Saturday 18 June 2016

A vigil of love

In the light of recent events, my dear friend and comrade sister Sairah organised an impromptu vigil in honour of MP Jo Cox who was so brutally murdered in an act of what I can only describe as violent extremism, while doing the work that she loved and serving the people she deeply cared about. I never knew Jo Cox personally, but have good friends who had worked with her, met with her, and known her. They all echoed the same sentiment stating, she had been a formidable humanitarian who championed many causes as an activist, and then as an elected MP.
She was an inspiration, and had touched many lives. Last night felt like a reflection of who she was, and embodied all the causes she cared most about. We witnessed people from all diverse communities join in solidarity to pay their respects. We heard from a friend and colleague who shed light on her family life, as a mother and wife. Members of the Syrian community shared their immense sense of grief and loss of someone who had been so vocal about their cause, and the oppression of their people, being snatched away in the manner that she was.
She was a champion of unity, inclusion, women’s rights, social justice, a mother, a wife, and a woman who had not only won a position, but won many hearts.
Jo's husband, Brendan stated "......she would want us to unite to fight against the hatred that killed her. Hate doesn’t have a creed, race or religion, it is poisonous."
Yesterday was just that; an opportunity to rise above the hate, rise above those that are adamant to divide us, and create animosity between us. To rise above those who want to create fear and a “them and us” mentality, and I’m so honoured to have been asked to capture this day in images.








I leave you with the words of Martin Luther King Jr
“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”
Aisha Mirza



event organisers and speakers
Organiser: Sairah
Chair: Dr Siema Iqbal
Speakers:
- Julie Ward MP
-Angela Raynor MP Ashton Under Lyne
- Yasmine Nahlawi, British Syrian Community of Manchester Rethink Rebuild Society
- Ilyas Nagdee, Diversity Officer at the University of Manchester
- Charlotte Hughes, Community Activist and blogger of "The Poor Side of Life"
- Nahella Ashraf, Stand Up To Racism
- Karyl Ann Cross, independent intercultural minister
- Charlotte Nichols, Women's Officer for Young Labour
- Tony Erizia, community activist and member of Manchester Palestine Action

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