Nodi Khan
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Nodi Khan

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Stories

Kyle Rittenhouse Verdict
FeaturedLifeMomentsStories

Kyle Rittenhouse Verdict

It’s hard to even start this post. The verdict ruled today revealed many ugly truths about not only our judicial system but our country as well.

The fact still stands that a murderer crossed state lines, entered a populated environment with a gun, and shot three people. Undeniable drone footage shows him committing these atrocious acts, and yet he walks free.

There is a lot to unpack in this case. There is the fact that the judge refused the prosecution to refer to those shot by Kyle Rittenhouse as “victims.” But the defense was allowed to refer to these two dead men and one fatally wounded man as “arsonists,” “looters,” “rioters.” There is the fact that the prosecution wasn’t allowed to zoom in on a video, because the judge was convinced it was a digital alteration. The fact that Rittenhouse’s involvement with the “Proud Boys” (a white nationalist hate group) was rendered not acceptable for use in the case, despite the obvious racially charged motives he possessed. There is also the extremely inconsiderate Asian food joke made by Schroeder in the middle of the trial. I can’t comprehend how you can make any sort of joke in the courtroom of families with dead sons.

It should be known that the prosecution itself was not perfect. There were flaws and inefficiency in some of the arguments but these shortcomings pale in comparison to the grand scheme of things.

Ultimately, the trial boiled down to a question of self-defense.

And this question is ultimately what gave the unimaginable leeway for a murderer to walk free.

America’s fixation with self-defense is ridden with racial biases and political agendas. “Self-defense” is what is used to justify policemen killing unarmed black men. “Self-defense” is used to justify the use of absolute and lethal force, taking away mothers and fathers and leaving their children without a parent. Today, “Self defense” is used to protect the privilidged few from the consequences of their horrific actions. 

It seems that “self-defense” is a one-way street and statistics on the overwhelming presence of racial bias in such cases reflect this.

Although the victims of Rittenhouse were all white, self-defense still remains a one-way street. After witnessing Rittenhouse shoot Joseph Rosenbaum, Anthony Huber attempts to apprehend the fatal shooter and he himself is shot. However, is this not also self-defense? What about when Gaige Grosskreutz, after being held at gunpoint, attempts to wrestle the gun from Rittenhouse’s hands? Is this also not self-defense? Why are these and similar cases of “self-defense” twisted to suit one narrative: granting one person the right to protect themselves, when that same right isn’t equally extended to others?

There is a lot to discuss in regards to the content of this trial and its nauseating outcome though what stands out the most is the very apparent and serious pitfalls in our judicial system. My condolences and sincere support go out to the victims’ families and I can only hope for the healing of their hearts.

November 19, 2021 0 comment
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Lunar New Year
LifeMomentsStories

Lunar New Year

I approached the silky gown with the caution of a bomb defuser, pinching the fabric as though too much human contact would cause it to dissipate.

With the hue of cotton candy, equally as bright as delicate, I pinch the cloth, trying to minimize the times I touch it. Like a prism, the fabric converts the ambient glow of my yellow kitchen lights into the blurred rays of a nighttime carnival.

The gown feels less like clothing and more of a second skin: gifted to me by my mother and tied with a matching magenta ribbon. Unfolding the drapery feels just like untying a bow- succinct and graceful until the original silhouette hangs.

The mission to slick my hair is equally as poised- my black hair stretched out into a thick string of inky dough, before twisted and twirled into an even bun. A blend of hair oils and serum acts as the glaze, flattening stray hairs until my hair sits taut and pulled back, neatly pleated to match the outline of my dress.

Getting ready had turned my body into a moving prototype of glass, where I carried myself with a cautious fragility, but I also brought a glittering skip in my step with me. As I kneeled gently for a family photo, I felt the moon rise in the center of my chest.

I tell my experience like this because the emotions that I underwent during this lunar celebration could only be described in the unsaid process of creation- the naturalistic and simplistic procedure of where each step is equally as necessary as intuitive.

My theory is that the world has never operated in words. “Show, not tell” is not just a commandment of writing but rather natural law, and anything else feels interruptive. It’s difficult for a single word to match the intensity of an emotion, but it’s easy to find read pages encapsulating a single feeling.

This is the sole reason why unsaid glances exist- the implications of unspoken movements, tones and atmosphere say what the human language limits us on. It’s not necessarily something one can document but feel.

Emotions aren’t tangible: they are the thin strings woven into a thousand thread rope.

February 7, 2021 0 comment
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Dear Toronto
LifeStoriesTravel

Dear Toronto

This post will be about Toronto, one of my most favorite places to have traveled. Toronto was similar to New York in some ways, but had its own characteristics. I could see why it’s been consistently on the list of the world’s most livable places. Toronto, much like New York has an incredibly busy and bustling Chinatown, which is the place me and my family traveled to first. I was especially fascinated by the amounts of cables that hung from the pole to pole, which are used to string on-ground cable cars along. Another we did in Toronto was visit the Spiceland market, a place we saw on Eddie Huang’s TV show, “Huang’s World. Spiceland is basically a medium-sized Sri Lankan market, with a large assortment of goods not found in many other stores. We also visited Toronto’s K-town, which was larger than the one in New York. It was late out at night at this point, but we still got to go inside some stores and observe some pretty cool street art.  I can’t wait to visit Toronto again.

