Page 22 - Pakistan Link - November 10, 2017

P22 – PAKISTAN LINK – NOVEMBER 10, 2017 COMMENTARY
n By Bilquis Ahmed Bonny Kamen always advocated trying new
Dhahran, Saudi Arabia Becoming DTM: Rebirth in Three Stages experiences. She traveled often, rode hot air
balloons, ate unusual cuisine and danced in
he shortest distance between two front of strangers. I was scared to do that. I
points is a straight line. For me, would rather stay in the comfort of the famil-
Tthe distance between joining Toast- iar. She taught me to say yes to opportunities
masters (an international organization and figure out how later. So I took the oppor-
that teaches public speaking and leader- tunity, said “Yes” and served as VPE, president
ship skills) and becoming a Distinguished and VPM in those years.
Toastmaster –DTM- was neither short nor On the road to DTM, I hit another de-
straight. tour. Moving to Saudi in 2014 proved to be
It spanned seven years and two conti- a big challenge. Luckily DTM Maria Ruiz in-
nents. Moreover, from my initial exposure to stilled in me the notion that you must thrive
Toastmasters to finally earning my DTM, I ex- wherever you are, that if you focus on solu-
perienced three periods of rebirth during this tions rather than problems, you will find suc-
journey. Change is inevitable, yet I took no joy cess and positivity.
in being uprooted again and again. However, When I joined Dhahran Women’s Toast-
with each rebirth, I rose again as a stronger, masters in 2015, I experienced another re-
wiser version of myself. birth. The treasure of passionate and intel-
DTM is the highest achievement in the bride, Mehjabeen Shaikh, who was her child- of the journey was that the audience is the ligent women uplifted me; they renewed my
Toastmasters educational program. Initially, hood friend. She captivated an audience of most important part of a presentation. Speak- desire to become a professional speaker. Their
I never envisioned I would earn my DTM. two hundred with her words. The bride be- ing is not about you. When I first took the perspectives helped me gain clarity and focus
That lofty honor had to be reserved for people came misty-eyed while listening and gave my stage, I hid behind the lectern and buried my which in turn boosted my productivity. I had
with experience, eloquence, and expertise as sister a tight embrace when she finished. I sat face in my notes. As I progressed, I delivered never been this focused or productive in my
a speaker. I had none of that. It was also for with my mouth open. My initial reaction was speeches without notes, but I was afraid to life. With access to over ten clubs, I grew as a
those with an ambition to be influential lead- that I could never do that. But my heart re- look the audience in the eye. I imagined hos- confident speaker. My mentor, DTM Akanke,
ers. I had no such ambition. I did know that membered the yearning from high school to tile glares would be focused at me. When I taught me the importance of excellence and
success and achievement come through the join Toastmasters and whispered, “I want to finally developed the confidence to maintain she taught me two important phrases. I refer
guidance, support and encouragement of oth- try.” Within two months, I enrolled in a public eye contact, I learned that the audience actu- to them as Akankeisms: Feed two birds with
ers. speaking course. In a happy coincidence, the ally supported me. one seed and Speak of the angel. They were
My success depended on all the members instructor turned out to be Don Johnson, the After only one year in Toastmasters, my positive twists on common expressions. I use
and mentors who helped me along the way. 1979 World Champion of Public Speaking. He momentum plummeted to earth without a her words all the time.
Pele said: “Success is no accident. It is hard had joined Toastmasters when his manager parachute. I was pregnant during that time, The first year here I focused on com-
work, perseverance, learning, studying, sacri- insisted he do so to improve his poor presen- fell ill with anemia, and had to be hospitalized. pleting a High Performance Leadership-HPL
fice and most of all, love of what you are doing tation skills. He thrived in Toastmasters. Mr I didn’t return to Toastmasters. For six years project and the second year I served as an
or learning to do.” I loved speaking. I concen- Johnson shared the secrets that helped him after the birth of my daughter, I missed the joy area director and club coach to fulfill the fi-
trated on achieving one educational award af- win the world championship. and exhilaration of attending meetings, the nal requirements to earn the Advanced Leader
ter another. Before I knew it, I had earned my Later, Mr Johnson invited us to visit his challenge of writing speeches and most of all Silver-ALS award. Serving others and helping
DTM. home club Torrance Chamber of Commerce being inspired by my fellow Toastmasters. them on their personal journeys was gratify-
I had first heard about Toastmasters when Toastmasters in Torrance, California. When Returning to the same club after that iso- ing.
I was in high school. I’d always been shy and I arrived as a guest, I felt like I found my long lation felt like a rebirth. The joy and challenge The journey to DTM has been one of hard
afraid to show my vulnerability to the world. lost family. I loved the camaraderie, the pre- of creating speeches and delivering them to an work, determination and joy. It was divided
Here was a chance to outgrow this way of cision, the professionalism but most of all the appreciative audience energized me. During into three distinct stages in which I experi-
thinking. Disappointment was all I felt when inspiring speakers who overcame difficulties the next four years, I earned my Competent enced a rebirth each time, a sense of renewal
I learned you had to be 18 years old to join. It and thrived. I finished my Competent Toast- Leader-CL, Advanced Leader Bronze-ALB, and a rapid burst of activity just like spring-
became a future goal. At university, I was too master-CTM (that’s what a CC was called back Advanced Communicator Bronze-ACB, Ad- time sees rebirth and rapid growth. It has been
busy to join and then the desire and idea of then) within a year with the help of Marie vanced Communicator Silver-ACS and Ad- memorable not only for the knowledge I have
Toastmasters receded from my mind. Sardinha, my gentle mentor. Her kind heart vanced Communicator Gold-ACG. Creating gained and the experiences but mainly be-
A rebirth of this idea occurred in 2003 and wit guided me through the daunting first a plan with mini goals helped me in reaching cause of the many members and mentors who
when I attended a wedding. My sister, Tas- year. these education awards. In addition, my fel- helped me along the way. I owe this success to
neem Yacoob, performed the toast for the The biggest lesson I learned in this phase low club members nudged me to serve. DTM each and every one of them.
