as a retired revolutionary, i am no longer in the business of social activism. however, it doesn’t mean that i don’t support the causes that the times warrant.

amidst all the hard chaos happening across the world, i’ve redirected my energies and efforts to things i deem more useful and, thus, best suit my abilities such as food and cooking. currently, i’m housed in the realm of romanticism. 

as a writer, so much takes place in the imagination. it’s where i dwell and am the most comfortable; it’s where i’m able to ideate and envision what i want for myself and others.

in youthdom, i expended much of that energy to better the world around me, seeking any and every opportunity to show those that hope can exist in the midst of peril.

as a proper adult now, i’ve scaled back this precious commodity i once used in the service of others and avail it to myself, and those that are curious, to make room for the limitless possibilities.

unfortunately, we live in a world that does not seek to recognize romance for brown people, especially for those of us that exist on the darker end of the color spectrum.

romance is given many definitions in the dictionary, but the one i’m particularly invested and subscribed to is “the attractive, partly imagined character or quality of something that suggests adventure, excitement, glamour and distance from the everyday; the colorful world, life or conditions depicted in tales.”

too often we don’t see ourselves portrayed in the space of imagination that is associated with desire. i hope i don’t sound too radical, but when i declare and fashion myself as a brown romantic i’m advocating for a world where we can choose how to also present ourselves in the realm of fantasy and adornment, not just exoticism and despair; a brown romantic that invites people into the possibility of what we choose to be and not just what society and culture, writ large, puts forth.

as someone who has been fortunate enough to live and exist in various contexts, from Europe to the Arab world, i’ve experienced the many juxtapositions of my identity, but it is choosing romance as my guiding compass that, ironically, keeps me grounded and sheltered in hope. it is romance which allows me to play, create and explore, thus expand; i think this is especially important for women.

brown romanticism follows the older tradition of romanticism, seeking to shift existing frameworks. it professes a respect for what is already established, but a longing for the reworking of what is yet to come with the imaginary as its driving force.

it is the conscientious choosing of the imaginary over reality; it is prioritizing play and the reimagining of one’s self for the sake of survival. it is ultimately the choice to live a romantic life. this act is, in and of itself, intentional and, some may argue, one of resistance, but it is so necessary.

anyways, i hope this gives you something to think about in your journey.

love & madness,