Speaking about the project, Hanan said, “Being shamed or insulted or made to feel unsafe is something that most women can relate to. It shouldn’t be a universal experience, but, in some ways, it is,” She adds, “Words can be incredibly powerful to curate a sense of community and collective action. It’s no coincidence we are seeing a resurgence of interest in poetry at a time when the world seems so incredibly dangerous and uncertain.”
Seeing so many people rally around her provided Athika with a much-needed boost, “For all of this to be happening for me, I cried. I think I went from seeing the worst of humanity to seeing the absolute best.”
Now that the dust has settled and she’s had time to reflect, Athika has found her fire again,
“A lot of people were angry that I’m a Muslim, I’m a woman, I’m a person of colour, and that I don’t look like your typical person that belongs in the media,” Athika continued “But I decided that I have the right to a voice and I’m going to use it in the way that I want to and that rattled a lot of people. And to be honest, that shows more about them than it does about me.”
Her interest in women’s health remains undiminished.
“It’s so important that we teach women to protect themselves, to educate themselves, to take care of themselves”, she says. “I know so many incredible women in my life, one being my mum. I just want to empower, I want to champion all the women, all our ancestors before us, that did so much to pave the path for us.”
And despite everything, her focus remains firmly on the work ahead.
In a world where online abuse is increasingly used to silence young women, Athika’s refusal to step back feels quietly powerful. After everything she’s endured, her determination to keep showing up – to keep speaking, advocating, and supporting other women – feels like its own form of resistance.