I brought in the exciting new millenium on the sands of Calangute Beach in Goa with loved ones and with visions of hope and prosperity for the future.

The fanfare, alas, was short-lived. Within a year and a half, September 11, 2001 happened and the world was changed forever, bringing with it a disturbing awareness, for me, of the plight of women in war-torn countries. The reckless bombings in Afghanistan continued all year. I refused to travel. I remained frozen in time, scared.

My 83 year old mother had just left Montreal to visit her friends in Lahore and I was anxious for her to return, afraid of repercussions to that part of the world. Not quite convinced, she grudgingly made the long flight back to Montreal to appease me.

The sudden racial profiling took me back to 1978, Beaconsfield when my children and myself were targeted. I decided to speak up and wrote WHEN RACISM STRIKES (Sept. 27, 2001) in the Montreal Gazette which you can read here under LIFE STORY. The response was overwhelming and not just from Montrealers, but from racism sufferers worldwide. I understood then that keeping silent should never be an option.

Having buried that demon, I began to paint a lot. Switching to acrylics from oils meant a change in technique. I painted straight from the tube using vibrant hues of red, blue and yellow. I could no longer paint in shades of pale pastel. Another part of me had emerged and my work was taking on a style all it's own. I painted strong women, sad women, passionate women, resilient women, engaged women, beautiful women. I was on my journey.

In July 2002, 35 new works were on display for the month at the KIRKLAND LIBRARY ART GALLERY,IN KIRKLAND, MONTREAL under the title BREAKING THE SILENCE. There was Cable TV coverage by Anita Mehta and my presence there during the month allowed me the privilege of meeting and discussing issues of interest with art lovers from many differing cultures.

The McGill Centre for Research and Teaching on Women published my article AN ARTIST STRUGGLES WITH THE TIMES in their December 2002 newsletter. SEE ALBUM "HELPING AFGHAN WOMEN". The article describes the evolution of the painting "AFGHAN EYES"

In 2003, I was pleased that AFGHAN EYES had been accepted by a jury of the WOMEN'S ART SOCIETY OF MONTREAL to appear in their Annual Exhibition at Tudor Hall, Ogilvy's, St. Catherine Street, Montreal.