Fearless Portraits

“I smiled in the face of bigotry.”   Shaymaa Ismaa’eel Muslim who stood up to Islamophobia with joy   The Art: Ink drawing of Shaymaa Ismaa’eel flashing a bright smile and peace sign while wearing an orange hijab. She’s drawn on a map of Washington, DC, where she encountered the anti-Muslim protestors that inspired her smile.    The Story: It was a warm spring day in Washington, DC and Shaymaa Ismaa’eel was attending a large Islamic conference when she noticed a loud group of protestors outside brandishing Islamaphobic signs and hurling abuses on the attendees. Their presence was upsetting the attendees, but most tried to hide their feelings and not give the protestors attention.  Ismaa’eel’s friend said to her, “It’s Sunday, It’s Easter. Don’t they have something better to do?” to which Ismaa’eel rejoined, “Clearly, they need something from us,” and she decided to respond to them in a non-confrontational way: she asked her friend to take a photo for her.  In the photo, Ismaa’eel is wearing a hijab and squatting on the curb with a huge smile across her face while flashing a peace sign. The angry protestors and their rude signs and insults served as the backdrop. She shared the photo on Twitter a couple days later, writing “On April 21st I smiled in the face of bigotry and walked away feeling the greatest form of accomplishment” and on Instagram, with a quote from the Prophet Muhammad saying, “Kindness is a mark of faith. Those who are not kind have no faith.” Her posts quickly went viral, racking up 100,000s of mostly positive interactions online.  “I wanted them to see my joy and to combat their hatred with kindness.” she said of the photo. “There’s a saying from our Prophet saying, ‘Smile is charity,’ and that’s just me personally anyway, always smiling. I wanted to show them that we are going to remain kind and unapologetic and continue to spread love in the face of bigotry.” A behavioral therapist with children on the autism spectrum near DC, Ismaa’eel continues, “I’m all about being unapologetic about who you are—don’t let anyone dim your light.”   Music: This episode contains music from Geovane Bruno [https://pixabay.com/users/geovanebruny-19309525/], SoulProdMusic [https://pixabay.com/users/soulprodmusic-30064790/], and ItsWatR [https://pixabay.com/users/itswatr-12344345/].   Sources: * Anadolu Agency. (2019, April 24). Muslim woman’s pic at anti-Muslim protest goes viral. Daily Sabah. https://www.dailysabah.com/islamophobia/2019/04/24/muslim-womans-pic-at-anti-muslim-protest-goes-viral [https://www.dailysabah.com/islamophobia/2019/04/24/muslim-womans-pic-at-anti-muslim-protest-goes-viral]  * Arlington, VA Weather History | Weather Underground. (n.d.). https://www.wunderground.com/history/daily/us/va/arlington/KDCA/date/2019-4-19 [https://www.wunderground.com/history/daily/us/va/arlington/KDCA/date/2019-4-19]  * BBC News. (2019, April 25). Muslim woman’s picture with anti-Islam protesters goes viral. https://www.bbc.com/news/newsbeat-48048312 [https://www.bbc.com/news/newsbeat-48048312]  * Blavity TV. (2019, May 10). Shamyaa Talks About The One Photo That Changed Her Life | Life After Going Viral. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xEj6Kr6WJCI [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xEj6Kr6WJCI]  * Diavolo, L. (2019, April 24). Meet Shaymaa Ismaa’eel, the Muslim Girl Who Posed for Pics in front of Islamophobic Protestors. Teen Vogue. https://www.teenvogue.com/story/meet-shaymaa-ismaaeel-muslim-girl-posed-islamophobic-protestors [https://www.teenvogue.com/story/meet-shaymaa-ismaaeel-muslim-girl-posed-islamophobic-protestors]  * Mezzofiore, G. (2019, April 24). This photo went viral when a woman ‘smiled in the face of bigotry.’ CNN. https://edition.cnn.com/2019/04/24/us/woman-smiling-photo-islamophobic-trnd-scli-intl [https://edition.cnn.com/2019/04/24/us/woman-smiling-photo-islamophobic-trnd-scli-intl]  * Muslim Woman Poses with Smile in Front of Islamophobic Protesters: “I Wanted Them to See My Joy.” (2019, April 24). Peoplemag. https://people.com/human-interest/muslim-woman-poses-in-front-of-islamophobic-protesters/ [https://people.com/human-interest/muslim-woman-poses-in-front-of-islamophobic-protesters/]  * Paul, K. (2019, April 24). “Love in the face of bigotry”: woman takes smiling stand against Islamophobic protesters. