Consuming media with intention is a crucial way for us to address systemic issues that prevail in our everyday lives. 

I cannot emphasize enough the importance of accessible, free resources, as someone who grew up in a diverse community. In the early 2000s, people in my community did not have the means to send their children to tutoring, spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on sports, or things that more affluent people have their kids partake in. 

I grew up in a household where my father would work all day shifts and my mother would tend to a million and one things.. My mother exposed me to interactive education by reading to me every night since I was a toddler and taking me to the public library. PBS Kids, Noggin Junior, and Discovery Kids were my main sources of entertainment growing up, and I attribute my intuitive learning skills and curiosity to the free educational resources I had access to. These resources were crucial in helping me gain skills through independent learning. 

In Islam, seeking knowledge is a sacred duty. Knowledge is essential to fulfilling our religious obligations, understanding our faith, and navigating the world around us. We often forget how important it is to be in tune with nature and our natural intuition. Capitalism and the authoritative, rigid systems we live in force us to forget our passions and the pursuit of wisdom and personal development.

We have given in to despair when a better world is possible. Fair and sustainable societies have existed throughout time.  The Islamic Golden Age and indigenous societies prove that community-focused development has always been important to humankind. Our brains, hearts, and faith led us to create and do remarkable things.

 Injustice, war, humanity. Time and time again, our egos stand in opposition with our moral compass causing us to lose hope in what seems to be an endless cycle. But even if we find ourselves in this loop, is it not better to be good and do good? Doing good does not have any restrictions or guidelines. Everyone who keeps an open heart will find their purpose come to them.

A society equipped with knowledgeable, intellectual, compassionate people is one that will preserve this Earth. Stronger communities are ones that are better positioned to fight against and address societal challenges and systemic injustices, even if we have to fight them over and over again. Is that not the challenge of this dunya? We are the architects of a better future for ourselves and our communities and we must act in honor of the goodness we have. 

We all have talents and lived experiences that allow us to build a better future. A lot of it starts in the classrooms. A lot of it starts in our homes, and with our family and friends. As a Muslim woman who has observed despair, hope, kindness, and cruelty, I ask you to be open to love and learning. Expand your worldview and learn. Lean on your loved ones for support, and learn from them as well. We cannot be complicit in the odds that are against us.

Sincerely,

Samiah