I Don't Even Know What the Words Are At This Point - I Just Roll with My Luck, My Opportunities, the Stories, and Beautiful Humanity

I heard from Abdi Nor Iftin, author of Call Me American, a while ago to say he was coming to Connecticut for an event at the Connecticut Institute for Refugees and Immigrants. Well, that just happens to be the location that we work with for Ubuntu Academy, the Refugee Mentoring Program, and Hope Club. So, I simply said, "See you there." Of course the event was at the Black Rock Yacht Club (what he called yakked club), and I have to laugh with him. I'm not used to such spaces either (even if I did two yakked clubs in one weekend). What has my life turned into?

I was happy to be able to meet Abdi Nor Iftin through work with the National Writing Project and have long followed the story since This American Life  featured him on NPR. All of these are worth your attention.

Abdi and the Golden Ticket (2015)

Abdi the American (2020)

The Write Time with Abdi Nor Iftin (2021)

As Human as They (We) Are (2021)

Last night, my colleagues Drs. Alfred Babo, Melissa Quan, Kathleen Freis, Andrea Canuel, and I got to meet, greet, and learn alongside the writer through an event at the CIRI. It was awesome and I was excited to finally meet the man in person. 

Even better, when I arrived, this gorgeous face came up to me and said, "Hey, you," and hugged me with tremendous enormity." I had to wrack my brain thinking, "Why do I know this face? It's so familiar and I can't place it. Help, Great Whatever. This is a good relationship, right?" Then it hit me! It's my dentist and she was at the event with her husband Peter. I don't typically see her without her scrubs and a face mask and so it threw me upside down. "Hey, I saw your son earlier this week and I was so excited to to know you're coming in, too."

Um, I owe her money and will settle up this week. I fee bad that this is the truth (and can you imagine how beautiful their children are????). 

Anyway, great evening at the Black Rock Yacht Club, and looking forward to, perhaps, working again with Abdi Nor Iftin soon. I am thrilled that the National Writing Project daily brought me together with him, and that my work with the Center for Social Impact at Fairfield University continues to believe in the mission that parallels my own. 

And yes, Dr. Kudish was class of 2005...she was in Cheshire with Peter, but technically I taught her generation. Super cool human being...someone everyone should know in the state of Connecticut.