At 42, Nafissa Rahman is a strong woman, mother, Muslim, community worker and activist who clearly knows who she is.
Proudly sporting her hijab and her gorgeous red lipstick that she was rocking the day of our meeting, Nafissa and I chatted about many topics, including how she has involved herself in the fabric of various Montreal communities, working as an interpreter and helping those in need of support. Working with people from multiple cultures, backgrounds and languages, she is able to bring empathy and understanding to the many people she works with and helps.
Coming from Bangladesh as a young girl, Nafissa grew up amongst the Bangladeshi community in Montreal’s Little Burgundy but feels just as much a Quebecer.
She grew up speaking French and shifts from being very local, to her strong identity as a Muslim woman and a Bangladeshi. She uses that privilege and the strong sense of who she is to bring awareness to the rest of Quebec society and the many cultures that contribute to our lives here. Even though her Hijab and her skin tone make her stand out, she does not let that stop her from using her strengths in promoting diversity and inclusivity.
Nafissa ran in the last municipal Election under the new Mouvement Montreal political party and despite being new to politics and part of a new party, she gained a very respectable 1400 votes in her district of Little Burgundy.
When asked what her plans were now that she is in her 40’s, Nafissa states that her plans are “to be engaged”, stating how she loves to do various trainings and take part in everything. “you have to come to the table in order to voice what you have to voice. When you want to bring change, policy making is where you have to be.”
