When reading a book, sometimes a new chapter begins a few years later.

I last wrote in a blog in 2015. Back then, it was under “nishmadoshi.net”, a site which became redundant. The content of that project is now contained on this new site – acaciathorns.net. My views have changed since then. However, I’ve kept these older posts for the sake of posterity, and because some of those posts are still useful in a contemporary context.

Since then, however, I have undergone many changes. I came out as agendered and non-binary, and changed my preferred name to “Nish” (over Nishma) to better suit that transition. I also moved from York to Edinburgh.

In those years, I also changed as a person. Grappling with mental health issues, I found it difficult to really carry on writing. I felt as though my experiences and understandings of the world and politics were not useful, and the voices of those more oppressed than myself needed to be heard more than mine. What was I in the midst of great writing coming out of people of colour led media like Wear Your Voice mag or Gal-Dem or even Media Diversified?

It’s only over the last few months, talking with my therapist and engaging with folks on Twitter through ‘thread essays’ that I realised that I still had a voice, and that voice mattered.

I have come to understand that even though my views have changed over time, this is my journey. And although my voice is only a small voice in a space surrounded by other great writers, it still adds value to the conversations we need to be having.

AcaciaThorns, this version, is a new chapter on a long journey. I hope to continue to provide interesting analyses on the world as I see it, and use this space to amplify the voices of other who need to be heard.

Thank you, and I hope you will join me on this journey too.