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June 7, 2017 3 comments
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A Day in Chicago
FeaturedMomentsStoriesTravel

A Day in Chicago

The photo above makes me especially smile. This was taken at night at Chicago’s famous Magnificent Mile. The Magnificent Mile is a popular commercial district that features many luxe and upscale shops, trendy restaurants and posh hotels. I bought a sweatshirt, some pants, a dress and a bath bomb. The bath bomb proved to be a very relaxing experience while the clothing items are some of my most favorite garments in my wardrobe.  Treating yourself to something once in a while isn’t something you should feel guilty about. Taking time to take care of yourself is something you’ll thank yourself in the future for.

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June 7, 2017 3 comments
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Match Point
MomentsStories

Match Point

This summer, I played tennis. I was enrolled in a summer tennis camp program, as well as practicing with my dad. I really enjoyed incorporating exercise into my daily routine, as it came with a multitude of unexpected benefits. For example, after exercising, I actually felt more energized because I had successfully gotten my muscles to start moving and my blood to begin flowing.  As a result, I had better performance throughout my daily tasks and studies. Another thing that exercising does is improve your sleep. This might only be my case, but I fell asleep much more easily when bedtime rolled around. After continuing tennis for an extended period of time, my skin started to glow a bit more and I also felt better emotionally. Playing tennis had the ability to make me feel productive and accomplished. If I ever find additional time in my school schedule, I’d really like to integrate a time reserved for exercise so I can continue receiving these benefits.

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June 7, 2017 3 comments
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Writing A New Life Chapter
LifeMomentsStoriesTravel

Writing A New Life Chapter

Change, for the most part, is always good. It refreshes our eyes, it revitalizes our tastebuds, it wakes up our noses. It is incredibly important to avoid a monotonous, gray routine that doesn’t make you truly happy.  This is because if you live a life of misordered priorities and you worry about the irrelevant things, you’ll become, to simply put it, sad. There’s a reason why ice cream comes in more than two flavors and why the sky likes to change colors. It’s because, without variation, life quickly becomes boring. We as humans need something to differentiate today from yesterday. Every day, I try to do something new, something different. This can be as simple as switching up my breakfast, or as drastic as completely re-organizing my wardrobe. If you’re out of ideas or choices to alter, create something new. Picking up an instrument or a new book cannot only change your life but you as well.

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May 10, 2017 3 comments
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My Crazy Dad
My Crazy Dad
LifeMomentsStories

My Crazy Dad

My dad and I are very close. The biggest thing we have in common though, is our tendency to find other solutions to a problem. For example, my dad temporary sofa covers using duct tape and fabric he bought online and I built a makeshift shelf support using books. Recently, our caulking gun broke, so we used various tricks in order push the silicone out. Regardless, every time we use our DIY talent and instinct, the outcome is something that solves the problem in a cost-effective, functional, efficient way. And that’s all the matters right?

My dad has taught me a lot of lessons. Like to always work with what you have, or how to retain composure when a situation is stressful. My work ethic, grades, and this blog that I’m writing in at this very moment are all thanks to my dad. Thank you, Dad.

Love, Nodi.

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May 2, 2017 3 comments
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Sometimes Things Just Workout
LifeMomentsStories

Sometimes Things Just Workout

Sometimes, your instinct will just tell you to do something. Like an idea will pop into your head, and your brain will just force you to follow it. In your intuition, you know that this idea just feels right. This phenomenon happened to me on the day this photo was taken, where I dyed my hair four different colors. Yep, four colors. Cyan, Blue, Hot Pink, and Magenta. It sounded crazy at first, and the more “logical” side of my brain completely rejected the idea of me going through with this style, but the other part of me was just nagging me to do it. So, I succumbed to the latter and decided to have my hair cut short and dyed. It was daring for me to pull off crazy hairstyles like this, but it gave me a rush of adrenaline and the sort of chill that I liked. In the end, it worked out really well. I was incredibly pleased with the vibrancy of the colors, and how none of them damaged my hair. For a while, my hair was a reminder to do more daring things and trust my instincts.

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April 30, 2017 3 comments
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Debating to Win
FeaturedLifeMomentsStories

Debating to Win

When I was in the sixth grade, I joined a debate team. I was hesitant at first because debates were quite intimidating to beginners. The objective was to convince a judge, or the person facilitating the debate to vote for your side. “Your side” was either pro or con, and either agreed with a statement or disagreed with it. For instance, if the topic was “Should schools sell junk food?” The pro side would agree with this statement and the con side would disagree with the statement. A typical debate round in my division, public forum, lasted around half an hour. We would have to convince the judge through a series of speeches, summaries and “crossfires” which were basically a cross-examination of the opponent.  A typical debate speech lasts four minutes and usually has three contentions, or three reasons as to why your side is right and why the team you are arguing against is wrong.

After many tournaments, I improved and improved until I was debating in the advanced division, and then until I was debating in a national tournament, taking place in Alabama.

Debate has taught me a lot of things. Not only did I learn about the many controversial topics that I had to debate for, but I also learned how to research, write and persuade a person, all while maintaining my composure and articulating well.

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April 25, 2017 3 comments
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I am on Top of The World
LifeStoriesTravel

I am on Top of The World

I visited the Skydeck in Chicago, which stands as the tallest building in the United States. The view from above was astonishing. It’s not only been with the Skydeck though. I’ve always been fascinated with looking down below from an elevated point of the ground. It gives me an overwhelming feeling of accomplishment and pride. Giving myself that scenery gives me a motivation and drive to complete my tasks quickly and pursue my new interests.

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April 21, 2017 3 comments
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I love reading, learning about new places, new ideas and unique thoughts, but more than that I love writing and expressing myself and creating imaginative worlds that I can take the reader on amazing journeys.

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“And still, after all this time, The Sun has never said to the Earth “You owe me” Look what happens with love like that. It lights up the sky!”

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