Alberta Muslim Public Affairs Council
Location: Edmonton, Alberta
$150,000
The Alberta Muslim Public Affairs Council (AMPAC) will champion engagement and anti- racism efforts in Alberta, with a special focus on Islamophobia through educational workshops and special events to build bridges between Muslim communities and other communities. AMPAC’s goals for the next three years focus on strengthening current programs including the Islamophobia hotline, program monitoring, and developing staff and board infrastructure to support enhanced policy work. To support this, AMPAC will increase its staff capacity and initiate AMPAC’s organizational structural transition from an operational board towards one focused on strategy and governance in order to support current programming and develop plans to expand further across the province.

Coalition of Muslim Women of Kitchener-Waterloo
Location: Kitchener-Waterloo, Ontario
$150,000
Concerned about the potential negative impact of the proposed Bill 94 in Quebec, over 50 Muslim women from Kitchener-Waterloo organized a community forum titled “Let Us Talk” on April 26, 2010. With the help of this grant, CMWKW will continue the organization’s primary mission of building understanding between Muslims and the broader community and strengthen the voices of Muslim women in the Kitchener-Waterloo region. This includes developing a pool of Muslim women leaders of diverse backgrounds and ages to serve on the board and committees, hiring a coordinator for an Islamophobia awareness project and securing additional resources to evaluate and document the CMW model for scaling and replication.

Dene Nahjo
Location: Yellowknife, Northwest Territories
$150,000
Dene Nahjo is a Dene innovation collective based out of Somba K’e, Denendeh that focuses on fostering Indigenous leadership skills and values through cultural resurgence. The collective’s mission is to advance social and environmental justice for northern peoples; to promote and foster Indigenous leadership; to live, learn and celebrate their cultures on the land; and to strengthen relationships in the North. Dene Nahjo works to address systemic issues such as racism, violence towards Indigenous women, and ongoing colonization through the provision of cultural programming for Indigenous peoples to connect to land, language, culture, and community, while also providing educational opportunities for Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples to learn about a variety of topics from critical Indigenous perspectives.

Sacred Fire Productions
Location: Montreal, Quebec
$150,000
Sacred Fire Productions Inc. / Les Productions Feux Sacrés Inc. (SFP) was established in 2012 as an Indigenous-led non- profit arts organization. Its mandate is to promote Indigenous art and artists through the production of cultural projects and events that raise public awareness, break stereotypes and foster cross-cultural dialogue for the inclusion and advancement of Indigenous artists in urban settings. SFP will undertakes activities that address economic vulnerability and cultural isolation of Indigenous peoples in Canada, while increasing their representation within Indigenous arts communities and awareness in mainstream society of Indigenous cultural production.

Neechee Studio: Land-Based Relationship Building
Location: Thunder Bay, Ontario
$10,000
Through its land-based relationship-building project, Neechee Studio committee members seek to improve and expand their relationships with local elders, Treaty 3 territory and each other. Members will participate in activities in Fort William First Nation, Ontario with elders and artist-mentors to deepen their relationships with the land and the work they do.

Playlist
Location: Edmonton, Alberta
$10,000
Playlist is a discussion series aimed at analyzing and dissecting pop culture products such as films, TV shows and music relevant to Canadian Muslim identity. Aimed at helping to enhance media literacy among Canadian Muslim youth, the project will take place in the Islamic Family and Social Services Association’s Green Room, which seeks to create a safe space for Muslim youth.

The Press Start Youth Co-op
Location: Montreal, Quebec
$10,000
The Press Start Youth Co-op is an event series organized by youth of colour that focuses on healing as well as building bridges and community in Pointe-Saint-Charles neighbourhood in Montreal. Planned events include arts-based workshops for Muslim youth, an open mic night for Indigenous youth and a discussion series open to all members of the Pointe-Saint-Charles community.

Readings Between the Lines: Challenging Injustices Through Spoken Words
Location: Vancouver, British Columbia
$10,000
An offshoot of AMES’ DisPLACEment outreach program, this project involves the creation and dissemination of a series of films and workshops made by Indigenous and newcomer youth in Vancouver, B.C. that address and unpack legacies of racism and colonization. Workshops and film screenings will be piloted in community and educational settings as part of the program.

Reclaiming Our Roots: Land-Based Learning for Urban Indigenous Youth
Location: Halifax, Nova Scotia
$10,000
Reclaiming Our Roots aims to reconnect urban Indigenous youth with meaningful, land-based knowledge rooted in Mi’kmaw values. Through mentorship and workshops, youth will engage in decolonization by learning and reclaiming traditional skills and practices as well as developing an improved awareness of their role as stewards of the land.

Red Rising Freedom School
Location: Winnipeg, Manitoba
$10,000
Red Rising Freedom School supports the revitalization of culture and language as well as political resistance to colonial violence by engaging youth in ceremonies, Indigenous language learning, workshops on the colonial legacy of Canada and non-violent direct action training for land and water defence.

