(C) Daily Kos This story was originally published by Daily Kos and is unaltered. . . . . . . . . . . I Gave My Kidney. Will You Give $100? [1] ['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.', 'Backgroundurl Avatar_Large', 'Nickname', 'Joined', 'Created_At', 'Story Count', 'N_Stories', 'Comment Count', 'N_Comments', 'Popular Tags'] Date: 2023-04-29 Me, after I gave my spare kidney away. Late last year, I donated my spare kidney to someone I don’t know. And one day, I hope you’ll consider doing the same. But in the meanwhile, I have a different request: could you help fund these great organizations - the South Asian American Digital Archive, and the Secular Student Alliance - with a donation of your own? Secular Student Alliance I joined the SSA Board because I remember what it was like to be a secular student. It was lonely. I grew up in rural Michigan, and everyone seemed to believe in God, which never made sense to me. I listened to sermons; I attended Vacation Bible School; I tried to read the Bible. And as I got older, I watched the adults in church pray and commune and reaffirm their faith. I didn’t have anyone to share my doubts with; to understand my lack of faith; to reaffirm me . I was alone, and I felt it. And I knew that staying silent was the smart move - sharing this part of me would invite scorn, or ridicule, or reprimand. All of which reinforced my loneliness. Today, students across the country are facing the same challenges; the same feeling that they’re isolated, different, alone . But they’re not alone. The Secular Student Alliance connects secular students with each other – and with resources, leading secular thinkers, and a vibrant nationwide community. I wish I’d been a part of this community when I was younger – and I’m so glad that others have access to it now. Your donation makes all this possible. It’s a way of reaffirming secular students – and just as importantly, a pluralistic, welcoming future for us all. SAADA The South Asian American Digital Archive documents, preserves, and shares the story of the South Asian American experience. That shared experience is a tapestry of individual stories, feelings and events – every one unique, personal, and fascinating. Looking through the archive is an opportunity to see things differently; to understand things you didn’t before. What was it like to be in the 60s Girl Scouts, in Minnesota, as a South Asian girl? Nayana can tell you. What was it like to be shot in the face after 9/11, out of “revenge” – and then campaign to save the life of the man who shot you? Rais can tell you. To be expelled from Uganda by Idi Amin, and resettle in South Carolina? To grow up gay in Pakistan in the 40s and 50s? To win a commendation from the Queen for your energy conservation work? These are the sorts of stories you can read and listen to, precisely because SAADA has done the work of collecting them in an online archive. And not just stories: primary documents, family photos, newspaper clippings, correspondence, home movies, and all sorts of other media. It’s difficult archival work – but important for understanding the South Asian story, and the American story. For understanding what it means to be us . Why Am I Donating My Kidney? Because I don’t believe that anyone is expendable. That belief – that people matter – has motivated much of my career. I’ve spent years working on climate change, environmental health, and environmental justice. Because pollution isn’t abstract; it’s personal . The question really is: who suffers? And almost always, the answer is: the most vulnerable people; the most powerless; the people our society disregards. And sadly, that moral wrong – poisoning vulnerable people – often compounds other forms of suffering and injustice. Even so, it’s taken me 20 years to give up my spare kidney. I first thought about it when the friend of a friend needed one to survive. I considered getting tested to see if we were a match. But I chose not to, because I worried that we might actually match. And I didn’t want to feel pain or assume risk for a complete stranger. Couldn’t they find someone else? It took years, but that decision gnawed at me. It seemed to conflict with the work I’d been doing all my life. Eventually I started researching kidney donation – at first casually, and then with increasing purpose. I learned that the surgery is actually quite safe. That it doesn’t take long to recover. That afterwards, you can go back to your normal life. My fears receded, and my sense of moral obligation grew. Surely I could endure a few days of discomfort so that someone else could live. Why Me? Why You? I want to live in a better world – a world with less suffering, more understanding, more justice. I hope that you do, too. It takes time and effort, but I believe that we can build that better world; that what we do can impact the people around us, for the better. I know this is true because I’ve done so, and because as an organizer, I’ve helped other people do so. And as I’ve gotten older and more mature, I’ve come to feel more deeply that love and understanding and tolerance – caring about the person next to you – is what gives life meaning, and that it both represents and enables the very best in us. In turn, I’m asking you to care about people you may never meet – those touched by the organizations you’ll be funding. Kindness is always a generosity; it’s always a gift. I hope you’ll consider sharing your own kindness and generosity by donating to the Secular Student Alliance and SAADA right now. 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