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Hafsah Aneela Bashir
Hafsah is a poet, writer and spoken word artist with a BA in English and Criminology and has completed an MA in Postcolonial Literary and Culture at the University of Leeds. She worked as a mentor for prolific offenders with drugs, alcohol and mental heath issues in Manchester and now works with various vulnerable and marginalised groups within the community such as refugees and asylum seekers using creative agency as a means of expression and therapy. She belongs to writing collectives, Common Word and Manchester Muslim Writers and facilitates creative writing workshops within the community working with young people to develop an understanding of identity and empowerment. Her additional work with NGO’s, providing emergency supplies and medical aid to conflict zones informs her creativity producing a form of lyrical activism. She raises awareness through this about social injustice and has a keen interest in writing as a form of resistance and liberty. Her passion lies in enabling others to empower themselves to reach their full potential and challenge the stigmas surrounding mental heath issues within society having had experience of this herself. She blogs at http://hafsahaneelabashir.wordpress.com