The Rivers of Hope Workshop: Challenging Islamophobia Using Education and the Arts
Location: Toronto, Ontario
$10,000
This Rivers of Hope project will develop educational workshops based on the Rivers of Hope Toolkit, a new resource on Islamophobic violence. Youth volunteers will be trained to facilitate Rivers of Hope workshops in schools and community organizations throughout southern Ontario.

Sawa Theatre
Location: Winnipeg, Manitoba
$10,000
The Sawa Theatre project creates space for young Muslim newcomers to engage in theatre as a platform for challenging harmful misconceptions and an outlet for personal growth. The project guides participants in the co-creation and execution of a theatrical production and culminates in a final performance at the Gas Station Arts Centre.

SistersInMotion
Location: Montreal, Quebec
$10,000
SistersInMotion aims to ensure stories of black, Indigenous and racialized women and/or femmes of colour are heard, supported and understood. The project will provide monthly writing workshops to sisters of colour and host an annual showcase of their voices as well as an open mic to build bridges between all members of the community.

The Sisters Project
Location: National
$10,000
Building upon its existing work, the Sisters Project will embark on a one-month tour of Canada to continue photographing, filming and interviewing inspirational Muslim women from across the country. The aim of the project is to elevate the stories of Muslim women and better understand their responses to manifestations of gendered Islamophobia in a variety of Canadian contexts.

Somali Youth Media Justice
Location: Toronto, Ontario
$10,000
The Somali Youth Media Justice project will consist of youth-led media and peer-to-peer workshops that build leadership, create space for knowledge sharing and empower Somali youth in Toronto, Ontario to address the root causes of Islamophobia and violence in their communities. Participants will create video resources on the justice system, over-policing and the rights of individuals approached by law enforcement. The project will culminate in a Somali Youth Forum to screen the videos and discuss solutions with stakeholders and members of the Somali community.

Two Spirit Resilience and Capacity-Building Project
Location: Tiny, Ontario
$10,000
This project aims to create a safe peer learning space for Two Spirit people to deepen capacities, resiliency and reconciliation by (re)connecting to land and community, sharing land-based Indigenous knowledge and ceremony, nurturing Two Spirit leadership, promoting healing and health and supporting each other in honouring treaty responsibilities. The project will culminate in a Two Spirit Visioning and Strategizing Gathering in December 2018.

Unity for Racial Harmony and Success
Location: Thunder Bay: Ontario
$10,000
Unity for Racial Harmony and Success aims to engage youth in activities that promote racial harmony by raising awareness, understanding and appreciation of diversity to eliminate racism, prejudice and discrimination. The goal is to achieve a nation where there is equal opportunity, equal access and equal participation by all citizens in all aspects of Canadian society.

The John Humphrey Centre for Peace and Human Rights: Exploring Identity Through Graphic Novels
Location: Edmonton, Alberta
$10,000
This project is a graphic novel that seeks to share the stories of young LGBTQ Muslim Canadians grappling with faith, identity and Islamophobia. The graphic novel will be used in outreach efforts to eliminate barriers to self-actualization and to build bridges within and between communities in Canada, and will focus on Muslim community spaces in the Edmonton area.

Urban Society for Aboriginal Youth: Medicine Wheel Warriors
Location: Calgary, Alberta
$10,000
Combining art, technology and innovation, USAY will empower 50 Indigenous children and youth to imagine themselves as superheroes and 3D print action figures in their likeness (3D scanning). Their superhero personas and ‘powers’ will be able to create positive social change in their communities, schools and neighbourhoods.

BlackArt Gastown: Black Market, Black Art Gastown
Location: Vancouver, British Columbia
$10,000
BlackArt Gastown-Black Market is an annual art showcase that highlights Black artists and creatives in Vancouver. The showcase takes the form of a 4-month collaborative installation on the theme of the African Canadian experience and ends with an open market featuring workshops and panel discussions open to Black, Vancouver-based artists and community members.

Terrace Women’s Resource Centre Society: Bringing NYSHN to the Northwest
Location: Various locations, North-western British Columbia
$10,000
This project, carried out in partnership with the Kermode Native Friendship Society, will build local capacity on sexual health and wellness to support Indigenous youth in Northwestern BC. The project will offer train-the-trainer workshops by the Native Youth Sexual Health Network. These trainings will be offered at Terrace, Kitimat, Kitimaat, Kitsumkalum, Kitselas, and Nisga Nations.

Truth & Dare Project: Dinner Dates
Location: Toronto, Ontario
$10,000
Dinner Dates engages senior Muslim women in the comfort of their homes, or alternate safe spaces, as they demonstrate the preparation of a meal and share the meal with our team. The documentation of each ‘Dinner Date’ will be designed into a cookbook and shared at a community book launch.

