I hope this inspires solidarity. A lot of people don’t know South African Indians, privileged over Black South Africans, played & continue to play a massive role in a newly imagined nation. South Asian solidarity in the Black struggle is not new.
@AEMSyr @AEBSyrdsb @ESSAHyr

#MYIslamicHeritage, my great-great uncle, Cassim Amra, was an anti-Apartheid activist who fought alongside other anti-Apartheid activists in the African National Congress, Natal Indian Congress & Anti-Segregationist Council. He was an inspiring writer, impassioned public speaker,

human rights activist & photographer. South African Indian solidarity with Black South Africans was essential to our mutual liberation. He risked his own human rights for that of others, even being jailed by Apartheid police. He shared stages with Meer, Seedat & Indira Ghandi.

They called him a “politician” cause politicizing BIPOC human rights is white supremacist. Apartheid was a white supremacist state & post-Apartheid South Africa is still in the process of undoing the damages of colonialism. They call us “developing,” we are a healing nation.

Fatima Meer, anti-Apartheid activist. Like my uncle, she was jailed for her activism. She lived on the same street as my family in South Africa, in the middle of the night, on random nights, Apartheid police would arrest her children, husband & her, waking up the neighborhood

to teach the others to remain silent & to instill fear. My mother was a child & would see them take the Meer family to separate prisons. They were tortured there. This was the price many anti-Apartheid activists paid.

Amina Desai (1920-2009), with fellow anti-Apartheid activist, @NelsonMandela. She was South Africa’s longest serving female Indian political prisoner.

Justice Zakeria Muhammed Yacoob, anti-Apartheid activist & former Justice of the Constitutional Court of South Africa.

Amina Pahad (1918-1973) was an exceptional South African Indian, awarded The Order of Luthuli for her contribution to the struggle for democracy in South Africa. #SouthAsianBlackSolidarity

Ismail Bawa, my grandfather, would support fellow professors & students (anti-Apartheid activists) at the college where he served as a professor & vice principal. He once escaped the Apartheid police in his car as they were driving to an ANC meeting.

My story is but a chapter in the history book of my people, my ancestors & my descendants.

North American context: South Asian solidarity to Black & Indigenous struggles are essential to all of our mutual liberation.
@AEMSyr @YRDSB @yrdsbinclusion @AEBSyrdsb @ESSAHyr

Check out http://sahistory.org.za  to learn more about Apartheid, and Black South African & South African Indian & Muslim anti-Apartheid activists. #ProudlySouthAfrican @YRDSB @yrdsbinclusion @AEMSyr @AEBSyrdsb @ESSAHyr

This thread teaches us 3 things:
1. South Asians experience privilege over Black humans under white supremacy.
2. South Asians are capable of, have & continue to use their privilege to center Black lives, uplift Black humans & fight in solidarity with Black humans.
3. Courage.