Thread by @WajahatAli

In response to the tweet below, I was asked to chart how I got from point A to point B in my career over the past 10 years. I’ll try to connect the dots in this thread and I hope it is helpful. This is just one perspective and one story, my story. 1/

https://twitter.com/WajahatAli/status/1211868450521591808

I graduated law school in 2007 right before the depression. I couldn’t get a job for 8 months. I moved home, completely broke. My dad gave me $5 a day saying, "Beta, no man should be without 5 bucks.” I always wanted to be a writer but couldn’t even imagine how to begin. 2/

I had a broke-ass Fujitsu laptop that made a wheezing sound when it was turned on & a big yellow ethernet cable attached to it. I told myself I’d write what I wanted without compromising my voice. I’d try to write as many quality pieces as possible and see what happens. 3/

While cranking out resumes, I started writing essays on politics, current affairs and foreign policy. I also did interviews. I assumed if every expert was wrong on the Iraq War then the bar was low, so why not try it out? I published one online, then another, then another… 4/

I was called a “social media journalist” in 2009 and asked to teach journalists about this thing called Facebook and Twitter and blogging. They even paid me for it. $500! A real check! Real money! 5/

During the day I was doing law, mostly immigration and fighting bank foreclosures, then later in the day I did essays, then LATER at night/early morning I plotted how to premiere my play in NYC on 9/11/2009. I was in the Bay Area, almost broke, with no “connections.” Winning! 6/

The play, The Domestic Crusaders, was a student assignment given to me at UC Berkeley by Ishmael Reed. After graduating, I finished the play. Carla Blank came on as the dramaturg and director. We did our staged reading at Chandni Pakistani restaurant in Newark, California. 7/

I was told my “ethnic" story about a Muslim American family would not translate to the “mainstream” & to give up. My community said I was a fool. I ignored all. DIY. We raised the money, did the publicity, got the Nuyorican to host it & premiered it in NYC. It was a hit. 8/

McSweeney’s published the play around my 30th birthday in 2010. I thought it would finally open doors. Agents were interested. I had an opportunity to write a HBO pilot with Dave Eggers. Fellowships & think tanks were offered...and ALL of it fell apart. Back to being broke. 9/

In 2011, CAP, a think tank, followed my writings & play and asked me to be the lead writer and researcher on an investigative report trying to figure out where all these fringe anti Muslim and anti Obama memes came from. I had nothing else going on and said “Sure, why not?” 10/

That led to the publication of FEAR INC. Nearly every person we mentioned in this report is now associated in someway with the Trump Administration. I thought doors would open after this...nope. Still broke. Struggling. 11/

americanprogress.org/issues/religio…

Around this time, I had a near death experience, a freakish episode that knocked me flat. I recommend everyone have a near death experience, it helped put things in perspective. My only regret was I didn’t invest in a family. Thankfully, I lived. 12/

salon.com/2012/06/29/if_…

In 2012, I got married. My wife invested & believed in me when I had nothing but $600, a broken down 97 Toyota Camry & a bunch of dreams. I had just come out of a minor heart surgery w/ 0 savings or assets. I was a winner. She said I made her laugh & she liked my articles. 13/

Here's our crazy marriage story I wrote for The Washington Post. (Thanks @mboorstein!)

washingtonpost.com/news/local/wp/… 14/

@mboorstein .@shahed who was working at the State Dept said they had a program GENERATION CHANGE to help young entrepreneurs and change agents. He asked me to be a halal guinea pig and launch it in Pakistan. I was 31 & nothing else was happening and said, “Sure. Why not?” 15/

@mboorstein @shahed We successfully launched it in 25 countries & now USIP runs it. During the 2012 State Dept Iftar dinner they said Hillary Clinton would address the Benghazi tragedy and then introduce us and honor our work. I was told to transition after Clinton & lighten the mood. Lovely! 16/

@mboorstein @shahed I moved to DC in '13 for my wife without a career plan. I made Ikea furniture for our apartment. AJAM called & said they were starting a network. They followed my career, asked if I’d come to audition. I said I was busy making furniture. They laughed. I was serious. 17/

