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Inner Revolutions | Pray But Keep Rowing the Boat - English
Aisha El-Mekki’s mother didn’t believe in ‘sparing the rod’. She also had a deep respect for teachers, nuns and other authority figures; a respect that never trickled down to her youngest...
Aisha El-Mekki’s mother didn’t believe in ‘sparing the rod’. She also had a deep respect for teachers, nuns and other authority figures; a respect that never trickled down to her youngest daughter. Discipline was real in the El-Mekki household, so from an early age she and her older sister formed an alliance. They promised not to tell on each other. Sometimes El-Mekki even took a beating for her sister. When she was in first grade, the two were sent away to a private, all-white boarding school. In third grade, El-Mekki was expelled.
“As a child, if I got backed into a wall, I would refuse to do whatever you wanted me to do because you were trying to force me.”
Upon returning to her home in Philadelphia, El-Mekki’s mother – who worked until five everyday – enrolled her daughter in the neighborhood school. It was around this time that El-Mekki met her best friend, Shakora. The two began spending afternoons together, deepening their friendship and getting into trouble.
“One time I was on a bus. It was a Friday afternoon. The bus driver said my pass had expired; that I had to get a transfer…so he gave me a transfer while waiting for the next bus and the next bus was late. We waited for a while. There was a crowd of people by the time the bus came. [The next bus driver] said that my pass had expired and that I needed to get off the bus. Well I didn’t have any more money, so I said, ‘I paid my fare and I will ride.’ This man decided that he was going to send a message. So he stopped a police car and told them that I refused to pay. The police emptied the bus and told the driver to drive to the police station with just me on it….so he drives this empty bus to the police station and they arrested me. And this just infuriated me. My mother had to be called and of course she was just livid….she had to end up getting a lawyer, and had to go court, miss time from work…and eventually it was resolved but I mean they charged me. I had a record. It was ridiculous. That was my first incident with what I consider police brutality…and how they can escalate a situation unnecessarily.”
Three years later, El Mekki graduated from an all-girls Catholic high school. It was at this point that she began to question the Trinity. She didn’t want to leave the church; she believed she would go to hell if she did. Still, the questions remained. So she kept her eyes open. After college, El-Mekki decided she wanted to become a social worker. She learned about a group called the Black Panther Party that was organizing programs for the needy.
“When I heard about these people feeding children – and I worked on the midnight shift – I said, ‘you know what? I’m gonna go up there’. And there were tables and tables of children being fed cereal and toast, and I was really amazed. People were doing this out of the bottom of their hearts. They weren’t getting paid for it. But they wanted to make sure the children were getting a decent breakfast.”
El-Mekki joined the group. At the same time, her religious search continued.
“I had an aunt that was Muslim. I used to visit her. She was not aggressive, she was not pushy, she was not trying to convert me. Anytime I had a question, she would answer. Her husband was very nice. And I liked the way her family was so calm. It was so peaceful. And so I would go visit her often. During that time I was in the Black Panther Party, and she didn’t disapprove. Everybody else in my family said, ‘Here she goes again, doing something off the beaten path.’ But not aunt Mariam. One time when we knew that there was going to be a police raid, and we were trying to get the children out because I didn’t want the children to be there. And she just told me to bring them to her house. You know? And I just admired her. I just said wow, if her religion supports revolutionary acts like that, then I want to hear more about it. So she would always be listening to Shaheed Malcolm’s albums. She owned every word he ever said. And she’d often have his records on when I’d go over there. And she gave me his book to read because I was always asking questions about him. And that was like the answer to my prayer. You know? The part where he said that our religion doesn’t teach us to be aggressive, but if you lay a hand on me, then I can send you to the cemetery. And I said, ‘I can do that. That is the religion that I need.’ You know, that allows me to defend myself. That doesn’t encourage me to just constantly turn the other cheek. Nobody else is turning the other cheek. They’re turning the other side of their hand. And so i decided you know what, that’s when I decided Islam was for me because it allowed me to be religious and at the same time, be revolutionary.”
innerrevolutions.net
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Description:
Aisha El-Mekki’s mother didn’t believe in ‘sparing the rod’. She also had a deep respect for teachers, nuns and other authority figures; a respect that never trickled down to her youngest daughter. Discipline was real in the El-Mekki household, so from an early age she and her older sister formed an alliance. They promised not to tell on each other. Sometimes El-Mekki even took a beating for her sister. When she was in first grade, the two were sent away to a private, all-white boarding school. In third grade, El-Mekki was expelled.
