ABOUT SHAHRAZAD SQUAD
Shahrazad.
This project is inspired by acts of creativity, healing and liberation.
Once upon a time.... a woman told one story and then another, night after night, for 1001 Nights. Her name was Shahrazad, and she --along with her sister Dunyazad-- saved the women of her land from the murderous rage of the king.
The Squad’s Beginnings
The Shahrazad Squad stemmed out of a partnership with Cal Shakes.
In 2017, members of the creative team behind an adaptation of 1001 Nights brought Squad Director Raeshma Razvi to curate a series of conversations with SWANASA women across the Bay Area.
The stories shared in these original circles inspired development for the production, and the electric energy continued as the Squad developed into its own independent project, bringing together women from across the United States.
Why SWANASA?
There have been many acronyms used to describe the geographic homelands of our Shahrazad Squad members. Collectively, we’ve decided to use SWANASA: Southwest Asia, North Africa, and South Asia.
While no language will perfectly capture the complex history of these lands, Southwest Asia is a term based in geography, rather than colonialism (like “Middle East”).
The Squad’s Growth
From early relationship-building fostered by Cal Shakes in the Muslim/SWANASA communities in the Bay Area, the Squad continues to foster relationships between creative individuals and organizations.
Our virtual platform and online gatherings allow for engagement nationally and internationally.