CALL: Alla Hassan on Kindness, Purpose, and Learning About Each Other
The “Celebrating Badass Minnesota Women” event was underwritten by Minnesota Women’s Press sponsorship partners: Vote. Run. Lead., Valvoline Instant Oil Change across Northern Minnesota, Seward Co-op, and Global Rights for Women.
Transcript Excerpt
I am really passionate about sexual violence prevention and normalizing conversations related to sex, especially in spaces like Sudan, where I am from.
Namely I am passionate about three main things, the first being kindness.
We need to start seeing each other and seeing people for who they are, because every single person belongs here, every single person has the right to belong, and we need to see each other. We can be present for each other. we can be genuine with each other. We can build communities that we want. Identify the ways that you show kindness and do it every single day. Donate if you can. See people, smile, say hello. Look them in the eye and be genuine and kind, not just nice. Being nice is very different from being kind. Kindness has authenticity, genuineness, and intentionality. If we can be kind, we can understand from each other. Being nice doesn’t get us as far as we would want to be.
Another thing i’m passionate about is: learn about people. If you have one Black friend and you’ve met them from work, and all you do is talk to them about work, you don’t have a Black friend. Learn people and understand people. It is okay to ask questions, not in a voyeuristic way or onlooker way, but learn about people when you are invited to spaces. Watch and allow them to teach you.
The third thing is purpose. For a long majority of my life I was not really clear about what my purpose was in life. I am embracing that I don’t have to know. I am here. I have credibility to be here, and that is all I need to know. I can keep discovering what it is. I am just excited to continue being around community that is built on kindness, that will help us better understand what our purpose is. Support women — all women. Show up for women — all women. All of us deserve to be here and we need to start seeing each other for who we are.
