NotTheRealPhoebeCatesMar 21, 2023
Qasim Rashid, Esq.

In the last few months I’ve received 4 speaking invites:
•One to speak on the Black American experience—I said no & referred a Black scholar
•One to speak on Iranian women—I said no & referred several Iranian women
•One to speak on Arab American students—I said no & referred an Arab woman & activist
•One to speak on my experience in Turkey providing earthquake relief, on a panel with a Turkish scholar—I said yes

Lesson: You don’t need to be a voice for the voiceless—just learn to pass the mic.

Mar 21, 2023 at 2:24pmMastodon for iOS
Show threadGreenSkyOverMe (Monika)Mar 21, 2023
@QasimRashid You rule
Show threadShinyturtleMar 21, 2023
@QasimRashid This is so true that it hurts. See the same for us disabled folks. Especially us autistic people. You can get a non verbal person using tools to speak instead of pretending to speak for them.
Show threadMichael KazarnowiczMar 21, 2023
@QasimRashid I wish more people thought like this. Back when I worked in tech-adjacent industries in Sweden, and had speaker gigs, there was a thing called #TackaNej (it would be "Decline" in English). Everywhere you looked were men, and anyone who agreed to #TackaNej would say no to conferences, panels, and other gigs unless there were women present. That movement helped to shift awareness a bit. I think it was @fredrikwass who came up with it?
Show threadSteven CapobiancoMar 21, 2023
@QasimRashid well said
Show threadMaybeMyMonkeysMar 21, 2023
@QasimRashid bravo. Sometimes you do need to throw your weight around. e.g. will attend if you also invite someone that you wouldn’t invite unless I made you.
Show threadT of Burning Tarot (she/they)Mar 21, 2023
@QasimRashid Thank you! I remember posting something similar on Facebook some 10-12 years ago, asking men to consider sharing the stage if they notice they're being booked on an all-male panel discussion, for example. And everyone had a freakout about that. It was awful and was part of why I left Facebook. Glad to see people are making this transition to a world where expertise is best shared among many demographics.
Show threadArena Cops 🇺🇦✌Mar 21, 2023

@QasimRashid Guys with a voice & considerable reach & followership can give the "voiceless" the impressive voice they need.
Voice-owners mustn't retreat from their social responsibility by "passing on the mic" on grounds of their personal priorities & whims.
Stand by those said to be voiceless to amplify their less heard voices.

#UnitedInDiversity #Solidarity #StrongerTogether #WeCanDoThis

Show threadBill Hooker 😷Mar 21, 2023
@QasimRashid This is the Way.
Show threadDamnKimberleeMar 21, 2023
@QasimRashid powerful!!
Show threadPamela Barroway – Biz EditorMar 22, 2023
@QasimRashid Thanks for all that you do!
Show threadCollette LynnerMar 22, 2023
@QasimRashid You are a good example to follow! Thank you!
Show threadZZ BottomMar 22, 2023
@QasimRashid 
Show threadRussell 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🇺🇦🍉Mar 22, 2023
@QasimRashid Good point. Well done!
Show thread🌬 NorthWindMar 22, 2023

@QasimRashid Excellent statement, and so well said.👍 One exception; unless your work is on behalf of #animals and all #NonHumanLife on our planet. In this case, take the mic and roar.

#ClimateCrisis
#BioDiversityLoss
#WildlifeConservation
#WeAreAllConnected 🌎

Show threadbodhidaveMar 22, 2023

@QasimRashid

I'm reminded of the parody talk show sketch on Saturday Night Live years ago called, "All About Women."

The show's panel consisted of Dan Aykroyd, and Garrett Morris, and John Belushi.

Show threadAndrés (he/him) Mar 22, 2023
@QasimRashid great advice. Did any of your recommended people were selected to speak?
Show threadYahia LababidiMar 23, 2023

@QasimRashid You’re a noble soul, Qasim. It’s good to have you here, on Mastodon, and in our world.

Thank you, brother, for being a good member of the human family — #ramadan kareem to you & loved ones 🙏🏼