Fauzia Rafique
South Asian Canadian Author, Poet, Journalist, Activist
About Fauzia Rafique
Fauzia Rafique is a South Asian Canadian author of fiction and poetry, a journalist, screenwriter, and arts activist.
Born in Pakistan, she worked as a journalist and screenwriter before coming to Canada as a Convention Refugee in 1986. She is a co-founder and coordinator of Surrey Muse Arts Society (SMAS).
Rafique has published three novels/novellas: 'Keeru', 'Skeena', and 'The Adventures of Saheban: Biography of a Relentless Warrior', and an eBook of poems 'Holier Than Life'. Her chapbook of English and Punjabi poems received Canada's Best 2012 award from Writers International Network (WIN). In 2020, she received the City of Surrey's Arts & Heritage Literary Arts Award, and her novella 'Keerru' won the Ali Arshad Mir Award.
Her work often centers on the empowerment of women, writers, and artists, and positions against religious oppression, class/caste prejudices, systemic racism, homophobia, and ableism, supporting the struggles and rights of POC, Indigenous Peoples, Queer communities, refugees, and migrants.
References & Credits
Image Credits
- Photo 1: Photo courtesy of Rungh
- Photo 2: Photo courtesy of Surrey Muse
External Sources
- https://gandholi.wordpress.com/
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/fauziarafique/?originalSubdomain=ca
- https://www.vancouverpoetryhouse.com/wordplay/our-poets/fauzia-rafique/
- https://surreymuse.wordpress.com/2016/06/19/fauzia-rafique-surrey-muse/
- https://rungh.org/artists/fauzia-rafique/
- https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B0052XQMAM/about
Key Publications
Novels/Novellas: 'Keeru', 'Skeena', 'The Adventures of Saheban: Biography of a Relentless Warrior'; Poetry: 'Holier Than Life'.
Awards and Recognition
Canada's Best 2012 award (Writers International Network), City of Surrey's Arts & Heritage Literary Arts Award (2020), Ali Arshad Mir Award (2020).
Activism and Advocacy
Co-founder and coordinator of Surrey Muse Arts Society (SMAS), advocates for women's empowerment, against oppression and discrimination, and for the rights of marginalized communities.