Writers Group; the next instalment
I peek out of the window and see that it is a lovely sunny day. Perhaps, I will be able to walk the dog to my favourite spot. It’s the one which, although in Birmingham, always takes me back to my birthplace. It happens especially on days such as this. Maybe, it’s the way the light hits the bushes and all the wild grasses. Both locations have such a higgledy piggledy feel; so wild and...
Read MoreUs and Them
I met my youth worker friend at the gym this morning. It had been quite a while since our last conversation. There were a couple of minutes, in the steam room, when we talked about his plans to politically educate the young people he is working with so that they can make informed decisions at election time. We agreed that they shouldn’t vote for someone just because he (when are the Pakistani...
Read MoreMy name
My name is Karamat, Comes from Pakistan, It’s Urdu, you see. My uncle gave it to me. It gets used and abused. Some pronounce it kara-mat and some just a plane K Others kramat And others ramat And others still kramatt. In some parts of my Hometown, people even call me Karamjit. My uncle didn’t expect it to be abused, only used, properly. He thought it was beautiful. It...
Read MoreIs diversity all about differences?
A few years ago as a part of my voluntary community work, I was involved on the management committee of a Birmingham community advice centre. One day I bumped into a fellow Pakistani. When I told him about my involvement, he said “are there other ‘apne log’ (our people) involved there?” When Asians use this Urdu phrase, they almost always refer to not just people of their own ethnicity...
Read MoreWriting about nothing!
I had the privilege of meeting a group of young people and starting the next ‘Writers of the Future’ group. How fortunate I am; being able to work with such engaging people, surrounded by books (we were in the school library). I so love what I do. I feel a bit of an imposter calling it ‘work’ though. My world today is so far removed from that of my elders. That was WORK. For example, my...
Read MoreBirth of a new charity
It all began in 2007 while I was visiting my Mum in Pakistan. On day two, I was woken very early by the azaan, call to prayer. I began to think about the local community where most young people aspire to go to England. I wondered whether they could be encouraged to think differently. How about if more of them had better prospects here? What would help to make that happen? Given my own life’s...
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