Page 19 - Pakistan Link - July 2, 2021

COMMUNITY JULY 2, 2021 – PAKISTAN LINK – P19
PAGB Holds Clinic for Administering Second Dose of Covid-19

n By Tahir Ali especially the young volunteers who were very satisfied and called their

Photos courtesy Tahir Ali, Saima put their heart and soul to extend experience as “quick and safe”
Chaudhry, and Fauzia Sayeed their help. Samyah (shown taking a shot
Siraj Khan, Shehla Gull and in a photo), came from Stoughton
Sharon, MA: After the successful Shabana Chaudhry awarded Cer- High School, with her mother Myr-

COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic held on tificates of Appreciation to all vol- iam Nicolas. “We loved it, and love
May 22 at the Islamic Center of New unteers, the young and the young- this place of worship. Some of our
England, Sharon (ICNE) - spear- at-heart. friends come here to pray. I am try-
headed by Shabana Chaudhry, Vice Shabana wanted to combat ing to send more people here.”

President of PAGB - the second dose COVID-19 and make a difference, Sareh Cei and her son Jason
COVID vaccine clinic held on June and she and the PAGB team did just (seen in photo), signed up at the

12 was held equally effectively, if not that. Sharon High School. Sareh and Ja-

better. It was evident that PAGB’s The success of the event can son summed their experience nice-

team of young volunteers had picked be ascertained from the comments ly in a few words: “The place is nice,

up exactly where they had left off on made by some of the parents who the process was so easy, people are
May 22nd. accompanied their children com- very friendly.”
Amir Rashid, President of ing to get their second vaccine shot. “A little planning goes a long
ICNE Sharon, the venue of the PAGB Shabana’s daughter; Samia Ali, and way. With the State directives com-
Vaccine Clinic, was pleased to wit- PAGB’s Director of PR; Tahir Ali rience for the younger kids a great from where I live. Yaming, by his ing into effect, allowing children in

ness first hand, the event in smooth talked to some of the parents. one. Everyone was so kind and own submission, “there was no pain the age group 12 - 15 to receive Pfiz-

operation, almost like clockwork. Mary Alice Nathan RN (seen knowledgeable.” in the first shot.” er’s COVID-19 vaccine in Massa-

The ICNE leadership took pride in in photo with Shabana) from Sha- Katy Roca praised the efforts “Wonderful experience,” said chusetts from May 13, PAGB’s clinic

the fact that not only did they pro- ron Public Schools felt honored to of the Sharon Islamic Center: “The Kokab Naz. Her friend Semah Man- on May 22nd was perfectly timed

vide the facility, many of their young be part of this project. She praised Sharon Mosque has provided an ex- zoor chimed in: “Well managed.” for the first shot in the arm. June
members also volunteered to help the efforts made by Shabana and the ceptional service by providing Co- Sree Devi, accompanied her 12th followed naturally, with people

facilitate the entire process. Amir PAGB team in sending out a press vid vaccination to the Sharon Com- son Sriram, from Stoughton. Sri- knowing where to go and follow the
Rashid went on to say that although release to all schools and newspa- munity and others. We were made ram, found it “nice and convenient. process precisely as they did for the
he initially wanted to have the vac- pers in a timely manner to get the to feel welcome by everyone and are Our Principal emailed the students first dose. So, what we had accom-

cination only for their own com- word out. “Super good idea. I got so grateful for their help in vaccinat- to sign up within a day. And we plished in 8 hours for the Dose #1,
munity “but we opened it for the ex- interested to help. And it’s so nice ing our children.” did.” was completed in half the time with
tended Community in surrounding to see the kids from the school, Anirud Sinha and his son An- Neil, son of a popular singer in Dose #2. The entire process from A

towns and schools as an outreach and they were happy to see a famil- ish were informed by their school the Indian community Meenakshi to Z was efficiently conducted and

project.” iar face. This is so well organized. in Stoughton. The Sinhas reported Kulshreshtha, who has shared the controlled. PAGB demonstrated its