Empowerem: Empowerem’s Safe Space
Location: Ottawa, Ontario
$10,000
This project is focused on providing a safe space and social programming that promotes healthy living and adults/peer relationship development to help racialized and newcomer female Muslim youth between the ages of 15-25, who are often targets of hate crimes, harassment, and acts of violence. The project will take the form of weekly drop in nights and discussion workshops for Muslim women in this age group.

Disability Justice Network of Ontario: Housing Access Needs for Diverse People with Disabilities
Location: Hamilton, Ontario
$10,000
Aimed at mobilizing people with disabilities who are Black, Muslim, Indigenous, new immigrants and people of colour around access to affordable, accessible and dignified housing, this project will take the form of online and in-person roundtables, social events and workshops. These events will connect participants to each other, build capacity, and develop a network of BIPOC housing advocates in the Hamilton area.

The Amy Project: The Lilies Intercultural Arts Mentorship Program for 2SLGBTQ Youth
Location: Toronto, Ontario
$10,000
This is an arts-based reconciliation project facilitating collaboration between 2SLGBTQ Indigenous youth, LGBTQ non-Indigenous POC youth, and mentors. It engages participants in a specific storytelling project, Lilies 2019, aimed at shifting colonial stereotypes and dehumanizing narratives that contribute to over-representation of Indigenous and People of Colour communities in Canadian prisons.

Institut F: Pluri’Elles
Location: Montreal, Quebec
$10,000
This project will involve the creation and dissemination of a series of 15 portraits presenting Muslim women of diverse professional and ethnic backgrounds from Quebec. The goal is to normalize Muslimness in the public sphere, inspire other Muslim women, and address prejudices against Muslim women in Quebec.

Young Roots Farm: Young Roots Farm and Wilderness Camp
Location: Montreal, Quebec
$10,000
Young Roots Farm and Wilderness Camp is a perennial summer youth camp for a group of up to 35 racialized and Indigenous youth aged 12-17 years. The camp centers the experiences of racialized and Indigenous youth and utilises land based learning in order to build leadership and resiliency.

The Global Youth Education Network Society: Gaming for Racial Justice and Reconciliation: A Youth-developed Community Game
Location: Paynton, Saskatchewan
$10,000
This project will develop a community game led by and with Indigenous and Newcomer youth that tackles racism and prejudice through humour. The project will be led by Next Up Saskatchewan alumna Janelle Pewapsconias, game designer of Neeched Up Games, and will engage youth from the Saskatchewan Intercultural Association and Little Pine First Nation. The project will culminate in a tested prototype of the game.

The Mamawi Project: The Journeying Home Gathering
Location: Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
$10,000
A week long retreat program that will bring together Métis youth from across Canada to reconnect with important sites and knowledge of the Métis Homeland. Through experiential, cultural and land-based activities led by community knowledge keepers, youth will exchange stories and explore our role in leadership and reconciliation.

Salaam Canada: Regional Convening for LGBTQ Muslim Youth Peer Facilitators
Location: Multiple locations across Canada
$10,000
Salaam Canada will host a convening for 20 LGBTQ Muslim youth from the Prairies and British Columbia who are (interested in) doing organizing work in their regions and who want to a) build capacity around peer facilitation skills, and b) contribute to resource development that would be relevant to LGBT Muslims across the country.

Alienation: Delayed Echoes – Community Conversation and Consultation
Location: Toronto, Ontario and Halifax, Nova Scotia
$10,000
An impact campaign that will involve screenings of the short film Delayed Echoes in Toronto, Pickering and Halifax. This campaign is aimed at promoting awareness of the experiences of Black individuals and families living with diverse cognitive abilities. It is also aimed at making equine therapy as an intervention more accessible for those with diverse cognitive abilities.

14 & Muslim

$25,000
This film follows a group of young Muslims moving from their Islamic elementary school to high school, exploring what it means to be young, Muslim, and growing up in the West in these unsettling times. In partnership with the Tessellate Institute, NCCM & a youth advisory team, this film will have a youth engagement campaign in October, which is Islamic Heritage Month.

Abu
$25,000
Through a tapestry of narratives consisting of family footage, observation, and classic Bollywood films, gay-identifying Pakistani-Muslim filmmaker Arshad Khan takes the viewer on a journey about a fragmented family grappling with religion, sexuality, colonialism, and migration. Abu’s impact campaign will engage youth and educators around issues of Islamophobia and LGBTQ+ identity.

Indictment: The Crimes of Shelly Chartier
$25,000
Shelly Chartier is a young woman from a small First Nations community in Manitoba who was sensationalized in the media as a master manipulator in a high-profile catfishing case. Directors Lisa Jackson and Shane Belcourt, provide a much more sensitive lens and will leverage this film for an engagement campaign about Indigenous justice and colonial systems.

Turning Tables
$25,000
Classic Roots is an Anishinaabe music producer and DJ, blending Indigenous sounds with modern techno and house. He, the Turning Tables team and We Matter will screen this film alongside workshops in First Nations communities & his hometown, Thunder Bay, to encourage confidence and creativity in youth.