I’m sending him your compliment. He will be very pleased, thank you. He fights great odds. Health wise too. Umair is full of a rare courage. In the face of hatred, bigotry and vitriol which is hurled at him, stonewalling by mainline publications like NYT, actively showing bias because of his forthrightness, the outright sneering by people like Maria Popova who hauls herself onto shoulders of literary giants for visibility and merely puts together a reading list, i no longer follow her, he hasn’t lost sight of why one must persevere. The only legacy we can leave is one of grace, empathy and a badge of courage; we fought the good fight. We were not silent. After all, not everyone can be an Einstein or MLK. Geniuses.

And I’m proud of you too. We’re all in this together. Warriors, all, in our own individual ways. I do believe in the power of the written word. If only enough Americans would read their own marvelous fiction writers like Anthony Doerr and Andrea Barrett, historians and physicists etc. Nobel prize winners, but for that they need to learn how to read, respect and be willing to unlearn and see not merely look.

Education, alas in this country has not been a necessity to the minds of governments. Student debt? School lunches for sale? No basic healthcare? No safety networks? Horrors!

And yet democrats and republicans both wonder why and how Trump garnered the support of millions who naively thought a failed lying, bankrupt billionaire ( oxymoron?)would help them!

I’m rambling now please forgive me. Every mother as a hidden Tigress in her. Must protect my Cubs.

My best to you and please be smart about safety protocols. We don’t have the immunity of trumpites and science haters. 🙏🏼💙