By Zahra Khan. From the halls of Ottawa to the streets of Ontario, Canadian Muslim women have always made their presence known within the socio-political space. They are involved not just as members of Parliament and decorated senators in the House of Commons, but as independent actors prepared to stand up for what they hold dear in the face of targeted violence. Canadian Sen. Mobina Jaffer is one such individual. Sen. Jaffer was the first South Asian woman appointed to the Upper House. Born to an Indian family living in Uganda, Sen. Jaffer became a Canadian Senator in 2001 after her work as a ..read more

For the longest time, Shelina Mawani was stuck. Like a toy that repeats the same action again and again, Mawani was stuck in a cycle of hurt over her lack of success in getting her business off the ground. She did not know how to get out of this box full of hurt.    But when she stopped resisting the hurt and accepted it as part of her journey, Mawani was able to rise above. “Honour your scars as they have made you who you are today.” Known as the “Samosa Queen,” Mawani is the owner of Nana’s Kitchen, a small restaurant specialising in home-made samosas operating out of Surrey, Briti ..read more

By Maleekah Ar-Rahiman Sabreena Ghaffar-Siddiqui is a Professor of Sociology and Criminology at Sheridan College. Born in England, she is Afghan-Pakistani who is now living in Canada. Ghaffar-Siddiqui is an award-winning public speaker and a media commentator, who is a Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Communications & Policy Expert. Here are the five things you need to know about Sabreena Ghaffar-Siddiqui. It all started with Canadian Council of Muslim Women When Sabreena joined the board of Canadian Council of Muslim Women, Toronto in 2016 as a communications executive, she realized t ..read more

By Mashal Butt On a rainy late Tuesday afternoon, I was dragging my feet across the room to find something to do in order to pass time till Iftar. I decided to pick up Ayesha Chaudhry’s The Colour of God. I got cozied in bed and started reading. The next thing I knew, hours had passed and I was struggling to put the book down. I only retreated from reading to send Chaudhry a quick note about her moving voice and to break my fast.  From growing up with a puritanical version of Islam, to critiquing the white supremacist and capitalist Canada, Chaudhry pens deep personal essays on race, fam ..read more

5 Things You Need to Know About VMW Member Nazia Hussain BY Maleekah Ar-Rahiman 1 She became a counsellor through her previous experiences in social services Nazia has a rich history of working in the social services field which led her “to the conclusion that many of my clients needed more than a conversation and social support; this created the desire to educate myself and become a counsellor.” 2 Nazia prides herself on the growth of her clients When asked what moment in her career she is most proud of, Nazia gave an insightful answer that encapsulates the importance of her occupation stat ..read more

5 Things You Need to Know About Mehmoona Ali BY Maleekah Ar-Rahiman  1 Non-profits and advocacy work is her passion Mehmoona (Moona) Ali had first worked at the non-profit MFB (Muslim Food Bank), where she continues to be a core member. This led to her assisting in brainstorming and setting up Nisa Homes. She also became one of the first crisis call takers for Nisa Helpline and continues to be on the Nisa Helpline team. She is also an active member of BCMA (British Columbia Muslim Association).  2 Consistency is key for Mehmoona Mehmoona has hit a huge milestone this y ..read more

VMW INSIDER PROFILE 8 Things You Need To Know About Social Worker Jasmeen Rahiman-Chaudhry 1 Her Resume is Stacked Jasmeen has been championing education in the social work fields for years. She holds a CYCC (Child And Youth Care Counsellor) Diploma with a Specialization in: Aboriginal Studies. In addition, Jasmeen has a  TESOL (Teaching english as a Second Language) Diploma and is a Certified Life Coach. She also completed her BSW (Bachelor of Social Work) with a Specialization in Disability Studies. Among other training: NALOXONE, Non Violence Crisis Intervention, Food Safe, First Aid a ..read more

by Mashal Butt Voices of Muslim Women recently partnered up with the LedBy Foundation to amplify the presence, innovative ideas and leadership of Muslim women and women of colour around the globe. Described as intelligent, intuitive and considerate, founder Dr. Ruha Shadab has had an intrinsic drive since her formative years to take up initiatives that would challenge the status quo. She has done exactly that by founding India’s first ever incubator for Muslim women. Formed at Harvard University and operating from India, LedBy Foundation is a leadership incubator aiming to close the opportunit ..read more

by Mashal Butt   “While I maybe the first woman in this office, I will not be the last.” These are the words that Vice-President elect Kamala Harris confidently said on the morning of Nov. 7 in Wilmington, Delaware after winning the majority in the electoral college. And these words echo the hopes and dreams of every women of colour around the world. The first women to hold office as the vice president of the US. The first Black person to hold office as the vice president of the US. The first person of South-Asian descent to hold office as the vice president of the US. These ar ..read more

MEMBER PROFILE BY MALEEKAH AR-RAHIMAN 14 NOVEMBER 2020 1 Numbers are her game! Arazoo works as a Strata Accountant; her job involves working with numbers. When asked what she enjoys about her work she states that she “likes preparing monthly reports working on a budget and evaluating property's cashflow.” 2 She is interested in the inner workings of non-profits like Voices of Muslim Women What drew Arazoo to Voices of Muslim Women is how she always wanted to give back to the community through volunteering and being part of an organization. “[She is] very keen to understand how non-profit organ ..read more