Colby Magazine

Volume 105 Issue 2 Winter/Spring 2017 Article 9

April 2017

Anything but INVISIBLE: Oak Fellow Khalid Albaih marvels at supportive Colby while opening eyes to global suppression

Gerry Boyle Colby College

Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.colby.edu/colbymagazine

Part of the Illustration Commons, and the Near and Middle Eastern Studies Commons

Recommended Citation Boyle, Gerry (2017) "Anything but INVISIBLE: Oak Fellow Khalid Albaih marvels at supportive Colby while opening eyes to global suppression," Colby Magazine: Vol. 105 : Iss. 2 , Article 9. Available at: https://digitalcommons.colby.edu/colbymagazine/vol105/iss2/9

This Features is brought to you for free and open access by the Colby College Archives at Digital Commons @ Colby. It has been accepted for inclusion in Colby Magazine by an authorized editor of Digital Commons @ Colby. 24 COLBY Winter/Spring 2017 COLBY | colby.edu | facebook.com/colbycollege | twitter.com/colbycollege 25

FACULTY Human Rights Albaih Khalid

—2016 Oak Fellow for International for Fellow Oak —2016 I felt that for such a small community community a small such for that I felt in interest of a lot there’s Colby], [at And world. the positivity. People want things.” do to Revolutions.

#Respect

said Amya Delhi, New of India. Bhalla “I ’19 know so many him met who people the for first time and that first conversation would last two three or hours, just talking.” Bhalla, a political cartoonist herself, said that even after Albaih left campus students in December, could feel his influence, with more discussionof foreign policy and international news.“He definitelymotivated of students lot a to open their eyes to things that are going around on the said. she world,” theOneof ways Albaih open eyes helped was Colby at an the at event College Colby Museum Art of at Dec. 7, which students, faculty, and staff experienced the lives refugeesof through film and discussion. was The event the for Center Artslinked and Humanities to the 2016-17 don’t. andVisit Colby page at devoted a web to Albaih’s work beyond. colby.edu/mag “It’s just letting“It’s the Global North know all where that of came Albaih from,” not can said. “We connect. We’re breakingenemies. It’s those borders.” After Albaih Colby, returned to and then to , a country whose authoritarian regime has he criticized in his work. “Going is going a test now to to see happen,” what’s Albaih said. “Inshallah, everything will be okay.” In January Khalid posted his on page: I’m from back Facebook Sudan after nearly of 3 weeks limited movements, suspicious cars following me and very obvious ‘undercover’ security agents hanging out taking pictures. of not The feeling knowing gonna ... if you’re make it home is indescribable. But to I get leave, activists there theme, Albaih saidhis and Colby at exposure work in the United States and beyond allow him to correct the notion Western that the is andalways has been place, a violent been“that killing we’ve said. he each other forever,” Jazeera.

, and Al New York Times, the New York images.

The feeling was mutual as students found the social-media celebrity wanted was only Oak but not approachable Fellow to engage in conversation. “I anyone was met who never so open and wanted to talk to everyone everything,” about The boundaries between cultures and countries began to dissolve stepped he when into the classroom and Colby at found students eager to learn the about more Middle East, its history and there. that “I felt such for a small interest of a lot in thecommuniy there’s world,” Colby], [at Albaih positivity. said. want “And things. to do People the It’s America’total idea.” the opposite of ‘Trump’s direct His images have turned the on up walls of cities in up caught the , including Cairo the largest and Sana’a, city in Yemen. The cartoonist captures the anger thousands of people of may andwho voice, have no certainly global reach. no He also captured the attention western of media, including The Guardian Albaih has gained a viral following his for political cartoons (distributed under the label “Khartoon!”, the on a play name the of capital which Sudan), of feature cutting commentary events delivered world on through and simple Khalid Albaih, a Sudanese artist lives who in Qatar and the International for OakFellow Human2016 Rights Colby, at said personal relationships between students and faculty are rare in Middle East universities. When realized he that couldhe be close to his students—and Colby would be expected to be—he was thrilled. “The relationship between the professors and the students, and even the personality the of professors and young how they are—it’s amazing,” Albaih said. A political cartoonist with presenceglobal a web was surprised and gratified to find an equally receptiveaudience Colby. at By GerryBy ’78 Boyle Oak Fellow Khalid Albaih marvels Albaih Khalid Fellow Oak at supportive Colby eyes to global suppression opening while INVISIBLE Anything but but Anything