They say that the only source of knowledge is experience. Well, prior to the summer of 2017, I failed to understand how this hackneyed phrase applied to my own life. It was at this time in my life that I fell under the gilded assumptions of my family’s homeland: Kashmir, India. While my nation is rejoiced for its natural prowess and architectural beauty, it is plagued by the political turmoil that hinders its advancement for the last century. Though I was born and brought up in the United States, my family ensured that I stayed tied to my roots. Yet, the rejoiced memories I have made with my family are supplemented with the traumatic experiences I’ve encountered in these visits.
Expectations of celebrating rich Kashmiri culture through an extravagant wedding were stripped before my eyes the second we landed off of aircraft ATR-72.
Unfortunately, my beloved home is a war zone. Kashmir was split along the seams during the separation of India and Pakistan, and the byproduct was a volatile culture with restrictions, and rebellion. Nonetheless, bullets never stopped me from embracing cultural traditions. The threat of battle made dressing up for weddings with my cousins, hiking the highest mountains on the horizon, and spending countless nights with my extended families ever so life changing. Diversely, I can never forget clenching my sisters nose and mouth closed in the face of putrid tear gas and my father shielding us under the kitchen counter as gunfire raged outside our home. The calamities exposed me to the cruelties of life that I grew up ignorant to in the US yet allowed me to appreciate the importance of family, privilege and life.
I understood that, at the naive age of 5, I was privileged to be hiding in my closet for a measly game of hide and seek; whereas my mother, at that age, was forced to the attic of her home to escape militant barbarity. In spite of the harsh realities I encountered, I have grown as a person and have succeeded in positively reinforcing the public on how policy and change can be implemented to better the future of societies outside our own with each of my successive visits to Kashmir. I recognized that, at my young age, my efforts would be overshadowed by my reach. However, out of a yearning to satisfy my political efficacy, I founded my non-profit company, Tye Dye for Kashmir, aiming to sell tye-dye t-shirts to help support Kashmiri healthcare and aid.
The escalation in warfare from the Indian army has led to the deficits and detriments of those innocent souls roaming in what is considered the “gem” of India. What was once considered the paradise on Earth has now transformed into a disputed territory in which thousands of lives are lost in times of despair. The closest thing to a halt in this conflict were short and numerous cease fires that have silenced open warfare, but have failed to kill public unrest and protests. Resolution has escaped for more than 60 years, with each proposed solution having a flaw in it that could increase tensions. Because of this the people are affected: from pregnant women getting shot, to tear gas bombings, to even stone pelting on the streets of local grocers, a need for reform is evident. Kashmir, India: Where innocent lives are being stripped of their potential, day in and day out, because of the harsh reality of an independence strike that has been evident since the 1940’s. Throughout it all, children and their families, alongside their safety and health are being affected.
When I was not veiling from external violence, I was volunteering with the local groups and helping construct tenaments for the victims of war left homeless alongside the Kashmer Healthcare Organization. To this day, I am thankful to the events I experienced for molding my identity and helping me discover a new found passion for that nation. While the near-death experiences were far from the highlights of my life, they are fundamental memories that I would be incomplete without today.
I’ve matured to continue delivering speeches to mosques around the east coast, those including: Masjid Al-Wali, An-Noor, and the Muslim Center of Middlesex County. Whether it be confusion on the political dispute, or even concern for the lives lost, my intentions are to serve a poignant presentation that will encourage political involvement in relation to third world problems outside of our protected society.
While I was raised in this country, my family’s roots tie to Kashmir. Historically, my country has seen political turmoil to this very year, and the dispute over Indians and Pakistanis co-existing in a country that shares borders with both nations has created chaos. Overtime, my identity as a proud Kashmiri, is shaped by hope and change in the midst of war and hatred in a place I deem to be home. Those pertifying events have shaped me to become a braver individual, and more importantly someone who knows the true value of life, thus shaping me to be civically involved and politically aware. Not only does being Kashmiri instill pride in me, but specifically giving care to those in need satisfies my soul. Though I may be a miniscule step in the journey of promoting change in a nation of political turmoil, my passions are immense and I aspire to continue pursuing them— one experience changing my life and giving me a new found knowledge, forever.
The writer can be mailed at sarahsajid02@gmail.com
