Alternative 9/11 Memorial (2021)
Twenty years after 9/11, I organized an alternative memorial, bringing together a group of Muslim women to share what we are mourning and will never forget about the last two decades of the targeted killing, criminalization, and dehumanization of Muslims through the Global War on Terror. I used the 99 Clay Vessels from the 99 Clay Vessels: The Muslim Women Storytelling Project (99clayvessels.com) as the centerpiece of the gathering to hold our memories. You can see a recording of the memorial here:
Alternative 9/11 Memorial Feedback Session & Maker Workshop, Johns Hopkins University (2021)
One of my dreams is to lead a team of artists & activists in the creation of an alternative memorial to 9/11 & the Global War on Terror that amplifies critical voices never included in multimillion dollar memorials and yearly commemorations, stories that add much needed perspective on the consequences of 20+ years of U.S. military campaigns against Muslims and other communities worldwide. To that end, I organized a feedback session in November 2021 in a class on the 9/11 era at Johns Hopkins University. After giving the students some art supplies, we asked: “Now that you have critically studied the 9/11 era over the semester, what would you include in an alternative inclusive 9/11 memorial?” These are some of their thoughtful suggestions: