Last Friday (Nov 8th) we closed our Black History Week activities at Sophia with an inspiring event featuring our honoured guest speaker, Zamzam Ibrahim. Zamzam is a prominent climate activist, policy-maker, and advocate for racial and social justice, known for her impactful work empowering young people and driving change on issues of equality and environmental sustainability.
It was a wonderful event filled with meaningful exchanges and insights. With the word, Sophia’s teacher and organizer of the event Youssef El Hana:
"Aside from the importance of the assembly this week and the effort our students demonstrated in engaging with topics around Black History Month in class, our school community was fortunate enough to experience first-hand access to an amazing climate activist and policy-maker.
Our students were a little shy at first, but once we had some brave volunteers ask questions and make statements, we became short of time at the end of Zamzam's amazing presentation – as a result of the sheer amount of 'hands-up' icons!
Students asked questions about the struggles and challenges Zamzam faced as a Black Muslim woman in spaces that don't typically include people like her. They also inquired about the strategies Zamzam uses to stay focused and motivated despite setbacks and challenges. Some even asked about the origins of her activism and how she began her work.
A clear indication of our students' willingness and interest to engage deeply with topics that resonate with them – and issues we at Sophia hold as core to our values and principles."
