Ruba Ahmad




Passionate Human Rights Activist.
Future Human Rights Lawyer.
Giver of Hope.
photo credit: Maria Al-Sadek

Hu-man Right

noun

plural noun: human rights

a right that is believed to belong justifiably to every person.

 

 

 

 

Human rights can at times be complex and difficult to understand because of the different layers they seem to be wrapped in. However, in speaking with Ruba Ahmad, who works for Action Aid which is in an organization that helps to educate people about their rights, I was able to see human rights through such an organic lens. If we get rid of the word human rights all together for just a brief moment and we think about it as just having a right and a responsibility, then we can picture this concept as a ripple effect.

Human rights not only guarantee a human being a right but they also come with responsibilities. Ahmad's job is to provide people with the appropriate building blocks that will enable them to become self aware of their rights. Action Aid is responsible for hosting workshops that dive into subject matter that deals with accountability, transparency and responsibility. Everyone present in these workshops is asked to come with an open mind so such dialogue can be discussed. In addition, these workshops encourage participants that the possibilities of learning from one another are monumental and important.

Ahmad, says traveling does come with its risks but what might intimidate her from time to time is exactly what inspires her to continue on with the plight. She wants to provide human rights with much more than just a voice but help give these social issues a back bone. She understands and feels that there is really no end product but rather a feel good feeling of empowerment that can be the catalyst for change.

 

As a Muslim woman she is able to find courage through prayer which she does five times a day. Ahmad, says what she remembers most are the faces of the people she meets along the way and it can be incredibly difficult to not bring their emotions back home. However, prayer allows her to not become disenchanted with what she sees on a day to day basis and gives her the strength to continue on  with her mission.  In her crusade for human rights 23-year-old Ahmad is doing exactly what she loves and aspires to make a series of splashes that hopes will one day become a title wave.

 

Número 23.

Twenty-three feels, oh so sweet. I have this indescribable feeling that 23 will be more than good to me. And that is a beautiful feeling to have.

I feel strong mentally, physically and spiritually. Perhaps, it's because I'm in a chapter of my life where I feel more comfortable in my shoes figuratively, of course. Post-college, I considered myself a rookie adult and for the first time in a long time I feel like I'm getting into the swing of things. Not to say things are constant but to say I'm getting use to unexpected changes and I'm learning to welcome them in.

I feel it in my bones that this year will be filled with adventure and opportunity. Lately, I've heard God speak so loudly to me in such a gentle way. He is causing all this ruckus in my heart but the kind that makes you feel like the world is at your finger tips. He keeps telling me to get up and keep showing up but more importantly to get ready. The last couple of months I've seen him close doors and open new ones so quickly and yet every single time he has left me with an immense peace in my heart and knowledge that he is making way for me.

I think all humans worry about where they are going and if the decisions they are making correlate with their short term or long term goals. Sometimes I find myself feeling a little bit paralyzed in my tracks and this usually happens when I begin to listen to world. But there is a remarkable shift when I begin to listen to him and no one else.

When I stand on God's promises and his truths I feel equipped and capable. His love and grace encourage me to keep pursuing what I love. He keeps introducing and reintroducing me to people who have either helped me or redirected me in some way or some form towards him. His ways are magical.

I can't wait to immerse myself and dive into things that make my soul happy.

• Working-out
• Writing
• Reading
• And interviewing people who have inspired me or motivated me in some way.  So if I ask you on a coffee date just know it is synonymous for an interview. This is your warning. (;  Be kind and say yes! I think you are the bees knees from the bottom of my corazón.

 

This year is my Michael Jordan year, numero 23. This year is my action year. This year is all about God and me.

 

Embrace the Journey.

XO

-J

The World is Waiting.

Sometimes the world seems so broken. I wonder how the world will be when I decide to have kids. To be honest, it frightens me and makes me not want to have kids. I feel the world nowadays has lost its touch when it comes to compassion, love, respect, and truly giving.

