Places to Leave
The Cowationadoption, bangladesh, culturestrike, family, flowers, freelance writing, friends, mala, pictures, travelComments are off for this post

This week, I have a piece out in CultureStrike on transnational adoption. It’s a very personal piece and it took a lot of work to put together (thanks, Michelle!) so please give it a read. Now, back to the action. A mala (floral necklace) made of red roses, orange and yellow accent flowers. I’ve left […]

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So, You’re Not a Superhero
The Cowationbangladesh, dhaka, gratitude, hard moments, loneliness, moving, superhero, timelines, writingComments are off for this post

So you’re not a superhero. You get frustrated when you mix up verb tenses. You can’t cross the street without saying a small prayer. You’re not conventionally attractive, by American or Bengali standards. You stall in your writing – and your reading and your half-made plans. You take off your kameez one shoulder at a […]

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“Holding Hands:” My Piece for 1,000 Words, an Eyes on Bangladesh Event
The Cowationbangladesh, bengali, eyes on bangladesh, fiction, holding hands, photography, writingComments are off for this post

Hey all! Remember when I said I was doing a reading? Well, the reading happened last Saturday and it was amazing. I was so honored to be amongst such passionate folks — writers, listeners, and organizers — that cared about disrupting stereotypic narratives of Bengali life and art. It was also amazing to be in […]

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Bideshe Amra Bangladeshis: Celebrating Independence Day in Diaspora
The Cowationbangladesh, bangladesh independence day, bengali, fit, home, storiesComments are off for this post

I recorded my boro chacha’s stories about the Liberation War one hot summer afternoon in the village house in Kushtia. We went into his private room with the fan turned on, but it was still sweltering; every few seconds I would swat at a giant fly that had swirled in too close to the recorder, […]

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Reading at the Eyes on Bangladesh Exhibit!
The Cowationbangladesh, bengali, eyes on bangladesh, media, new perspective, photography, readingComments are off for this post

Calling all New Yorkers: I’m excited to announce that this Saturday at 6pm I will be reading as part of the Eyes on Bangladesh photography exhibit! The exhibit is showcasing the work of Bengali photographers who show a different side of Bangladesh not often seen in the West, and wants to begin a dialogue between […]

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Mannequins: A Response to American Apparel and Americans in General
The Cowationamerican, american apparel, bangladesh, bengali, politics, response, voiceless, womenComments are off for this post

The woman in the photo is wearing no clothes. She has light brown skin, lighter than me, and her dark hair is swept back in a wave. Her breasts are emblazoned with the message “Made in Bangladesh.” It’s not shocking to me – I too am a child of diaspora, an American Bengali or Bengali […]

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Remembering: Narratives as Social Justice
The Cowationbangladesh, collapse, writingComments are off for this post

There have been dozens of endings happening as of late. I graduated college, won a few writing prizes, met some unforgettable people, and settled into my first post-grad apartment. I launched an Asian American social justice online magazine called As[I]Am (check it out!). So many congratulations and thanks are in order! But for now, a […]

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