I made sure that I took fulladvantage of these resources through my steely identity kit

I had chosen to write aboutbetrayal for our creative writing exercise, and instead ofdissuading nine-year-old me from the mature topic, shegave me books to read, offered out-of-class writingassignments that she would grade on her own time, andnominated my name for every speaking role in anyschool event. Miss Sandy was the most underpaid andunderappreciated teacher, and yet she taught me farbeyond the 4th grade. In fact, the lessons she impartedstill influence my learning now, and one day thesenuances of language will be impressed onto my children.

I plan to someday soon return and utilize everything I am learning here to helprebuild my home to how it was before.

. I was able to amend the story then, and thispaper is my way of fixing it now, and I will continue to be aware of single stories. Consider it myway of saying a person’s true measure is what they choose to do with their power, regardless of itsmagnitude.

I expressed that my favorite “ethnic” music would most likely be a ChrisBrown album.

A person’s true measure iswhat they choose to do withtheir power, regardless of itsmagnitude. The power tocombat ignorance andpromote freedom of thought;that is to know every sidethere is to know about astory and have the liberty totake a stance, make a choice,or simply just have the fullknowledge.

. It all made sense now: these rules grant us chances to think about our words onemore time before they transform into something bigger than words. They limit how impulsive onecan be. In between choosing “to” and “too” are scant milliseconds for you to stop and think. Assomeone who always comes up with better comebacks the day after in the shower, I appreciate theextra time—in fact, I need the extra time.This has changed my perspective completely on viewing grammar and spelling as burdenswhile writing. I enjoyed learning it and applying it throughout my writing.

In spite of my male-dominated community, I was able to interact with individuals ofthe opposite sex, as lab partners and even as best friends, as opposed to my neighbor who onlyknew of them through her experience with the one that she would be forced to marry. Thisprepared me for my later reality, beyond my school’s protective wings. It empowered me to find myfemale voice, acknowledge its importance, and to use it positively and influentially. This hasultimately made me the vocal person I am, and this translates into my writing as much as it doesanything else. Here, along with the basketball court, is where my inner leader was born, where myability to socially influence people toward a bigger goal originated.

Out of love for my family, I didn’t object to the choice of moving across the world. Out oflove for my country, I plan to someday soon return and utilize everything I am learning here to helprebuild my home to how it was before.

In the sixth grade, my dad decided that we were old enough to hear his story. His family hadonce owned a house in Palestine, but they were forced to flee during the Zionist occupation. He toldus how, every month, he went olive and fig picking with his father. He told us about the girl he wentto school with, who was found shot dead in the street a few days after they had met. The Zionistsrefused to remove the dead body to teach a lesson to those who showed resistance. He opened myeyes to an apartheid regime, ironically labeled as “the only democracy in the Middle East.” This iswhen I started to gain a political voice. Too many articles and podcasts later, I have formedopinions. Once, I asked Professor Lambert as to whether someone can be their own literacysponsor. She responded, “No, but one’s ideas can.” My self-motivation is another one of my literacysponsors. My drive towards embracing my Palestinian roots is my way of displaying love to thehome that raised every generation of my family. It is my way of giving back to the land that hasbeen too busy giving a place for people to call home. It is my way of paying my respects to thecountless lives that were sacrificed in the fight for this holy land.

the entire family wastransplanted from dear Amman to the US. I say “transplanted” because just like every other organtransplant, the new organ fits, the antibodies have been cross-matched, but the new organ isnevertheless foreign, and with all of the tests they carry out, the organ still faces a risk of rejectionfrom the new body.

A s I sit at my usual table for two in my favorite coffee shop two minutes down the streetfrom my house, I try to pioneer my way through undiscovered territory in my brain and considerthe literacy factors that have shaped me into the writer I am today. This approach is anunprecedented challenge, something that does not fall in line with what I learned in the pastseventeen years.

“saying (writing)-doing-being-valuing-believing combinations,”

You have to take actions you neverthought you could take, ones that will leave you shaking as you do and probably hours after that. Ihave come to learn that literacies acquired in spite of the adversities that come with them are themost influential and worthy

BARAKAT | WITH LOVE, FOR LOVE, THROUGH LOVE

I try to pioneer my way through undiscovered territory in my brain and considerthe literacy factors that have shaped me into the writer I am today.

“Allah loves someone who when works, he performs it in perfect manner.”

“the one we first use to make sense of the world and interact with others” (279). Icould easily integrate this proudly acquired Discourse from my first parent-made environment intomy later secondary Discourses—this exploration method has no expiry date that I know of yet.Eighteen years later, everything I have done has been giving love, showing love, or spreading love.Every action I have taken has been done “with love, for love, or through love,” as my mum usuallysays.

diversitywas conceived in me on a lunch table level.