The Threat of Unfamiliarity
Rabe Yar sat next to her friend in their ninth grade art classroom. They were regular teenagers, holding a regular high school conversation.
But not in English. The girls spoke their native Burmese language, catching the attention of two American students who approached the friends. While Rabe couldn’t yet speak fluent English, she knew enough to understand what they were saying.
“You must support Osama bin Laden,” Rabe remembers them saying as they eyed the hijab that symbolized her Muslim faith. “Unless you take that off.”
Rabe didn’t entirely understand who bin Laden was at the time, because the 9/11 attacks had occurred six years before she immigrated to America. But the students relentlessly pressured her to remove the hijab. When Rabe tried to turn away, one of them suddenly clutched the headscarf and attempted to pull it off. She escaped the grip and managed to move to another part of the room, adjusting her ruffled hijab as she went.
She wanted to tell someone what had happened, but she didn’t trust her English to explain it.
To continue reading, visit ballbearingsmag.com.
Read More
United Way’s 'Cradle to Career' initiative impacts elementary schools across the Muncie Community
By Katherine Hill / April 12, 2024Stepping inside any elementary school classroom during independent reading time, it’s not uncommon to look out amidst a sea of wandering eyes flickering from line to line, discovering what happens when you give a mouse a cookie and how hungry a caterpillar can be.
‘I Bleed Purple:' Standing at 96 years old, the Muncie Fieldhouse has made a lasting impact on the entire state of Indiana
By Kyle Smedley / April 11, 202412 people from the past and present reflect on their memories of the historic Muncie Fieldhouse. Nearing its 100th birthday, the Muncie Fieldhouse continues to be celebrated by community members, alumni and current players or staff.
For 40 years, Wizard’s Keep Game and Hobby store has served the Muncie Community, and continues to do so
By Hannah Amos / April 10, 2024The roll of dice. The fwip of cards. Jokes, taunts and laughs exchanged alongside strategies and plans. Bonds are formed and made stronger simply by playing games.
