Participatory Grantmaking Initiative
Narrating Our Own Stories: SWANA Meetups in Rural BC
Participatory grantmaking is an approach where the decision-making power over where and how funds are allocated lies with the communities directly affected. Over the course of 2024-2025, the RADIUS participatory grantmaking initiative used this approach to challenge the traditional top-down funding models that often exclude marginalized and racialized voices. The initiative placed racialized migrants at the forefront in designing the grant and making granting decisions that supported 16 grassroots, community-led initiatives across B.C. Over the course of the coming months we hope to share stories from many of the grantees about their work, its importance, and the impact that they are having.
The ‘SWANA Meetups and Short-Film Series’ initiative led by Zaynab Mohammed and nikta bouroumand sought to create opportunities for SWANA community members living in rural British Columbia to build relationships, celebrate cultural identity, and document their experiences through community gatherings and a participant-led short film series.
We are the narrators of our stories
There is power in telling the world who we are, rather than accepting what the world wants us to be. As migrants from parts of the world the west narrates through stereotypes and malevolent intentions, to uphold their dominance and superiority, we are called to act by claiming and telling our own stories. We define who we are. It is that simple.
Our cultures, traditions and identities are foundational to who we are. Even though we have left our places of origins, for a myriad of reasons, home is always with us, in some shape or form. From how we speak, think, dress, cook, eat, connect, relate and show up.
Rural BC
In a gorgeous mountainous region, surrounded by rivers, lakes and creeks, people from southwest asia and north africa are scarce. This region is predominantly populated by European descendants. As a SWANA person who lives in this rural area in BC, finding someone who looks like you, or speaks your language is rare, making these encounters, when they happen, feel like treasure.
nikta boroumand and I found each other after many years living in the West Kootenays. Our friendship grew to quench a longing we lived with for quite some time. We instantly understood each other - no explanations needed. We got to be loud, passionate, political, and artistic together. With a great sense of ease, we became sisters. Naturally, this led us to brainstorm projects we’d love to be part of, create and bring into this world.
A new local organization had commissioned me to run a few SWANA meetups, as a pilot program. I believe I put on 3 or 4 total. The idea was to get together, share food, make art and simply just have time to be in relationship with people who share similar values and come from similar parts of the world.
The story could have ended there. However, nikta and I decided to apply for the grantmaking initiative with Radius to continue these meetups that had nourished everyone in our group in simple and profound ways.
We also wanted to bring the magic of our meetups to the greater community, so we added a storytelling segment to our project through short films. This way, our group received the opportunity to tell their own stories, which can be shown to the rural community and beyond.
Our meetups & our sense of belonging
We all need to feel like we belong. Whether it be to ourselves, to a place, a people, a culture, a language and/or identity. When our group got together at the park to share food, dance and be together, or when we went bowling, or when we learned how to dance like dervishes, spinning on one foot, or when we did a breathing workshop together. These spaces were infused with the wholesome feeling of belonging. It was a deep exhale. Just like me and nikta’s relationship - no explanation needed. We didn’t have to fight to be heard. We weren’t misunderstood. We could be as loud and passionate as we wanted. We felt safe to tease and poke at each other. It was like family and being at home.
Stories from the SWANA diaspora
A few people from our group were open to sharing their stories on film. This led to a 5 episode series titled, ‘Rural Stories from the SWANA Diaspora’. We had Aras, and nikta share about their Iranian roots, their journeys of migration, pushing their culture away in order to fit in, only to come full circle and embrace their roots at a later stage in their lives. Rayya and Tenise are of mixed heritage. Tenise was born and raised in this region and only found out about her Assyrian heritage in her 20’s, while Rayya is half Lebanese and holds a special connection to this part of her story in her daily life. And then there is me, born in Canada to immigrant Arab parents.
I ended up moving away from rural BC halfway through this project. You will see in my film, where I have moved to and why I decided to leave. Rural BC didn’t have what my heart needed to feel at ease.
Final thoughts
This series of films will show you what it is like to live in the diaspora in a rural place. Yes, it is an absolutely stunning place. You will fall in love with the nature. That’s what brought most of us there. But do not be deceived. As people who have inhabited this region for decades combined, we have all reached a similar conclusion to a certain degree. Because our stories vary, so does our relationship with this place. You will hear how we all love living in this region, while something is missing for all of us.
Films that showcase rural life are hard to come by, especially from Southwest Asian and North African people. That’s why this series is so important for the communities we find ourselves being part of and for the migrant communities in larger cities.
We continue to meet with each other, connect in smaller groups, stay in touch and support each other in our communities and from afar. This project is a reminder of what is possible when we come together as ourselves and tap into what it means to belong.