#LetAfghanGirlsLearn
August 15th is the one-year anniversary of the collapse of the Afghan government and the Taliban takeover. It has been heart-wrenching to watch the Taliban roll back all women’s basic human rights — to be educated, to earn a living, to leave their homes freely and be an active part of their community.
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In 2015, I went on an Umrah, a minor pilgrimage to Mecca in, and blogged about my experience. Revisit this journey with me, before continuing below to help you prepare for some incredible news.
Mecca Journey Part I
Mecca Journey Part II
Mecca Journey Part III
Mecca Journey Part IV
Mecca Journey Part V
Based on the feedback I received on the blog posts, it seemed that my frank sharing of my experience resonated with many Muslims and non-Muslims who were intrigued and interested in learning more about what happens on this holy pilgrimage.
After creating the blog posts into a presentation and sharing them with many audiences I came to a conclusion that this would make a great play.
In February of 2021 I reached out to playwright Bridgette Dutta Portman who I had worked with before to see if she would be interested in writing a play, not about my journey but based on my experiences and observations. Thankfully she said yes.
We began to visualize and set this project in motion which gave a beautiful result.
Humaira Ghilzai & Bridgette Dutta Portmant
I am excited to announce that PILGRIMAGE will be part of the NEW THREADS 2022 Reading Series presented by Golden Thread Productions. Apart from being part of the reading series, it is a true honor to be connected to Golden Thread Productions, since they are the 1st theatre company focused on Middle Eastern stories.
Please join us at this reading on August 23 at 7pm in San Francisco. Tickets are free of charge but we ask that you register in advance.
As you can imagine, this project is more than close to my heart and symbolizes another door that opens to a world that must be explored to gain understanding. I hope to see you at the reading. Below is the synopsis of our play.
PILGRIMAGE is about five Muslim American women embark on a pilgrimage to Mecca. Noor is an Afghan American immigrant with a secret. Her tech CEO daughter Maryam is struggling with legal woes, while Noor’s nieces, the estranged sisters Sosan and Nadia, work to mend their fractured relationship. Meanwhile, Fatima, a Black Muslim convert, hopes to find her biological mother. Will the journey bring them together, or will secrets, rivalries, and old wounds tear them apart?
The outpouring and incredible support of The Kite Runner on Broadway has sparked a conversation about Afghan culture that pulls away from what many consider the country to encompass. I am excited to have been a part of this production that is unlike anything Broadway has seen before.
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