.121 Ahmed Badr
Ahmed and I were first introduced over Twitter after each of us hearing wonderful things about each other from a dear mutual friend. Less than two weeks later, Ahmed and I met up in NYC and I was instantly blown away by, well, everything. Ahmed is bright, both in his intelligence and his literal shine that he gives off into the world. He is the textbook definition of passionate and combines that with such an eloquence and determination to tell stories, to create art, and to lift up the voices of the commonly unheard. As if that’s not enough, he’s an absolute sweetheart who listens to and cares deeply about the friends and family in his life.
Over the past three years, I’ve been so fortunate to experience Ahmed’s brilliance in numerous ways, from incredible events at The Met and his virtual book launch, to experiencing him cook one of his favorite dishes at my boyfriend’s old apartment in Queens. He’s so genuinely determined to make the most of his days here and you can see it through the tenacious work that he does, all of which he’s done while going to school! This hard work is complimented by his kind and generous personality that shows itself with every single conversation with him. Ahmed is truly just a wonderful human being and I learn so much about empathy, perspective, and compassion each time we talk.
Ahmed, thank you so much for being a true friend and a role model for me and so many others. Thank you for all the amazing work that you have done to bring such remarkable refugee stories (and the humans behind them!) to the forefront. Thank you for always making me laugh and smile and for being so positive with your thoughts and actions. Thank you for your beautiful brain and for your exquisite eye when it comes to appreciating all that life has to offer. Thank you for being such a force of kindness and for leading with respect and dignity in a life that is bound to take you to high places. I’m so grateful to have you in my life and can’t wait for the next time we can see each other in person again (and cook that dish again!). Thank you, Ahmed, for being you.
-BD