A pleasure to meet you, my name is Seyma Kokash.

In my younger years, my father gave me some advice that I’ve held onto ever since. “The art of giving should not be measured in time or money, or any expense for that matter.” he said, “You need to give because you want to give. You enjoy it and you expect nothing in return.” The clarity this granted me has since shifted my perspective tremendously. The act of giving is what lifts us from crisis, what we call on when we are pressed against disaster or despair. It changes danger into opportunity, and discouragement into hope. It is, therefore, our finest quality and our most defining nature as human beings.

The epitome of my dreams involves a world anticipating some sort of supernatural heroic act, perhaps even a helping hand from these said entities of power. But the asymmetrical injustice of today’s global economy has become a pervasive catch-22. Every morning we go to work with our best intentions; to perform our due diligence. But the crises seemingly exceed humanity’s grasp, challenging the very notion of our human potential. The need to turn away from skepticism and towards each other has never been clearer before.