Doing Everything with a Good Heart - episode 74
Bijou. Boy do I love saying her name. Bijou is our Insta-Summer guest this week. I am still marveling at the woman she is: humble yet accomplished, creative with intention, and generous while making it look effortless. Honestly that is just the beginning. In addition to loving her large family she has found a way to give back to her country of origin. It is inspiring to say the least.
I found the weaving of all the things that matter most to Bijou exhilarating. She has taken every part of her life and created a beautiful tapestry of serving, compassion, and using her gifts for the greater good of others. Her heart for the women and children of Congo has been put into action. Bijou knows that LOVE DOES. So she loves, and she does. Let’s be more like that.
*Transcript of conversation available in episode notes.
Caring. Creative. Loyal.
— Bijou
The Power of Forgiveness
Thoughts from Doing Everything with a Good Heart
I truly love the place Bijou is coming from when she talked about doing everything with a good heart and expecting nothing in return. The payoff is in the giving not in the acknowledgment or accolades that may, or may not, come after. We will support Bijou’s efforts with Moseka Action Project. There are many hard-working groups making a difference, having impact. I would bet more often than not, they are born from a place of pain, of unspeakable tragedy.
One of those groups is the Tariq Khamisa Foundation. It is one of the most beautiful, heartbreaking stories I have ever heard. I love everything about it except how it came to be. Twenty-one-year old Tariq Khamisa was killed one night as he attempted to deliver a pizza. Tony Hicks, 14 at the time, shot him as part of a gang initiation. What comes next is the miraculous part. Tariq’s father, Azim wanted to do something in his son’s honor so he created the foundation named for his son. On the homepage of their website:
The Tariq Khamisa Foundation lives a culture rooted in humanity, inclusion, compassion and healing. Our work is driven by restorative and social justice principled that celebrate diversity, uniqueness and collaboration. We stand, with community, committed to the development of strategies and best practices to dismantle racism and ethnic oppression. TKF is committed to peace and equity at all levels of our organization and in the communities we are honored to serve.
Azim reached out to Ples Felix, Tony’s grandfather who was raising him at the time, and a friendship of forgiveness, grace and understanding was born. They vowed to do all they could to end youth violence. Now TKF offers the following programs of impact:
TKF Peacemaker Assembly Impacts
TKF Restorative Workshop Impacts
TKF Peace Educator Impacts
TKF is Creating Safer Schools
Tariq’s sister, Tasreen, became the executive director. Wait for it…Tony Hicks was released from prison (23 years after the murder) and he too works for the foundation in addition to learning a trade. Restorative justice anyone? You see, Azim went to visit Tony in prison and shared his forgiveness. So did Ples. So did Tasreen. Would any one of them signed up for this? Of course not. They grieved. They processed. They went through all the feelings. And now they lean into Tariq’s story, his legacy. They all learned the power of forgiveness.
One is nothing without scars.
Scars are proof of living.
— Tariq Khamisa
Ples Felix, Tony Hicks, Azim Khamisa, Tasreen Khamisa
Treat people the way you want to be treated.
— Tariq Khamisa
