Black History Month

Michelle Obama was born on January 17, 1964, in Chicago, Illinois. She attended Princeton University, graduating in 1985, and went on to earn a degree from Harvard Law School in 1988. Following her graduation from Harvard, she worked at a Chicago law firm, where she met her husband, the future U.S. president, Barack Obama. The couple married on October 3, 1992. As First Lady, she focused her attention on current social issues, such as poverty, healthy living and education. She has supported several causes for women empowerment and building a future for young people. 

She is a force of nature. She served as the First Lady of the U.S.A. for 8 years. She has been the backbone of America and has been the epitome of strength through her time as the First Lady. She is a true leader. Every word she utters is with true conviction. She has served in the shadows as a public servant, working towards making America a better country for each citizen. She is not afraid to stand up for what she believes in. A great mother, wife and daughter she has excelled in every aspect of her life. She has founded and supported countless causes to make the world a better place for every woman and child. 

In May 2006, Essence listed Michelle among the "25 of the World's Most Inspiring Women.” They could not have been more right. She speaks for the entire nation every time she presents a speech to the country. She is an amazing student and has paved the way for several African-American women worldwide to achieve their dreams. She is one of the biggest advocates for women’s rights and for the rights of every citizen. She strongly believes that every human being matters. She also boldly speaks about LGBT rights and is a big advocate of human decency. She is the definition of confident and is the greatest role model today for women and children worldwide. I believe that Michelle Obama would make a great president of the United Stated of America.  For Black History month, I could not think of anyone greater to honor than Ms. Obama. 

Uri Attack: A Face of Imprisonment

Two Pakistani teenagers, who were wrongly accused of having served as guides for the terrorists who attacked an Indian Army base in Uri, were repatriated home on Friday afternoon,  At the end of 171 days in the custody of the Indian Army and National Investigations Agency, a day after being formally cleared by investigators, Faisal Husain Awan and his school-friend Ahsan Khursheed were brought to the Attari border-crossing shortly after lunchtime, their eyes covered with black blindfolds, and handed over to Pakistani authorities. The NIA had, earlier this week, told a court in Jammu that it was releasing both youth as its investigation had found no evidence against them.

A spokesperson for the Indian Army, which held the two youth on September 21, also alleged the two youth were “working for Jaish-e-Muhammad terror outfit”. Later, however, Praveen Swami, an Indian Express journalist, threw up evidence that the two were at home on September 17, the day Global Positioning System data recovered from the Uri attackers showed that they had crossed the Line of Control.

 A woman doctor working for the Central Reserve Police Force, who treated the two teenagers following their arrest, told The Indian Express that they told her they had participated in the attack itself, providing details of how incendiary substances were used to set the tents at the 12 Brigade on fire.The NIA, however, found the two youths’ supposed confessions did not tally with actual events on the ground, suggesting that they may have been coerced to give this testimony during the first days of their arrest.

Two innocent teenage boys have faced unimaginable trauma. Their only fault was that they crossed the line of control by accident. Their villages were located extremely close to the line of control and this mistake could have been made by any other child. These boys were held captive by the Indian Army for 171 days. They had no family and nobody to defend them. I sometimes imagine myself in their shoes and my body shakes with fear. They were made to lie so that they could evade torture. Guilt flows through my body as does shame. These boys were suspected to be terrorist just because they were Muslims. Not only does it speak shamefully about us as Indians, but as human beings as well. Our constitution ensures equal rights for each human being but these rights were denied to these children simply because they were Muslim and the Indian Army needed someone to blame. I would like to salute Mr. Swami for his contribution to the release of these two children. To all adults out there, I would just like to ask you to follow what you preach as that kid could have been yours. These boys had a family and a life which we ripped away from them. 

International Women's Day - A Tribute

‘Looking back, moving forward’. This statement could not be more true. For centuries women have been downgraded by society. People say that a women’s hand is behind every man success. Personally, I have find that to be extremely degrading. Women are not helpers who hide in the shadows. They are as strong as they want to be. Throughout history women have defied the rules of society and proved our worth. There is no better way to celebrate international women’s day but by honoring the smartest and bravest women’s who have carved the paths for success. They have stood up the man and defied every speculation.

Amelia Earhart was the first women pilot to fly across the Atlantic Ocean. With a dream that truly reached the sky she succeeded where no man could. Her bravery and passion led her to become the greatest female aviator in history. Amelia was born on July 24, 1897 in Atchison, Kansas. In 1923, Earhart, fondly known as "Lady Lindy," became the 16th woman to be issued a pilot's license. She had several notable flights, becoming the first woman to fly across the Atlantic Ocean in 1928, as well as the first person to fly over both the Atlantic and Pacific. In 1937, she mysteriously disappeared while trying to circumnavigate the globe from the equator. Earhart was legally declared dead in 1939.

As a child I ember being fascinated by the wildlife. I was often scared by the anger they posed. Jane Goodall all but proved me wrong. Jane Goodall created one of the most trailblazing studies of primates in modern times when she dwelled with Tanzanian chimps to observe their behavior. Born on April 3, 1934, in London, England, Jane Goodall set out to Tanzania to study wild chimpanzees by sitting amongst them, bypassing more rigid procedures and uncovering discoveries about primate behavior that have continued to shape scientific discourse. Jane was named a Messenger of Peace by the United Nations in 2002 and a Dame of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth II of England in 2003.

Women have shaped history but so have children. The finest example of this is Malala Yousafzai. Malala was born on July 12, 1997, in Mingora, Pakistan. As a child, she became an advocate for girls' education, which resulted in the Taliban issuing a death threat against her. On October 9, 2012, a gunman shot Malala when she was traveling home from school. She survived, and has continued to speak out on the importance of education. She was nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize 2014and won, becoming the youngest person to receive the Nobel Peace Prize.

I have always admired some people’s passion and dedication to their work. Simone Biles is definitely one of those people. Simone Biles was too young to qualify for the 2012 Olympics, but the 4-foot-9 gymnast has completely dominated her sport since her senior debut in 2013. Not only is she the first female gymnast since 1974 to win four consecutive all-around titles at the U.S. national championships, but she’s also the first woman ever to be the all-around world champion three years in a row. Her passion for her sport is her best quality.

There have been so many amazing women that it is impossible to honor them all. But they are in our hearts and mind. We are all special and all of us have the capability to shine. These icons inspire us every day to aspire bit and shine even brighter. Not only have they carved the way to a brighter future for all women but have also gained our deepest respect. On International women’s day, I would just like commemorate and congratulate each and every one of them.

By: Tarsha Swami