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/apr/23/love-in-the-face-of-bigotry-woman-takes-smiling-stand-against-islamophobic-protesters [https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/apr/23/love-in-the-face-of-bigotry-woman-takes-smiling-stand-against-islamophobic-protesters]  * Riley, R. (n.d.). Life After Going Viral: Shaymaa Ismaa’eel Shares How She Stood Up To Islamophobia In The Slickest Way Possible - Blavity. Blavity News & Politics. https://www.blavity.com/life-after-going-viral-shaymaa-ismaaeel-shares-how-she-stood-up-to-islamophobia-in-the-slickest-way-possible?category1=culture [https://www.blavity.com/life-after-going-viral-shaymaa-ismaaeel-shares-how-she-stood-up-to-islamophobia-in-the-slickest-way-possible?category1=culture]  * @shaymaadarling. (2019, April 23). Twitter. https://twitter.com/ShaymaaDarling/status/1120624558657163264 [https://twitter.com/ShaymaaDarling/status/1120624558657163264]

“How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.”   Anne Frank Author    The Art: Ink drawing on a map of Amsterdam, Netherlands. The rooms where Anne Frank and her family and the others spent 25 months hiding from the Nazis are now a museum and it is located to the left of her eyes.    The Story: Born in 1929 in Germany, Anne Frank and her family moved to the Netherlands when she was four years old to get away from the increasing anti-Semitic persecution under the Nazis. It was not far enough: on May 10, 1940, Hitler’s armies invaded the Netherlands and Belgium on their way to France, bringing their hatred with them.  So, on Monday morning, July 6, 1942, 13-year-old Anne Frank, her parents, and sister secretly moved out of their Amsterdam apartment and into a set of hidden rooms in the annex of her father’s company’s offices. Four other Jews later joined them in this space and a bookcase was placed in front of the door to hide it. With the aid of a few trusted colleagues, the eight of them stayed hidden from the Nazis for 25 months. Eventually, they were betrayed and on August 4, 1944, the Nazis raided the secret annex. Anne and her companions were all shipped off to concentration camps. The family’s hiding place was cramped and uncomfortable and the secret residents had to stay very quiet to avoid detection. With little else to do in their attic rooms, Frank passed the time writing in a diary she had received as a birthday gift shortly before they went into hiding. Written as a series of letters to Kitty, an imaginary friend she confided to, Anne documented the events in hiding as well as her thoughts and feelings. It was a therapeutic practice for her, and in one letter to Kitty, Anne wrote, “I can shake off everything as I write; my sorrows disappear, my courage is reborn.” The diary was more than just a creative outlet for the young Anne. it was a place to let her mind run free—in sharp contrast to her physical realities in hiding.  She would reflect on the beauty of the world, noting to kitty, that “I don't think about all the misery, but about the beauty that still remains. Think of all the beauty still around you and be happy.” And, “How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.” Not one to be held back by her youth, Anne also wrote, “Although I'm only fourteen, I know quite well what I want, I know who is right and who is wrong. I have my opinions, my own ideas and principles, and although it may sound pretty mad from an adolescent, I feel more of a person than a child, I feel quite independent of anyone.”   Background: Born: June 12, 1929, Frankfurt, Germany Died: February 1945, Bergen-Belsen Concentration Camp, Germany   What began as a way to pass the time became a dream of a published book. All told, Frank wrote around 50,000 words longhand in her diary. She didn’t finish the manuscript before her murder. The last letter to Kitty was dated three days before her arrest. After the Allies liberated Auschwitz, Anne’s father, Otto, returned to Holland to find he was the sole survivor from the eight who had hidden together. He was gifted with Anne’s writings by one of the people who had helped support the family in hiding and had found the papers after the raid.  Otto found Anne’s account deeply moving and decided to fulfill his daughter’s ambition by publishing the diary as a book in 1947. He hoped it would educate readers on the dangers of prejudice and discrimination towards others.  