Elevating Voices Across DDSB Communities

Posted On Thursday October 29, 2020
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(Photo courtesy of MEND) Last year’s Islamic Heritage Month Launch event at Michaëlle Jean Public School. L-R: J. Clarke Richardson Collegiate Vice Principal and MEND member Saamah Jadoon, Walter E. Harris PS Teacher and MEND member Ashley Nabeeh, DDSB ESL Facilitator and MEND member Abeir Estwani, DDSB Superintendent of Education Mohamed Hamid, Alexander Graham Bell PS Principal and MEND Co-Chair Shahana Arain, and Sir John A. MacDonald PS Principal and MEND Co-Chair Imran Syed.

MEND and DDSB celebrated Islamic Heritage Month with virtual community events

In Canada, the month of October is known as Islamic Heritage Month. To celebrate the valuable contributions made by Muslim people in Canada, the Muslim Educators’ Network of Durham (MEND) hosted a series of virtual community events that spanned the entire month.

“This year’s theme is Elevating Voices. A real sense of reclaiming voices was important, not only within the conditions of being disconnected from one another as a result of COVID-19, but also elevating those voices, such as those from our Black Muslim communities,” noted Shahana Arain, Principal of Alexander Graham Bell Public School in Ajax.

Arain co-chairs MEND with Imran Syed, Principal of Sir John A. MacDonald Public School in Pickering.

Engaging and Supporting DDSB Communities

Events included a variety of relevant and engaging topics and activities such as Family Fitness Night, Storytime with MEND, Elevating the Voices of our Black Muslim Community, Taking Care of the Mind and Soul During COVID-19, and Navigating the Online Classroom. Events ran from October 1 to October 29 and were hosted on a virtual meeting platform.

In the Elevating the Voices of our Black Muslim Community event, students, educators and community members who identify as Black and/or Muslim engaged in an online panel discussion about their experiences and suggested action items to make change in their communities. If you missed this event, the discussion can be viewed on the MEND YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VCVuB109VvQ&t=297s

Kiarah, a Grade 8 student at Frenchman’s Bay Public School in Pickering, spoke in the panel discussion about her experiences as a Black student and community member. “It was important to speak on the MEND panel because I want to raise awareness and make a change in how the Black community is perceived in the eyes of others. I also wanted to learn about others on the panel and their experiences with Islamophobia since I didn’t know anything about their issues and experiences,” explains Kiarah.

Kiarah adds, “I hope that attendees learned to be more conscious with their actions, and that almost every Black person has had an experience with racism. I also want them to know that by learning and making an effort to learn they are really helping the cause and I really admire their bravery.”

Encouraging Student Voice and Community Growth

“Islamic Heritage Month is a time where students who identify [as having Islamic heritage] can propel their voices and shine in knowing that they and their stories matter. It is also a great time of reflection and appreciation that all members of the Durham District School Board (DDSB) community are valued and can learn and grow from one another,” says Arain.

She concludes, “We continue to be ever so grateful for the support of our families, supporting networks, community partners, and allies in sharing in the work of inclusion with us. Islamic Heritage Month 2020 has been a collective effort of DDSB staff, students, and parents all with a will and desire to support student success and well-being.”

Find out more about MEND by visiting http://www.wearemend.ca/ and following @MEND_DDSB on Twitter.