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You Are Problematic. Try Anyway.

It takes consistent effort and a whole lot of courage to consistently disrupt the oppressive systems we live in

Namira Islam Anani
4 min readJan 16, 2019
A shot taken during my closing remarks for MuslimARC’s 2018 Michigan Gala (photo credit: Tamanna Azim)

From changing up my social media feeds so I’m following more diverse people to avoiding retailers that have oppressive labor practices, I’m often pushing myself — and other people — to do better when it comes to issues of equity and self-improvement.

But I thought it was important to mention this too right now:

If you’re struggling, please don’t let yourself get in a rut of thinking that you’re a failure because you haven’t been recycling as much, haven’t been exercising enough, haven’t been shopping responsibly enough, haven’t been reading enough serious literature quick enough, haven’t been…

The reality — especially in the United States — is that we occupy space in a consumerist, ableist, white supremacist, etc. society. These societies are structured in a way where certain behavior is easier to practice than others.

When you choose to recycle more, consume less, and shop ethically, you’re going against the grain.

When you choose to center the most marginalized and speak out against racism and other forms of discrimination, you’re going against the grain.

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Namira Islam Anani
Namira Islam Anani

Written by Namira Islam Anani

Eldest daughter, chef wife, human rights education & training lawyer, liberatory coach, and graphic designer. Waawiyatanong (Detroit) / বাঙালি / مسلم

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