Stories

"I never believed I would be here, and then it happened, so I think just playing with this possibility of dreaming, putting myself out there and applying for things just to see what happens is important. It is all part of the journey at the end of the day."

A live recording of An Evening of African Poetry at Lawson Flats with performances from Sihle Ntuli, John Mateer, Taonga Sendama and Mohammed 'Ayo Busari'.

A one-night live recording of In Conversation with Sihle Ntuli and Sisonke Msimang at Centre for Stories.

In Perth, I wrapped my egg in a pair of frilly white socks and hid it at the back of the wardrobe in the room I shared with my family. I would sneak it out from time to time, just to make sure it was still ok.

“One day I was drawing a bug, and I thought I’m gonna make some bugs! And Yvonne came along and then I was doing bugs on T-shirts.”

“I love telling stories and I think stories are what drives us as humans.”

I find I express myself best through writing, and some of the greatest joy I’ve gotten out of life has been reading writing that just soars. It gives me a satisfaction that goes beyond what can be had in our consumerist culture, a feeling of connection and revelation. I would love to give other people that experience through the writing I do.

I also think about the other lives this work would have affected. It spreads so far with the internet now, I feel like art is so powerful. This also inspires me to join in and spread peace to even more people’s lives.

As a journalist working online and strong feminist, Saadia Ahmed has experienced more than her fair share of online harassment and gendered abuse. She decided to explore why Pakistani women, particularly public figures, face such horrific treatment online in her PhD research.