One mans effort for Libya..
(ON CAM)
(ANCHOR)
AS THE FIGHTING IN LIBYA CONTINUES…SO DO THE EFFORTS BY THE PEOPLE ACROSS THE WORLD TO HELP THE LIBYAN PEOPLE. HERES ONE MANS STORY DOING ALL THAT HE CAN… THOUSANDS OF MILES AWAY FROM LIBYA. AISHA CHOWDHRY HAS HIS STORY.
(TAKE VO)
HIS NAME IS FEDI TARAPOLSI. HE WAS BORN IN LIBYA AND HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO GO BACK SINCE 1981. TODAY…HE STANDS INFRONT OF THE WHITE HOUSE EVERY SINGLE EVENING FOR TWO HOURS TO REMEMBER THOSE THAT HAVE LOST THEIR LIVES IN LIBYA. HE HAS BEEN DOING THIS FOR EIGHT WEEKS. HIS GOAL…
(TAKE SOT)
im trying to unite the community together….keep everybody rallied…keep everybody motivated…keep everyone strong with one voice…we have to be together…we have to be strong because there is strength in numbers…
(TAKE VO)
HE SAYS GENERALLY HE IS A SHY PERSON BUT BY BEING HERE HE IS ABLE TO EDUCATE WHOEVER WALKS UP TO HIM ABOUT LIBYA AND HOW THEY CAN HELP.
(TAKE SOT)
Were in a big tourist attraction…just bringing more awareness to the people about what’s going on
(TAKE VO)
HE ALSO SHARED SOME ADVICE FOR THE LIBYAN PEOPLE…
(TAKE SOT)
Get organized…there is some disorganization because mostly you have to remember that this is a civilian population that has taken up arms. Get more arms is definitely a big concern because Gaddafi does have more weapons and stronger weapons and the third thing is to keep doing what they are doing, keep going and keep standing strong.
(TAKE VO)
HIS FAMILY NAME TARAPOLSI…TRANSLATES TO “SOMEBODY FROM TRIPOLI” AND THAT SOMEBODY IS MAKING SURE HIS FRIENDS AND FAMILY IN LIBYA KNOW THAT HE STANDS UNITED… WITH THEM. FROM WASHINGTON DC IM AISHA CHOWDHRY.
International Fashion Show & Runway Contest
(ON CAM)
(ANCHOR)
THE FIRST ANNUAL DC INTERNATIONL RUNWAY CONTEST AND FASHION SHOW WAS FILLED WITH GLITZ AND GLAMOUR BUT IT WAS ALSO A CHANCE FOR DESIGNERS OF ALL KINDS TO COME TOGETHER AND HAVE THEIR WORK CRITIQUIED BY SOME OF THE BEST IN THE WASHINGTON D.C. COMMUNITY.
(TAKE VO)
BY THE LOOKS OF IT..IT WAS JUST LIKE ANY OTHER FASHION SHOW.. BUT HERE ANY MODEL COULD WALK THE RAMP AND ANY DESIGNER COULD SHOWCASE THEIR CLOTHING LINE. IT WAS A CHANCE TO GIVE NEWCOMERS A TASTE OF BEING PART OF A FASHION SHOW…MOST OF THE MODELS WERE EXCITED BUT A LITTLE NERVOUS AS WELL…
(TAKE SOT)
THIS IS MY FIRST RUNWAY SHOW SO IM VERY EXCITED…YEAH…IM ECSTASTIC SO I AM HOPING I DON’T FALL….
(TAKE VO)
DESIGNERS OF ALL ETHNICITIES CAME TOGETHER…FROM RUSSIA TO INDIA….THERE WAS COLORFUL DESIGNS, BELLY DANCING AND EVEN AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION. SOME PEOPLE HERE SHARED WHAT FASHION MEANS TO THEM…
(TAKE SOT)
I THINK FASHION IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT IS A FORM OF SELF EXPRESSION…I THINK THAT WHEN YOU WEAR A CERTAIN OUTFIT..YOU FEEL A CERTAIN WAY…SO I DEFINATLEY THINK IT’S A FORM OF EXPRESSING YOURSELF.
(TAKE SOT)
DADDY ALWAYS TOLD ME BE YOURSELF. SO I AM ALL ABOUT EXPRESSING MYSELF AND THAT’S WHY I LOVE FASHION SO MUCH..I THINK IT REALLY TELLS YOU ABOUT THE PERSON.
