Surrey’s Muslim women pick up camera to make movies on social issues

Commencing on Saturday April 8^th and continuing for a total of four classes each Saturday of the month, the Voices of Muslim Women course offered by Muslim Food Bank Community Services Society in partnership with Kwantlen Polytechnic University’s Visual Media Workshop and Freed Education Co., is an exclusive program which offers an assortment of Muslim women from all ages and ethnic backgrounds, the opportunity to make their voices heard. 

The program consists of twenty women who range in age from 14 to 72, which provides an eclectic mix of voices. The program itself sets out to educate the participants about current and important social justice issues by giving them the opportunity to participate in the art of “digital storytelling”. What this means is that throughout the duration of the course, these women will be putting together their opinions and experiences into the form of a “digital story” which will be a short video of about two to three minutes in length which they will each narrate, edit and finally present. 

These “digital stories” will truly be a reflection of themselves and will tell their experiences and views on society and showcase their individual agency and power of identity. 

The final videos will be screened at the program’s film festival on May 17^th at Kwantlen Polytechnic University. Each participant will present their unique digital story to the audience which will consist of their family, friends and peers, as well as various members of the community. The evening as a whole will be a celebration of the efforts of the women who so bravely chose to share their stories. In addition to the screening of the films, refreshments will be provided throughout the evening and there will also be the opportunity to interact with other attendees of the film festival as well as the participants and facilitators of the program. 

The Voices of Muslim Women program is a truly groundbreaking community initiative. The twenty women participating in the program are demonstrating that although they are members of a social minority and not to mention, often marginalized group, that their opinions, experiences and stories matter and need to be heard. 

Muslim Food Bank and Community Services Society, Freed Education Co. and Kwantlen Polytechnic University’s Visual Media Workshop offers all members of the public the opportunity to be involved in this amazing program by inviting them to attend the film festival on Wednesday May 17^th. Event details and registration can be found at www.kpu.ca/vmw and tickets can be purchased from Bombay Collection, Bombay Couture and KPU Surrey Bookstore. For more information, please contact Aisha Amijee at aisha.amijee@kpu.ca or 778 846 5451.