let me tell you a story about what exposure towards has taught me in 1982
exposure towards has taught me in 1982
exposure towards has taught me in 1982 as civilians fled Beirut southern
as civilians fled Beirut southern
as civilians fled Beirut southern suburbs to hide from Israeli air raids I
suburbs to hide from Israeli air raids I
suburbs to hide from Israeli air raids I rushed to a building housing the Reuters
rushed to a building housing the Reuters
rushed to a building housing the Reuters news agency to file my story to the
news agency to file my story to the
news agency to file my story to the Washington Post I bounded up the stairs
Washington Post I bounded up the stairs
Washington Post I bounded up the stairs and stumbled into a crowded maze of
and stumbled into a crowded maze of
and stumbled into a crowded maze of misery frightened and forlorn a hush
misery frightened and forlorn a hush
misery frightened and forlorn a hush tapestry of men women and children
tapestry of men women and children
tapestry of men women and children huddled on the floor from wall to wall
huddled on the floor from wall to wall
huddled on the floor from wall to wall back to back head to laugh breathing
back to back head to laugh breathing
back to back head to laugh breathing heavily in that dank dim space it was a
heavily in that dank dim space it was a
heavily in that dank dim space it was a hot humid and sweltering night I tiptoed
hot humid and sweltering night I tiptoed
hot humid and sweltering night I tiptoed and picked my way through a labyrinth of
and picked my way through a labyrinth of
and picked my way through a labyrinth of limbs so as not to step on a sleeping
limbs so as not to step on a sleeping
limbs so as not to step on a sleeping infant or an outstretched hand the air
infant or an outstretched hand the air
infant or an outstretched hand the air reeks of sweat musty mattresses and
reeks of sweat musty mattresses and
reeks of sweat musty mattresses and stiflingly dense human breath I must
stiflingly dense human breath I must
stiflingly dense human breath I must have wrinkled my nose as the stale
have wrinkled my nose as the stale
have wrinkled my nose as the stale stench rose to my face a small Haggard
stench rose to my face a small Haggard
stench rose to my face a small Haggard man hugged his knees and looked at me
man hugged his knees and looked at me
man hugged his knees and looked at me with hollow eyes his gaze looked on to
with hollow eyes his gaze looked on to
with hollow eyes his gaze looked on to mine he said sister if we had soap and a
mine he said sister if we had soap and a
mine he said sister if we had soap and a place to wash we would be clean I did
place to wash we would be clean I did
place to wash we would be clean I did not step on anybody’s arm or leg but I
not step on anybody’s arm or leg but I
not step on anybody’s arm or leg but I stepped on his dignity I was mortified
stepped on his dignity I was mortified
stepped on his dignity I was mortified tormented by my offensive inconsiderate
tormented by my offensive inconsiderate
tormented by my offensive inconsiderate body language I returned the next day
body language I returned the next day
body language I returned the next day with boxes of soap and provisions but
with boxes of soap and provisions but
with boxes of soap and provisions but the refugees were all gone Chimamanda
the refugees were all gone Chimamanda
the refugees were all gone Chimamanda Adichie wants refugee from nigeria and
Adichie wants refugee from nigeria and
Adichie wants refugee from nigeria and now celebrated author says nobody is
now celebrated author says nobody is
now celebrated author says nobody is ever just a refugee a single thing we
ever just a refugee a single thing we
ever just a refugee a single thing we are emotional beings with a shared
are emotional beings with a shared
are emotional beings with a shared desire to be valued a desire to matter I
desire to be valued a desire to matter I
desire to be valued a desire to matter I dedicated close to 40 years of my
dedicated close to 40 years of my
dedicated close to 40 years of my years as a journalist covering conflict
years as a journalist covering conflict
years as a journalist covering conflict I did not walk away unchanged I’m still
I did not walk away unchanged I’m still
I did not walk away unchanged I’m still recovering it has been an education of
recovering it has been an education of
recovering it has been an education of the heart and mind deaths and calamities
the heart and mind deaths and calamities
the heart and mind deaths and calamities that upend lives and steal the future
that upend lives and steal the future
that upend lives and steal the future haunt me journalists can acknowledge the
haunt me journalists can acknowledge the
haunt me journalists can acknowledge the pain
pain
pain listen inhabit describe the worlds of
listen inhabit describe the worlds of
listen inhabit describe the worlds of those without a voice by observing and
those without a voice by observing and
those without a voice by observing and reporting I push my students to write
