CCMW PRESENTS: WOMEN WHO INSPIRE 2021
CELEBRATE THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF CANADIAN MUSLIM WOMEN & SUPPORT THE LILA FAHLMAN SCHOLARSHIP
NOVEMBER 14: 1PM-3PM EST
Our 2021 Women Who Inspire Awards and Scholarship presentations will take place online on November 14, 1:00 to 3:00 pm EST. Check out details on the official event page here.
Our honourees this year hail from diverse backgrounds and are trailblazers and role models for us all. Join us for an exciting virtual event and hear their compelling stories about what inspires them and what keeps them going against all odds. Our theme this year is "Resilience and Self-Care in Turbulent Times."
The honourees will share their experiences of resilience and how they take care of themselves while continuing their quest for equality and social justice. This year has been particularly difficult for all of us. It's time to come together and celebrate what is good and reflect on how we move forward beyond the challenges of the day.
Women Who Inspire 2021 Highlights
Remarks by The Honourable Marci Ien - Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth
Keynote Speaker: Pashtana Durrani
Performances by spoken word artist Frishta “Fresh” Bastan and musician Sadaf Mohebbi
Women Who Inspire 2021 Honourees:
We will also present the Lila Falhman Scholarships to Canadian Muslim women who are pursuing post-secondary education.
Lila Falhman Scholarship Recipients 2021:
Join the journeys of trailblazer Women Who Inspire Award winners and celebrate their tireless pursuit towards positive change. Challenging the conventional stereotypes, these women proudly serve their communities and are a source of inspiration for all Canadians.
Tickets are only $20. Grab yours now, right here!
Ticket Sales proceeds go towards CCMW’s Dr. Lila Fahlman Scholarship Fund.
Join the Conversation with #WWI2021 and Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, & LinkedIn to stay updated on all the latest Women Who Inspire 2021 news and updates.
You can reach out to us at info@ccmw.com for Sponsorship and Partnership inquiries.
Stay tuned for further details about keynote speakers and entertainers, and the names of this year’s Lila Falhman Scholarship Winners!
Interested in Sponsoring #WWI2021?
You can reach out to our Fundraising Officer at mariam.hamaoui@ccmw.com for sponsorship and partnership inquiries.
Fundraise with Us: Create a campaign on LaunchGood and help us fundraise for Canadian Muslim Women's education! Start today: http://www.launchgood.com/wwi2021
WOMEN WHO INSPIRE 2021 WINNERS
LILA FALHMAN SCHOLARSHIP RECEPIENTS
THE HONOURABLE MARCI IEN
The Honourable Marci Ien has served as Member of Parliament for Toronto Centre since October 2020.
Minister Ien is a devoted community leader and a passionate advocate for vulnerable communities in Canada and around the world. Prior to being elected to the House of Commons, she had an award-winning career in journalism and television that spanned three decades. She has travelled internationally with Journalists for Human Rights and World Vision.
Minister Ien has worked as a mentor with underprivileged youth with Trust 15, an afterschool program based in the Etobicoke area of Toronto, and in La Loche, Saskatchewan, following the shooting at Dene High School in 2016. She has also supported students from these communities by co-founding a new scholarship at the RTA School of Media at Ryerson University. A graduate of Ryerson, she later returned to the university as a distinguished visiting professor and served on its Board of Governors.
In October 2020, just a day after being elected to Parliament, Minister Ien released her first book, Off Script: Living Out Loud, in which she shares personal milestones, tales of resilience and kindness, dramatic moments from her career as a journalist, and insights from the many unforgettable people she has met and interviewed.
Minister Ien was born and raised in Toronto, where she lives with her children Blaize and Dash.
KEYNOTE SPEAKER: PASHTANA DURRANI
Pashtana Durrani started her journey as an activist and human rights defender. She is now a Community development expert. Focusing on Digital literacy, Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR), Menstrual Health Management (MHM), and Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH). She is the founder and Director of grassroots-level non-profit LEARN Afghanistan. Through LEARN's project Soraya, she has educated 7000 girls and boys in Kandahar. Through Project Ayesha Durrani, she has trained more than 80 teachers in digital literacy. Through LEARN's Project Malalai, Durrani has reached out to 150 girls and trained them in Menstrual Hygiene Management.
Pashtana received the Malala Fund Education champion award and received a development Fellowship on sexual and reproductive healthcare from Aspen Institute. She is an International member's youth representative for Amnesty International. She is a Board member of the UNDP GEF steering committee. She contributes to national newspapers like Afghanistan times and Kabul times.
Learn more about Pashtana here.
PERFORMER: FRISHTA BASTAN
Frishta “Fresh” Bastan is a Spoken Word artist, community organizer, author, activist, and religious coffee drinker. Frishta holds a master’s degree in International Relations and started writing poetry to help navigate her hyphenated, layered Afghan - Canadian identity including engaging in dialogues surrounding social justice issues at home and abroad. Frishta has performed for over 8 years in front of diverse audiences around the world, most recently at the UN Torino Forum for Sustaining Peace. Her art has been recognized on many platforms, including on CBC's Metro Morning. In 2019, Frishta self-published her first book, Sher, that was widely received and celebrated. It landed on the #1 spot on Amazon’s Hot New Releases: Poetry by Women, #3 on Amazon's Best Sellers: Poetry by Women, and #8 on Best Sellers: Poetry. Sher is available to purchase on Amazon and all author proceeds are donated to a local women’s shelter in the GTA.
PERFORMER: SADAF MOHEBBI
Sadaf Mohebbi spent her early childhood in Tehran before moving to Northern Iran with her family as a teenager. She grew up in a family where singing was frequently enjoyed and encouraged. Musical talent runs deep in her family since many of her maternal aunts also have beautiful voices. Sadaf was formally educated in midwifery, all the while continuing to foster her musical interests.
She moved to Canada in 2013 and began her musical career in 2016 by joining the North York Choir, subsequently working on eight tracks with two of them available on YouTube. Her current musical project is an album which will be released soon.
ABOUT WOMEN WHO INSPIRE
The Women Who Inspire Awards recognize Muslim women in the community who are committed to doing important work and dedicated to improving the lives of others. The event is CCMW’s Annual Fundraiser that helps raise funds to support promising Canadian Muslim women in their studies through the Lila Fahlman Scholarship, which is named after the late Dr. Lila Fahlman, a renowned educator and founder of CCMW.
Many Canadians come out to support and donate to the scholarship fund at the annual fundraising brunch. With scholarships and bursaries, many women can afford to complete their education, which can then provide them with a better future for themselves and their families.
ABOUT THE LILA FAHLMAN SCHOLARSHIP
CCMW’s Lila Fahlman Scholarship is named after renowned educator and CCMW founder, the late Dr. Lila Fahlman, and is awarded each year to Canadian Muslim women enrolled in full-time undergraduate or certificate programs. The scholarship is made possible by generous donations from our valued community members.
You can have an impact right now by donating to support the scholarship! Your generous donation will help provide this life-changing program to more equity-deserving Canadian Muslim women across the country.
CHARITABLE REGISTRATION NO: 86833 7593 RR0001
CCMW is a not-for-profit charitable organization. Charitable tax-receipts will be issued for all monthly donations in December or upon request; one-time donations will receive a tax receipt within one week of the donation.