Coming Out of Her Shell: Fatima Story

Coming Out Of Her Shell: Fatima’s Experience Post-Fellowship in Addressing Global Issues on Refugees

“In primary school, there was one time two boys took off my hijab while I was walking down the stairs…It was hard for me to get over the experience and I was always aware of how people would look at me. In recent years, more narratives have shed light on racial diversity, but society still needs to progress in terms of accepting each others’ differences.”

Fatima

Fellowship Program 2018 >

Introduction

With Turkish and Pakistani parents, Fatima was born and raised in Hong Kong. She majored in English Language and Literature, and later completed her Master’s degree in Journalism from the University of Hong Kong.

Writing for publications in Hong Kong, the United Kingdom and beyond, Fatima has interviewed and published many stories on people from marginalized groups. Her unique cultural background and experiences shape her investment in securing the rights of ethnic minorities, especially refugees and asylum seekers.

joining fellowship

She learnt about the Fellowship through close friend Tegan Smyth, who she met while volunteering with local storytelling project Table of Two Cities. Smyth later nominated Fatima to join the first cohort of the Social Justice Fellowship Program centered on the theme of Racial Equality and Inclusion.

“I am not the same person as I was three years ago. I was very shy and I wasn’t able to do public speaking. I wasn’t even confident about whether I could write before I joined the Social Justice Fellowship Program in 2018”

Fatima recalled how she got to meet people from different walks of life and interact with fellows who have diverse experiences in the advocacy sector. “I came across many ‘veteran activists’ from the United Nations and other NGOs. It was a safe space for me to express what I feel strongly about, and discuss ways we could address those issues,” she said.

In addition, Fatima developed a close bond with her other 2018 fellows. “Even though many of my peers are all focusing on different aspects of life and reaching new heights in their career paths, we stay in touch and help each other out,” she said. Whenever there are doubts in the work they are involved in, her cohort would uplift each other and provide support. “Being vulnerable is a strength, and that’s been my key learning from the Resolve community,” she added.

After the fellowship, Fatima engaged in various social justice projects and supported the work of other alumni, including a migrants’ parade organized by 2018 Fellow Jhic. She also paid close attention to different programs carried out by other two 2018 alumni, Darius and Lamia. “We are like confident boosters towards our own initiatives and it is really heartwarming to see other people rising above the potential they see in themselves,” she adds.

Combining her own knowledge with best practices learnt from various workshops hosted throughout the program, Fatima sharpened her understanding of how to become a better advocate. Not only did she remember the key takeaways from the workshop on communication skills, but she also understood the importance of looking after her mental health during their advocacy journey. “Back then I didn’t know anything about self-care. I had no idea what ‘burnout’ meant. In all respects, the value of and practical tips about self-care still stay with me, including some of the worksheets and notes from that very workshop. I specifically recall doing mindful breathing and positive self-talk with my fellows who had heart-to-hearts to really strike a nerve about why we ought to give ourselves more rest than we think we deserve,” she says.

Solidarity comes into play while addressing the rights of refugees and asylum seekers. Refugees are one of the most concerned global issues as there are millions of people who are forced to leave their home country. As a result, they are denied access to basic rights like healthcare, education, employment and etc. To support refugees and help to fight for their rights, Fatima moved to Malaysia in 2019 and joined an NGO, Fugee, which supports refugee youths and promotes human rights education as a Communication Manager.

“Malaysia’s appearance of multiculturality is a farce. I learnt that through my continued efforts in the space of refugees and asylum seekers, that are in the hundreds of thousands all over the country,” she says. Using her experience as a journalist and storyteller, she is in charge of the organization’s digital marketing and communication strategies. Besides working in an NGO, she is also establishing different podcast projects and writing as a freelance writer so as to “get into the hearts and minds of viewers to understand these injustices from all angles.” Her articles on LGBTQIA+ issues and racial identity were published by media outlets like Hong Kong bilingual magazine, Ariana, and Asia Times.