Amna Akram

Articles

Medium •

Sumayah Kazi Q&A: “In another universe, I would pursue baking full-time”

The dentistry student on her Great British Bake Off journey and how exploring different hobbies gave her artistry a signature flairIn her gap year, Sumayah Kazi, from Preston, became the youngest contestant to compete in season 15 of the Great British Bake Off.At just 19, she wowed millions for seven weeks with daring fusion flavours and mouthwatering showstoppers, including her two-tier Autumn Leaves cake of parsnip, cumin and fennel, and beetroot, ginger and walnut, which earned judge Paul Hol...
SCREENSHOT Media •

Hira Anwar’s tragic story: How a teen’s fight for identity sparked a call to action to end honour killings

In diaspora communities, young people often face the challenge of balancing their cultural roots with Western societal norms. For Hira Anwar, her path to self-discovery turned into tragedy. Born and raised in Yonkers, New York, the 14-year-old was a typical American teenager. On the weekends, she liked spending time with friends at the mall and drew inspiration from her favourite pop stars Billie Eilish and Zayn Malik. She was described by her teachers and classmates at Public School 16 as coura...
Mag North •

How A Community Kitchen Transforms Lives And Addresses Language Barriers Through Food

Fifteen years ago, Bafreen and her family relocated from Iraq to the UK in pursuit of a better future. Now, in 2024, the mother of two is getting ready to re-enter the workforce after completing a school support course and joining a community kitchen project, where I met her for the first time. “Before I came here, I was a primary school teacher in Iraq. I'm not working anymore. I don't have lots of activity where I get to communicate with new people. So this group gives me a chance to become mo...
Mag North •

Lancashire Fringe Festival: Preston’s Arts Scene Is A Force To Be Reckoned With - But It Needs More Support

On a Monday evening in early October, The Ferret, an iconic grassroots music venue, tucked away on the outskirts of Preston City Centre, was crowded with people eager to experience two back-to-back theatre performances as part of the Lancashire Fringe Festival, all under red subdued lighting.The specially commissioned piece, He Said, She Said, was the first act of the evening by up-and-coming playwright Lydia Baines. The 30-minute play explored themes of sexual assault and rape, showing how the...
Hyphen •

Yasmine Dar Q&A: ‘I may be Manchester’s first south Asian Muslim woman lord mayor, but I won’t be the last’

The councillor and charity founder talks about community work, self-belief and her rise to public office.

In May, Yasmine Dar, 57, became the first south Asian woman to hold the office of lord mayor of Manchester. A Labour councillor for Moston and member of the party’s National Executive Committee, Dar was born in Doncaster, but describes herself a “proud Mancunian”, having lived in the city for more than 50 years.

Since taking on the ceremonial role of lord mayor, Dar has chosen self-empowerm
Hyphen •

Faced with discrimination, French and German Muslims are emigrating to the UK

European Muslim women say cities such as London offer better career prospects and more religious freedoms. In recent months, the UK’s Conservative government has introduced legislation and announced successive measures to drive down immigration. Mostly focusing on small boat crossings and irregular entry via the beaches of southern England, Home Secretary Suella Braverman has unveiled plans to deport individuals seeki
Hyphen •

Rahima Mahmut Q&A: ‘Uyghurs are not defined by their oppression’

The activist and singer on her campaigning work and the power of music in protest. Rahima Mahmut is the UK director of the World Uyghur Congress and executive director of the campaign group Stop Uyghur Genocide. The singer, activist and translator was born in the autonomous region of Xinjiang, north-west China, and has lived in exile for more than 20 years.

Since moving to London in 2000, she has worked as a musician and now performs with the London Silk Road Collective. In 2018, Mahmut began t
Hyphen •

Rabiah Hussain Q&A: ‘I wanted to look at the emotional impact of language’

The writer talks about her new Royal Court play, and how growing up with British bhangra and qawwali influenced her work

Rabiah Hussain is a second-generation British-Pakistani playwright who grew up in Newham, east London. Her latest work, Word-Play, premiered at the Royal Court Theatre in London in July and runs until 26 August.

Word-Play, which explores the far-reaching effects of the language politicians use, was commissioned for the stage after initially being developed through the Kudos
Hyphen •

Is the education system failing young carers?

Thousands of children and young adults across the UK are responsible for looking after relatives and loved ones. Experts believe that schools and universities can do more to help them

“The education system doesn’t favour us,” says Imtiaz, 23, from central London. Like many young people across the country, he has been a full-time, unpaid carer for more than six years, looking after his father, who has dementia and mobility needs.

In 2021, Imtiaz dropped out of the second year of his business ma
Hyphen •

An evening of theatre to bowl you over

The play Duck takes audiences back to a tumultuous time for UK Muslims, seen through the eyes of a teenage cricket star. It is summer 2005. England have beaten Australia to win The Ashes for the first time in nearly 20 years and the 7/7 bombings have shaken London, killing 52 people and injuring hundreds more. Those historic events form the backdrop of Duck, a new play that tells the story of Ismail, a British-Indian teenager set on becoming the youngest a