At its MAD BAD & DANGEROUS TO KNOW is a book about how women’s stories are erased by patriarchy.

Please join me in sharing some of those stories & tag them w #writeherstory.

My story is about my Nani—I don’t have a pic of her but this my 1st bday, in a dress she gave me.

My Nani grew up poor, was married too young & in a time when women didn’t always have a chance to speak their mind freely, she fought for her family, her faith & her home—that echoes in all my work.

To me, she is a feminist role model, though she probably never knew that word.

At the time of Partition, my Nani refused to leave India to go to Pakistan even though she was Muslim. This was a risk for her young family.

She was born in India and she said she would die in India. She would not be displaced. Sucks to be you, British Empire!

#writeherstory

This is one thing she remained true to, always. Her kids grew up, had their own kids, all of them moved to America. Even when she got sick & came here for treatment, she refused to stay.

She lived her life for others; finally, she wanted to live it for herself.

#writeherstory

I always felt like she knew when her end was near. She knew she had to go back to India. She wanted to die in her humble home. Not in a sterile American hospital bed. She wanted what independence she could take; she wanted the familiar chaos & beauty of home.

#writeherstory

In the end, she kept the promise she made to herself. She was born in India & she died in India.

And in the Nanis that appear in my work, you can find the strands of strength & faith that ran in my own Nani’s DNA.

I’d like to think she’d be proud of my work.

#writeherstory