Dr. Anjail Rashida Ahmad
02 Jul 2006
Rachel,
I hope you'll remember me from my phone call of last week. I am part of
the
CAN-DO group
in Greensboro, and I was referred to you all by Ms. Nancy Hoag. Thank
you
for your words
of encouragement toward the fight ahead of us.
We are planning a letter writing campaign as part of the fight
back/organizing efforts
here. We will also be speaking back to the City Council over the
duration as
well. I had
a follow up call from the NC ACLU on this past Friday, and was told to
look
for an
additional call this coming week. With any luck, they'll help in this
fight.
I appreciate the offer to possibly help us here by possibly speaking.
Right
now, since
the issue with the council has passed, I'm not sure what's the best way
to
do something
like that. We'll be speaking at the start of council meetings since we
will
not be on the
agenda, and we'll have an informational/organizing meeting on July. 13.
I
have attached a
flyer. I've called it the Access-GSO Letter Project. It's an effort to
build
a record of
the impact of the decision as well as a way to get the community
involved by
writing and
sending letters to the paper and reading them at the council meetings.
Not
sure of the
exact numbers for that evening, but if you all would like to come down
to
address the
group, we would welcome that.
Lastly, I did take time to read Ms. Hunter's website and the
interesting
links. I really
like her ideas, her position on issues and plan to vote for her as
well.
Our
country is
and has been in deep trouble for some while. I am proud to see her be
so
bold when so
many others seem far too weak.
Thank you for your time and interest.
Dr. Anjail Rashida Ahmad
Creative Writing Program Director
Assistant Professor of English
A world of peace, a world of joy
is what many desire.
The acts and intentions of one human soul
can make all the difference.
Selected as one of the top ten persons who made a significant
difference
in the
Triad in 2005 with the program "Poets Writing in a Time of War."
"10 Who Caught Our eye in 2005"
(http://www2.gotriad.com/article/articleview/17109/1/14/)
The North Carolina Poetry Society
Gilbert-Chappell Distinguished Poet for the Central Region (2005 -
06)
(http://www.sleepycreek.org/poetry/)
My poems will be featured on the NC Arts Council web site as
follows:
Christmas Day, 2005: "a december's blessing.
(http://www.ncarts.org/freeform_scrn_template.cfm?ffscrn_id=175)
January 9 - 16, 2006: Poet of the Week (Sponsored by Kathryn
Stripling
Byer, NC
Poet Laureate.
(http://www.ncarts.org/poet_laureate.cfm)
A-427, GCB, Department of English
North Carolina A&T State University
1601 East Market Street
Greensboro, NC 27411
Program Web: www.ncat.edu/~creative
Dear. Dr. Ahmad,
Thank you for your support and kind words. It is difficult to be woman
and to speak out on issues without being branded a "bitch" or worse. I
am glad that as a strong working woman that you understand.
I have become aware of the Greensboro group's challenges regarding
access and will do anything I can to help. Your plan of action of
getting those in the community involved to make their voices heard
sounds like a good one.
Keep up the pressure on City Council and make your voices heard. Let
them know that you are constitutents and will work for their defeat if
they do not allow greater input.
I have an MRI scheduled for July 13 in the evening and don't know if I
can make that meeting, but perhaps I can come at some other time?
Best wishes,
Rachel
