Mayisha Tahsin Mou 

From Roots to Wings

Mayisha—a name as common as the fields and rivers in Bangladesh. She is a simple soul, one who believes in the comfort of familiar things. She dreams of a safe, stable life, like that of a country person. She longs for the warmth of a cozy place, surrounded by the comforting sounds of family chatter around the dining room table.

But fate had different plans. She had to move. And with each move, she asked herself, “Why? Why not stay in one place with parents, neighbors, and friends in the place of my birth?”

For the sake of education and a better life, she journeyed across cities in Bangladesh, from Rangpur to Dhaka. She earned her bachelor's degree in Geography and Environment, and her first master’s in urban and Regional Planning and Development from the University of Dhaka. The pursuit of higher education took her even further from home to the University of Illinois Chicago, where she completed another master’s in Anthropology in May 2024. Yet, the question persisted, “Why? How many times must I move to find stability?”

During her master’s studies, she met people from different countries, with varied dimensions of gender, race, and class. It was then she realized something profound: moving is not a weakness. It is a strength. It offers a chance to learn, to grow, and to understand the world more deeply.

Upon graduating from the University of Illinois Chicago, Mayisha decided to dedicate her work to the study of migrants, particularly forced migrants. She sought to understand the differences in policies between the Global North and South, and how behavioral, social, and infrastructural changes affect these policies. This passion led her to pursue a PhD in Urban and Regional Planning and Design at the University of Maryland College Park.

Her journey and her roots are the foundation of her work. She believes that knowing where you come from gives you the strength to navigate where you are going. Each move, each new place, is not just a step away from home but a step toward understanding and embracing the world's diversity. Mayisha’s story is one of finding strength in movement and inspiration in her roots, proving that sometimes, to find stability, you must first spread your wings.