“As a child, if I got backed into a wall, I would refuse to do whatever you wanted me to do because you were trying to force me.”
Upon returning to her home in Philadelphia, El-Mekki’s mother – who worked until five everyday – enrolled her daughter in the neighborhood school. It was around this time that El-Mekki met her best friend, Shakora. The two began spending afternoons together, deepening their friendship and getting into trouble.
“One time I was on a bus. It was a Friday afternoon. The bus driver said my pass had expired; that I had to get a transfer…so he gave me a transfer while waiting for the next bus and the next bus was late. We waited for a while. There was a crowd of people by the time the bus came. [The next bus driver] said that my pass had expired and that I needed to get off the bus. Well I didn’t have any more money, so I said, ‘I paid my fare and I will ride.’ This man decided that he was going to send a message. So he stopped a police car and told them that I refused to pay. The police emptied the bus and told the driver to drive to the police station with just me on it….so he drives this empty bus to the police station and they arrested me. And this just infuriated me. My mother had to be called and of course she was just livid….she had to end up getting a lawyer, and had to go court, miss time from work…and eventually it was resolved but I mean they charged me. I had a record. It was ridiculous. That was my first incident with what I consider police brutality…and how they can escalate a situation unnecessarily.”
Three years later, El Mekki graduated from an all-girls Catholic high school. It was at this point that she began to question the Trinity. She didn’t want to leave the church; she believed she would go to hell if she did. Still, the questions remained. So she kept her eyes open. After college, El-Mekki decided she wanted to become a social worker. She learned about a group called the Black Panther Party that was organizing programs for the needy.
“When I heard about these people feeding children – and I worked on the midnight shift – I said, ‘you know what? I’m gonna go up there’. And there were tables and tables of children being fed cereal and toast, and I was really amazed. People were doing this out of the bottom of their hearts. They weren’t getting paid for it. But they wanted to make sure the children were getting a decent breakfast.”
El-Mekki joined the group. At the same time, her religious search continued.
“I had an aunt that was Muslim. I used to visit her. She was not aggressive, she was not pushy, she was not trying to convert me. Anytime I had a question, she would answer. Her husband was very nice. And I liked the way her family was so calm. It was so peaceful. And so I would go visit her often. During that time I was in the Black Panther Party, and she didn’t disapprove. Everybody else in my family said, ‘Here she goes again, doing something off the beaten path.’ But not aunt Mariam. One time when we knew that there was going to be a police raid, and we were trying to get the children out because I didn’t want the children to be there. And she just told me to bring them to her house. You know? And I just admired her. I just said wow, if her religion supports revolutionary acts like that, then I want to hear more about it. So she would always be listening to Shaheed Malcolm’s albums. She owned every word he ever said. And she’d often have his records on when I’d go over there. And she gave me his book to read because I was always asking questions about him. And that was like the answer to my prayer. You know? The part where he said that our religion doesn’t teach us to be aggressive, but if you lay a hand on me, then I can send you to the cemetery. And I said, ‘I can do that. That is the religion that I need.’ You know, that allows me to defend myself. That doesn’t encourage me to just constantly turn the other cheek. Nobody else is turning the other cheek. They’re turning the other side of their hand. And so i decided you know what, that’s when I decided Islam was for me because it allowed me to be religious and at the same time, be revolutionary.”
innerrevolutions.net
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Kids Cartoon - TAYO - A School Day - English
The day is finally here! It\'s the first day of school for Tayo and his friends. Do you guys think they would behave well and make friends?
Let\'s find out together!
