A MUM-OF-THREE, artist and esteemed community member has gained recognition for producing a recipe book which shows the diversity in Newport, while coordinating an International Women's Day event.
Nazia Akhtar produced a community-based recipe book with Kathy Barclay, Greening Maindee, Maindee Unlimited, Maindee Primary School and active members of the community. Now she has taken on another community-based role, coordinating an International Women's Day event at The Riverfront in Newport with three other women.
Mrs Akhtar said: "There will be something for everyone. It's aimed at women of different communities and cultures to attend and feel the empowerment on the day."
Pressure to wear many hats
Nazia Akhtar explained how she and Kathy Barclay had to wear "multiple hats" to ensure the event's success.
"I was being pushed from different angles. We were stacking up easels, doing the food, organizing the event, trying to get everything set up with the volunteers and then being asked questions on the spot.
"Sometimes you can't wear that many hats, only one. When someone's asking you questions about the book, you're just thinking, 'I hope everyone's feeling welcome and comfortable, are all the communities here'. That was going through my mind."
After speaking to women ahead of International Women's Day, the idea of 'wearing many hats' is a common trend.
Celebrated women are not just mothers, or employees, or care givers. They are celebrated for inspiring inclusion while juggling a home life, and Mrs Akhtar and Ms Barclay are a credit to this.
Inspiring Inclusion
Nazia Akhtar and the creators of 'A Taste of Maindee' aimed to include everyone in the Maindee community.
She said: "The book reflected the unity, the community, the food, the art, the culture, and that people can actually learn from one another's story. Because it breaks that barrier, that stigma of, 'this person's from this community, I wonder what they're going to be like', but you're reading about them.
"It was important that we invite people who wouldn't be in the same room like the High Sheriff and John Griffith, with people from every community in Maindee. I made sure that everyone felt on the same level, there was no hierarchy and that was my vision."
Members of the community were encouraged to wear clothes from their heritage. Mrs Akhtar explains "when you read their stories, you might think this makes them more human".
With the rise of hate-filled comments in the real world and in the virtual, it can be easy to forget that humans are on the receiving end, a point that Mrs Akhtar makes.
"As a Muslim, it's important to do any type of work in excellence, I wanted to make the book monumental. My aim was to please Allah first and foremost, but also to bring people together so there is less hatred and less stigmatizing views of communities, to bring each other together through food."
Future generations
While waiting to see if a second recipe book gets the go-ahead, Mrs Akhtar explains that she works with a community group called 'Roots'. The group, aimed at girls between 7 to 16, is a development programme aimed at youths to upskill them as they grow up with dual nationalities.
Nazia said: "It's about finding confidence in your identity, owning it, and also upskilling yourself, being creative, working with the community but never letting go of your faith."
Nazia Akhtar is coordinating an event at The Riverfront in Newport City Centre, together with Sally-Anne Evans, Danielle Rowlands and Heidi Mehta in celebration of International Women's Day.
The event will take place on Saturday, March 9, 2024 from 10.00am until 4.00pm.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here