NESPA Winner: Localizing, 2023

The Cypress, Brookline High School, Brookline, MA

You hear the pestering alarm ring at the crack of dawn. The birds are hardly chirping, and the bedroom is still caliginous. Heading downstairs, you look forward to eating the first meal of the day: suhoor, and then starting your 12 hour fast.

For Muslims, this tradition is followed over the span of 30 days during the ninth month of the Islamic Calendar, known as Ramadan. It is the month of compassion, charity, prayer and fasting for Muslims all over the world. Given that one of the most notable aspects of Ramadan is fasting, students who observe the holiday balance both the difficulties and positive aspects that go along with it. This year, Ramadan began on April 2.

Sophomore Zara Chaudry said that Ramadan allows her to connect with her culture and brings her family closer through breaking fast together.

“Every night when breaking fast, my mother prepares specific dishes that are important to our Pakistani culture,” Chaudry said. “We all share this one dish called ‘kheer’ which is a type of rice pudding, and we continue to use a recipe that’s been in our family for generations.”

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