, oferecia uma promessa de liberdade que os Ahmed há muito almejavam. A capital inglesa, vibrante em sua diversidade, parecia-lhes um refúgio onde poderiam construir uma nova vida, longe dos olhos vigilantes dos regimes que os oprimiam.

O comércio de tecidos, que fora o alicerce de sua prosperidade no Oriente, encontrou nova vida nas ruas de Londres. Azad e Amira, incansáveis e determinados, trouxeram consigo as tradições de seus ancestrais, a arte de trabalhar com sedas e brocados que haviam passado de geração em geração. Os Ahmed não eram apenas comerciantes; eram contadores de histórias, e cada tecido, com seus padrões intricados e cores vibrantes, trazia consigo um fragmento do Curdistão. Não demorou muito para que suas criações conquistassem as grandes casas de moda londrinas. Seus tecidos, finamente confeccionados, logo se tornaram símbolos de elegância e sofisticação, evocando uma terra distante que poucos conheciam, mas que todos podiam sentir na textura e na beleza de suas peças. E assim, o nome Ahmed passou a ser sinônimo de luxo e tradição na alta sociedade britânica. O casal, que um dia deixara para trás sua pátria em busca de um novo começo, viu sua pequena loja se transformar em um império de tecidos. Mas, enquanto seus negócios prosperavam, Azad e Amira nunca deixaram que suas raízes fossem esquecidas. As histórias do Curdistão, contadas ao redor da lareira em noites londrinas, eram como um fio invisível que unia o passado ao presente. Falavam de campos dourados sob o sol de verão, das montanhas que tocavam o céu e dos rios que corriam livres, assim como eles desejavam que seu povo pudesse ser.

Tariq, o único filho do casal, nasceu já no seio dessa nova prosperidade. Educado com a sofisticação europeia e imbuído da sabedoria ancestral de seus pais, ele cresceu entre o rigor dos negócios e a ternura das tradições familiares. Desde cedo, demonstrou um instinto inegável para os negócios, herdado de seu pai, e uma sensibilidade herdada de sua mãe. Nas melhores escolas de Londres e, posteriormente, em Cambridge, ele se destacou, carregando consigo o peso e o orgulho de seu sobrenome. Com o passar dos anos, Tariq expandiu o império familiar para além dos tecidos, adentrando nos setores de imóveis e tecnologia. Ele viu o potencial de modernizar os negócios e, ao lado de sua esposa, Noura, uma mulher de carisma radiante e intelecto afiado, consolidou o nome Ahmed nas esferas mais altas da sociedade britânica. Tariq e Noura tiveram três filhos: Yusuf, o primogênito, com a mente estratégica e a determinação feroz do pai; Layla, a filha do meio, uma jovem apaixonada pelas causas sociais, que dedicava seu tempo e energia à luta pelos direitos das minorias; e Nadia, a caçula, cuja alma parecia sempre inquieta, ansiando por um destino diferente daquele que a família imaginava para ela. Nadia Ahmed nasceu em 12 de junho de 2001, numa Londres que já era familiar e acolhedora para os Ahmed, mas que ainda mantinha o eco das histórias de um passado distante. Desde pequena, havia algo nela que a diferenciava dos irmãos. Enquanto Yusuf parecia predestinado a assumir o controle dos negócios da família e Layla encontrava seu caminho na filantropia, Nadia desenvolveu uma paixão intensa e visceral pelo mundo da moda. Desde criança, ela se encantava com os tecidos que sua avó guardava com tanto zelo. Passava horas no antigo ateliê da família, deslizando os dedos pelas sedas, como se tentasse absorver as histórias que cada fibra contava. Cresceu cercada pelo luxo, mas, em vez de se perder nele, usou-o como combustível para sua criatividade. Quando chegou o momento de decidir seu caminho, ela optou por seguir sua paixão, matriculando-se na Central Saint Martins, uma das faculdades de moda mais prestigiadas do mundo. Ali, encontrou um espaço onde podia dar asas à sua imaginação, onde cada esboço, cada criação, era uma forma de se conectar com suas raízes e expressar sua própria identidade.

Agora, com 23 anos, Nadia está em um ponto crucial de sua jornada. Ela passa seus dias imersa em esboços e tecidos, transformando ideias em realidade, explorando o equilíbrio entre o luxo contemporâneo e as tradições que permeiam sua imaginação. Em seus designs, há um toque de nostalgia, uma busca pelo sentido de pertencimento, uma tentativa de entrelaçar o passado e o presente. Suas peças, com padrões inspirados nas tapeçarias curdas e cortes modernos que desafiam as convenções, são a prova de que a moda pode ser uma forma de arte, um meio de contar histórias. Mas, enquanto Nadia se perde em seu ateliê, há um peso constante em seus ombros. Ela sabe que os negócios da família esperam que, em algum momento, ela também assuma um papel dentro do império Ahmed. Seu irmão, com seu pragmatismo calculado, já insinuou em mais de uma ocasião que ela deveria considerar unir sua paixão pelo design ao crescente portfólio da família. Há também as expectativas silenciosas de seu pai, um homem que sempre prezou pela união e prosperidade familiar. Ele nunca disse diretamente, mas a jovem sabe que ele espera que ela encontre uma maneira de contribuir para o legado que ele e seus pais construíram com tanto sacrifício. No entanto, Nadia está determinada a traçar seu próprio caminho. Para ela, a moda não é apenas um negócio; é uma forma de expressão pessoal, uma maneira de se conectar com o mundo e consigo mesma. Ela deseja provar que é capaz de alcançar o sucesso por seus próprios méritos, sem depender do nome que carrega. E, embora respeite o legado de sua família, sente que precisa criar algo que seja verdadeiramente seu, algo que reflita quem ela é e não apenas de onde ela veio. Em muitos momentos de dúvida e incerteza, Nadia busca conselhos de sua irmã, Layla, que, com seu espírito generoso e idealista, a encoraja a usar sua arte para impactar o mundo de forma significativa. "A moda pode ser mais do que aparência", Layla diz à irmã mais nova. "Pode ser uma forma de contar histórias, de dar voz ao que muitas vezes é silenciado." Essas palavras ressoam profundamente em Nadia, que vê na moda um caminho para explorar não apenas sua identidade, mas também para dar visibilidade às histórias de seu povo. Londres, com suas ruas agitadas e suas infinitas possibilidades, é o cenário de sua busca por identidade. É uma cidade onde sua família construiu um império, e onde ela tenta costurar seu próprio destino. Nadia sabe que o peso das expectativas familiares é uma sombra constante, um lembrete de que o nome Ahmed traz consigo tanto oportunidades quanto responsabilidades. Mas há uma chama em seu olhar, uma determinação inquebrantável de forjar seu próprio caminho, de tecer sua própria história.

[heavenlyyshecomes]

2 & 3 for the reading asks <3

What are 2-5 already published nonfiction books you think you want to read in 2023?

pure wit—francesca peacock, hostile homelands—azad essa, art monsters—lauren elkin, thunderclap—laura cumming

Any poetry on your TBR?

I've realised there isn't any that I planned to read specifically this year actually so I looked at my general tbr I think I'd like to read the poetry of forugh farrokhzad & ann margolin !