The day is finally here! It\'s the first day of school for Tayo and his friends. Do you guys think they would behave well and make friends?
Let\'s find out together!
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Kids Cartoon - TAYO - Cheer Up Frank - English
June loves to see fire trucks so Gani takes him to meet Frank.
But as fire happens on the high building, Frank can\'t handle well and Air takes over Frank\'s place. What happened to Frank?
June loves to see fire trucks so Gani takes him to meet Frank.
But as fire happens on the high building, Frank can\'t handle well and Air takes over Frank\'s place. What happened to Frank?
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Kids Cartoon - TAYO - A Weekend With Citu - English
Since Citu hasn\'t spend much time with little buses, Citu takes a weekend off to spend time with little buses. They are planning to go to the zoo, but it looks like their plan is falling down.
Since Citu hasn\'t spend much time with little buses, Citu takes a weekend off to spend time with little buses. They are planning to go to the zoo, but it looks like their plan is falling down.
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Kids Cartoon - TAYO - Tayo\'s Promise - English
Tayo promised to Duri to show his friends. But, it looks like Tayo couldn\'t keep his promise somehow. Let\'s find out why!
Tayo promised to Duri to show his friends. But, it looks like Tayo couldn\'t keep his promise somehow. Let\'s find out why!
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Kids Cartoon - TAYO - Gani The Super Star - English
People love Gani because Gani is always so nice to everybody! One day, it looks like one superstar is visiting the town and someone is jealous about it.. let\'s find out more!
People love Gani because Gani is always so nice to everybody! One day, it looks like one superstar is visiting the town and someone is jealous about it.. let\'s find out more!
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Kids Cartoon - TAYO - Toto and Bongbong - English
Toto is meeting baby cars for the first time and it looks like Toto isn\'t getting along well with baby cars. What would Toto would do?
Toto is meeting baby cars for the first time and it looks like Toto isn\'t getting along well with baby cars. What would Toto would do?
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Kids Cartoon - TAYO - We Are The Best With Each Other - English
Speedy and Shine are best friends that we already know about!
But since Shine made new friends, Speedy felt left out. What would Speedy do?
Speedy and Shine are best friends that we already know about!
But since Shine made new friends, Speedy felt left out. What would Speedy do?
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Kids Cartoon - TAYO - Laugh, Pat - English
Pat is always looking around to make sure that all cars follow rules and safely drive. Do you guys think Pat is stressed out because cars don\'t follow rules sometimes? Let\'s find out!
Pat is always looking around to make sure that all cars follow rules and safely drive. Do you guys think Pat is stressed out because cars don\'t follow rules sometimes? Let\'s find out!
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Kids Cartoon - TAYO - Laugh, Pat - English
Pat is always looking around to make sure that all cars follow rules and safely drive. Do you guys think Pat is stressed out because cars don\'t follow rules sometimes? Let\'s find out!
Pat is always looking around to make sure that all cars follow rules and safely drive. Do you guys think Pat is stressed out because cars don\'t follow rules sometimes? Let\'s find out!
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Kids Cartoon - TAYO - Cooku & Champs Trip To The City - English
Cooku and Champ are visiting the city for the first time by themselves! Tayo and friends are excited about the visit of Cooku and Champ. Do you guys think Cooku and Champ won\'t get lost? Let\'s...
Cooku and Champ are visiting the city for the first time by themselves! Tayo and friends are excited about the visit of Cooku and Champ. Do you guys think Cooku and Champ won\'t get lost? Let\'s find out!
More...
Description:
Cooku and Champ are visiting the city for the first time by themselves! Tayo and friends are excited about the visit of Cooku and Champ. Do you guys think Cooku and Champ won\'t get lost? Let\'s find out!
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Kids Cartoon - TAYO - I Cant Sleep - English
Lani slept all day on her day-off. Then, she couldn\'t sleep through the night. Do you guys think she can keep up herself at school next day? Lets\' find out together!
Lani slept all day on her day-off. Then, she couldn\'t sleep through the night. Do you guys think she can keep up herself at school next day? Lets\' find out together!
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