@mboorstein @shahed At my audition in NYC, the AJAM exec said he was not impressed by my audition and realized I had never done TV before but said others really believed in me for some strange reason. He made me promise I would work very hard and not suck. (True story.) 18/

@mboorstein @shahed In the Summer of 2013, we were live on air. I was co-hosting THE STREAM. I had no idea what I was doing. I prayed before every episode. I did a carve out in my contract that let me write articles and speak (wise decision). 19/

@mboorstein @shahed My old Guardian editor, @mattseaton, moved over to the NYT and kept trying to get me published. We kept pitching and failing. In 2015, this humorous piece somehow got in. We were both shocked. 20/

nytimes.com/2015/05/20/opi…

@mboorstein @shahed @mattseaton As a result of the AJAM job, a speaking agency, @TheLavinAgency, decided to take a risk on me. Charles said a few people he respected vouched for me but he wasn’t completely convinced, but we got along during our convo due to our affinity for pop culture & they went for it. 21/

@mboorstein @shahed @mattseaton @TheLavinAgency AJAM folded. We had our first kid in 2014, our second in 2016. I thought things would open up...they didn’t. In 2016, Sharaf Mowjood & @MegRobertson at Huff Post asked me to cover the election. NYT asked me to write more pieces, which led to the contributing oped writer gig. 22/

@mboorstein @shahed @mattseaton @TheLavinAgency @MegRobertson For the past 3 years I’ve been mostly independent. In fact, I’ve only really worked for other people for about 5 years total since graduating. In April 2019, I gave my first Ted talk on the mainstage. That week, we found out Nusayba had stage 4 cancer. 23/
ted.com/talks/wajahat_…

@mboorstein @shahed @mattseaton @TheLavinAgency @MegRobertson The last 10 months have upended everything but Nusayba now has a new liver and is relatively healthy. My wife has taken a year off from work. We are trying to figure out our next steps. In some ways, we are beginning again. 24/

@mboorstein @shahed @mattseaton @TheLavinAgency @MegRobertson During the summer, I was lucky to be asked by @CNN to be a commentator. I wasn't expecting it. Like many TV commentators, I was doing this for free for a long time. It has been a great experience so far & everyone has really invested in our daughter’s health and well being. 25/

@mboorstein @shahed @mattseaton @TheLavinAgency @MegRobertson @CNN It has been a long, often loney & uphill journey but worth it. I’m excited to see what I’ll be when I grow up. I’ve been extremely lucky that people believed in me, loved me, invested in me and helped me. I have always tried to pay it back and forward. 26/

@mboorstein @shahed @mattseaton @TheLavinAgency @MegRobertson @CNN This business is always harder for women and people of color. To this day, I still have to prove my “ethnic stories” are relatable. The gatekeepers are still overwhelmingly white and male. It gets exhausting. 27/

@mboorstein @shahed @mattseaton @TheLavinAgency @MegRobertson @CNN I am often still reduced to being a “Muslim” writer - this is seen as my sole expertise and value, despite my diverse career and mileage in the game. 28/

@mboorstein @shahed @mattseaton @TheLavinAgency @MegRobertson @CNN Despair? No. We just have to Daft Punk it: do it harder, better, faster, stronger and smarter. Build alliances. Help each other out. Do it yourself, make your own product, put it out there and then Trojan Horse the other opportunities. 29/

@mboorstein @shahed @mattseaton @TheLavinAgency @MegRobertson @CNN No one can stop you from writing & creating, so keep at it. Take joy in your work, in your stories, in your communities & their hardships and successes. When I started we didn’t have Ms Marvel, @hasanminhaj hosting Patriot Act, @mindykaling w/ her own show, a buff @kumailn. 30/

@mboorstein @shahed @mattseaton @TheLavinAgency @MegRobertson @CNN @hasanminhaj @mindykaling @kumailn I started off the decade completely broke, almost homeless, with my credit shot, no savings, single and with terrible health. I am ending it as a family man with a wife who tolerates me, 3 lovely kids, a Honda minivan and a strange, uncertain but very fulfilling career. 31/

@mboorstein @shahed @mattseaton @TheLavinAgency @MegRobertson @CNN @hasanminhaj @mindykaling @kumailn And I wish you all this kind of happiness in 2020 and beyond. I hope this (very long) thread was in some way helpful. END/