Play taking stage in Hamilton based on stories of real and 'tragic' impact of Islamophobia in Ontario

A local Muslim organization is aiming to help people "understand the impact of hate," while highlighting the case of the killing of a Muslim family in London, Ont., four years ago. 

Mishka Social Services, a group that supports Muslim newcomers in Hamilton, is hosting a free theatre event on Friday at the Zoetic Theatre exploring the consequences of Islamophobia. The event will include a panel discussion, a play and music.

"I feel like this gives an alternative that's less tense, less confrontational, less controversial, really, to come together and show that we stand against hate in all forms," said Mishka's executive director, Omar Mahamed.

Sofi Asali was in charge of writing and directing the play, which she called Our London Family.

"I think my biggest hope for the play is that people walk away seeing more in common with the Muslim characters than different," she told CBC Hamilton.

Our London Family is described by Asali as a piece of fiction inspired by what happened to members of the Afzaal family.

Yumnah Afzaal, 15, her parents Madiha Salman, 44, and Salman Afzaal, 46, and grandmother Talat Afzaal, 74, were intentionally struck and killed while out on an evening stroll on June 6, 2021 in London. A young boy who was seriously injured was the sole survivor.

The man who killed them is serving a life sentence after he was convicted of terrorism, four counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted murder during a trial in Windsor, Ont., in 2023. 

"The goal [of the play] was to create a sense of a living memorial through people," said Asali.

Mahamed said the event will also be a good opportunity to think about Islamophobia in Hamilton.

He said tensions have been heightened in the community and bled into his work, he said, where he recently had to deal with the case of a family that was targeted in Hamilton, a first for him.

Hamilton has a Muslim population of around 38,000, according to the 2021 census.

Mahamed added that the Muslim community has been feeling "worried," "scared," and "a bit threatened," as a result of Israel's ongoing bombing of Gaza.

The Jewish community has had some similar experiences, he said, and both communities have seen increased security in synagogues and Mosques in Hamilton as preventative measures.

For him, the Friday event will be a "good way to let people know we're here."

A play about trauma and healing

Asali is from South Carolina but is currently based in Toronto. As a University of Toronto cinema studies graduate, her work has largely looked at mental health in diverse communities with a focus on the intersection of culture, religion and health.

As a second-generation Syrian American, she said she saw a lot of herself while working on the play. Asali said despite not being Muslim, she has experienced Islamophobia.

"The thing about hate is that it usually comes from a place of paranoia and not education, and so I felt like I could really empathize with what I was going to write," said Asali.

The play is told from the perspective of the surviving family member, at an older age, and explores "how to remain present in times of pain," she said.

Mahamed said he expects the audience will feel deep empathy for the main character and get a close-up look at how traumatic these experiences can be, but also at how healing can begin.

"It's shining a positive light on a dark, tragic topic," he said.

Asali said there was great care put into "balancing fact and fiction."

"It's about the emotional truth of what happened while maintaining like the privacy and wishes of like real family," she said.

The play cast around 15 people between the ages of 13 and 30 with a diverse range of experience.

Raising awareness a different way

Before the play, four speakers will take the stage for a panel discussion looking at the impact of Islamophobia on individuals and families.

The panel will include various Muslim leaders and advocates, including Mohammed Baobaid, executive director at the Muslim Resource Centre for Social Support and Integration in London, and Shahina Siddiqui, executive director of the Islamic Social Services Association.

The event was funded by the Canada Race Relations Foundation, said Mahamed, so he felt like it would be in "bad taste" to charge people who want to attend.

He said the event is aimed at anyone who wants to attend and is hoping for a diverse audience with a mix of Muslims and others.

Mahamed said the event could be a good opportunity for people to engage with the topic of Islamophobia, in a different way than attending a protest or a march.

"We're looking to raise awareness of how harmful discrimination, hate and violence can be. And for people to also recognize that we could raise awareness in different mediums," he said.