Given the global political situation today, Muslim youth are often characterized as potential terrorists or radicals. Numerous articles in the mass media profile cases of how bright, ambitious Muslim youth abandon their dreams to become ISIS fighters, or, in the case of young women, become wives of such radicals. With politicians like Donald Trump and Boris Johnson voicing their harsh opinions of minorities, everyday life for them becomes more difficult.
Amir Hassan reports on how Muslims are dealing with Islamophobia, focusing mainly in the city of Manchester, England, a city commonly associated with poverty, crime and disillusioned immigrant youth. His project "Muslims in Manchester" focuses on Muslim youth who embrace their faith, using it to promote non-violence, community building, and a sense of global citizenship.
Hassan documents the powerful counter-narrative that the world has yet to see—one that we do not hear about through the media. By focusing on individuals, Hassan creates a more human image of Muslims.
!["We Are Europe" poster of Trump and Johnson kissing. Image by Amir Hassan. UK, 2016.](/sites/default/files/09-02-16/brexit.jpg "To protest Brexit, a collective group of artists and activists called “We are Europe” created a mural in Bristol, U.K., dubbed "The Kiss of Death." The mural shows Donald Trump, the Republican nominee for president, and Boris Johnson, Foreign Secretary and former mayor of London, kissing—it pokes fun at the similarities between the two politicians who are both known for their anti-immigrant stance, their “tell-it-like-it-is” personalities, and their lack of “political correctness.” Posters of the mural can now be found all over the U.K. Image by Amir Hassan. UK, 2016.")
