As part of my U.S trip, I visited the Omega Institute for a couple days and gave a workshop on the doctoral research and the sitcom. We were hosted by my sister, Helema Kadir, Omega’s resident fabric artist and my brother-in-law, Brett Bevell.

It was a wonderful experience. During the day, my husband and I went hiking in the Hudson Valley. We rented a car and I drove for the first time in 8 years! I bought plenty of insurance…. We rented a tiny brown Fiat 500 in the land of mega-SUVs. One person asked us how tall we were because she couldn’t believe that regularly size people could fit into such a small car.

We hiked for 5 hours in the glorious Minnewaska State Park.

Photo by Shinya Suzuki

We also hiked in Ferncliff Forest and Poet’s Walk, but they paled in comparison to Minnewaska.

In the  mornings and evenings, we spent time with my sister, Brett, and their friends and enjoyed the wonderful food and amenities of Omega. Sauna. Massage. Yoga classes.  One evening, Brett even did a reiki session with us. It was amazing! I was in a state of total relaxation. Thank you again Brett!

My presentation was fairly well-attended, a mix of young, punky activists, and my sister’s friends at Omega. During the Q&A, one person asked if it was possible to engage in social struggle while still being within the law. A veteran housing activist in the audience answered no. I answered yes, saying that there are plenty of ways to fight for one’s rights without crossing the legal line, such as by insisting on one’s tenants rights. However, it became clear to me that the question wasn’t about crossing a legal line, but about whether its possible to be an activist without being in a state of conflict.