Project December 11, 2019

Holding Fire

Authors:
Somia Elrowmeim participates in a rally for Bernie Sanders. Image by Hana Elias. United States, 2019.
Somia Elrowmeim participates in a rally for Bernie Sanders. Image by Hana Elias. United States, 2019.

Somia Elrowmeim is a Yemeni immigrant—and American citizen—fighting for the rights of Muslims in South Brooklyn at a time of unprecedented Islamophobia. The documentary "Holding Fire" follows her trajectory as a rising activist.

During the 2018 midterm elections, Somia works to galvanize the Arab and Muslim vote to flip one of the last Republican seats in New York City. As she gains recognition and considers a bigger role in politics, she must also contend with gender expectations from a conservative society. This film by Hana Elias and Eleonore Voisard provides a behind-the-scenes look at a grassroots organization and a new generation of Muslim women whose activism may determine the future of a community.

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