It’s a little weird hearing about Elamin graduating. I first of him through my sibling who upon realizing I didn’t know Elamin (this was … early in 2011) just could not believe that I didn’t know him.
Elamin, she said, had been around forever and run campaigns for ______ and ________.
Another political junkie, I figured.
Even when I met him at the AMS Candidate debates, while he was posing around with a fellow tweep (soon to be best-friend, brother, twitter spammer) Wesam Aleyadeh, I didn’t know who he was.
But thankfully, (and I am quite grateful), I got to know him.
Over the twitter stream, in the occasional times I bumped into him at various events, and this one time in the Social Issues Commission Office when we hung out and “made” a collage. (and a movie, the trailer for which can be seen here: http://vimeo.com/21714407)
If he wasn’t around, I don’t know if I would’ve featured in the Queen’s Lip Dub.
The Lip Dub video can be seen here: http://youtu.be/SYUUBm2s7NI
Shout-out to Queen’s TV here, I liked our version better than UBC’s. We were first and did a better job lip-syncing. My own highlights from the filming can be seen here: http://youtu.be/7hQWekK-ug4
There was that one time when Elamin, Rory and my friend, Matthew squeezed into Rory’s car and watched perhaps the worst Eric Bana movie I’ve ever watched. (Hanna) But it was fun.
I remember walking around with a Kingston local and staff member at the ASUS office and seeing Elamin. I don’t know if Elamin knew her, but she knew Elamin. Even though she barely got out of her office in Mac-Corry.
I was the lucky one.
I got to know Elamin. (if you didn’t/don’t you’re missing out!)
I heard him on the radio.
I saw him on the streets around Kingston and on the Queen’s campus.
I got a couple of pictures which don’t do him justice, but they’ll help me remember him.
I’m not sure what’s next for him. But he’s been trying to change the world for a long time.
In his own quirky way, wearing Birkenstocks and being awemore*.
He’s got a lot of friends, but better yet he’s got a neat personality.
Thank you Elamin.
(You will be missed, very much. But I’ll see you around I’m sure.
I’m sure you’ll be even harder to follow on twitter now that you’re “out there”.)
ps. Wesam, Elamin and I have yet to begin work on an upcoming music video. Stay tuned.
