Mandy Abou Shoak (born 1989 in Khartoum, Sudan) is a Swiss human rights activist, author and politician with the Social Democratic Party of Switzerland. Since 2023, she has served as a member of the Cantonal Council of Zurich. As freelance coach and cousellor for diversity, equity, inclusion and for combatting racism, she has been working since 2020 as consultant for various Swiss public and private organizations.
Mandy Abou Shoak | |
---|---|
Born | 1989 Khartoum, Sudan |
Citizenship | Swiss |
Alma mater | Lucerne University of Applied Sciences (B.A.), Alice Salomon University of Applied Sciences (M.A. |
Occupation(s) | human rights activist, author and politician |
Years active | 2020 - present |
Political party | Social Democratic Party of Switzerland |
Board member of | Black Feminist Network Bla*sh, Swiss NGO combatting trafficking of women |
Website | Abou Shoak's website Justhis |
Life and career
editAbou Shoak was born in Khartoum, Sudan. Her father had been a journalist who was repeatedly detained by the Sudanese government for his critical opinions. After her family fled to Switzerland, her mother first learned German and graduated from secondary school. She then attended medical school and became a dentist, while raising two children at the same time.[1]
Abou Shoak came to Switzerland at age two and grew up in the Zürcher Oberland region. From 2012 to 2016 she studied social work, graduating with a B.A. with a specialization in sociocultural activities at the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences. From 2018 to 2021, she studied social work with a major in human rights at the Alice Salomon University of Applied Sciences in Berlin, Germany, graduating with a Master's degree.[2]
Since 2020, Abou Shoak has been advising private and public organisations, NGOs, networks and associations in the development of non-discriminatory practice and organisational structure.[3] As a freelance coach on anti-racism, she accompanied a theatre production at the Schauspielhaus Zurich[4] as well as another play at the Zurich cantonal theatre in 2022.[5] She also wrote a chapter about "Showcasing humans" for the 2023 book Not My Circus, Not My Monkeys.[6] Further, she co-hosted the podcast "Reden wir! 20 Stimmen zu Rassismus" (Let's talk! 20 voices about racism) produced for the department for combating racism of the Swiss Federal Department of Home Affairs.[7]
Since 2022, Abou Shoak has been in charge of education and counselling for the NGO Brava,[8] an organization for combatting violence against women.[9] Since June 2024, she also has been a board member and co-president for an NGO working for migration and against human trafficking of women.[10] In addition, she has served as board member of the Black Feminist Network Bla*sh since 2021, and for the regional professional association for social work in the region of Zurich and Schaffhausen.[11]
In 2023, Abou Shoak was elected as member of the Cantonal Council of Zurich,[12][13] where she is a member of the Commission for Justice and Public Safety.[14] Further, she has been working on the board of the women's section of the Social Democratic Party of Switzerland since 2023.[15]
References
edit- ^ "Mandy Abou Shoak". www.theaterneumarkt.ch. Retrieved 2024-08-19.
- ^ Marie Hettich (2023-01-18). "Kantonsratskandidatin Mandy Abou Shoak: "Der Beruf meiner Mutter veränderte alles"" (in Swiss High German). Retrieved 2023-11-28.
- ^ "Mandy Abou Shoak". Migros-Engagement (in German). Retrieved 2024-08-18.
- ^ "Mandy Abou Shoak: Ich hoffe, das ist erst der Anfang - Schauspielhaus Zürich" (in German). Retrieved 2023-11-28.
- ^ "Einfach Yeshi!". Retrieved 2023-11-28.
- ^ Hirsch, Helen; Thun, Kunstmuseum; Sperry, Katrin (2023). Not My Circus, Not My Monkeys. München: Hirmer. ISBN 978-3-7774-4179-5.
- ^ "Podcast - Reden wir! 20 Stimmen zu Rassismus". www.edi.admin.ch (in German). Eidgenössisches Departement des Innern. 2021-11-05. Retrieved 2024-08-18.
- ^ "Brava - About us". www.brava-ngo.ch. Retrieved 2024-08-18.
- ^ "NGO Gerechte Gesellschaft gewaltfrei selbstbestimmt offen inklusiv intersektional antirassistischfeministisch gegen Gewalt an Frauen gegen Sexismus spendenbasiert" (in German). Retrieved 2023-11-28.
- ^ "Neuer Vorstand der FIZ". FIZ Fachstelle Frauenhandel und Frauenmigration (in German). Retrieved 2024-08-19.
- ^ "Kolumne von Mandy Abou Shoak: Ein stressiges Leben für die gute Sache" (in German). 2023-05-27. Retrieved 2023-11-28.
- ^ baba news (2023-02-09). "Mandy Abou Shoak: "Es ist ein Problem, dass vor allem weisse Menschen Politik machen"". baba news (in Swiss High German). Retrieved 2023-11-28.
- ^ "Kolumne: Mandy Abou Shoak wurde in den Kantonsrat gewählt – was nun?" (in German). 2023-03-04. Retrieved 2023-11-28.
- ^ "Kantonsrat Zürich - Kommission für Justiz und öffentliche Sicherheit". Kantonsrat Zürich (in Swiss High German). Retrieved 2024-08-19.
- ^ Baumgartner, Julia (2023-12-01). "Mandy Abou Shoak - SP Schweiz" (in German). Retrieved 2024-08-18.
External links
edit