So far, I’ve been working on all aspects of the radio, including its design, content and tech. The radio broadcasts live and has also become an online audio archive for feminist / queer narratives and stories from all over the world, especially the MENA region. Through this fellowship I aim to upgrade the site’s tools and infrastructure, in order to automate the tech and archiving processes. I also plan to provide wider access to our content (which will remain free), by hosting it on all the major podcasting platforms. Finally, I will produce two new feminist and tech shows in 2021.

We want a future where patterns of discrimination and oppression are dismantled and where more womxn, queer and trans folks’ voices are heard. HammamRadio gave an uncensored space to communities that have been historically marginalised. Technology made 2020 tolerable. It allowed a woman in Berlin to create a space that was occupied by people from across the globe. Technology brought people together and removed borders. Without it, HammamRadio in its current shape couldn’t have existed.

When I am asked about HammamRadio, I always say, ‘To have created a place where womxn can raise their voices and share their thoughts, tears and laughter is a gift and a privilege beyond measure.’ I witnessed firsthand through the radio the bravery of using personal experience as a starting point for storytelling, which in itself made the platform a powerful tool for political and social activism. My motivation is to keep this place accessible to anyone who might need it. Many do.