reporting I push my students to write
reporting I push my students to write compellingly
compellingly
compellingly to give a vivid picture of what it is
to give a vivid picture of what it is
to give a vivid picture of what it is like to walk in the shoes of those
like to walk in the shoes of those
like to walk in the shoes of those vulnerable victims it can help but is
vulnerable victims it can help but is
vulnerable victims it can help but is often not enough overexposure can leave
often not enough overexposure can leave
often not enough overexposure can leave audiences and readers numb desensitized
audiences and readers numb desensitized
audiences and readers numb desensitized from what is real Nora and Suleiman a
from what is real Nora and Suleiman a
from what is real Nora and Suleiman a Palestinian refugee I encountered in the
Palestinian refugee I encountered in the
Palestinian refugee I encountered in the Rafah camp in Gaza had no house to speak
Rafah camp in Gaza had no house to speak
Rafah camp in Gaza had no house to speak of Israelis had blown it up into a pile
of Israelis had blown it up into a pile
of Israelis had blown it up into a pile of rubble during the Intifada one of her
of rubble during the Intifada one of her
of rubble during the Intifada one of her sons was dead four others were in jail
sons was dead four others were in jail
sons was dead four others were in jail as was her husband that was her story
as was her husband that was her story
as was her husband that was her story she was homeless and had no menfolk but
she was homeless and had no menfolk but
she was homeless and had no menfolk but she carried a bag of rice and a small
she carried a bag of rice and a small
she carried a bag of rice and a small pot tied to her waist whenever she could
pot tied to her waist whenever she could
pot tied to her waist whenever she could she gathered her grandchildren and
she gathered her grandchildren and
she gathered her grandchildren and cooked them a meal over a fire fed with
cooked them a meal over a fire fed with
cooked them a meal over a fire fed with twigs
twigs
twigs she smiled through it all why I asked
she smiled through it all why I asked
she smiled through it all why I asked she said defiantly as what Vaishali
she said defiantly as what Vaishali
she said defiantly as what Vaishali ‘majide black in my gut and red for my
‘majide black in my gut and red for my
‘majide black in my gut and red for my enemy that mother courage could not
enemy that mother courage could not
enemy that mother courage could not suppress the impulse to give her
suppress the impulse to give her
suppress the impulse to give her grandchildren a sense of home this is an
grandchildren a sense of home this is an
grandchildren a sense of home this is an impulse for life not death let’s walk in
impulse for life not death let’s walk in
impulse for life not death let’s walk in the shoes of those who are hungry tired
the shoes of those who are hungry tired
the shoes of those who are hungry tired and dispossessed what these wandering
and dispossessed what these wandering
and dispossessed what these wandering fugitives endure
fugitives endure
fugitives endure happened to us democracy’s stability are
happened to us democracy’s stability are
happened to us democracy’s stability are fragile never forget that during the
fragile never forget that during the
fragile never forget that during the mountain war in Lebanon residents of my
mountain war in Lebanon residents of my
mountain war in Lebanon residents of my village were expelled those lively
village were expelled those lively
village were expelled those lively cultural characters who animated the
cultural characters who animated the
cultural characters who animated the place where I spent many happy summers
place where I spent many happy summers
place where I spent many happy summers were now living in hovels and basements
were now living in hovels and basements
were now living in hovels and basements elsewhere I lived in my parent’s flat in
elsewhere I lived in my parent’s flat in
elsewhere I lived in my parent’s flat in Beirut but I too lost a safe carefree
Beirut but I too lost a safe carefree
Beirut but I too lost a safe carefree Haven farmers from my village who
Haven farmers from my village who
Haven farmers from my village who proudly tilled the land of their
proudly tilled the land of their
proudly tilled the land of their forefathers to sustain themselves now
forefathers to sustain themselves now
forefathers to sustain themselves now worked as geometers housekeepers ironing
worked as geometers housekeepers ironing
worked as geometers housekeepers ironing and sweeping for others it took 13 years
and sweeping for others it took 13 years
and sweeping for others it took 13 years to return many died or emigrated but the
to return many died or emigrated but the
to return many died or emigrated but the fabric of that tranquil village life was
fabric of that tranquil village life was
fabric of that tranquil village life was never rewarding that is the hole in my
never rewarding that is the hole in my
