Click Here Erased: Silencing a kindergarten
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Aug 12, 2025 
Abduweli Ayup, a Uyghur linguist and educator who founded a Uyghur language kindergarten in China, shares his gripping journey from educator to exile. He details the oppressive measures against Uyghur culture and the vital role of language in cultural preservation. Abduweli emphasizes the importance of innovative education as resistance against state control. Personal stories illustrate the chilling realities of surveillance and cultural erasure faced by the Uyghur community, showcasing their resilience amidst adversity.
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Opening A Uyghur Kindergarten
- Abduweli Ayup opened a Uyghur preschool where children sang and counted in their language.
- Parents lined up for years for spots, and the school grew quickly.
Books Banned, Memory Preserved
- A librarian told young Abduweli that Uyghur books were banned and cried about the scarcity.
- His father secretly collected and hid history books as a quiet act of resistance.
Language Binds Communities Into A People
- Abduweli Ayup realized language builds solidarity and a shared identity that organizes people.
- He warned that losing Uyghur would let others 'step us' and erase the community's cohesion.