Met Malalai Joya, One of My Personal Heroes.

[Markd]

Malalai Joya is an Aghan Member of Parliament who was expelled from Parliament after she publicly denounced the presence of warlords and war criminals in the parliament. She has survived four assassination attempts, and travels in Afghanistan under a burqa and with armed guards.

She was one of the sweetest people I've ever met and was willing to sign anything people wanted her to, took pictures with people, and really spent a lot of time talking to people.

Here is a photo of us. She was in a big hurry but it was actually her who insisted on taking a picture with me.


Photo she signed of herself. She told me that it was taken the day she was sworn into Parliament. She also told me a story about how she didn't have a Koran to get sworn in on, so a journalist gave her his.


She also wrote a message on the back of the photo and gave me her email address which I have edited out


Possibly one of my favourite in-person encounters I have experienced.