In this episode of New Wave Global, host Aminah Saqib sits down with Sidrah Jamil, the founder and president of Soul Sisters USA (SSUSA). As the largest South Asian women's support organization in the US, SSUSA has received recognition for helping Pakistani women in the diaspora build a community.
The conversation opens with a poignant reflection on a recent post by Amina Arif, the promising young woman whose life was snatched by a callous hit-and-run in Karachi's Karsaz area. As a member of Soul Sisters Pakistan, Arif, too, had written of her dreams and struggles on the community page of Soul Sisters Pakistan previously.
Speaking of her personal journey, Jamil shared how barriers in accessing justice as a mother seeking custody of her child via Pakistani courts, made her realise how little support women have in Pakistan and beyond. One of the reasons for establishing Soul Sisters USA, Jamil tells the host, was to provide a safe space where women navigating obstacles in married or single life can seek advice, and advocate for their rights. Jamil is also a board member of the Women to Women Forum (W2W), a non-profit which provides opportunities to Pakistani-American women to network, advance in their careers as entrepreneurs, educators, lawyers, politicians etc. Its project Shehzori House is a transitional housing facility for Pakistani women in need of shelter and protection in the US, which Jamil is directly affiliated with.
Tune in to discover how Sidrah Jamil and Soul Sisters USA are making strides in helping Pakistani and Muslim women in the United States access social justice.