Interview with Salman Naqvi: Founder of Ministry of Woke
Imagine you were raised in another country where you are economically comfortable. You have a nice home, your family has a good rapport with the neighbors and the community. You lived there for generations. Your family even hires domestic help. But then one day, your father tells you that you are moving abroad to another country.
You are twelve-years-old and you don't know how difficult the road ahead is going to be but you go along (what choice do you have?) Your parents take you and your siblings and you move to an environment that is completely different. The weather is cooler and the comfort that your family knows is non-existent. Instead of a home with domestic help, now you and your family are considered "impoverished". Your father works in a factory job at minimum wage that can barely afford a basement apartment. You will grow up in this life for years, and you are in high school, when your father reaches a point in his career where you all can afford your own home.
These were the sacrifices that Salman Naqvi's father and mother made when they chose to move their family from Pakistan to Canada. Now a Cloud Architect based in Toronto, Canada, Salman shared his story as a Pakistani immigrant growing up in Canada and the trials that shaped his life. "I was twelve when it happened. It wasn't easy but I look back on it and I appreciate the journey."
He spoke about growing up in Canada and how it could be alienating at times. As a young Brown kid growing up in Toronto, he was definitely seen as different. When he was younger, he told me that he didn't have the same luxuries that many kids his age did. "We had mostly simple things. We didn't have basketballs or hockey sticks. It became normal, I didn't even notice it."
His parents, like many migrants, were economic immigrants. They left well-established lives in their home countries to seek better fortune. This was at a time of rising political unrest though. Word was starting to spread about a hostile organization. Though his parents came as economic migrants, his family members who were still in Pakistan soon found themselves caught in deadly conflict. Only a couple years after they got out of Pakistan did sectarian violence–fueled by the presence of the Taliban–.become prevalent.
Sectarian violence and conflict in Pakistan has been an issue since before the Great Partition. The Partition--which drew up the border between Pakistan and India based on a colonial framework of trying to create two nations for different religious communities-- caused one of the greatest refugee crises of the 20th century. Before the British arrived in 1608, the idea that they were separate nations was completely foreign. However, both India and Pakistan were formerly colonized by the British, and the colonial power often maintained control over the populace by pitting them against one another. Communities that were once at peace with one another became ravaged by conflict and bloodshed. The legacy of imperialism haunted the region even after the British pulled out of India in 1947.
Decades of generational conflict and bloodbath incited by colonial legacy led to sectarian violence which in turn would create terrorist groups such as the Taliban. Though Salman was growing up in poverty in Canada...his life was stark in contrast with many of his family members who remained in Pakistan. His Uncle...and the younger brother to his father...chose to remain there even despite the tense political situation.
"Canada has a quota of how many people can immigrate to the country during any even given year. They only take in people from certain occupations because the goal is for you to come in and work. My Uncle was a doctor, and at the time Canada only accepts medical professionals in small numbers. My father got in because he was in information management. He tried to convince my Uncle for years to come here."
It was while Salman was attending university that he received the devastating news. In 2002, the stories that they had previously heard in the news suddenly came close to home. They received word from a relative still living in Pakistan that a terrorist attack at the local mosque where his Uncle prayed occurred. Several people were injured and forty people-- including Salman's Uncle-- were killed.
Salman and his family were devastated by the news. It was one of several sectarian conflicts that impacted his life. "It was definitely challenging for me. I started going to protests regularly after his death."
There was one other major concern occurring at this point in his life that started while he was in high school. Living in a diverse neighborhood meant that Salman was exposed to many different cultures from his own. It was while in high school he met his high school sweetheart...who would eventually, after graduation and when he started university, become his wife.
"She and I were in love. There was something about her. I enjoyed her presence."
It was during this time that they faced extreme disapproval from both of their families. "My father and mother were both conservative Muslims. My father...he ran a mosque here in Toronto. Neither of my parents approved of our relationship."
What was the reason for the disapproval?
Salman's girlfriend came from a different culture. She was Punjabi from the Punjab region in India. She and her family were also practicing Sikhs. The period of upheaval that resulted after their families found out they were together was chaotic and stressful.
