Why the DARE Project Was Created
The Digital Anti-Racism Education (DARE) Program was created by the Canadian Council of Muslim Women (CCMW), with funding from the Government of Canada in response to the rapid rise of online hate, Islamophobia, and racism across digital spaces in Canada.
DIGITAL ANTI-RACISM EDUCATION (DARE) PROJECT – PHASE 1 & 2
CCMW’s national Digital Anti-Racism Education (DARE) Project, aimed at raising awareness about online hate and Islamophobia by empowering racialized women, girls and allies with resources and tools to counter hate to #DeleteRacism. Islamophobia is one form of discrimination in Canada that contributes to Muslim women’s and girls’ experiences of safety in public and online spaces. However, there is very little education available on how to respond and effectively counter offline & online hate and extremism. CCMW’s Digital Anti-Racism Education (DARE) Project (Phase 1 & 2) funded by the Government of Canada, is a unique and significant initiative to respond to hate online.
Phase One of the DARE Project (August 2019 to April 2020) aimed at increasing the digital capacity of racialized women and girls. As part of the Project, two e-learning modules, including ‘Racism 101’ and ‘Countering Cyberhate 101,’ were developed and CCMW Board, staff, Chapter members and volunteers received training on countering hate and extremism online.
Expanding on Phase One, the Digital Anti-Racism Education 2 (DARE2) Project, aimed at better understanding how Islamophobia further marginalizes racialized women and girls, using an intersectional lens. The project helped bring out stories of marginalization and racism as experienced by Black and Indigenous Muslim women and girls, queer Muslim women and girls, Frencophone Muslim women and girls & Muslim women and girls living with diverse abilities. An effective anti-Islamophobia e-learning module was developed, and virtual training workshops held across Canada to better understand the harmful effects of online hate and how to counter cyberhate effectively. In 2021-22 60 workshops were held across the country and approximately 4000 individuals trained.
Phase 2 also helped develop a series of online videos, sharing stories and expriences of hate, racism and Islamophobia impacting racialized Muslim women and girls. These videos were part of an anti-hate social media campaign #Hate2Healing, which launched during Islamic Heritage Month in October 2021. The bilingual campaign had a global reach and represented diverse intersectional identities with strong narratives highlighting gendered Islamophobia and the lived experiences of Muslim Women and girls identifying as black, Francophone, Indigenous, 2SLGBTQI and those living with diverse abilities.
The DARE Project illustrations were coloured and created by Hana Shafi.
Hana Shafi is a writer and artist who illustrates under the name Frizz Kid. She is also the Graphic Designer at CCMW. Known on Instagram for her weekly affirmation series, she is also the recipient of the Women Who Inspire Award from the Canadian Council of Muslim Women. Her first book, It Begins With The Body, was selected by CBC Books as one of their best poetry books for 2018.
Meet The Team
Firdaus Ali - Project Manager
Firdaus is the National Project Manager for the Addressing Barriers to Employment for Muslim Women (ASPIRE) Project at the Canadian Council of Muslim Women, where she has worked to educate and empower communities to address the complex employment challenges facing Canadian Muslim women. She also has led the CCMW’s Digital Anti-Racism Education (DARE) Program nationally, advancing evidence-based learning to counter online hate, racism, and Islamophobia.
A recognized voice in diversity, inclusion, and health equity, Firdaus has led innovative initiatives for national and provincial organizations including the Heart & Stroke Foundation, Alliance for South Asian AIDS Prevention, and Osteoporosis Canada. A former journalist, she continues to write on film and theatre and is known for using creative programming and media to spark dialogue on feminist and humanitarian issues. A proud Gandhian, Firdaus lives by the philosophy: You must be the change you want to see in the world!
Duha Elmardi - Education Coordinator
Duha Elmardi is a Sudanese nonprofit professional with over 15 years of experience as an Educator, Program and Project Coordinator, and Organizational Development Consultant across Sudan, Malaysia, the United States, and Canada. Her work is grounded in anti-oppression and social change, with a focus on community organizing, facilitation, and collective impact. Duha has developed and delivered educational workshops, curricula, and training on issues including anti-racism, gender justice, and climate justice for schools and nonprofit organizations. Since 2019, she has also served as an Education Coordinator at Concordia University.
Duha is currently pursuing a Master’s in Human Systems Intervention at Concordia University and holds a BSc in Environmental Studies and Disaster Mitigation, a specialization in Non-Profit Management from the National Ribat University, and a Graduate Diploma in Community Economic Development.
