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Minimalism is often framed as an aesthetic of clarity and simplicity, but in many ways, it reflects a privilege—the luxury of choosing to strip life down to its essentials. For those of us in the Global South, simplicity has rarely been a choice; our histories, cultures, and identities have always been layered and rich, resisting the reductionist narratives imposed upon us. What may seem like “too much” to outsiders is, in reality, an archive of meaning—a way of preserving stories, celebrating life, and reclaiming space. In a world that has often demanded we shrink or conform, our resistance has been to expand, to add layers, and to embrace abundance as a necessary assertion of who we are. We were never the sad beige minimalists.

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A night of Pakistani excellence ✨

Fashion show by Nomi Ansari Couture (@nomiansari)
Qawwali music by the legendary Abida Parveen (@abidaparveenofficial)

Settle a bet for me, which part was your favorite?

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Cute haul video babe! What a deal!! That sure is a lot of stuff for SUCH a cheap price! But it’s fine because it’s not hoarding if it’s organized! And you can just donate the stuff from your previous haul, right?

Hey, I need you to bsffr & stop for a second to think about where all that stuff goes. Fast fashion drives an insidious cycle of overconsumption, flooding the market with cheap, disposable clothing that often ends up in landfills or incinerators after only a few wears.

This relentless demand for new, trendy pieces not only harms the environment but also erodes cultural sustainability, particularly in the Global South. Worse still, much of the labor behind these trends is built on exploiting workers in the Global South. Yes, it gets worse. Global brands also appropriate traditional designs and indigenous craftsmanship, turning them into mass-produced items stripped of their genuine cultural significance.

What’s left is a hollow exploitation of heritage, leaving local artisans and communities with little recognition or economic reward. The plague of overconsumption is a matter of cultural erasure and the destruction of sustainable legacies that have been passed down for generations. These global brands then turn around and use their funding to invest in companies that commit horrors in our countries.

I want to be clear: I’m not saying don’t consume anything, ever. I’m also not claiming to be a tone deaf rich person. I’m saying, for the love of God, rethink how you consume. Instead of fueling exploitative cycles, choose ethical, culturally-rooted brands that honor tradition and pay fair wages. Get it from the source in the Global South, invest in quality over quantity, and demand transparency from global brands. I’m gonna hold your hand while say this: Zara, SheIn, Sephora CANNOT be worth watching the world drown in your waste. & wearing that H&M “Ramadan collection”, that included ZERO MUSLIM DESIGNERS BTW, is frankly embarrassing at this point.

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We’ve now officially reached the “I’ve always been against this” portion of history.
 And yes, I could spend time being angry that it took this long, but instead I’d rather use my energy to move the movement forward.

And I know it’s been 2 years and I know a lot of you already know this. But a lot of people don’t know about these tools. (I still get asked what to boycott almost daily.)

So here. This is a guide. No excuses. Get your sh*t together. (Donate to @thesameerproject or add more tools or resources below. Let’s make this exhaustive.)

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For as long as I can remember, I’ve cried while looking at art. I don’t know why it happens, only that it does. For a while, I thought I’d lost that feeling, until I realized I’d been looking at art I was told to like. You know, the modern Monets, the contemporary “classics.” It wasn’t until I began seeing the work of communities I felt connected to that I started to feel something again.

In a small gallery surrounded by Rashid Diab’s paintings, I cried again. In his colors, I saw continuity, the same pulse that connects river to bloodline and memory to canvas. His work doesn’t ask to be understood, it insists on being felt.

Sudan’s histories live in his pigments, layered like sediment. Standing before his work, I thought about how art can be both archive and aftermath and how beauty, when rooted in pain, becomes a kind of documentation.

Maybe I’m just sensitive. Or maybe I cried because Sudan is so often ignored. And then there are these paintings: impossible to ignore, impossible to look away from. They’re so beautiful it hurts.

Maybe if we all saw them, really saw them, we’d understand that every form of oppression is connected.
#freesudan #rashiddiab

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A little while ago I received a comment on one of my posts that really infuriated me. Someone wrote, “Henna is traditionally Indian. Claiming something is from your culture is also colonizing.” But instead of responding, I sat with it, because this is a sentiment that a lot of people, especially in the West, hold. While I’m a huge fan of Indian culture & their henna (mehndi) is absolutely stunning, referring to it as exclusively Indian misses its broader history and significance. So I thought I’d break it down:

First of all, henna has been used across the Global South for centuries—not *just* in India, but in places like the Middle East, North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa, Central Asia, and South Asia. The earliest records of henna come from ancient Egypt, where it was used for both medicinal and cosmetic purposes as far back as 4000 BCE. It was also popular in ancient Persia, where it symbolized beauty and protection. Over time, it spread to India, Morocco, Yemen, Sudan, and many other places along trade routes and cultural exchanges.

