Like this article? rabble is reader-supported journalism. Chip in to keep stories like these coming.
In a time where right-wing political movements leverage hate and racial profiling to garner support, fighting Islamophobia is more crucial than ever for both independent media and activist communities in Canada.
Hasan Alam, a Vancouver lawyer who helped organize the recent Islamophobia hotline — free and confidential legal advice for people who feel discriminated against for being Muslim or perceived as Muslim — mentioned in the project’s press release that
“the heated rhetoric of last year’s election built on years of divisive politics that repeatedly singled out Muslim Canadians and treated them as less worthy. This has made Muslims more vulnerable to discriminatory treatment and hate crimes.”
For this reason, rabble.ca is happy to announce that it is sponsoring a public event on April 5 from 7:00-9:00 p.m. at Mount Pleasant Neighbourhood House in Vancouver, B.C. Community members are invited to a forum on the media landscape and how it has the power to either reinforce or fight Islamophobia in Canadian society.
The event will provide a critical eye on media representation and aims to emphasize media accountability and dialogue about the importance of placing storytelling and news coverage in the hands of frontline communities, especially those facing racialization from dominant media.
The community panel will feature speakers including: Sunera Thobani, Associate Professor at the Institute for Gender, Race, Sexuality and Social Justice, University of British Columbia; Itrath Syed, PHD Candidate at the SFU School of Communications and Women’s Studies Instructor at Langara College; Urooba Jamal, Pakistani, Muslim Immigrant and founder of the Talon at UBC; Danny Ramada, journalist and Syrian refugee himself, as well as Volunteer Coordinator at QMUNITY — B.C.’s Queer Resource Centre. Ayesha Khan, Director of Anti-Oppression at Kwantlen Public Interest Research Group, will be the night’s MC.
This important discussion is organized by rabble in partnership with Media Democracy Days, Langara Women’s Studies and BCCLA.
To RSVP on facebook please go to our event page.
Support rabble today!
We’re so glad you stopped by! Thanks for consuming rabble content this year.
rabble.ca is 100% reader and donor funded, so as an avid reader of our content, we hope you will consider gifting rabble with a donation during our summer fundraiser today.
Whether it be a one-time donation or a small monthly contribution, your support is critical to keep rabble writers producing the work you’ve come to rely on as a part of a healthy media diet.
Become a rabble rouser — donate to rabble.ca today.
Nick Seebruch, editor
