Afghans Empowered

Recent atrocities faced by Afghan migrants at the hands of foreign governments have sparked a wave of outrage within Afghan communities, worldwide. Protests have been carried out around the world, all with the clear messages and imagery for the central themes of the movement, #stopkillingAfghans, and #IAmBurning.  In this episode, activists and protest organizers Stephanie Hargett and Sara Anas take a moment to sit down with me to promote the upcoming protest event, scheduled to be held on July 12th in Los Angeles, California. Motivated to speak out against oppressive governments, and to raise awareness for the cruelty Afghan migrants face in neighboring countries outside of Afghanistan, these activists have amassed a group of passionate community members and allies to demand accountability by the perpetrators, and declare "Enough is enough". Join us as we dissect the conversation and what the clearly marked message of the protest is. Change begins at the grassroots level, and providing a voice for the voiceless is the first step towards demanding change, and amassing support. What is the long term goal, and how does this group hope to achieve this goal? How can we pressure international government organizations, and nations, to pressure oppressive governments to be held accountable for abuses of human rights? Though the answers to these questions aren't easy, and by no means will the journey to the solution be either, the conversation to be had is: we have to start somewhere. However, what is clear is that we as a community are willing to stand up for the rights of our fellow Afghans, in order to promote visibility surrounding the issues that plague our communities, worldwide. 

If you are a Southern California resident, show your support of the cause, and join the event on July 12th, from 2pm-5pm. Details of the event will be available on our Instagram, @afghansempowered. 

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Afghans Empowered sits down with The Hiatus Foundation, a non profit organization from the UK that is dedicated to supporting young athletes in Kabul and Bamiyan, to discuss the emergence of action-sports teams in Afghanistan. We talk about how these teams maintain a safe, outdoor space: one that is not only free from the violence and dangers of ongoing conflict, but also free from the scrutiny of the community dwellers who disapprove of these athletes' talents and passions. What do action sports mean for these young Afghans, and how can international communities support their needs? We dive into the discussion of the influence of sports as motivation and hope, as these young Afghans dream of a future of safety and security for their beloved country. Sports unite these exceptional individuals and provide a space for learning tolerance and equality, as these athletes put aside the ethnic and religious differences that have torn their country apart, for one common goal: to play sports. We conclude the conversation with our discussion of the narratives played about Afghanistan, and how we hope to empower positive narratives that highlight the successes, talents, and resilience of the Afghan people, from education, the arts, or action sports. Empowering the narrative, and bringing awareness to these communities are part of our goal to support the underrepresented populations of Afghanistan who are otherwise invisible to international government organizations and non profits. The Hiatus Foundation's mission is to continue providing sports equipment to these athletes, and with our help, can share their mission for promoting visibility about action sports in Afghanistan, to empower and enable the future of young Afghans with the help of the international community. The organization looks forward to coordinating a project to help the first Afghan man and woman successfully climb to the summit of Mt. Everest. 

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The last couple weeks have been extraordinary. Join us as we sit down and discuss the eruption in activism and community engagement with the Black Lives Matter movement, sparked by the unjust killing of George Floyd on May 25th. What has led to the amplification of the movement's efforts, and how has the Afghan community, with other minority groups, unified in their solidarity with BLM? Tune in as we describe our duties in the Afghan community to continue promoting our solidarity, and how the BLM movement is an US issue, not a THEIR issue. We contrast this heightened activism in our community, with the recent atrocities faced by Afghan migrants and refugees in Iran. This atrocity has been met with spoken outrage by our fellow Afghans, and we address some criticisms we have for the content circulating on social media, and how we shouldn't use the BLM slogan to benefit ourselves, as a level of sensitivity to the original cause. How can we continue to support and advocate for the promotion of human rights of Afghans in Iran, while maintaining our solidarity to the BLM movement? We conclude our conversation by voicing our desires to empower fellow Afghans, to encourage them to continue using their voices of anger, disappointment, and outrage, to address the institutions responsible for violating the human rights of all citizens, regardless of race, ethnicity, nationality, etc.

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In this episode, guest speaker Kevin Schumacher from the organization Women for Afghan Women sits down to discuss the organization's mission to protect women in Afghanistan from violations of human rights. A pioneer and leader in the fight for women's rights, Women for Afghan Women paves the way to equality through providing safe spaces for women, legal representation to uphold laws, and education to break down the patriarchial dogmatism in communities. From domestic violence to child marriage, this nonprofit organization challenges and addresses the issues faced by women and children in the country. In this eye-opening Q+A, we take human rights head on, and address what it takes for an organization to become successful in addressing and undoing generations of inequality between men and women, while promoting the dignity, potential, and autonomy of Afghan women. 

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In this brief introduction, the founder of Afghans Empowered details the motivation that has led to the creation of the organization. Learn a little bit about Mursel and her sister's background, and whats fueled their vision for creating a platform for awareness and representation for the Afghan community. Find out what projects are coming up soon, and learn how you can get involved and featured on the Afghans Empowered podcast!

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