“We Have Always BeenHere”- Samra Habib: How do you find yourself when the world tells youthat you don’t exist?

Samra Habib has spent most of her lifesearching for the safety to be herself. As an Ahmadi Muslim growing up inPakistan, she faced regular threats from Islamic extremists who believed thesmall, dynamic sect to be blasphemous. From her parents, she internalized thelesson that revealing her identity could put her in grave danger.

When her family came to Canada asrefugees, Samra encountered a whole new host of challenges: bullies, racism,the threat of poverty, and an arranged marriage. Backed into a corner, her needfor a safe space–in which to grow and nurture her creative, feministspirit–became dire. The men in her life wanted to police her, the women in herlife had only shown her the example of pious obedience, and her body was aproblem to be solved.

So begins an exploration of faith, art,love, and queer sexuality, a journey that takes her to the far reaches of theglobe to uncover a truth that was within her all along. A triumphant memoir offorgiveness and family, both chosen and not, We Have Always Been Here is arallying cry for anyone who has ever felt out of place and a testament to thepower of fearlessly inhabiting one’s truest self.