I think the biggest problem is people are always waiting. They are waiting to be loved. They are waiting to be heard. They are waiting to be respected. They are waiting to give. They are waiting to show compassion. They are waiting for healing. They are waiting to pass on the generosity.

I believe that's the root of the problem. We shouldn't wait. We should anticipate. We should be proactive and not reactive. We should just love, listen and give without waiting to be compensated.

We should show compassion not because someone has shown it to us but because we simply know how it feels to need that helping hand.

If there are two things my mom taught that I'll never forget are...

1. Just because you didn't make the mess doesn't mean you don't have to clean it up.

To be honest... this is the reason I re-rack people's weights and grab a clean tissue to pick up the dirty tissue someone used to clean up the elliptical before using it.

But the one thing that was so bizarre for me to witness growing up was seeing my mom's kindness to everyone. Whenever. Wherever.

And so she'd say...

2. Just because someone is mean/rude to you... it doesn't give you the right to treat them the way they treated you.

I'm glad my mom chose to be the woman she is. Her patience and her good-will are admirable and to be frank I think that is why God allowed me to keep her.

So if I ever have the opportunity to become a mom (which will be an honor in my humble opinion). I want to make dreamers out of them. I want them to advocate kindness in the most simplest of ways. I want my kids to talk to the lonely kid sitting at the lunch table. I want them to open the door for the elderly lady. I don't want them to wait for someone to start cleaning the mess before they feel compelled to help out.

I wish I could say I'm not guilty of waiting but I am. When I'm in a public place sometimes I catch myself asking what's their story? Are they in school? If not do they wish they could go to school? (Woah I'm lucky to have had that opportunity) I hope all is well at home.  Are her kids keeping in touch... if she has kids? What's his dream? I hope he has someone who makes him feel like a million bucks! I hope she has a great Monday.

So to the guy who is on his third cup of coffee reading that trilogy of a science book... I'm sorry but I'm sure you will ace that exam!

Embrace the Journey.

 

XO

-J

Flying Solo

“Oh my gosh why would you that?” 

“You sound bitter… (He’s like a brother so he gets away with way too much.)” 

“Are you serious?” 

“If you want me to go with you just ask me…”

 Above are the responses I have received from my family and friends when I tell them I'm planning a trip by myself. 

 My feelings have gone from excitement with a side of nervous to just plain doubtfulness. What if I am really crazy...? What 22-year-old goes on solo trips? This prompted me to think about what I do on a day to day basis.

 

Examples of my craziness/weirdness:

1. I don't mind going to the movies by myself.
2. I have gone to dinner at a semi nice restaurant and sat at the bar reading a good book.
3. I love working out by myself.
4. I signed up for a half-marathon and trained all on my. [It's next Sunday in Dallas. Wish me luck!(:]

I absolutely have an amazing group of friends who would join me in a heart-beat. I feel incredibly grateful and proud to call them my friends. But I'm the type of person that needs to be reminded that I am able and capable. Of what exactly? Of anything!

 

I feel in your twenties you should do things that scare the crap out of you but empower you and inspire you to be a better person. Confidence and self-esteem are like muscles that we must exercise. 

 

I feel that when you graduate college it is so incredibly easy to settle and stay in that comfortable job that pays the bills and allows you to have a decent life. But to be honest, I have a million and one dreams in my suitcase that terrify me and thrill me at the same time. Those dreams will require confidence, fearlessness, determination, fire, resilience and thick skin. 

 

So a question I ask myself often is how do I prevent myself from settling. How can I remind myself of the fire that is within? How can I remind myself that I only have one life?

How do I remind myself in the middle of all the chaos of being twenty-something not to store my suitcase away but to keep it open and by the door? How can I learn to silence all the voices even from the people I love the most and say my decision is enough. I'm not crazy or being unreasonable. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

p.s. Embrace the Journey.

 

p.p.s I'm so going!

 

 

XO

 

 -J