Poetry Reading

Via an email from @induviduality

Aawaaz-e-Niswaan invites you to an evening of poetry ??????? (Bazm-e-Sukhan) by students of Rehnuma, Aawaaz-e-Niswaan’s Resource Centre in Mumbra on the 16th of September 2010.

14 young girls guided by Roxanna Azari, an Iranian American spoken word poet from New York over the past one month have been discussing issues as diverse as love, conflict, religion and identity in a workshop to write poetry. The poetry workshop has grown into a space for the girls to discuss, critically question, and write about injustices around them as women, as Muslims, and as Indians living in Mumbra. The workshops have functioned as a place where we can find a balance between faith, culture and our rights as women. The poetry the girls have been writing have been nothing short of inspiring.

cc licensed flickr photo shared by Eddi 07

The girls who will be performing their poetry are all members of Rehnuma and residents of Mumbra. Many of these girls have received limited formal education and have overcome resistance on various fronts to continue with the workshop and their passion for writing. Inspite of the many constraints they have managed to write beautiful and thought provoking poetry which has emerged from intense discussions.

About Roxanna Azari: In 2006, Roxy won the Urban Word NYC Poetry Slam and New York Knicks Poetry Slam out winning a combination of over 800 competitors and has performed at a number of venues including universities. In 2007, she founded iSpeak!, Wheaton College’s Spoken Word Poetry Group, which has provided a constructive space for budding poets passionate about social justice. Roxy is in India on a Watson Fellowship, a prestigious award that grants 40 inspiring individuals to pursue their dreams to follow an independent study and travel the world. Roxy’s proposal was engaging with Muslim girls and women through poetry workshops and filming the diversity of Muslim women’s voices to alter the static perception of Muslim women in the West.

About Rehnuma: Rehnuma (meaning guidance) was the first progressive space for girls and women set up by Aawaaz-e-Niswaan in Mumbra in 2003. Mumbra is a highly conservative muslim ghetto formed when Muslims fled the city following the riots of ’92-’93. Though a suburb of the city, it lacks many basic services such as government schools, electricity, health centers etc. Most girls who visit the centre have dropped out of formal education system. The center provides them a safe space to indulge in their passion for books and creative expression. This workshop is an attempt to create a platform for their voices.

Program Schedule
5.30 – 6.30 pm – Tea
6.30 – 7.30 pm – Poetry Reading
7.30 pm – 8.00 pm – Questions/ Discussions

The program of poetry reading will start at 6.30 pm sharp as the girls will have to leave by 8 pm. Please join us for tea before the program.

Venue: Aawaaz-e-Niswaan, 47/1,Sarabai Hasan Ali Roopwala Mansion, Moreshwar Patankar Marg, Near M.P. Municipal School, Kurla (W), Mumbai 400070

RSVP: [email protected] or call Sabah Khan on 9870786082