Latest news with #Yem
Business Insider
2 days ago
- General
- Business Insider
I kept my married name when I divorced. My children did not.
When I got divorced, I didn't change my last name to my maiden name. I felt like our common last name connected me to our children. Some of my children decided to change their names to my maiden name. One of the first questions my divorce attorney asked when she began compiling the paperwork for court was, "Do you want to revert to your maiden name?" I said no for only one reason: I wanted to have the same last name as my children. We had been married for 24 years and had five children. We'd chosen names for them that had deep personal meaning and merged my Jewish heritage with their father's Cambodian culture. Our common last name united me with my children in a way our DNA could not. I'm the mom of biracial kids Sharing a last name tells the world you're connected. As the mother of bi-racial children, it wasn't always obvious that I was their mom, yet my identity has always rested in that role as their primary parent. Maybe it's my own judgmental nature that led to the decision not to change my name. I am prone to concoct all kinds of fantastical stories about why a woman may have a different last name from her child. I'm usually wrong. We raised our children in a small town where gossip was rife. As a divorced woman, I'd felt held to a certain level of scrutiny. I didn't want to go to court anymore. It felt safer to hold on to my married name. Not everyone had to know my marriage had fallen apart. My children made a different choice. They started going by my last name On a visit home from college, my oldest son told me he'd decided to use Solomon as his last name. Although he did not change it legally — an unwieldy process that is only getting more complicated — he Americanized his Cambodian nickname, dropped his last name, and added my maiden name. When his dad left home, he was 16, but it wasn't until he moved across the country to attend college in California that he took on the new identity. As an aspiring filmmaker, he believed his new name might open more doors for him. My daughter also changed her name when she started college. She created a new first name from an acronym of her initials and swapped Yem for Solomon. I didn't know it until I visited her on campus and was greeted by her roommate with a "nice to meet you, Mrs. Solomon." These two siblings made their name changes independently and without consulting each other. It ended up being more of a coincidence than anything else, but not all my children swapped names. The two boys in the middle are still Yems. One has Solomon as a middle name and probably did not see the need to make any changes. He did pass it down to his son as a middle name, perhaps starting a family tradition. My daughter-in-law kept her maiden name when she married him. She feels very attached to it both personally and professionally, but she has no interest in adding hers to her children's names as a hyphenate or otherwise. I felt honored My youngest son is the only other one who's married. Before their ceremony, his wife wanted them both to use Solomon as a last name. They considered it but came up against the roadblocks of a legal name change. There are forms to fill out and hefty fees to pay. In California, an announcement must appear as a legal notice in the local newspaper for a month, incurring another sizable fee. Then two to three months down the road, you appear before a judge who makes a final ruling and issues a court order with a new legal name. After that, your Social Security number, driver's license, passport, and other documents must all be updated. It was exhausting for them to contemplate while planning a wedding. They ultimately decided they would hyphenate their last names, each adding the other's as a symbol of their love and commitment. I never stopped to consider why my children made name changes. I felt deeply honored by what I perceived as an act of love and support for me. It didn't occur to me that there might be a deeper meaning behind their decisions. Back then, I was so consumed with my own grief at the dissolution of my marriage, I didn't realize my children might be feeling the same sense of abandonment I was experiencing. As I reflect on their decisions now, I realize they each made profound pronouncements about the impact of the divorce on their lives, along with their fidelity to me.
Al Sahwa
11-02-2025
- Politics
- Al Sahwa
Taiz commemorates the 14th anniversary of the February 11 Revolution
The city of Taiz is commemorating the 14th anniversary of the February 11 Revolution, a pivotal moment in Yemen's history that marked a significant milestone in the country's struggle for freedom and self-determination. The revolution, which was a natural extension of the immortal Yemeni revolution of September 26 and October 14, was a testament to the Yemeni people's unwavering commitment to their republican principles and their determination to resist the forces of oppression and tyranny. The participants in the massive popular march that took place in Taiz today emphasized that the February 11 Revolution was a crucial turning point in Yemen's history, one that led to a comprehensive national consensus and inclusive dialogue that drew a clear roadmap for the country's future. However, the forces of darkness and extremism, led by the Houthi militia, rejected this vision and instead launched a devastating coup on September 21, 2014, that plunged the country into a dark tunnel of chaos and destruction. The statement issued by the Popular Resistance Council in Taiz underscored the fact that the September 21 coup was a "black day" in Yemen's history, one that marked the beginning of a catastrophic era of economic and living crises that have had a devastating impact on the Yemeni people. The coup, which was orchestrated by the Houthi militia, targeted the very foundations of the Yemeni state and plundered its resources to finance its wars, leaving citizens to suffer from poverty, hunger, and economic hardship. The statement also emphasized that the Houthi project, which is based on a twisted ideology of racial superiority and divine right to rule, is a relic of a bygone era of tyranny and oppression. The Houthis' attempt to impose a priestly guardianship over the Yemeni people and monopolize power and wealth in favor of a specific group is a blatant rejection of the principles of democracy, equality, and justice that the Yemeni people have fought so hard to achieve. The Popular Resistance Council in Taiz reaffirmed its commitment to the republican struggle, emphasizing that the governorate will remain at the forefront of the battle to restore the state and the republic. The council stressed that Taiz will continue to be a symbol of steadfastness and sacrifice, and that it will not be swayed by individual, group, or regional interests, but will instead remain committed to the comprehensive national project that believes in the unity, independence, and justice of Yemen. The statement concluded by calling on the political leadership to assume its responsibilities with courage and determination, and to lead the liberation battle with all competence and urgency. The council emphasized the need for real economic reforms and solutions to stop the deterioration of the currency and the rise in prices, and to alleviate the suffering of citizens. Ultimately, the popular resistance, along with all free people, will continue to struggle until the goals of the Yemeni revolution are achieved and the state and the republic are restored.