For 25 months, Anne preached love, courage, and hope in the face of evil hatred and oppression. In the decades since, the book has proven her words true that, “In the long run, the sharpest weapon of all is a kind and gentle spirit.” She’s influenced generations of readers, including South African leader Nelson Mandela, who cited Anne as an inspiration during apartheid imprisonment. Today, her diary has been translated into more than 70 languages and sold more than 30 million copies worldwide. The diary’s enduring impact is summed up in these words Anne wrote after living in hiding for more than two years: “It’s a wonder I haven’t abandoned all my ideals, they seem so absurd and impractical. Yet I cling to them because I still believe, in spite of everything, that people are truly good at heart.”  The Nazi’s arrested Anne and her family three weeks later.   Music:   Sources: * Anne Frank. (n.d.). Jewish Women’s Archive. https://jwa.org/encyclopedia/article/frank-anne [https://jwa.org/encyclopedia/article/frank-anne]  * Blakemore, E. (2022, January 27). Who was Anne Frank? Why her legacy is still fought over today. History. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/who-was-anne-frank [https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/who-was-anne-frank]  * Chandler, G. (2019, November 27). Anne Frank facts. National Geographic Kids. https://www.natgeokids.com/uk/discover/history/general-history/anne-frank-facts/ [https://www.natgeokids.com/uk/discover/history/general-history/anne-frank-facts/]  * Digital, P. (2016, July 12). Watch: Nelson Mandela on how Anne Frank’s diary inspired him. Brand South Africa. https://brandsouthafrica.com/61222/watch-nelson-mandela-on-how-anne-frank-s-diary-inspired-him/ [https://brandsouthafrica.com/61222/watch-nelson-mandela-on-how-anne-frank-s-diary-inspired-him/]  * History.com Editors. (2020, July 1). Anne Frank. HISTORY. https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/anne-frank-1 [https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/anne-frank-1]  * Home. (2022, September 27). Anne Frank Website. https://www.annefrank.org/nl/ [https://www.annefrank.org/nl/]  * Special to People’s World. (2015, March 2). Today in women’s history: Death of Anne Frank, Holocaust martyr. People’s World. https://www.peoplesworld.org/article/today-in-women-s-history-death-of-anne-frank-holocaust-martyr/ [https://www.peoplesworld.org/article/today-in-women-s-history-death-of-anne-frank-holocaust-martyr/]  * the Web Editors. (2016, June 10). 8 Anne Frank Quotes to Remember a Young Woman Who Wrestled With. Sojourners. https://sojo.net/articles/8-anne-frank-quotes-remember-young-woman-who-wrestled-suffering [https://sojo.net/articles/8-anne-frank-quotes-remember-young-woman-who-wrestled-suffering]  * @UNWomen. (2021, January 27). UN Women. Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/p/CKihW0KAmBk/?igshid=19p2fkn2v49v3 [https://www.instagram.com/p/CKihW0KAmBk/?igshid=19p2fkn2v49v3]  * Wikipedia contributors. (2022, December 26). Anne Frank. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anne_Frank [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anne_Frank]  * Wood, S. (2020, December 19). Short Summary of Anne Frank (1929-1945). HistoryColored. https://historycolored.com/articles/4557/anne-frank-1929-1945/ [https://historycolored.com/articles/4557/anne-frank-1929-1945/]

“I contemplated how sorrow, frustration, and anger wove together with courage, resiliency, and hope, and how the art might speak to this gravity.”   Michaela Goade First Native American illustrator to win the Caldecott Medal   The Artwork: Ink drawing of Michaela Goade on a map of southeastern Alaska. She is holding an open copy of We Are Water Protectors. Sitka, the ancestral home of her people and where she currently lives, is on the map, directly in her line of sight between her eyes and the open book.   The Story: It was a Sunday afternoon in 2021 and Michaela Goade was joining a video call with her editor at her publisher, when she saw the Zoom screen filled with many more faces than she was expecting. They were the members of the Caldecott committee and they were sharing the exciting news that Michaela had won the Caldecott Medal that year for her artwork in the book We Are Water Protectors.  