The issue with comments like this, and the belief many Westerners hold, which unfortunately is later internalized by us, is that it oversimplifies henna’s complex and interconnected history. Henna is not just a trend that emerged from one culture; it’s a shared practice that has evolved across multiple regions, each adding its own meaning and significance to it. Today, we have pioneers like @dr.azra who for years has been artistically and beautifully modernizing and documenting this practice. And @nouriflayhan, whose work here is inspired by her grandmother’s sister’s needlework. And even @sereneshadab whose beautiful and intricate henna artwork speaks for itself.

But when henna is removed from its context and turned into a “temporary tattoo” for festivals or a fashion statement, it risks becoming detached from its spiritual and cultural roots. By acknowledging its roots, we can ensure henna remains a powerful symbol of heritage and community, preserving its significance in the face of globalization… and uneducated comments on my posts. So to whoever that person was, I hope this helps❤️
#henna #hennamotifs #hennadesigns #history

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The solution? Stop. Buying. From. Them.

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& that’s a wrap on the tourism portion of my content… for now. Lamu was magic & it deserved its own video. Back to our regular programming 🫡 #grammyawards

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Listen, I’m TIRED of seeing repetitive & overly replicated European neoclassical facades and never-ending glass-and-steel boxes like those on American skylines. Because while these characteristics of architecture are glorified, we’re sleeping on so many other, dare I say, more impressive designs.

On the East African coast, Swahili architecture in Lamu has was a breath of much need fresh air!! This architecture has flourished through centuries of cross-cultural exchange, drawing on Arab, Persian, and Indian influences. By the 14th century, local builders had refined the use of coral stone blocks bound with lime mortar to withstand the coastal climate.

Characteristic features such as enclosed courtyards, intricate wooden doors, and whitewashed facades were like a beautiful fusion of local innovation and foreign influences, weaving functionality with artistic expression. Over time, these design elements evolved into a sophisticated urban fabric of narrow streets and majestic, coral-built structures, which still stand as living markers of Lamu’s heritage. Recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Lamu’s Old Town serves as a testament to the enduring legacy and cultural importance of Swahili architecture.

And I really couldn’t get enough of looking at all of the colors! #swahili #architecture #Lamu

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I’ve been thinking a lot about what it means to travel ethically for tourism purposes. And now that I find myself wanting to travel for a fun girls trip to my one of best friend’s hometowns (cc: @i.am.shaima), I’ve made peace with the fact that travel isn’t a neutral act. It can either be extractive — draining resources from communities and reinforcing harmful structures — or it can be an opportunity to learn, connect, and give where it counts. So here are my notes on tourism:

1. Stop giving your damn money to Europe & Co. The Global North doesn’t need more tourism dollars to fund colonial museums and exploitative economies.

2. Learn about the place you’re visiting — its history, culture, and traditions. We should travel with the same humility and curiosity that we ask people to show us in our own communities.

3. Support local businesses!!! If you have an opportunity to enrich the local economy, do it. And shout them out when you can! Amplification is a form of currency too.

4. Don’t bargain people down. If you can’t afford it, don’t buy it. But don’t expect to get a “deal” on someone else’s labor.

5. Avoid Western-owned resorts and hotel chains. These places rarely benefit local communities in any meaningful way. Choose locally owned accommodations or homestays that directly support the people.

(And yes, air travel is terrible for the planet. I’m aware of the impact, but the aviation industry accounts for only 2.5% of emissions, while the top 100 corporations produce over 70%. Let’s hold the right people accountable.)

Anyway I’ll be pausing all regular content programming to do just the following.

Hope you follow along to learn something or maybe find a location for your next vacation ☀️

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This year, don’t share your Spotify wrapped. Instead, share one of your top artist’s songs. & for those interested in sharing Arab artists, I’ve made a playlist titled: ‘Gold’ on Spotify (link in bio) that celebrates contemporary Arab artists. It’s hard enough making work and beating the discriminatory algorithms and the greedy platforms, so let’s not give away free advertising to anyone other than the artists/producers.

Please drop any other contemporary Arab artists in the comments so that people can support them!

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