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| Aakifah ( far right) and Family |
What can
I say, would anyone believe that I could even get into the Brit Writers Awards?
Seems
almost impossible, but the word itself says 'I'm-Possible'. Words cannot
describe just how much being a finalist meant for me. Being a young Muslim girl
wearing the veil, it’s very hard to get my talent recognised, and my poetry
appreciated. Many people would look at
me and think, she's a girl, she can’t write, writing poetry is the last thing she
could do
But...
Brit
writers is not 'many people'
Brit
writers judged me on my talent and not who I am or how I dress
I was
utterly shocked when I found out I was a finalist
Because
all this time I had kept my work hidden, I shied away from the world
Afraid of
what they would think of me
But Brit
Writers gave me courage
I’ve
always dreamed of inspiring people through my writing
I dreamt
of being at the awards,
The next
thing I knew, I was at the awards
Brit
Writers made my dream a reality
A chance
to shine and show the world
That you
can achieve anything
Regardless
of who you are, where you come from or the colour of your skin.
The
awards ceremony was something totally out of this world for me. One minute I
was just an ordinary school girl, next second, I'm in a room full of inspiring
writers and artists...
The
evening was spectacular
At first,
I was afraid
And I
thought to myself how did I manage to come this far
ME, a
girl no one would even look twice at in the street.
And I
smiled
Because I
knew
Writing
is a gift, a natural talent that was given to me
And I
deserve to be here
This was
my chance to prove to the people that never thought for one second that I could
achieve something so great,
To show
every one, that it doesn't matter that I'm a Muslim, that I'm a girl or that I
wear the veil
I am
capable of reaching the same standards as others
Everyone
at the awards was so welcoming with bright smiles and open hands
I felt
like I belonged
That I
was like everyone else in that room
A writer,
of whatever form
I didn't
win an award
But I
realised that just being a finalist was winning for me
That I
still managed to come this far from the other thousands of applicants.
Many
people would judge me because I'm a girl, thinking that I cannot write, recite
or perform poetry.
Many
people would believe that this isn't right for a Muslim girl.
It's this
ideology, that a girl can't do what a guy can.
I envy so
many of the great male poetry artists out there, some that were at the awards
Because I
know that I have the same talent and abilities, but most people do not believe
so
Brit
Writers allowed me to prove so many things to the world
They gave
me a voice that could be heard, not just hidden in the shadows
Brit
Writers has made me stronger and braver to step out of my small bubble and
present myself to the world
As there
are people out there that care, that want to listen, people who will accept me
for who I am
Thank you
to all my teachers and friends who encouraged and motivated me to come this
far,
who never
gave up on me and told me to keep on trying
Thank you
to all the people at the awards, for accepting me and inspiring me to aim
higher
Thank you
to everyone at Brit Writers for making my dream come true.
'They're
pushing me down
Because
I'm a girl trying to turn around
This
ideology
That a
girl can't write her own lyrics or poetry
Aint I
got the same talent as most men
Can't I
do the same thing with a paper and pen
Like them
Then why,
tell me why,
Do they
push me down on the ground
But I
won’t admit defeat
I’m going
to make a sound
I'm not
going to sit and frown
I'm going
to write to my own beat..
They're
just looking at the front door
Peeking
through the window
Judging
by what they see
But what
they see is not what they really know..
Can't I
do the same thing as most men
Have I
not written this with a paper and pen
I'm going
to write to my own beat
Poetry's
the air I breathe...'
Aakifah
Aboobakar
Pictures courtesy of RKL Photography
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