At T2F, Sabeen’s good work goes on

Karachi
The air in the amber-lit room was abuzz with the cultured chitchat of teenagers and adults alike. The raw and mellow smell of old as well as new books satiated the senses. Vibrant and creative artwork decorated the spaces on the walls and shelves splendidly. The LitLab Open Mic and Bargain Books Bazaar held at The Second Floor (T2F) on Friday was a refreshing evening for amateur and stalwart poets as well as general literature enthusiasts.
The event started at 7pm on the dot with an endearing and passionate opening speech by event coordinator and T2F team member Ameer Hoti. Memories of the late Sabeen Mahmud flooded in as Hoti spoke. He paid heed to her invaluable and crucial work within the social and creative arenas of Karachi.
Hoti brought to light the new initiative by T2F, appropriately called the Sabeen Mahmud Foundation. The initiative requests donations to help fuel T2F and its endeavours.
The event was graced by the staunch presence of poet Fawad Khan who recited a beautiful Urdu poem by Ismat Chughtai. The rest of the evening saw excited people come up to the microphone and express their views on social issues, recite original poetry, and read excerpts from their favourite novels.
“Our open mic sessions are a monthly favourite,” Hoti told The News. “We offer a platform here for people to engage with each other by encouraging dialogue. People need that here now more than ever.”
In the wake of Mahmud's tragic murder, T2F is now adamant and determined more than ever to continue her work and also to shift the focus from negativity to action and creativity. “We want to show the softer side of T2F and slowly bring it to transition into an art club, showcasing mostly visual art but also other art forms," added Hoti.
People gathered around the collection of books stacked in the room in order to purchase the ones that sparked their interest. Books of a whole range of genres in English as well as in Urdu were available for purchase at reasonable prices. The Bargain Books Bazaar will continue till July 29. — Mikhyle Anthony and Arnold Anthony