Paterson is a beautiful city, one full of history, cultural diversity and some of the sweetest people I have ever met. As a Palestinian American, I am so grateful to the City of Paterson for offering a safe space for me to be who I am. Walking down Main Street, I feel like I am back home, walking through the crowded bazaar to get to my grandmother’s house with the Muslim call to prayer echoing off the walls of the Old City.
Though Paterson has allowed my family and I to find a piece of home away from home, I want to embrace Paterson’s diversity and familiarize myself with the different cultures that live side by side. One Book One Paterson helps me do just that.
There is something so special about being able to discuss a great book, especially with people of different backgrounds. The perspective shift allows us to dive further into the literature and to discover layers we might have previously ignored. We learn more about ourselves and the world around us when we take a moment to listen to the experiences and reflections of others.
I encourage everyone to participate in the One Book One Paterson initiative by reading Ernest Gaines’ A Lesson Before Dying. The story is full of life lessons and is an incredible read, and I am sure the discussions that will follow will be illuminating. Host a book club and invite the people of Paterson to join you. Learn about your community members. Learn about those who are “different” by making connections and understanding that you are all the same and are all united by the notion of humanity. Learn about yourself and about life and about the intricacies of human interactions. Who knows? Maybe you’ll make some new lifetime friends.
Happy Reading,
Tala Ismail of the Palestinian American Community Center
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