These stories are submissions by Muslims in Canada who responded to our call to action to share their lived experiences of hate, racism and Islamophobia. The stories were collected as part of CCMW’s Digital Anti-Racism Education Phase 1 & 2 Projects.
The Digital Anti-Racism Education (DARE) phase 1 and phase 2 projects were funded by the Government of Canada, Department of Canadian Heritage.
The research I did on Black Muslims in Canada showed that our communities experience both Islamophobia from people who aren't Muslim, and anti-Blackness from people who are Muslim but aren't Black. The experience of anti-Black Islamophobia is dehumanizing, and it ignores the fact that enslaved Black people were most likely the first Muslims to arrive in Canada 400 years ago.
Read MoreA racism-free world looks like opportunity and kindness. It's a world where everyone has a fair chance to reach their full potential, and where everyone cares for the well-being of everyone else - including those different from them.
Read MoreMy name is Nawal Salim and I am an actress that wears a hijab. In July of 2019, I took a class at one of the most notable acting schools in Toronto. On the first day, the instructor wanted to take a look at everyone's headshots and critique them. He took a look at mine and said, "I wouldn't wear a black hijab."
Read MoreHi my name is Mustafa Azraq. I am 25 years old and I'm a Canadian of Palestinian descent. I moved to Poland in 2016 for dental school because of the cheap tuition and the lack of competition. For most of my life I never experienced any discrimination. I think it’s because of my physical appearance. Most people don't acknowledge me as Arab when they see me.
Read MoreIt was only 15-20 yrs ago when my mom and I couldn't even walk out in the streets of Toronto peacefully in our burkas. Someone would have to call us terrorists, tell us to go back to our country or ask us why we're dressed like witches when it's not Halloween. We got cursed at, people would honk, flip us off or spit on the sidewalk as we passed.
Read More
