Blanket Drive
Blanket Drive
by Federation of Indian-American Associations, GA
Rina Gupta (lead)
I walked out through the streets of Atlanta hoping to savor the nostalgic charm of its buildings in a cool fall evening. Disregarding the weather, i casually stepped out only to be greeted angrily by the wind in my face. I instinctively reached out to the warmth of my coat and after surrendering to its security looked up defiantly at the wind. "Its cold" ....l heard a voice crackle behind me. I glanced over my shoulder to find a woman looking directly at me with a pair of eyes that had obviously lived more of the city than i had seen. " you may think its the cold" she continued " but its the wind that breaks you, doesn't it?" I looked at her closely and didnt see tge defiance i proudly beheld. I only saw survival. Her unwashed hair rallied against her tattered clothing that pretended to keep her warm while her meek smile attempted to mask her hopelessness against the elements. "Yes it does" i replied while wondering how my privilege afforded me to be so oblivious to this basic truth. I walked back to the safety of my car but my brain could not walk back from the experience. Did that woman lose her right to be human because she failed to fit in our society? Or did i buy the right to be more human than her because i did fit? The truth is that the wind did not just blow my hair, it also blew away our society's facade of justice and righteousness.
In this season of giving, I find it my moral responsibility to give back to the society even if it makes a minuscule difference in tipping the scales of justice. Please join our blanket drive to provide a bit of comfort to our underprivileged brothers and sisters and make this season bring on a warmth for your soul.
Dates: now through Jan 15, 2019
Contact:
Rina Gupta 404-295-6966
