Oral History Interview with Sharmin Hossain

DESCRIPTION
Content note: description of sexual violence, racism, murder, classism, sexism, Islamophobia

In this wide-ranging oral history recorded during the pandemic Bangladeshi-American political organizer and artist, Sharmin Hossain shares memories of growing up in Queens, New York, and her family’s migration from Bangladesh. Sharmin narrates journeys of living as a feminist organizer rooted in working-class people’s struggles. Her memories of political organizing range from solidarity organizing with Bangladeshi garment workers to organizing around economic justice, abolition, and anti-imperialism in the wake of the War on Terror to powerful stories of Bangladeshi-American feminists organizing around rights of undocumented workers, street vendors, and others. As a Bangladeshi-American, Sharmin shares experiences of racism, colorism, and Islamophobia and reconciling Islam and queerness while growing up in a tight-knit religious community. She reflects on her evolving understanding of Islamic orthodoxy and grappling with the anti-oppression and the social justice roots of Islam.

Delving into the complexities of family histories, Sharmin recounts her transformative justice work with family members as well as organizing spaces. In the oral history, Sharmin explores sexuality, queer kinships, and navigating the politics of desirability. Sharmin also shares her experience of visits to Bangladesh, including in the aftermath of the 2016 murders of LGBT+ activists. By unpacking the nuances of identities in migrant communities and contextualizing everyday encounters in larger histories of imperialism and violence, Sharmin’s oral history depicts a journey of self-affirmation where home is a place of hurts and also a site of healing.

Photo credit: Vernee Norman

THEMES
Gender & Sexuality

AUDIO
Duration: 01:46:44

ADDITIONAL METADATA
Date: April 12, 2021
Subject(s): Sharmin Hossain
Type: Oral History
Source: Archival Creators Fellowship Program
Creator: Efadul Huq
Location: New York, New York

PROVENANCE
Collection: Efadul Huq Fellowship Project
Item History: 2021-07-09 (created); 2024-05-26 (modified)

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