Ummer Ali |
I was born in Brooklyn, New York but my family is originally from rural Pakistan. My father grew up grazing cows, harvesting grain and sugar cane, and working construction to make a way for himself fin this world. He instilled in me a reminder that my culture is a part of my identity, and has always tried to show me my roots and heritage. My name is Ummer Ali, and while my body may reside in New York, my mind is a nomad, always on the search for a new home to seek knowledge.
I graduated from John Jay in June of 2016, and have started a graduate program focusing on social work. Someday I would like to teach full time, perhaps in my major of criminology, but my larger goal is to help out anyone I can in whichever path I lead in life. Too often people are identified by their career, but I want to be identified by my character and personality. I love to laugh and to eat; two things that I think are essential to life. Food, lord don’t get me started, I can eat with the best of them. I am very easy to convince to do things, just offer me a meal and I’m pretty much yours to command (and the best part is I’m not really picky). I can sit for hours over tea, or snacks, and just talk about the world and all the weird stuff that goes on every day. I’m not very good at biographies, so bear with me while I figure this out. Actually I think that may be it. Oh wait! My reason for writing. That would be important. My father brought me up in the United States in order to not have to struggle as much as he did. He sent us to school proudly, and wants us to use our minds to succeed in the world, but also to be happy. Writing makes me happy, it is a way for me to convey emotions and express myself in ways that I can’t verbally. In an effort to expand my writing, I have decided to take up this Zine, not only as something to be passionate about; but also as a vehicle to bring voices to those that are often voiceless. I will bind their words to the pages, and give them the a platform for their thoughts. |