Wali Shah
Messenger, Speaker, Poet, Changemaker
Presentations
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Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Diversity is Strength
Growing up as a Pakistani-Muslim in an immigrant family is not easy. Not only are there barriers in the form of finances, language, and culture; there are unfortunately many uninformed preconceived notions that exist towards Muslims in North America.
There were moments I resented my identity and hid my faith as a child out of fear of being bullied, as many adults do out of fear of persecution. I speak on what steps all of us can take to check our own bias and remove the stigma from having conversations that may be uncomfortable. Whether that be with family or friends, or co-workers who are different than us.
We need to have meaningful dialogue about interfaith harmony as well as diversity and inclusion, because discrimination and prejudice is not exclusive to Islamophobia. It is a broader conversation that intersects with anti-black racism, LGBTQ+, and many other minority groups. Being an ally, starts with asking questions, and the only bad question is the one never asked.
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Mental Health
The Roots of My Struggle with Mental Health
My parents and I are immigrants who moved to Canada for a better life. We struggled, and because of our circumstances, my parents placed extreme pressure on me as a child. Our lives are shaped by the expectations our parents have for us as children, and we never want to let down those we love, especially not when we see their sacrifices every single day.
It was their extremely high expectations academically that made me doubt myself. It was my fear of growing up in the western world not adhering to their cultural values, that led me to distancing myself from my parents. I was scared to openly talk about things like dating, or wanting to be an artist, because I thought they would never understand. These were the roots of my struggle with my mental health, which led to anxiety, depression, and self-doubt as a young adult.
I speak about my own personal journey to reconciliation with my parents, my culture, my career path, and exploring intergenerational trauma from the perspective of mental health in youth and immigrant families.
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Leadership
Leadership Starts in The Little Things
Whether we are adults, or youth: leadership is an essential quality to our work. It speaks to our resilience, our initiative, and our ability to be changemakers. It’s in life’s challenges that we are offered an opportunity to grow and lead.
My own personal narrative has come with trials at an early age. From being a young immigrant child in a low-income neighbourhood, to carving out an unconventional career as one of Canada’s premier poets: I have learned that leadership starts in the little things. Large milestones, begin with baby steps.
Over the years, I have had the honour of working with, performing for, and meeting some of the most influential leaders in our world. From Barack Obama, Jim Pattison; to Jay Shetty and Pinball Clemons. They’ve all taught me the same message: Standing up for a cause starts with leading and championing it ourselves, and living the change.
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Re-Imagining Masculinity
I grew up listening to rap music and idolizing pop icons that perpetuated negative stereotypes and influenced young men like myself to behave in a way that is actually unbecoming of a real man.
Today, I still see mass media highlighting the men who boast about their successful sexual conquests, finances, and physical strength, among other status indicators, to subordinate, and marginalize other men and women. I heard homophobic language being used as rhetoric to emasculate and insult others in the playground, or sexist slurs become the norm in locker rooms.
I always knew language could be used to empower. So instead, I chose my words to make an impact, and to lead by example. We as a society need to conform to the media or popular culture about what our lives should look like. My narrative as a man is a reminder that I have the agency to do better and be a better example. To be the one who asks for consent. To be the one who respects the women in my life. To be the one who recognizes his privilege and uses it for good.
My past has been a wakeup call and furthermore, a call to action. A call to be reflexive about my own life and the lives of those around me, and to take action regarding inequity and
injustice. We need to challenge patriarchy. We need to challenge heteronormativity. We need to challenge ourselves to think more openly.
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Diversity is Strength
Growing up as a Pakistani-Muslim in an immigrant family is not easy. Not only are there barriers in the form of finances, language, and culture; there are unfortunately many uninformed preconceived notions that exist towards Muslims in North America.
There were moments I resented my identity and hid my faith as a child out of fear of being bullied, as many adults do out of fear of persecution. I speak on what steps all of us can take to check our own bias and remove the stigma from having conversations that may be uncomfortable. Whether that be with family or friends, or co-workers who are different than us.
We need to have meaningful dialogue about interfaith harmony as well as diversity and inclusion, because discrimination and prejudice is not exclusive to Islamophobia. It is a broader conversation that intersects with anti-black racism, LGBTQ+, and many other minority groups. Being an ally, starts with asking questions, and the only bad question is the one never asked.
Mental Health
The Roots of My Struggle with Mental Health
My parents and I are immigrants who moved to Canada for a better life. We struggled, and because of our circumstances, my parents placed extreme pressure on me as a child. Our lives are shaped by the expectations our parents have for us as children, and we never want to let down those we love, especially not when we see their sacrifices every single day.
It was their extremely high expectations academically that made me doubt myself. It was my fear of growing up in the western world not adhering to their cultural values, that led me to distancing myself from my parents. I was scared to openly talk about things like dating, or wanting to be an artist, because I thought they would never understand. These were the roots of my struggle with my mental health, which led to anxiety, depression, and self-doubt as a young adult.
I speak about my own personal journey to reconciliation with my parents, my culture, my career path, and exploring intergenerational trauma from the perspective of mental health in youth and immigrant families.
Leadership
Leadership Starts in The Little Things
Whether we are adults, or youth: leadership is an essential quality to our work. It speaks to our resilience, our initiative, and our ability to be changemakers. It’s in life’s challenges that we are offered an opportunity to grow and lead.
My own personal narrative has come with trials at an early age. From being a young immigrant child in a low-income neighbourhood, to carving out an unconventional career as one of Canada’s premier poets: I have learned that leadership starts in the little things. Large milestones, begin with baby steps.
Over the years, I have had the honour of working with, performing for, and meeting some of the most influential leaders in our world. From Barack Obama, Jim Pattison; to Jay Shetty and Pinball Clemons. They’ve all taught me the same message: Standing up for a cause starts with leading and championing it ourselves, and living the change.
Re-Imagining Masculinity
I grew up listening to rap music and idolizing pop icons that perpetuated negative stereotypes and influenced young men like myself to behave in a way that is actually unbecoming of a real man.
Today, I still see mass media highlighting the men who boast about their successful sexual conquests, finances, and physical strength, among other status indicators, to subordinate, and marginalize other men and women. I heard homophobic language being used as rhetoric to emasculate and insult others in the playground, or sexist slurs become the norm in locker rooms.
I always knew language could be used to empower. So instead, I chose my words to make an impact, and to lead by example. We as a society need to conform to the media or popular culture about what our lives should look like. My narrative as a man is a reminder that I have the agency to do better and be a better example. To be the one who asks for consent. To be the one who respects the women in my life. To be the one who recognizes his privilege and uses it for good.
My past has been a wakeup call and furthermore, a call to action. A call to be reflexive about my own life and the lives of those around me, and to take action regarding inequity and
injustice. We need to challenge patriarchy. We need to challenge heteronormativity. We need to challenge ourselves to think more openly.