(STAND UP)
THIS IS THE FIRST ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL FASHION SHOW IN THE WASHINGTON DC METROPOLITAN AREA. WITH FIFTY-TWO MODELS..ELEVEN DESIGNERS..AND NINE INTERNATIONAL SEGMENTS..THEY HAVE PUT ON QUIET A SHOW! FROM ARLINGTON VIRGINIA..IM AISHA CHOWDHRY.
(END ON SONG)
Pakistan Floods Fundraiser
(ON CAM)
(ANCHOR)
GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY HELD A FUNDRAISER TO HELP RAISE MONEY FOR THE VICTIMS OF THE 2010 PAKISTAN FLOODS. THE EVENT WAS FILLED WITH MUSIC, DANCE, AND FOOD. THEY WERE ABLE TO RAISE OVER FIFTEEN-HUNDRED DOLLARS. AISHA CHOWDHRY HAS THE FULL REPORT.
(TAKE VO)
OVER 20 MILLION PEOPLE WERE LEFT HOMELESS IN THE 2010 PAKISTAN FLOODS. THESE FLOODS WERE WORSE THAN THE 2004 SOUTH ASIAN TSUNAMI, THE 2005 KASHMIR EARTHQUAKE AND THE 2010 HAITI EARTHQUAKE COMBINED. PAKISTAN’S ECONOMY SUFFERED WELL OVER 40 BILLION DOLLARS IN DAMAGES. ONE-FIFTH OF THE COUNTRY WAS UNDER WATER. GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY HOSTED A FUNDRAISER IN EFFORTS TO RAISE MONEY FOR THE FLOOD VICTIMS. THE STUDENTS AND AUDIENCE SPOKE ABOUT WHY WAS THERE SUCH LESS AID TO PAKISTAN COMPARED TO NATURAL DISASTERS IN OTHER COUNTRIES?
(TAKE SOT)
I think that probably I would blame the media that coverage wasn’t that great..people didn’t know about it..the awareness wasn’t there…so people were just like whatever.
(TAKE SOT)
Haiti is a lot closer and the other thing is were not fighting in Haiti right now.
(TAKE SOT)
I would blame the coverage as well.
(TAKE SOT)
Because we don’t have a good reputation in the world.
(TAKE SOT)
When theres so many bad things going on in Pakistan..that this was just like another addition to the list.
(STAND UP)
THE UNITED STATES WAS ONE OF THE THE FIRST COUNTRIES TO RESPOND TO THIS NATURAL DISASTOR.THEY PROVIDED IMMEDIATE RELIEF EFFORTS AND FUNDS TO HELP THE FLOOD VICTIMS. AND AS YOU SAW..TODAY ALMOST ONE YEAR LATER.. HERE IN THE NATIONS CAPTIOL.. PRIVATE CITIZENS ARE STILL DOING EVERYTHING THEY CAN TO HELP THE FLOOD VICTIMS…MANY OF WHOM ARE STILL HOMELESS….FROM WASHINGTON DC IM AISHA CHOWDHRY.
(END ON SONG)
Islamophobia
(ON CAM)
(ANCHOR)
ISLAMOPHOBIA HAS BEEN ON THE RISE IN RECENT YEARS. SOME MUSLIMS FOUND THAT THE BEST WAY TO TALK ABOUT ISLAM IS BY BEING A LITTLE CREATIVE. AISHA CHOWDHRY HAS THE STORY ON HOW SOME MUSLIMS AROUND WASHINGTON, DC ARE USING ARTS AND CAMPUS GROUPS TO TALK ABOUT THE CONTROVERSIAL ISSUES OF TODAY.
(TAKE VO)
ISLAMOPHOBIA OR THE FEAR OF MUSLIMS HAS BEEN ON THE RISE SINCE THE SEPT 11TH ATTACKS. TODAY, SOME YOUNG ADULTS HAVE FOUND NEW WAYS TO CHALLENGE THIS FEAR, WITH ARTS.
(TAKE SOT)
She performs in the internationally toured production “Hijabi Monologues”. And when she grows up she wants to be a revolutionary woman. And I would say she already is.
(TAKE VO)
KAMILAH PICKETT IS AN AFRICAN AMERICAN MUSLIM, LAWYER BY DAY, COMEDIAN BY NIGHT. SHE MIXES HUMOR IN HER WORK TO TALK ABOUT SENSITIVE TOPICS.
(TAKE SOT)
Sometimes I feel like a disappointing hijabi. Like I am not as much as people expect. Muslims and nonmuslims, not as refined, or as dedicated, as nice or, sane. Whatever, it’s a piece of fabric, not a magic wand.
