Fowzia Duale Virtue

As a child at school Fowzia had to deal with racism and ignorance. The eldest of nine siblings and the only one to have been born in Somalia, she was singled out by classmates at her school in Toronto, Canada. She hid the racism she was experiencing and, years later, Fowzia is starting to process its emotional impact.

Fowzia Duale Virtue was born in a crisp desert oasis called Nooleeyaa Quudhaacley in Somalia. After fleeing civil war, Fowzia moved with her mother to Canada to be reunited with her father and the other family members. She has worked as a dedicated Provincial Youth Outreach Worker for a number of years and is now the lead case worker of a Gang Prevention and Intervention Project called Project Turn Around at Midaynta Community Services.

“I wear a Hijab, a headscarf, and as a child people in my class called me diaper head. That was painful.”

Fowzia Duale Virtue

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Interview I, Part I

Fowzia Duale Virtue explains how she learnt to balance and embrace the identity of her Somali heritage with her experience of being raised in Canada.

Interview I, Part II

https://youtu.be/TfMigHm1UIs

Fowzia Duale Virtue explains how she learnt to balance and embrace the identity of her Somali heritage with her experience of being raised in Canada.

Interview II, Part I

Fowzia Duale Virtue describes the importance of constructing positive narratives for young people to engage with in order to steer them away from radicalisation.

Interview II, Part II

https://youtu.be/7HzBqLUqlR4

Fowzia Duale Virtue describes the importance of constructing positive narratives for young people to engage with in order to steer them away from radicalisation.

Interview III, Part I

https://youtu.be/X618j2JpKxI

Fowzia Duale Virtue discusses how she leverages her experiences of being raised in a Somali community in Toronto to support youth who are growing up in the same community.

Interview III, Part II

Fowzia Duale Virtue discusses how she leverages her experiences of being raised in a Somali community in Toronto to support youth who are growing up in the same community.