my khala, dureshewar aziz khan, passes away

our dear khalajaani, dureshewar aziz khan, has passed away. named after the beautiful princess durrusehvar sultan, daughter of the ottoman caliph abdulmejid, my khala was the star of a family of extraordinary people – writers, speakers, political activists, athletes, linguists, lovers of art and poetry but also sports and outdoor life. khalajaani excelled at her studies from early on. she graduated from medical school, became an OBGYN, and worked as a doctor for the pakistan army, attaining the rank of captain. this was back in the 1960s when women all over the world had not yet won some of the rights (however tenuous they might be) that we take for granted now. she married a dashing air force officer and lived an adventurous life, spending years in libya where her husband was posted and going on ski vacations at a PAF resort in the karakoram, the second-highest mountain range on earth. i still remember how their home in rawalpindi was filled with classical music and expressionist art. after we moved from brussels to islamabad, my mom and khala organized many fun excursions together. we would have picnics at lotus lake and climb trees that seemed as tall as hills. our moms were young, sporty, vibrant. the trips ended abruptly when khalajaani had to deal with a heartbreaking family tragedy. she did it with a reserve of strength, positivity, and intelligence that was nothing short of heroic. in middle age she became a psychiatrist perhaps to better heal herself and those around her. she wrote a book on the subject. in their 70s, my khala and khaloo made the courageous decision to move to the US, to be close to their only son. he was everything to them, and later his children became the heart of their existence. some years ago i remember khalajaani calling my mom. i picked up the phone and we began to talk. she asked me about my political and film work. i tried to be brief so as not to bore her but she asked a lot of questions. she shared her own ideas and then asked me what i thought. she considered my opinions carefully and even changed her mind at times. she was already ill and bedridden in those days, but her mind could still be as sharp as a tack. there was a lifetime of brilliance and intellectual curiosity to sustain it after all. may she rest in power. inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un.

[my khaloo is on the left, next to him is his friend, my attique mamoon, my khala is the beautiful young woman on the right, the one without glasses]

birthday fun continues

ice skating at brookfield place with my daughter last night (so grateful that it always comes back to me), dinner at PJ clarke’s, and then breakfast with rachel (my rochester fam) at two hands this morning followed by a short visit to codex, a wonderful little bookstore rachel took me to on bleecker street. i went to two museums – the national museum of the american indian which is minutes from my daughter’s apt and the brooklyn museum where i saw elizabeth catlett’s stunning work – more about that later.

a week of birthday wishes

dear friends and fam, thank u for the birthday wishes and sweet messages all day long yesterday. it was a pleasure and an honor – i am so grateful. the day ended with a yummy italian dinner with my dear husband and a beautiful bouquet of flowers delivered in the rain, sent by my equally beautiful daughter all the way from the city. i wish the same peace of mind, safety and simple joys of life to everyone all over the world, especially to all my friends in palestine <3

it’s my birthday tomorrow

it’s my birthday tomorrow. for all the murderous violence in this world and the devaluation of life (even the lives of children – our common future), i am grateful for the small community of friends i have on this planet – people who continue to fight for justice even when it’s inconvenient or painful, people whose hearts are always in the right place whatever absurdities might be floating around them, people whose moral clarity helps us see thru racist ideologies and imperial politics warped by greed and propaganda. so a big thank u to my community all over the world. if u think of me tomorrow, pls donate something (whatever u can) to the gaza municipality and to heal palestine.

in solidarity <3

one day in nyc

was in nyc for just one day but got to see ‘walden’ with emmy rossum at the second stage theater, had dinner with arseniy (a dear friend from back home in rochester), spent time with my daughter, walked around battery park, and had palestinian food at ayat (the new location in manhattan) where the muhammarah is simply out of this world. walden is a play about the future, a time when climate catastrophe is being used as an excuse to colonize other planets and EAs (earth advocates) are seen as these bizarre people who continue to be invested in planet earth, oppose colonization and the destruction of indigenous life, suspect technology, stay away from screens, and are committed as a community to reducing their carbon footprint. there is a love triangle in the forefront of the story but the backdrop is hyper pertinent. out of all the emotions i felt throughout the play, the one that hit me hardest was when we witness some kind of dangerous geomagnetic storm that can damage humans, animals and plants. it felt too close. it was frightening.

afshan noreen qureshi (1955 – 2024)

she was a hero to so many – women and children whose lives she transformed. she never said no to any woman who needed protection, help or encouragement. one of a kind, fearless, but also extraordinarily generous, a pioneer and indeed a changemaker. we will miss u dear afshan. our community will not be the same without u. may u rest in power and may god give strength to sohail bhai and the kids. inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un.

friends premiere their film

it’s been a busy weekend. with the premiere of ‘being black in america’ by @voicesproj @jackiephotographyroc at the voices rising film festival @lovewinsfilms in islip on saturday and a lovely get together/lunch at our house followed by a walk at the beach with our rochester fam on sunday. so good to see u @jackiemcgriff @bycocoarae and @taurussavant