Feasting on Eid al-Fitr

For the first time in a few years Ramadan seemed to pass me by without much thought, so with the end of month of fasting drawing near, I headed for Grand Market. This grocery store on Charlottesville's Main Street is run by an Afghan family and has been my source for the best tahini and dates since moving back to town. There I met the owner Abdul Rahim who warmly pressed me to try all the cookies on display for Eid, the holiday that marks the end of Ramadan. I felt torn between the disrespect of eating in front of someone in the midst of a 17-hour fast and not wanting to reject his generosity. I decided I couldn't say no. He was happy, I was happy. Food just tastes better during Ramadan.

I also met Fawzia and Shirin (not their real names) who so exuberantly shared memories of their favorite Eid foods. 

Zombie Debts

I first became interested in this topic when I read about a court case forcing JP Morgan Chase and Bank of America to update borrowers’ credit reports to reflect that the debts were extinguished through bankruptcy. The Legal Aid Justice Center in Charlottesville has a Zombie Debt Defense initiative. I spoke to one of their attorney's, Brenda Castaneda, and her client Lisa who has struggled with recurring debt sold and bought by different debt collectors also known as "zombie debt." 

 


If anything, I hope to inspire activism against this insidious business. Let this This American Life segment be your inspiration!