Ayat
“I’ve been obsessed with Libya for as long as I can remember. Exploring that passion has opened up many doors for me and given me the chance to meet and engage with people around the world and even pursue a career path that I wouldn't have stumbled upon without it.”
Ayat is 32 and an independent consultant specializing in digital media strategy, communication, and research. Her proudest achievement is her participation in the Arab Spring, where she co-founded an online platform called ShababLibya (The Libyan Youth Movement.) She told me that it “used sources on the ground in Libya to report the events as they unfolded to the international community. Our motive was to ensure that the regime’s grip on the country did not silence the protesters who took to the streets to call for the regime’s end. Although the aftermath has been tinged with sadness, loss, and chaos, there is no denying that youth came together and rose up against decades-long oppression, dictatorship and corruption. Even though many of those things linger in our region, we’ve proven that mobilization is possible and people can matter if they come together.” When I asked Ayat what her own favourite quality is she told me, “I try to listen to myself. Being raised the eldest child and daughter in an immigrant household that stressed the importance of hard work and sacrifice, I had to learn to listen to myself over the years and I can say that my voice is getting louder.” What’s most important to Ayat is her own happiness. She continued to say, “I’ve struggled with self-doubt and the paralysis that comes with burn out. I think it’s important for activists and women today to check in with themselves often as it’s easy to get caught up in the pressures of daily life which are only amplified now by social media. Especially when you’re following an unconventional path in life, it’s important to confirm and re-confirm your efforts and align and re-align your goals because everyone’s journey is unique. You owe it to yourself to make sure what you’re doing truly works for you- and not anyone else.”
Q&A Feature:
Where is your favourite place to find yourself?
“Under the Manitoba prairie sky, sipping tea with my parents at their farm.”
What is your biggest hope?
“I'm hopeful about a number of things. One of those hopes is that young people, women, visible minorities/people of colour are enabled to take more control over their lives, finances, governments, and decisions made for them by their governments.”
