While I was waiting for my bus to go home after a long day at the library, I heard loud chanting coming toward me along with people waving the Syrian flag and protesters using bull horns to cry out with slogans in call and response: 

"Free Free Syria!"

"There is only one solution, Revolution –Revolution!"

"The people want a no fly zone!"...etc

Although I sensed that the event might end at a late hour, I didn’t think twice to leave the bus stop and run enthusiastically to join the march and chant with the protesters in Michigan Avenue, a major south-north street in the city of Chicago. 

Syrians were protesting in a deep sense of sadness and anger; raising the Syrian flag and slogans against Bashar’s extreme autocracy. At the beginning it was a walk, but it soon turned into a march as more people from Syria and few non-Syrians were joining the protest. People in their cars were honking and making the peace sign, showing passionately their support. I asked one of the organizers, who was holding a number of posters to give me one. He told me: “Here are all the posters, take yours and hand out the rest to people in the street.” As I was trying to warm welcome more people to join the march,  some people received the posters from me with passionate and excitement, other faces did not know what the protest was about, or why a certain case about Syria is considered and brought up as an issue. 

The rally was particularly focused on the children of Syria.  In the southeast of Michigan and Congress, activists and Unicef speakers got on top of the stone bench and gave speeches and prayed on the souls of the courageous martyrs; children and young protesters were raising the Syrian and American flags, exchanging pictures and giving battles of water to the protesters .  While I was listening to the speeches, I was amazed how some speakers in the event highlighted the noteworthy help that Unicef provided to Syrian children. An American activist and poet named Dr.Todd Kelsey gave a speech and drew attention to an ironic fact.  As we were walking in the protest, he saw an Apple Ad and he mentioned how everyone who has ever used an Apple product owes a debt to Syria, because Syria gave the United States Steve Jobs. “I like seeing the iPad in the foreground and the Syrian flag in the background.” Todd said.  

Later, after the event ended Todd asked me something about the Syrian community in Chicago and that’s how he realized I am a Libyan. Todd was amazed how non-Syrians actively attended a Syrian protest and showed strong solidarity. But I was much more amazed to know that he wrote a poem about Misurata during the Libyan uprising. The following is Todd’s poem about Misurata:

We hold your hope in our hearts

We hold your children in our arms

We pray with love, as loud as thunder

to cover the sound

of the bullets, rockets and bombs

may your courage last

as long as it can

the blood has not been wasted

like a flower crushed by stone

the scent of freedom remains

our hearts are with you

as you wait in the darkness

for the rockets to fall

may aid come swiftly

for the benefit ot all

sons have died

daughters are born

someday we dance

tonight we mourn

daughters have died

sons are born

someday we dance

tonight we mourn

As a proud free Libyan, I am happy to participate in such a protest and to be with such people who were trying their best to make a difference and get their voices heard.  

-Nafissa-