Tayo Oredein, an author, model and actress from Queens, NY is giving away free electronic copies of her book "His PhD is in Hypocrisy...And Other Poems about My Crappy Ex-Boyfriend." The book is a collection of poems recounting the author's interreligious and interracial relationship with her then-boyfriend, a Muslim man with family ties to Palestine. Oredein says her relationship with her ex-boyfriend is largely responsible for steering her away from Islamophobia after the 9/11 attacks. She is hosting the give-away in the hopes that her story can help raise awareness about Islam, and reduce the tensions that have risen given recent events.
"Before my ex, the only exposure that I had to Muslims was what I saw on TV. It was nothing but negative stereotypes," Oredein says. "But then we started dating, and I was around him, and his family and friends all the time. I learned a lot about Islam- what it is, and what it isn't- and how the literal root of the word means 'peace'. Even though he and I obviously didn't end on great terms, if it weren't for him, I would have jumped on the anti-Muslim bandwagon out of ignorance along with everyone else."
Donald Trump's call to ban Muslims from entering the United States and other fear mongering tactics has only increased distrust and strained relationships with respect to the Islamic community. Oredein, who identifies as an African-American, and as Christian, is frustrated by the way Muslims are being portrayed and treated in the media. She decided to give away free copies of her book in hopes of changing the messaging surrounding Muslims.
"When I hear anti-Muslim rhetoric leads an eight-year old child to think she is going to be ripped from her home, it breaks my heart. I'm just hoping that my story can open some eyes, minds and hearts with respect to our Muslim brothers and sisters- because that's exactly who they are - They are our brothers and sisters."
So far "His PhD is in Hypocrisy...And Other Poems about My Crappy Ex-Boyfriend" has been well received and has been mentioned for contributing to the abatement of Islamophobia. "The book ends with the 9/11 tragedy, and Tayo's wisdom to understand the meaning that her relationship with Steve gave her, how it informed her not to respond to the attacks in hatred," says Rebecca Danos, PhD. Michael T. Lyle, Jr, News Reporter/Writer for AM 1220 WQUN Radio, adds "In the post-9/11 environment, Tayo not only manages to overcome the tragic events of that somber day, but by also proving through even in the most trying of times, hate and rage are no match for love and hope. A must-read for anyone seeking inspiration in times of despair and uncertainty."
The give-away is set to begin on January 1, 2016 and will last at least through the end of the year. The book will still be available for purchase in ebook and paperback formats at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iTunes and other online retailers. However free electronic copies of the memoir can be requested by reaching out to the author via email at tytaytai@gmail.com, or on social media using her handle "@tytayai". To request the book on Twitter or Instagram, tag Oredein with her user handle using the hashtags #HisPhdIsInHypocrisy, #FreeCopy, and #TheRootOfIslamIsPeace. Interested parties can also make a request by sending a message to the book's or author's Facebook fan pages.
Tayo Oredein is a writer from Jamaica, Queens NY and has degrees from Wellesley College, Hunter College (CUNY) and Rutgers University. She also models and acts. "His PhD is in Hypocrisy...And Other Poems about My Crappy Ex-Boyfriend" is her first book.
Oredein is available for interviews and appearances. For booking presentations, media appearances, interviews, and/or book-signings contact her directly at tytaytai@gmail.com
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