Panel Discussion

Artists Against Apartheid

"where are we now and where do we go from here?"

NOV 15 | Friday
8 PM - 9 PM

Moderator:
Noor Ghazal

Participants:
Evidence Doll
Nanoos
Rawan Hassan
Jada Pape
Vanessa Fajemisin

Noor Ghazal

Noor Ghazal is a Lebanese-”Canadian” interdisciplinary artist, community and event organizer based in the Unceded xwməθkwəy̓ əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) lands. Noor’s research and art practice is rooted in Arabfuturism, MENA/SWANA divination practices and exploring ways of future-building. When Noor is not art making, she is organizing and producing a diverse array of events that showcase MENA/SWANA arts and culture. Noor’s work focuses on supporting local artists and bringing MENA/SWANA artists to so-called “Vancouver” from around the globe with the hope of creating more visibility and building community.

Nanoos

Nanoos is a Palestinian-Armenian DJ and producer originally hailing from Detroit. Her current home base now is Chicago. Nanoos aims to elevate the rich and diverse sounds of the Levant and North Africa by infusing them with genres such as Ghettotech, Juke, Hip Hop, Jersey Club, UK garage, Dancehall, and House.

Her goal is to carve out inclusive spaces where Arab and SWANA (SouthWest Asian & North African) folks can feel safe while enjoying their sound. As a visionary co-founder of the Go Baba! Worldwide party and collective, she's breathed life into a movement that celebrates the fusion of Afro, Arab, and Caribbean music, crafting an irresistible invitation to dance.

Evidence Doll

Evidence doll’s trans Arab identity, dance background, and cathartic relationship with music production shape their androgynous intensity on stage, utilizing live performance as a means to simultaneously express and find their identity. Their sound merges many points of inspiration such as hardcore genres, euphoric trance, Arabic beats, as well as experimental and playfully syncopated rhythms.

Rawan Hassan

Rawan is a Palestinian multidisciplinary artist, designer, and community worker. Her artistic practice reflects the Palestinian and Arab cultures, experiences and perspectives she grew up and continues to evolve with. She has a passion for creating sentimentality through engaging with tradition and implementing her own twists. Experimenting with traditional methods and invoking themes of Arab-Palestinian Futurism, Rawan’s practice includes tatreez, ink and charcoal drawings and poetry.

Jada Pape

Jada-Gabrielle Pape is Coast Salish belonging to the Snuneymuxw and Saanich Nations. She has family ties to both Musqueam and Squamish Nations and lives in so-called East Vancouver. Jada is a mixed media artist who creates weavings in cedar, wool and cotton. She also paints and beads as a way to find calm in the storms. Jada has recently been called an ‘activist’ and really resents that label, rather describes her daily actions as living out the core values, intentions and teachings of her ancestors. She is unwaveringly in solidarity with Palestine and has a life long commitment to resistance. Her own resistance to colonialism comes in the form of canoeing, drumming and singing, and consistent, hopeful parenting. Jada is a mom, an auntie, a community member and a daughter. Jada is an anti-racism educator, a decolonizing consultant and a grief and trauma counsellor. Her fancy accolades mean less and less to her these days.