Nimo~ (Please don’t worry about responding to this since I know you’re not feeling well I just wanted to yap at you!! And I have also not been feeling well so apologies if this doesn’t make much sense lol)
I don’t know if I ever told you this but one thing I’ve always really loved about your work (even long before we became friends or I made this account, it’s something I always appreciated about you from afar) is the way you incorporate your culture into your work and characters!! It’s so clearly a part of them and has such influence on them and their stories and I really love to see it! Growing up I got shamed quite a few times for doing the same with my own (which kinda fair in some ways since I grew up rather detached from it but that’s a whole other can of worms aksjhas /lh) and so seeing you do it is really inspiring to me and definitely fills me with the confidence to do the same!!!
Butteeeeer!!! My sweet, I'm happy you're in my inbox!! Feel free to always yap at me. 🥰 Also, don't worry about it! You're coherent! But also forgive me if I'm not, ahaha. Oh, and I hope your pains ease soon. Try and take it easy when you can!🫂🩷🩷🩷
Anyway... you haven't told me this before!!! 🥺 I'm so happy!! It's a wonderful feeling when you guys say this to me fjdjd [Junie had also said something similar!] You're such darlings...! This is something I've been trying to incorporate into my work the older I got so being complimented on it is so lovely.
Truthfully, its a little nerve-wracking because I am diaspora and I'm keenly aware that there's a lot I don't know but I'm doing my best to learn more about my culture, people, history and also keeping in mind that my experiences, while different from mainlanders, are not lesser [but also bc of that I can't be speaking on their behalf, ofc!]! Also, families operate differently and may have their own traditions that differ from the majority! I try and be conscious of that, but because it is something my family has done, I don't see the issue with including it...if that makes sense? For example there's a lot of hyphenated named people in my family so I used it with one of my Somali OCs [also suggested it to Lili too!] Or...for example my aabo's side has a lot of interesting names in his line....translated versions of the names include "without shoes" and "pants"...hooyo made sure I knew that was just how his family was and that they're "weirdoes"!
All this to say that I try to remind myself that there is more leeway than I think here and that I should give myself grace and have courage! I am not speaking for all Somali people, just to my experiences and what I've learned! [Also reminding myself that I too can play with it in a fantasy setting like Westerners have done! I think it's fun to decolonize my mind while also incorporating my culture into my own universe, for example!]
Also...I'm so sorry you got shamed growing up!! That must have been so heartwrenching and demotivating. :< but I am so happy that I can inspire you to try again! Please do so. I'd love to read your works/characters that are imbued with your culture! I hope you don't come across anymore shaming and are given more grace and understanding this time! Like, even if someone would like to correct you on something, may they do so kindly. I will be supporting you as always!! 🥰🫂🩷🩷🩷