Our Voices Uprising: Hidden Stories
Our Voices Uprising: Hidden Stories is a zine created by a group of Muslim girls in East London through our Muslim Girls Fence project. Inside, you’ll find poems, comics, chants, and stories that speak of resistance, grief, joy, and solidarity. Made in response to the silencing of young people in schools when speaking about Palestine, the zine is both a call to action and a space where the girls speak their truth and educate us about global struggles.
Muslim Girls Fence works in schools to provide safe, creative spaces where girls fence, make art, and have honest conversations about race, religion, gender, justice, and freedom. In the face of censorship around Palestine and rising Islamophobia, this zine became a platform for the girls to resist, connect, and share what they believe should really be taught in schools.
In the months following October 7th 2023, children across the UK witnessed the ongoing killing of thousands of Palestinians, described by the UN and human rights experts as a genocide. When they tried to express solidarity and question injustice in schools, young people were often silenced and punished, with damaging effects on their mental health. This zine shows the importance of spaces where young people can speak without fear, challenge oppression, and counter narratives that expect Muslim girls to stay quiet.
Bringing together art, personal stories, and creative activities for reflection and learning, Our Voices Uprising: Hidden Stories shares the voices and stories of Muslim girls, that are too often ignored. It invites us to build solidarity across borders and imagine a future where justice and freedom are for everyone.