In this episode…
…a conversation with Ali about where oppression can be felt in the body.
Activism rooted in community work is the corner stone of Ali’s practice. He invests both in a professional capacity and as part of the organizing effort within his activism. The aim is to make spaces safer for people from marginalized communities, to gather and learn from each other.
Ali shares that his stance on identity is one of fluidity. His identities as a queer person of color from an ethnic and religious minority, and culturally identifying as a Muslim, are all built on community.
The need for embodied awareness of interactions that are oppressive and therefor potentially traumatizing, is something Ali explores in our conversation through examples. Unpacking what you need, as an individual, is counter-cultural. Consciously noticing but not yet able to act, is an important part of unlearning internalized ableist messages. It can be very challenging, to subsequently stand up for yourself and ask for access in public or community spaces.
On 11 Februari 2027 this conversation will be launched as episode 8.
Ali Şahin
Ali Şahin (he/his) is co-chair of the Office for Inclusivity at WdKA. He was tricked into doing EDI (equity, diversity & inclusivity) work; among others by himself, when he was engaging in community work as a student activist. In his practice, he aims to centralise community care, insofar as this is possible in capital(ism)-driven environments.
id: a screen shot of ali during the recorded video call with sandra lange. ali is a man with lush brown curls, beard and moustache., brown friendly eyes . he is wearing a plumb colored sweater, with boat neck. Building a powerful archive of embodied knowledge, one conversation at a time.