So, now that I am neck deep in thesis, I find my creative juices depleted and this has motivated me to move towards using the simplest language possible in all other areas of life. Today's word is STUPID.
There are many things that are stupid, including but not limited to disproportionate budget cuts to ethnic, area, and women's and gender studies centers at UT Austin. Additionally, not sleeping as much as I want, not being able to enjoy the beautiful weather, and having no time to bake cakes is STUPID. So is money, trying to find employment, the Republican Congress, concealed weapons on campus, Rick Perry, Hummers and expensive plane tickets. There is so much more, but procrastinating my thesis is also stupid...and I digress. Someone give me a shoulder/head rub. Bah-Humbug.
It has been a long time since my last post, but things have been moving right along here in the beautiful, fabulous, Austin, Texas. I've been keeping busy, primarily with school and organizing, but I've also gotten better at having fun too. Like anything else, you have to make time for it! So, my thesis, exploring the building and performing of queer Muslim American identity is occupying the majority of my time, and will probably force me to not see or speak to most of you the entire month of April unless you want to sit in silence with me at a coffee house, I could always use more study pals. Also, Tati, Carina and I are prepping for two upcoming conferences, The Feminist Action Project's annual conference (April 1st-2nd) and CWGS Emerging Scholarship Conference (April 8th). Blurb below! (thanks to Tati)
Through creative performance and critical self-reflection, this panel explores recent organizing efforts on behalf of three feminist organizers from the Students Speak (TSS), a student and community-centered organization at UT-Austin. Currently slated for disproportionate budget reductions, ethnic, gender and identity centers at UT-Austin brace for unprecedented financial attacks. This panel gives commentary on these attacks, providing critical perspective to administrative mandates, including details on the Academic Planning and Advisory Committee’s (APAC) proposal to reduce funding for ethnic, gender and identity centers at the university, and student and community responses against these actions. Using sweet potato curry as a metaphor, panelists describe the ongoing process of feminist organizing and the difficult work of tethering seemingly disjointed perspectives, experiences and ideologies to common points of unity against proposed budget cuts and the infrastructural power paradigms that sustain them.
Beyond this, we've been working hard against budget cuts at UT, and fighting for equal access and the right to quality education for all through The Students Speak (the studentsspeak.com).
Also, Sheeva and I have been kicking some ass on behalf of women's health and Planned Parenthood by organizing Austin's Walk for Choice 2011!
Plus, I am graduating in May! HAAAYYYY!!!! Beyond all of this academic/organizing business I have really been enjoying the queer community in Austin the last few months. With the revival of Camp Camp (queer performance night/variety show), GayBiGayGay 2011, and upcoming QueerBomb! this summer I will definitely be enjoying myself. (and this is the beautiful Rebecca Havemeyer!!)
I've also made a habit out of Austin Poetry Slam the past year now, and try to never miss a Tuesday night slam at Spider House. It is really the one thing that I do every single week, and I hope some of you will run into us regulars in the coming months and enjoy some of the most talented wordsmiths you'll ever have the pleasure of experiencing.
Also, here is this to enjoy! Workout! with Erica Nix! God, I love her!!
So, that's what I'm up to! How about you folks? I would love some updates! Emails and snail-mails about your lives would be fantastic! SO so so so much love!!! Muah!
