Blog

Abdi Iftin | March 8, 2024

As Ramadan begins, the gentle ping of text messages bearing wishes of Ramadan Kareem signals the imminent arrival of this sacred month. As I write this piece, my phone has nearly fifty messages of Ramadan wishes from friends around the world. A reminder of what Ramadan is to many of us: connections and checking on friends and family. I am …

Nora Salitan | February 29, 2024

When I began working at CWS in September of 2021, I never anticipated I would find myself directing for a fashion show two and a half years later. But retracing the trajectory from the beginning of my time at CWS to Common Threads, our February 8th show this year—it all starts to make sense!   I started my career at …

Halima Adams | February 14, 2024

My people are from Ohio; I am from a long line of people born and raised there, yet have roots in Alabama, Tennessee, Florida, Virginia and possibly elsewhere. Both sides of my family are products of the Great Migration. I was raised in a loving family, rooted in cultural pride, the power of education, self-awareness, self-determination, love and a commitment …

Zach Wolgemuth | February 2, 2024

I’m bouncing around in the back of a 1970’s-style Jeep while rocks are falling from the hillside above, and I’m trying not to glance at the sheer cliff below. There are no guardrails, no passing zones, just a one-way path recently cut into the side of the mountain thousands of feet above the valley floor. I’m certain that the freshly-bulldozed …

Mary Catherine Hinds | January 23, 2024

In December, a group of CWS board members and I visited CWS programs in Kenya. On one day, we embarked on a challenging journey by Jeep, navigating through rugged terrain until we reached a secluded community where a chorus of joyful women welcomed us with dancing and clapping. Amidst this warm reception, we met with Michael, a farmer who had …