Letters to My Daughter

One day, I'd like to share this blog with my daughter. This is the means through which she will get to know her mother, who she was, what she did, what she cared about. I write about the things I want her to know, in case I am not there to tell her myself. I write to tell her what I feel, in case I am not there to show her. I write, to keep the realities of my lived experience alive for her, so that she will learn. I write, maybe too harshly, or plainly but it is how I strive to be a parent to my Muslim daughter. My dream is that one day, she will get to know her mother through this blog. Dear my baby girl: I worry. I worried while you were still in my belly. I worried that you might not be getting enough vitamins, or that I had started taking the fish oil supplements too late, or that I had drank one too many cups of chai. I worried when I took Amtrak to DC too many times for work, or took a plan to Florida or the Bahamas that something might happen en route (trains get derai...

Last year I co-authored a chapter with my favorite professor from the University of Pennsylvania, Marybeth Gasman, who is the founder and director of the Center for Minority Serving Institutions . As I've begun to get more involved with higher educational institutions, I decided to look back at this publication for some insight and direction. Check out more information below and please buy a copy of the book! Living at the Intersections: Social Identities and Black Collegians  (2013) brings together 21 diverse authors from 14 different institutions, including our nation’s most prestigious public and private universities, to advance the use of intersectionality and intersectional approaches in studying Black students in higher education. Chapters cover a diversity of topics, ranging from spirituality to sexuality and masculinity, from Black students at HBCUs to those in STEM majors, and a host of issues related to race, class, gender, and other identities. Authors...

Are you interested in learning how you can use social media for your own professional development? I am joining forces with my friend Erin Barnes of ioby to present a free webinar to EPIP members. We will present case studies on how philanthropic and mission-based organizations are using social media to disseminate information and be better learning organizations. What can we as individuals do to be part of that kind of work? It's ironic really, that I would be sharing research and best practices on social media. My use of social media is mostly ad-hoc, but I rely on it as a tool that helps me engage with the world. I use it to stay informed of news, ideas, and resources. I rely on it to connect me the ideas and issues that other's are talking about. I use social media primarily to learn. And that's where the value is. As a disclaimer, I do not engage with social media every single day. If you are interested in learning more about the webinar, please feel free t...

Joining a board feels like a new beginning, like experiencing a sunrise on a drive to yoga class... at least for me, anyway. I recently joined a nonprofit working committee, and went through the process of recruitment, interviewing, and vetting. I found myself looking for something inspiring beyond my current job or role as a project manager. You've got to know what to ask, and what you're getting into before you make the jump into nonprofit board service. Many board members do not know what they are getting into when they join a board. I have seen boards in which one or more directors actually disagreed with the organization’s mission, had obvious but undeclared conflicts of interest, or knew they would not be able to attend most of the board meetings. It would be correct to blame the organization for recruiting and electing such members but don’t forget the directors accepted the nomination and agreed to serve. If you are invited to join a board, what can you do to be...

This weekend, I experienced a time warp. Both my husband and I attended functions with our high school friends, friends we have known for decades. On Saturday, we joined Andrea and Sarat in Philadelphia's Magic Gardens for a beautiful and unique nondenominational ceremony focused on love. The groom himself wore a traditional Indian shalwar suit, while the bride wore a white dress. Like the couple, the attendees wore whatever made then comfortable and happy. They have been together for a decade, since college, through multiple relocations and careers. I'm inspired by their tenacity and endurance to stay together, to continue to love each other without a sense of obligation, pretense. I've included a picture of the gorgeous couple and unique venue below. On Sunday, I went to Moumita's bridal shower near Long Island, New York. We have known each other since Stuyvesant High School. We shared stories of our youth, of our innocence and stupidity, and celebrated our so c...

Sometimes we need a facelift. It looks like Blogger has a new (inter)face. Since this is the first change I've seen to Blogger since I started 7 years ago, I have decided to start anew, with an introduction.  Hello, my name is Sadia.  I am a Project Manager at a nonprofit consulting organization in New York City. We provide capacity building expertise and strategic consulting in 3 major areas: resource development, governance and special events. I am responsible for tracking outcomes, program support, marketing and communications, and new business development.    I have extensive marketing, program support and monitoring experience in the nonprofit and private sectors. I've basically grown up within the nurturing spaces of NYC nonprofits like South Asian Youth Action, where I served a Board member, and  Sadie Nash Leadership Project , which helps NYC youth become life-long leaders.  My greatest achievement was starting  Remembering...

My weekends, as you know, consist mostly of cooking (you can see my labor manifest in the photo) and catching up on housework. I wash hundreds of plates, cups and pans by hand for our family of 5. I never use the dishwasher, since I would have to load and load it at least 4 times, or wait 80 minute intervals until the cycle ends. Also on the weekends, I relax with my Atlantic monthly at panera bread. I love paying my bills, and analyzing my expenses on mint.com and EEBA. Besides my usual errands and list of responsibilities, this Saturday, I slept for 14 hours straight, from 4pm to 6am the following morning. I was so tired, my molecules were so in need of repair, that I was knocked out for an entire day. This was the source of grief in my household. Every weekend, my husband naps for 2-3 hours, after each game, so sometimes 4-6 hours total between Saturday and Sunday. I had an early night--4pm in the afternoon is a VERY early night--and roughly the same allotment of time except in ...