"Neither of our parents were happy about it at first. My wife's parents were culturally strong Punjabis. They had a hierarchy for who was acceptable to date and who wasn't. For her parents, their first pick was another Sikh. Then it was Hindu, Christian, White man, Black man, Muslim man. There is still some debate on the middle part....but the Muslim man was definitely still on the bottom."
He shared that he was terrified of her father especially. During the interview, he raised his hand to show emphasis. "He is a six foot tall, big, scary looking man."
It's not uncommon in many Pakistani and Punjabi homes that the moment a girl raised in Canada (and other parts of the West) starts reaching the age where she can start dating, the parents send her back immediately. Their goal is to find her a husband as soon as possible, one that they themselves chose. We were worried that one day they would send her back."
Understanding that this could possibly happen to her, Salman and his girlfriend decided to take matters into their own hands. In defiance of both of their parents...they went to a courthouse in Canada. There, they were married, with a couple of friends serving as witnesses. The marriage was done out of love but also out of necessity.
It took four years for both of their parents to accept their union. There was a lot of vilification and emotional blackmail. Both him and his wife would get into arguments with their parents and with each other due to the stress they endured. “We made it through these times because we chose to go to therapy. If it wasn’t for that we probably wouldn’t have lasted.”
The loss of an uncle to a terrorist attack and experiencing lack of acceptance made Salman empathetic to other marginalized communities.
"It is because of what I went through with my own personal experience that I have so much empathy for members of the LGBTQ+ community. Who are you to tell anyone else who they can and can't love?"
He and his wife are currently raising two children and they have two cats. One of them was even playing behind the scenes during Salman’s interview. In an amazing testament to his character, the same cat lept on his lap during the call. Salman pet her while he spoke, choosing not to push her away.
Salman went on to say the reason he founded MinistryofWoke.com, to raise awareness to the plights that people were enduring. It started with an idea he had for a music video. After learning about the Yemeni-genocide perpetuated by Saudi Arabia,, with the help of US/Canada-funded arms trade, Salman was outraged. “I couldn’t sit by and do nothing. I saw what was happening and I needed to speak up.”
Though he doesn’t consider himself an artist, Salman sat down and drafted lyrics to a song. This inspiration came from the film Gully Boy, a 2019 film that explores the lives of two up-and-coming Indian street rappers as they come of age. He tried to sing the song he wrote as well but that didn’t work out. “I realized that that was not going to happen. I decided to outsource the singing part.”
He posted his idea for the video and an artist reached out to him to perform it. Since then, the Ministry of Woke has expanded to include several artists from around the globe. All of them are dedicated to a vision where peace is maintained, one where governments and corporations are held responsible for their actions. Their song, “Orwellian World” raises awareness to the role that the West plays in fostering terrorism and supporting tyrants.
Salman gave an interview with Global News One where he shared the story of losing his Uncle to the attack on the mosque. He also told them about how it inspired his work in holding Western governments accountable for trading arms with totalitarian regimes. During our interview, he said, “The Canadian government is sending 15 billion Canadian dollars to Israel. That may be small compared to the amount being sent by the U.S. but it is still a significant amount for us.”
The activist is getting ready for his next project. Currently he is working with an activist in Nigeria and a videographer from Pakistan to raise awareness to the plights of those living and working in the cobalt mines in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He is also advocating for divestment from Israeli-affiliated companies and raising awareness for Saudi Arabia’s role in genocide against Yemeni citizens. His next project is going to highlight UAE's role in the genocide happening in Sudan.
When asked about what advice he would give to youth, he said, "Live your life. Do what you know is right... even if it goes against what your parents or what your family tells you. At the end of the day you have to live with yourself and not for their approval.”
Having the courage to live your life according to your truth is not an easy feat. Salman did not allow the loss of his Uncle or the disapproval of his parents to keep him from doing what is right. The strength of character and the love for humanity that Salman carries is a testament to his character.
You can learn more about Salman here. Be sure to check out the Ministry of Woke and their current projects. With conflicts escalating in various places around the globe, their work will be more relevant than ever.
