Excuses to Connect

21: Connecting Through Pluralistic Poetry with Alisha Ebrahim

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Alisha Ebrahim is currently a Health Sciences student at the University of Calgary and a researcher at the Hotchkiss Brain Institute. In addition to her love of science, Alisha has a strong passion for poetry. In her work, she incorporates English poetry with lines from the Qur’an and Ismaili Muslim devotional hymns to help foster a cosmopolitan ethic in the poetry community. In this episode, we explore her journey with poetry and the role it plays in her life now, including running a successful Instagram page called Paper Wings Poetry.

Highlights & Takeaways
  • Why Alisha is aiming to put words to the feelings that can't be described
  • How the name “Paper Wings Poetry” came about and what it symbolizes
  • What matters is being her authentic self rather than conforming to society’s version of who you should be
  • Both science and art are trying to explain the world, being a scientist who writes poetry allows her to have a holistic view
  • Integrating English poetry with lines from the Qur’an, Ismaili Muslim devotional hymns, and her Gujarati heritage to show that there is beauty in pluralism
  • Her journey from being shy to taking on leadership positions with the University of Calgary Creative Writing Circle and Ismaili Students’ Association

    • Resources Mentioned

    • Contact Alisha: Instagram
    • Calgary Ismaili Students’ Association (CISA)
    • University of Calgary Creative Writing Circle

      • ______

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      Music by Meghan Rennie - Instagram / Soundcloud

      Website: excusestoconnect.com

      Email: [email protected]


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      Excuses to ConnectBy Richard Lee-Thai