Muslims in NJ City Fear another Backlash after Latest Attack

n By Wayne Parry Ramy Elhelw, 30, of Hoboken, said he never saw Saipov
Paterson, NJ there. “This is not somebody we recognize in any way, shape
or form,” Elhelw said. “A person who does something of this
n the halal bakeries and markets that line Main Street, nature is a deranged human being.”
and in mosques that have been part of the community But Abu Mohammed, a 46-year-old Palestinian construc-
Ifor decades, a familiar dread has taken hold after the lat- tion worker and olive oil importer who came to America at 18,
est terror attack in the US. said he saw Saipov worship there.
Sayfullo Saipov, the Muslim man accused of using a truck While he condemned Saipov’s alleged crimes, he also said
to mow down people on a New York City bike path in the name he understands what can send a law-abiding Muslim down the
of the Islamic State group, lived in Paterson. path of radicalization.
Paterson saw a surge of anti-Muslim harassment after 9/11, “It’s simple: They see the US terrorizing Muslims left and
particularly after it was learned that as many as a half-dozen of right for the last 27 years, hundreds of thousands of them,” Mo-
the hijackers who flew planes into the World Trade Center, the hammed said. “That’s terrorism, and terrorism creates terror-
Pentagon and a Pennsylvania field lived or spent time in the ists. The one who starts the fight is more guilty.”
city 20 miles (32 kilometers) outside New York. Upon hearing Mohammed’s remarks to reporters at the
After the rampage on Tuesday that left eight people dead, Omar Mosque, an elderly man yelled at him and punched him
“it’s the same feeling again,” said Imam Mohammad Qatanani, in the face, and they scuffled.
spiritual leader of the Islamic Center of Passaic County, the re- Little Istanbul for their respective Arab and Turkish residents. The mosque had been targeted by the New York Police De-
gion’s most influential mosque. Peru has a consulate in the city to serve the large number of partment, which conducted broad surveillance of Muslims in
“People here feel they will be blamed as a religion and as a Peruvians. New Jersey, New York and beyond after 9/11, a program uncov-
people. Because this guy was a Muslim, Muslims will be blamed More than 34 percent of the city’s residents were born in ered by The Associated Press in 2011. An NYPD report from
anywhere and everywhere.” another country, according to the Census Bureau. the surveillance found no evidence of criminal activity at the
By Thursday, it had already begun. The Islamic Center of Islamic leaders in the city of 147,000 people estimate Pat- Omar Mosque.
Passaic County had received eight telephone threats, prompt- erson’s Muslim population at 25,000 to 30,000. Frank Cagatay, who lives in an apartment building where
ing police to assign extra patrols to the area. Paterson was an engine of the Industrial Revolution, its Saipov had lived, said the latest attack will further damage Pa-
“They say they’re going to kill us, they’re going to burn factories churning out textiles and embroidery that helped earn terson’s reputation.
the place down, all using extremely foul language,” said the it the nickname Silk City. But many of the industrial jobs are “The people that do this cite God in carrying out terror-
mosque’s president, Omar Awad. “They say, ‘We’re going to gone, and nearly a third of Paterson’s population lives in pov- ist attacks, but God never told anyone to kill innocent people,”
come rip your ... beard off.’” erty, the city beset by crime and drugs. Cagatay said.
The New Jersey office of the Council on American Islam- It has been in this environment that the Muslim commu- After 9/11, Muslims in and around Paterson reported
ic Relations reported threats had also been made against the nity established itself over decades, with a mix of Arab, Asian, that people screamed anti-Muslim insults and threw objects at
Omar Mosque, next door to the apartment house where Saipov African-American and European members of the faith. The Is- them, particularly after false rumors spread that people were
lived. Mosque officials did not immediately return a message lamic Center of Passaic County, formed nearly three decades dancing in the streets to celebrate the attacks. Several Muslims
seeking comment. ago in Paterson, draws about 2,000 people for Friday commu- were assaulted, and mosques received bomb threats.
Tensions have flared within the Muslim community as nal prayers. Muslim leaders have gone to great lengths to try to ease
well, with two men getting into a fistfight at a mosque in a dis- Now, some are afraid they will be made to answer for the the hostility by reaching out to law enforcement officials and
pute over the cause of Saipov’s alleged radicalization. actions of a man many leaders of the community say they didn’t local residents.
Until last week, Saipov, who came to the US in 2010 from know. Government agencies held job fairs at Qatanani’s mosque
Uzbekistan, was just one more recent arrival in a city that is Saipov did not attend the Passaic County mosque, Qata- to recruit Arabic-speaking Muslims, and high-ranking political
home to immigrants from more than four dozen countries. nani said. As for the Omar Mosque, congregants disagreed over and counterterrorism officials were guests at its annual
Neighborhoods have been dubbed Little Ramallah or whether he prayed there. ATTACK, P24
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