Community pharmacist opens doors to serve growing Bangladeshi community
In this edition of Saa Nasta learn about Tania Begum, owner of Community Rx Pharmacy in Warren, Mich. Also read about some reflections on what last year was like during COVID virtual learning and what’s at stake for this year.
Lastly, enjoy a recipe for shrimp malaikari recipe by @tasteofjannat to end your weekend with a bang.
Tania Begum: ‘I found my passion with people’
Community pharmacist Tania Begum co-owns Community Rx Pharmacy in Warren. Begum says she and her business partner opened the pharmacy in 2013 to serve the growing population of Bangladeshis moving northward into Warren and Sterling Heights from Hamtramck and Detroit.
“We don't have a Bengali-speaking pharmacy in this location… we want to be with the people and be their support center, a resource center for them,” she says.
Now the business serves[patients who are Bangladeshi, Pakistani, Middle Eastern, Chaldean, and other backgrounds.
“I found that passion where I want to be with people and the newcomers who don't understand the medication... who feel like they're lost... in the healthcare system,” she says.
Begum shared her story with me for the South Asian American Digital Archive (SAADA). Listen to her oral interview here.
Leaving virtual learning behind? Lessons learned from last year
We’re just weeks away from the first days of school. Parents are frantically waiting out to see what changes may occur as students head back to school. Will we be all virtual again? Are students going to be safe in person?
Back to school has a whole different meaning in 2021. Just last year my kids all were learning at home. Trying to figure out how to get them set up without being able to find laptops, desks, and not being able to properly prepare led me up to a panic attack.
Now looking back, it was all fun and games as more and more changes came up throughout the year. But in the process of all the madness, I learned a thing or two about my kids and how they learn best - from going on bike rides before class to increasing the number of hugs.
I hope I can carry some of these lessons into this year too.
Looking for a savory dinner idea?
Chringi malaikari or shrimp malaikari is a popular savory dish among Bengali cuisine featuring Tiger and King prawns, in a coconut spiced curry. Serve it up with a fresh pot of aromatic Basmati rice as a main course meal or take it to your next outdoor gathering.
Check out this recipe by local food caterer Jannatuj Khan, on Instagram and Facebook @tasteofjannat.