(TAKE VO)
AT AMERICAN UNIVERSITY IN WASHINGTON, DC THE MUSLIM STUDENT ASSOCIATION HOLDS THEIR WEEKLY MEETINGS, MANY A TIMES TO DISCUSS EVENTS THAT CAN BRING MUSLIMS AND NON-MUSLIMS TOGETHER.
(TAKE SOT)
We do a number of events to kind of promote the idea that unfortunately we have to promote the idea that were normal. So we do things like charity. Last year we made over 500 sandwiches for homeless.
(TAKE SOT)
We want to focus on giving people the opportunity to ask their questions and say hey its okay, were not going to like bite.
(TAKE VO)
AISHA CHOWDHRY, WASHINGTON DC
Egypt Protest
A FEW HOURS AGO IN EGYPT…PRESIDENT HOSNI MUBARAK HAS ANNOUNCED ON EGYPTIAN STATE TELEVISION THAT HE WILL NOT RUN FOR A NEW TERM IN THE SEPTEMEBER ELECTIONS. BUT THAT IS NOT ENOUGH FOR THE EGYPTIAN PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN PROTESTING FOR DAYS. AISHA CHOWDHRY HAS THE STORY ON THE PROTESTS OUTSIDE THE EGYPTIAN EMBASSY IN WASHINGTON D.C.
TODAY MARKS THE EIGHTH DAY OF THE EGYPTIAN PROTESTS. HERE IN WASHINGTON D.C. MANY GATHERED TO SUPPORT THE EGYPTIAN PEOPLE WHO HAVE TAKEN TO THE STREETS TO CALL FOR AN END OF PRESIDENT HOSNI MUBARAKS THIRTY YEAR RULE.
“WELL WE BELIEVE THAT OUR LEADERS THEY JUST BETRAYED US AND WE NOW HAVE TO BE AS PEOPLE AS CITIZENS….UNITED”
MANY EGYPTIANS HERE ARE ANGRY AND ARE SAYING THAT THEY WILL NOT TOLERATE PRESIDENT MUBARAK ANY LONGER. SOME OF THEM HAVE FAMILIES IN EGYPT AND ARE INFURIATED AT THE CURRENT REGIME.
“WE WANT PEACE…WE WANT TO LIVE IN PEACE…WE WANT TO HAVE OUR FREEDOM BACK. WE NEED TO FEEL LIKE REALLY WE BELONG TO THAT COUNTRY AND FEEL LIKE WERE PROUD OF THE COUNTRY. WE USED TO BE PROUD BUT HE MAKE US REALLY NOT PROUD. WE ARE PROUD THAT WE ARE EGYPTIANS BUT WE ARE NOT PROUD THAT WE ARE LED BY HOSNI MUBARAK. THAT’S ENOUGH. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.
EVEN THOUGH PRESIDENT MUBARAK HAS SAID HE WILL NOT RUN FOR ANOTHER TERM IN THE UPCOMING SEPTEMBER ELECTIONS….THAT IS NOT ENOUGH TO KEEP THE PROTESTORS OFF THE STREETS.
PEOPLE HERE SAY CONDITIONS ON THE GROUND IN EGYPT ARE WORSENING. AND THAT IS ONE OF THEIR MOTIVATIONS FOR COMING HERE. AND THEY SAY THEY WILL KEEP COMING AND PROTESTING UNTIL PRESIDENT MUBARAK RESIGNS. AISHA CHOWDHRY…WASHINGTON, D.C.
#SOTU 2011
The President walked in, the most powerful man still found time for quick off the cuff comments like “you shaved your beard” to a congressman as they greeted each other while he made his way to the stage.
The President addressed many topics but started off by pointing to the empty chair for Congresswoman Gabby Giffords who was critically injured in the recent Tucson attacks. He talked about differences between each other but the importance of what that means for democracy. He said, “we have fought fiercely for our beliefs.” The speech mentioned the recent tragedy in Tucson but the President focused on the important of the bond between the American family, and their shared hopes.
Economy and jobs were at the very top of the Presidents list of items to talk about. Also, he spoke about the importance of businesses being able to invest and thriving, and not being shut down.
Clean energy, education reform, ideas, immigration issues, trade, the digital age, the construction industry, health care, gay rights, and taxes were all part of the Presidents speech. He addressed some of these issues with examples of regular Americans who pursued their dreams and were able to “think big” which was a statement used by the President to describe the future of the country.
A long term goal pointed out in the speech was the reduction of debt over the next five years.