The Randolph Caldecott Medal is awarded annually to the illustrator of the most distinguished American picture book for children. She is the first Native American to win the prestigious award.  The author, Carole Lindstrom, wrote We are Water Protectors in response to the Dakota Access Pipeline protests at the Standing Rock Reservation in North Dakota:  In early 2016, local Native Americans began protesting construction of the oil pipeline, viewing the pipeline as a significant threat to Standing Rock’s water sources, as well as a danger to important cultural sites. Beginning with a few hundred, the water protectors’ ranks swelled to over 10,000 and included members of tribal nations from across the United States, as well as people from all over the world, including Tibet and Guatemala. The Trump administration eventually bulldozed over the water protectors’ wishes and completed the pipeline. Oil began flowing through the pipeline in May, with a capacity to transport 750,000 barrels a day.  An enrolled member of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska, Goade grew up in Juneau on the traditional lands of her people surrounded by what she describes as, “A labyrinth of over one thousand islands, endless waterways, and wild, rugged coastlines…with a kaleidoscope of glaciers and fjords, rivers and waterfalls, lakes.” Living among the water and as a Tlingit (meaning People of the Tides) the water protectors’ cause touched Goade. She leapt at the opportunity to illustrate Carole’s book.  “Water is a way of life here [in Alaska], and it is our life here in so many different ways. So that core theme really resonated. And I remember, like Carole, feeling helpless during the Stand at Standing Rock,” said Michaela.   Goade painted her illustrations for We Are Water Protectors over several months in 2018. Painting her vibrant watercolors in a tiny studio next to the sea, Goade, hoped her art would inspire a new generation of water protectors: “I contemplated how sorrow, frustration, and anger wove together with courage, resiliency, and hope, and how the art might speak to this gravity. In this book, it was especially crucial that all children, Native and non-Native alike, came away from the experience feeling autonomous and empowered,” she said in her Caldecott acceptance speech.  As for the Dakota Access Pipeline that inspired the book, litigation is ongoing on both sides. The pipeline has leaked at least 5 times as of 2021.   Background: Trained in graphic design and working as an art director at a marketing agency, Goade got her start illustrating children’s books with 2017’s Shanyaak’utlaax: Salmon Boy, a story about respecting the natural world.  “Picture books spoke my language like nothing before had. They became a way to reconnect with my culture, find my artistic voice and give back to the Native community in a unique way,” she says of the career change. “Children’s books are reflections of our society. They often communicate who is visible and important in today’s world. Therefore, representation that reflects the very diverse experiences of Native Americans is much needed.” Since Salmon Boy, Goade has illustrated several award-winning books, including Berry Song in 2022, her first release as an author.    Music: Theme music comes from Geovane Bruno [https://pixabay.com/users/geovanebruny-19309525/]. Other music in this episode comes from water protectors inspired by the Standing Rock protests, including Taboo [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Onyk7guvHK8], Aliza Hava [https://www.alizahava.com/], and Dee Snider [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PaNZF_JkYv8].    Sources: * ABC News. (2022, July 19). Caldecott Medal winner creates celebration of land she knows well in new book l ABCNL. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dp3UdtIq6w0 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dp3UdtIq6w0]  * AP. (2021, January 26). Illustrator Michaela Goade Becomes First Native American To Win Caldecott Medal. HuffPost. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/michaela-goade-caldecott-meda_n_60100cdbc5b634dc37384d3d [https://www.huffpost.com/entry/michaela-goade-caldecott-meda_n_60100cdbc5b634dc37384d3d]  * Danielson, J. (n.d.). A Conversation with Michaela Goade. The Horn Book. https://www.hbook.com/story/a-conversation-with-michaela-goade [https://www.hbook.com/story/a-conversation-with-michaela-goade]  * Day, C. (2019, September 1). q&a with michaela goade! Christine Day. https://www.bychristineday.com/blog/2019/9/1/qampa-with-michaela-goade [https://www.bychristineday.com/blog/2019/9/1/qampa-with-michaela-goade]  * Elbein, S. (2021, May 4). These Are the Defiant “Water Protectors” of Standing Rock. Culture. