Catching Up With YouTube’s Muslim Creators for Change
Earlier this year we told you about a YouTube campaign called Creators for Change. At the time – and we’re quoting ourselves here, which we obviously love to do – we described the initiative as ‘a sort-of hotlist of vloggers, content supremos and millennial voices who are doing things a bit differently with the videos they upload on their channels.’
To quote YouTube, Creators for Change ‘supports creators like you – creators who are tackling social issues and promoting awareness, tolerance and empathy on their YouTube channels. Because no matter what kind of videos we make, we all have the power to help create the world we want.’
To get the campaign rolling, YouTube selected a group of vloggers whose work fostered these ideals. Many of them were Muslim, four of whom we profiled back in May. Now that six months have elapsed, we thought it was time to catch up with the vloggers to see how they’re enacting the Creators for Change ethos.
Dina Tokia
Beauty vlogger, mother and immensely likeable human being Dina Tokia has absolutely crushed the Creators for Change mission. As someone who’s always been adept at approaching heavier subjects with a deft touch, Tokia’s Creators for Change videos have expertly tackled misconceptions that surround Muslim women.
Our favourite is her workout session with a hijabi powerlifter in Stoke, who is benching, deadlifting and squatting her way through stereotypes; and even breaking the odd world record. Check it out above.
Amani
It doesn’t appear that Amani’s done much for the Creators for Change project. In her defense, she has been running the brilliant website she founded, Muslim Girl, which arguably works to create change with every bit of content it posts.
Humza Arshad
Humza Arshad and his ongoing series Diary of a Badman have broached issues as complex as racism and gang violence, but always with respect, understanding, and an appropriate – and sometimes much needed – degree of humour.
For Creators for Change, Humza has made a series of films that portray his knack at relaying the perfect message in relation to very difficult subjects. His short on Islamophobia, a spoken word visual called A Walk in the Park, has really stayed with us.
Subhi Taha
Subhi Taha has always come across as something of a calming voice in his vlogs, not to say he’s not privvy to the odd rant or those questionable accent impressions that YouTube people love to attempt.
His one Creators for Change video, Just Say It, offers measured words on the relentless barrage of social media, the rise of oppression, and the blind eye we turn to racism and discrimination.
Watch it. It’s great.
Hijabi Ent. is a group of Somali girls in Australia who vlog about everything from tough subjects like racism; to lighter stuff like games and challenges.
YouTube has carefully selected a group of vloggers whose work fosters productive dialogues about important social issues and many of them are Muslim.
Whatever your views on Valentine’s Day, we can all agree that sharing your life with someone you love (and who loves you) is a good thing.
