Being able to move abroad is often a symbol of money and privilege. It can also indicate a degree of freedom, a sign that one need not be constrained to a certain area of the world or lifestyle, and as such it’s a move that’s become increasingly attractive to Black professionals in the U.S. As an expat who has lived in Europe, Asia, Africa, and Central America, I often meet a lot of people who are considered “digital nomads,” who work mostly internet-based jobs from anywhere they please...

When Nadirah Pierre entered the world of Instagram, her natural ability to make people laugh was not a skill initially attributed to a future profession or a lane other Muslim girls who wear hijab could walkthrough. At 15, she was merely giving satirical truths from experiences of her identity as a young Black Muslim girl from Newark, New Jersey. “Since the 7th grade, people have always been laughing at the things I’ve had to say and even if I was serious, somehow they’d still be laughing,”...

Imani Bashir Upon hearing the news of George Floyd’s killing at the hands of a Minneapolis police officer, I was devastated. Although I couldn’t bring myself to watch the video of his death, my anxiety went through the roof because I had seen this many, many times before. It was Sandra Bland’s death in police custody in 2015 that made me buy a one-way ticket out of the United States. I had never lived abroad before, but I was willing to try anything to escape becoming another hashtag. Now I...

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, also known as the Hijri (lunar) calendar. Hijri marks the migration (aka Hijrah) of the Prophet Muhammad and his companions from Mecca to the city of Medina in Saudi Arabia. This holiday (from April to May in 2020) is very special to 1.8 billion Muslims around the world for many reasons. Firstly, fasting during Ramadan is one of the five pillars of obligations that Muslims are expected to fulfill in the Islamic faith. Secondly, the month of...

In my first trimester, I began experiencing abdominal pain and flu-like symptoms. I was extremely hot to the touch but cold with chattering teeth. I knew that I was going to have to go to the emergency room because I needed to know that, at least, my baby was okay. After a few tests and an IV (due to dehydration) I was told that I had a viral infection. I was put on a breathing machine, as a result of the “wheezing” my doctor said that I was doing. She even gave me an inhaler (Albuterol)...