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/culture/article/tribes-standing-rock-dakota-access-pipeline-advancement [https://www.nationalgeographic.com/culture/article/tribes-standing-rock-dakota-access-pipeline-advancement]  * Goade, M. (n.d.-a). 2021 Caldecott Medal Acceptance by Michaela Goade. The Horn Book. https://www.hbook.com/story/2021-caldecott-medal-acceptance-by-michaela-goade [https://www.hbook.com/story/2021-caldecott-medal-acceptance-by-michaela-goade]  * Goade, M. (n.d.-b). About the artist. MichaelaGoade.com. https://www.michaelagoade.com/about [https://www.michaelagoade.com/about]  * McKinstry, E. (2021, February 17). Finding activism through art: A Q&A with Tlingit illustrator Michaela Goade. KTOO. https://www.ktoo.org/2021/02/17/finding-activism-through-art-a-qa-with-tlingit-illustrator-michaela-goade/ [https://www.ktoo.org/2021/02/17/finding-activism-through-art-a-qa-with-tlingit-illustrator-michaela-goade/]  * Michaela Goade. (2022, November 8). Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michaela_Goade [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michaela_Goade]  * Michaela Goade: Taken by Surprise on Zoom. (n.d.). PublishersWeekly.com. https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/childrens/childrens-authors/article/85409-michaela-goade-taken-by-surprise-on-zoom.html [https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/childrens/childrens-authors/article/85409-michaela-goade-taken-by-surprise-on-zoom.html]  * Miller, C. (2018a, February 14). Michaela Goade-illustrated book wins ‘best picture book of the year.’ Juneau Empire. https://www.juneauempire.com/news/michaela-goade-illustrated-book-wins-best-picture-book-of-the-year/ [https://www.juneauempire.com/news/michaela-goade-illustrated-book-wins-best-picture-book-of-the-year/]  * Miller, C. (2018b, February 14). Michaela Goade-illustrated book wins ‘best picture book of the year.’ Juneau Empire. https://www.juneauempire.com/news/michaela-goade-illustrated-book-wins-best-picture-book-of-the-year/ [https://www.juneauempire.com/news/michaela-goade-illustrated-book-wins-best-picture-book-of-the-year/]  * Native Voices: Author & Illustrator Interview: Carole Lindstrom & Michaela Goade. (2020, May 19). Cynthia Leitich Smith. https://cynthialeitichsmith.com/2020/05/native-voices-author-illustrator-interview-carole-lindstrom-michaela-goade/ [https://cynthialeitichsmith.com/2020/05/native-voices-author-illustrator-interview-carole-lindstrom-michaela-goade/]  * Shah, S. (2021, October 13). This Native American Illustrator Is Bringing Indigenous Stories to Life—and Opening the Door for Others. Time. https://time.com/6103213/michaela-goade-next-generation-leaders/ [https://time.com/6103213/michaela-goade-next-generation-leaders/]  * Staff, K. (2021, February 1). Sitka illustrator Michaela Goade wins Caldecott Medal for “We are Water Protectors.” KCAW. https://www.kcaw.org/2021/01/28/sitka-illustrator-michaela-goade-wins-caldecott-medal-for-we-are-water-protectors/ [https://www.kcaw.org/2021/01/28/sitka-illustrator-michaela-goade-wins-caldecott-medal-for-we-are-water-protectors/]  * TIME. (2021, October 18). Michaela Goade | Next Generation Leaders. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqaFKvzjMuY [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqaFKvzjMuY]  * Wikipedia contributors. (2022, November 1). Dakota Access Pipeline. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dakota_Access_Pipeline [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dakota_Access_Pipeline]

Coming June 27, Fearless Portraits returns for a second season telling stories of women who worked to change the world.

I’ve been working hard collecting new stories and drawing portraits of amazing women that will be coming to your podcast feed for Season 2 in the new year. But for now, here is an interview I did this week with John and Rachel, hosts of the YaJagoff! show [https://q929fm.com/on-air-talent/yajagoff-on-q/] on Pittsburgh’s Q92.9 FM about the Fearless Portraits art project.