never rewarding that is the hole in my heart when the Syrian conflict started
heart when the Syrian conflict started
heart when the Syrian conflict started Street children would ask for money
Street children would ask for money
Street children would ask for money selling tissues or chewing gum now they
selling tissues or chewing gum now they
selling tissues or chewing gum now they just say we are hungry a gangly girl
just say we are hungry a gangly girl
just say we are hungry a gangly girl beckoned to me one afternoon as I was
beckoned to me one afternoon as I was
beckoned to me one afternoon as I was walking home she cupped her fingers to
walking home she cupped her fingers to
walking home she cupped her fingers to her mouth signal hunger her face and
her mouth signal hunger her face and
her mouth signal hunger her face and hands black with grime
hands black with grime
hands black with grime I said come let me buy you a sandwich
I said come let me buy you a sandwich
I said come let me buy you a sandwich motioning to a nearby store bring it to
motioning to a nearby store bring it to
motioning to a nearby store bring it to me she demanded as she squatted on a
me she demanded as she squatted on a
me she demanded as she squatted on a flattened cardboard on the pavement I
flattened cardboard on the pavement I
flattened cardboard on the pavement I bristled at her brazenness still I asked
bristled at her brazenness still I asked
bristled at her brazenness still I asked the short-order cook to stuff a sandwich
the short-order cook to stuff a sandwich
the short-order cook to stuff a sandwich with chicken tomatoes and cheese as I
with chicken tomatoes and cheese as I
with chicken tomatoes and cheese as I grabbed two cartons of juice from the
grabbed two cartons of juice from the
grabbed two cartons of juice from the grocery fridge the cashier himself a
grocery fridge the cashier himself a
grocery fridge the cashier himself a displaced Syrian told me I’ll take the
displaced Syrian told me I’ll take the
displaced Syrian told me I’ll take the food out to her he said that cardboard
food out to her he said that cardboard
food out to her he said that cardboard and the spot are her bed for the night
and the spot are her bed for the night
and the spot are her bed for the night if she leaves someone may take her place
if she leaves someone may take her place
if she leaves someone may take her place many children as young as eight years
many children as young as eight years
many children as young as eight years old are too scared to go home and sleep
old are too scared to go home and sleep
old are too scared to go home and sleep outside their parents or
outside their parents or
outside their parents or handlers warned them not to return
handlers warned them not to return
handlers warned them not to return unless they have collected $10 or more
unless they have collected $10 or more
unless they have collected $10 or more net worth has not shoot away a street
net worth has not shoot away a street
net worth has not shoot away a street beggar instead chase away your fears
beggar instead chase away your fears
beggar instead chase away your fears your discomfort the time to be brave is
your discomfort the time to be brave is
your discomfort the time to be brave is now exercised mindful compassion every
now exercised mindful compassion every
now exercised mindful compassion every little act of kindness every hour
little act of kindness every hour
little act of kindness every hour volunteered counts collecting clothes
volunteered counts collecting clothes
volunteered counts collecting clothes donating money books tutoring serving
donating money books tutoring serving
donating money books tutoring serving hot meals everybody wins
hot meals everybody wins
hot meals everybody wins there is a myriad of nongovernmental
there is a myriad of nongovernmental
there is a myriad of nongovernmental organizations helping the
organizations helping the
organizations helping the underprivileged do what you can
underprivileged do what you can
underprivileged do what you can eventually we make the beds we sleep in
eventually we make the beds we sleep in
eventually we make the beds we sleep in they do for do not forget that child
they do for do not forget that child
they do for do not forget that child whose safest option is to sleep alone
whose safest option is to sleep alone
whose safest option is to sleep alone on a dark street on a cardboard mattress
on a dark street on a cardboard mattress
on a dark street on a cardboard mattress we live in an age of well-being workouts
we live in an age of well-being workouts
we live in an age of well-being workouts mindful eating fit in a bit of mindful
mindful eating fit in a bit of mindful
mindful eating fit in a bit of mindful compassion your safety and that of your
compassion your safety and that of your
compassion your safety and that of your children depends on it thank you
children depends on it thank you
children depends on it thank you [Applause]
[Applause]
[Applause] you
”
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