IN DEPTH: Poetry event hopes to foster understanding

By Tiffany Gaines and Briana Mangum 
Bengal News West Reporters

West Side is taking action to remind its newest residents that they are welcome and their culture is important.

            Timothy McPeek, a poet and playwright, has organized a two-day installation exhibition at Rust Belt Books, at 415 Grant St. This event, taking place on April 14 and April 15, will include poetry readings and displays of poetry from recent immigrants.

            One immigrant who is slated to read is Fatima Nor, a lover of poetry and an immigrant from Somalia.

Fatima Nor

Nor came to Buffalo in May 2000 and is studying psychology with a pre-med track at the University at Buffalo and plans to attend medical school. She was heavily influenced by her father, who wanted to come to America for the rich education. This is a value he has instilled in his children since their youth.

Somalia, located in the Greater Middle East, is a predominately Muslim country. It has been the subject of the recent Muslim country travel ban.

President Trump’s January immigration ban prevents refugees from seven countries from entering the United States for 120 days; Somalia is one of these seven. McPeek hopes that people affected by the ban and those who support them will be able to make connections.

 “There’s a possibility to that kind of dissemination to reach people in a fundamentally human way,” McPeek said.

            Rust Belt Books owner, Kristianne Meal, welcomed this event to her store and encouraged McPeek. She said she believes it is a “small and meaningful way to provide bridges and connections.”

She said she is is open to hearing about the experiences of others, especially those impacted by this situation.

“One of the most beautiful things about Buffalo in my experience is that it pretty much is open, its multi-faceted, multi diverse and kind of been off the map and an inexpensive place to be. Everyone has just coexisted in a way,” Meal said.

Despite the ban, however, Nor and her father remain optimistic. Her father is an imam, an Islamic leader within a mosque, and has faith in the American people.

“To be told, even though it’s not affecting me because I’m already here, it still sends out a statement. It’s saying that people like me don’t belong here. It makes me feel a certain type of way about being an American citizen because people are looking at me like ‘you guys don’t belong here’ and it kind of hurts,” Nor said.

Fatima Nor, on encouraging understanding:

Nor, like many West Side residents, came to the United States to take advantage of better opportunities. For Nor and her family, the members of the West Side community have been supportive. An old teacher of hers has shared many of her posts on Facebook about Islam and has defended her and her family on numerous occasions.


McPeek, on the purpose of the poetry event:

Being raised in the West Side has come into contact with other people from diverse backgrounds and refugees. These refugees often come from places that are in distress.

“I’ve been surrounded a lot by refugees. I learn more from them than I have in any history class, Nor said.

              With the ban a major topic of discussion this year, the community has come together.

 “Even though we all have our own communities, even though it’s a bunch of different countries, we go to the same school and we kind of have this one middle ground because we’re all kind of foreigners here,” Nor said. 

Nor wants to be the best Muslim she can be, wants to show people how beautiful Islam is, despite what some media portrays. She hopes to show another side that people don’t see.

“You just have to step out and actually try to understand people for who they are,” Nor said.