I was at a party yesterday with left-leaning folks, and while I was talking to my friend I realized that the person at the mic had jumped into prayer. A person at our table said “that was rude to speak during blessings”, and we both said we had no idea they were happening. She proceeded to say “How could you not know? Living in a Christian society you should know what blessings sound like”. We explained that, growing up in a South Asian home, we actually didn’t know. During a time of hate crimes against non-Christian, non-white communities; we were shocked and dismayed that someone was insisting that, living in America, we have to know these things.

So often, whether we’re adults or young people, we feel silenced by someone or something. Either we don’t know how to express ourselves, because we feel so debilitated by the frequency of our oppression; or we don’t trust anyone to hold our unjust experiences. I wrote a blog a bit ago about a summer program I help organize call Bay Area Solidarity Summer (BASS) and its role in creating a safe space to discuss experiences such as this one I had. Going strong 2 years in a row, BASS has created a progressive/radical, political space for South Asian youth in the Bay Area. We seek to educate and energize youth interested in anti-oppression work and to share political and organizational strategies. BASS works on providing tools, resources and knowledge to combat and resist various forms of oppression through the power of narratives to tell the stories on the margins and personalize difficult concepts. Like my co-organizer and friend, Taz, beautifully wrote: “Narratives are used to tell the story of the past but they are a tool to organize the present”

This year’s BASS just passed on August 2nd-6th with a particular workshop on Islamophobia on August 4th, the day before the Wisconsin Sikh Temple shootings. It was tragically ironic, and also calming for the organizers and youth at the camp to share this experience together and not feel alone. I remember being in high school the day 9/11 happened, and everyone putting up their American flags, and using the word terrorist to describe members of my community; I was angry and confused. Was I the only one who was upset about Muslims being deemed terrorists, when the US was aggressively infiltrating Iraq? All of the media and my classes were focused on our American soldiers, so I had no place to speak my truth. This, in contrast with my life now where I not only have a strong community that I can share oppression and empowerment with but I can more importantly help grow, inspire and connect a new generation of politicized South Asian youth that will be the next generation of leaders advocating in a social justice movement. 

So, what are you supposed to do with all this information, and where does Bollywood come in the picture? I ask for your support in keeping BASS going by attending our upcoming fundraiser, Bollywood by the Bay, You will not only be supporting us, but also Trikone- a non profit for LGBT people of South Asian descent, the FIRST group of its kind in the world! And, even more importantly, you’ll be at the brand new South Asian and Queer owned Club OMG, the best spot to boogie down to Bhangra, remix and tunes from your favorite Bollywood films.

Three Ways You can Help:

1. RSVP for the event here, and invite ALL your friends
2. If you can’t attend, please donate here
3. Make the flyer your Facebook profile picture (you can download it from the event page)

These 3 things would be a tremendous help! If you have any questions, feel free to email me at bassoutreach@gmail.com. If you want to talk about this, comment below!