Samra_Habib

Samra Habib

Samra Habib

Canadian photographer, writer, and activist

Samra Habib is a Pakistani Canadian photographer, writer and activist.[1] They are most noted for Just Me and Allah, a photography project they launched in 2014 to document the lives of LGBTQ Muslims,[2] and We Have Always Been Here, a memoir of their experience as a queer-identified Muslim published in 2019 by Penguin Random House Canada.[3]

Quick Facts Born, Occupation(s) ...

Born in Pakistan to Ahmadi Muslim parents, Habib emigrated to Canada with their family in 1991 to escape religious persecution.[3] They grew up primarily in Toronto and were forced into an arranged marriage as a teenager before coming out as queer.[4]

We Have Always Been Here was the winner of the 2020 edition of Canada Reads, in which it was defended by actress Amanda Brugel.[5] It was also longlisted for the RBC Taylor Prize,[6] and won a Lambda Literary Award for Lesbian Memoir or Biography at the 32nd Lambda Literary Awards.[7]

References

  1. [1]
    Jane van Koeverden, "Why Samra Habib wrote a memoir about growing up as a queer Muslim — and it's now a Canada Reads finalist". CBC Books, June 26, 2019.
  2. [2]
    Elisabeth Ponsot (May 8, 2015). "'Just me and Allah': Photographer seeks to capture diversity of Islam". PBS NewsHour.
  3. [3]
    Sue Carter, "Samra Habib, founder of gay Muslim project, turns the camera on herself in new memoir". Toronto Star, June 21, 2019.
  4. [4]
    Tracey Ho Lung, "Penning a memoir helped this author find joy from her pain". The Globe and Mail, July 16, 2019.
  5. [5]
    Patrick, Ryan B. (July 23, 2020). "The winner of Canada Reads 2020 is..." CBC Books. Retrieved July 23, 2020.
  6. [6]
    Deborah Dundas, "Mark Bourrie, Helen Knott, Robyn Doolittle feature on final RBC Taylor non-fiction prize long list". Toronto Star, December 4, 2019.
  7. [7]
    Vanderhoof, Erin (June 1, 2020). "EXCLUSIVE: The Winners of the 32nd Annual Lambda Literary Awards". Vanity Fair.


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