My Story
Dear Friends & Family,
I am so grateful to have another chance at life and to be moving back to NYC, a place where I have so many loved ones all in one place. ❤️ The last few years have brought a lot of change, and as I close one chapter of my life and begin another, I’ve found myself thinking a lot about the people who have been part of my journey along the way. Keeping up with the people we love somehow becomes harder as we all continue “adulting.” We move, life gets busy, years pass, and sometimes far too much time goes by between seeing one another. But through all of that, I’ve found Maya Angelou’s words remain true: “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
Each of you, at some point, has made me feel loved, supported, and safe. You have been rays of light in my life, and as I begin this next chapter, I would love the chance to see you, even briefly, to celebrate a step that has been incredibly difficult but also incredibly freeing. As I settle into this new space and this new season of life, I can’t think of a better way to make it feel like home than to fill it with the people I love. So please come fill it with hugs, laughter, memories, and a toast to starting anew.
Many of you have been so incredibly kind and have consistently asked what it is that I truly need. After everything I’ve experienced, I find that my heart has turned away from material things, and I keep coming back to something my grandmother always told me: “An education is the one thing that can never be taken away from you.”
Those words mean more to me now than they ever have before.
I’ve always believed deeply in the power of education to change the world, and right now, I’m experiencing its power to help me change my own. As I begin this next chapter of my life, there is honestly no material need. The only thing I could use assistance with is a contribution toward my PhD tuition. My goal is to walk across that stage two years from now, and when I do, I know I won’t have gotten there alone. So many of you have believed in me, encouraged me, and stood beside me through some of the most difficult moments of my life. No one earns a degree like this entirely on their own; behind every name on a diploma is a community of people who helped that person keep going.
Thank you for being part of mine.
Here’s to a new chapter filled with hope, gratitude, and so much more ❤️
Love,
Kanwal