Siraj Khan, President of PAGB, Thank you for making me a part of with three ‘Greats’ - “ great job, great stage with Siraj Khan in Boston and spirit and tradition of community
expressed his gratitude to Amir this campaign.” communication and great coordina- other US cities for many years, was outreach of 30+ years and this “Stop
Rashid and acknowledged the Kori Strunk summed up her tion entire all around.” pleased (and relieved) to see her the Spread’ initiative was extremely
zeal and spirit of the ICNE team visit of both dose 1 and dose 2 days Kevin Izzo, resident of Sharon son close the loop and become fully gratifying for everyone involved”,

in working closely with the PAGB quite eloquently. “The experience a seen with his son Yaming in a photo, vaccinated. commented Siraj Khan, on signing

team. Vice President PAGB Shabana few weeks ago and today was excel- received an email from Sharon High Jeniya Doljenkova’s daugh- off after being the first person to
Chaudhry had arranged with ICNE lent. The people who were working School. It was very easy and effort- ter Marsha of Sharon High school open the doors at the ICNE facility

to host an appreciation lunch for the and volunteering were heartwarm- less, both times. It was so easy to get who wants to be Psychologist, fully early morning to start, what ended
entire team of doctors, nurses and ing and made what be a scary expe- my son here because it’s not too far agreed with her mother that they up to be, a highly fulfilling day.

n By Kathy Chin Hijabed Like Me Not only did I look the part, I believed I
walked down the street in my long white felt the part. Of course, I wouldn’t really know
what it feels like to be Hijabed-I coined this
dress and inch-long, black hair one af- Why should it even matter how they see word for the lack of a better term-everyday,
t
I ernoon, and truck drivers whistled and me, as long as I know who I am? But it does. because I was not raised with Islamic teach-
shouted obscenities at me. I believe that men who see women as only ings.
I felt defeated. I had just stepped out of a sexual beings often commit violence against However, people perceived me as a Mus-

hair salon. I had cut my hair short, telling the them, such as rape and battery. lim woman and did not treat me as a sexual
hairdresser to trim it as she would a guy’s. Sexual abuse and assault are not only my being by making cruel remarks.
I sat numbly as my hairdresser skillfully fears, but my reality. I noticed that men’s eyes did not glide
sheared into my shoulder-length hair with her I was molested and raped. My experienc- over my body as has happened when I wasn’t
scissors, asking me with every inch she cut off es with men who violated me have made me Hijabed. I was fully clothed, exposing only my
if I was freaking out yet. I wasn’t freaking out, angry and frustrated. face.
but I felt self-mutilated. How do I stop the violence? How do I I remembered walking into an Islamic
prevent men from seeing me as an object rath- center and an African-American gentleman
It wasn’t just another haircut. It meant so er than a female? How do I stop them from inside addressed me as “sister”, and asked
much more. I was trying to appear androgy- equating the two? How do I proceed with life where I came from. I told him I was originally

nous by cutting my hair. I wanted to obliterate after experiencing what others only dread? from China. That didn’t seem to matter.

by femininity. The experiences have left me with ques- There was a sense of closeness between

Yet that did not prevent some men from tions about my identity. us because he assumed I was Muslim. I didn’t
treating me as a sex object. I was mistaken. Am I just another Chinese-American fe- woman for a drive along Crenshaw Boulevard know how to break the news to him because I
It was not my femininity that was prob- male? I used to think that I have to arrive at a with three Muslim men as part of a newsmag- wasn’t sure if I was or not.
lematic, but my sexuality, or rather the sexual- conclusion about who I am, but now I realize azine project. I walked into the store that sold African
ity that some men had ascribed to me based on that my identity is constantly evolving. I wore a white, long-sleeved cotton shirt, jewelry and furniture and another gentleman
my biological sex. My experience of being “Hijabed” jeans, tennis shoes, and a flowery silk scarf asked me as I was walking out if I was Muslim.

They reacted to me as they saw me and One experience that was particularly ed- that covered my head, which I borrowed from I looked at him and smiled, not knowing how

not as I truly am. ucational was when I “dressed up” as a Muslim a Muslim woman. HIJAB, P24
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