Excited to share some news. After nearly a decade, I've decided to step away from my role at Global News. A move on my mind for some time as our industry evolves. Beyond thankful for my time as one of 6 national evening news anchors in Canada. Signing off with gratitude.🙏🏽♥️
Always a 'pinch-me' moment filling in on the national newscast. It was an impossible goal growing up. I think of my parents sacrifices every time.
#daughterofimmigrants
Off work today & disconnected this aft to focus on kids. We were going for an evening walk when I finally saw the news. As I held my son's hand the heartache was overwhelming.
A boy his age now facing the ultimate loss. Alone.
His future decided by hate.
No words, only tears.
Tough anchoring tonight after hearing the tragic death of an incredible woman. Hodan Nalayeh was a passionate journalist, beautiful human & mom. She was killed along with with her husband in an apparent hotel suicide bombing. Her tweet from a week ago below. Heartbreaking.
The most important value I’ve learned being in
#Somalia
is “patience.”
Being patient with my brothers & sisters who have witnessed war and conflict is the least I can do. We can never know the damage war has done, but we can be understanding and patient.
#FridayFeeling
#Kismayo
Thinking of all the women who are going through a toxic family dynamic without a caring husband, wealth, a support structure, a tell-all interview. May this interview open up much needed conversations about mental health in my community and many others.
I’ve been telling stories in the city I call home for 2 decades, now I get to cover the country I love 🇨🇦
I've accepted a position as weekend anchor
@GlobalNational
. I’ll miss my
@globalnewsto
crew but excited to reach a wider, national audience. Elated for next chapter to begin
Sharing because we all need a laugh these days. Turns out it's not just
@fordnation
, I swallowed a fly on air today.
(Very much a first world problem given the story I'm introducing).
Day 1 of red zone in York Region. This was the scene inside a Homesense in Thornhill this afternoon.
"Very busy and there’s probably a 45 minute wait to check out," a shopper tells
@Mirandanthistle
.
Most racist, hateful acts are not filmed, unreported and never taken to court. May today's decision make people emboldened to spread hate think twice. There are real world consequences. 4/4
Beautiful moment at
#COVID19
testing centre. My 4-year-old was CONVINCED the young, South Asian security guard wearing bullet-proof vest was Ms. Marvel. "Mummy, she's pretending, she doesn't want anyone to know"
Security guard kindly played along. No cape, but she is a hero.
To those of you mom shaming me for travelling for March Break (10 days ago, before the travel restrictions):
#1
: Thank you for your very helpful 20/20 hindsight
#2
: Can I borrow your time machine?
Excited and honoured to be joining the stellar
@GlobalNational
team every Friday. Looking forward to contributing to the show and sharing your stories across Canada.
Hope you will join me!
#BREAKING
: Ontario rolling out pop-up and mobile vaccination clinics for ALL adults (18+) in “hot spot” regions. These will be administered in high-risk congregate settings, residential buildings, faith-based locations, and locations occupied by large employers.
Last night, Shahin Moghadam ate the last tupperware of 'ghormeh sabzi' his wife Shakiba made before leaving for Iran. She left freezer full a year ago so Shahin wouldn't eat out while she & their son Rosstin were away. You can see the pain still so deep and raw.
#flight752
Ontario pandemic cycle:
Frontline doctors, health care workers and scientists watch from the sidelines, advocate, plead with the government.
Decisions are made.
Same frontline doctors, health care workers and scientists go to work and face consequences of decision.
Repeat.
Missed this place! I'm back and thankful to all of you for the hundreds of messages, texts, emails. Your kindness has meant the world to my family. Beyond grateful to
@globalnews
leadership for giving me the space & time I needed. It’s been a journey but we're on other side 🙏🏽♥️
In the decision, Justice Fred Myers said "Mr. Fakih is a man of some prominence in society. If the court is powerless to stop unrelenting, unlawful, racist attacks against a man like Mr. Fakih, how are the powerless to feel welcome or safe in Canada?" 3/4
He used those same words (and words much worse) to defame Paramount Fine Foods owner
@mohamadfakih8
who won a case against Johnston in court in 2019. Even after that, Johnston continued to make defamatory statements which led to today's sentence. 2/4
Charles, don’t apologize. We all have our journey. I was at the press conference when
#StephenHarper
announced that hotline and didn’t have the courage to speak up. You are doing it now with courage, authenticity and I hope others follow because there is a new issue now
#Bill21
On Election night, October 21, 2019
@FarahNasser
asked me about my come to the centre moment.Despite feeling asphyxiated from the grapefruit growing in my throat, I managed to offer a long suppressed personal truth. It was in the dying days of the 2015
#StephenHarper
campaign.
This one hits close to home. I can’t shake this feeling of disbelief. Our city. Our home. Toronto the good, we are in this together. This is still the city we love. Right now, we just have to love it even more.
#TORONTOStrong
I'm the Muslim who loves Christmas, always have. 🎄
This year I wanted the kids to get excited about our own traditions.
I give you the Ismaili Advent Calendar. An act of kindness until
#Kushali
#December13th
Elf on the shelf got a new look too.
Some kids have an imaginary friend. Mine has her own country. As of today all residents have been vaccinated and they will be celebrating with a giant little mermaid ice cream cake.
6 years ago today I went into
@globalnewsto
pregnant ready to anchor my first evening newscast.
Today I went in to
@globalnewsto
with an interview with the Prime Minister.
(Thank you
@SimonOstler
for constantly providing perspective and always remembering dates)
It's 12:54am. I can't sleep. My heart aches for these families and for my community. Again. Mosques. Synagogues. Churches. How can humans carry such hate into places of peace? Devastated, heartbroken and scared. It’s a dark time.
#Christchurch
Like I said, they are hiding in plain sight...
Listen to a man joke about a Muslim family getting run over on his own street.
"Holy shit! Where is Nathaniel Veltman when you need him? Oh, there's a truck, buddy, you missed them, back up!"
How do we get this guy arrested?
I am struck by how many women on television news wear sleeveless dresses- often when sitting with suited men. I have always felt it was demeaning to the women and this suggests that I am right. Bare arms undermine credibility and gravitas!
Canada has lost a great man, trailblazer, inspiration - but I'll remember him most for his kindness, humility, compassion. I met him on my scary first day at CityTV when he made sure I knew I belonged. He continued to encouraged me (and countless others) for years. One of a kind.
Former Mississauga mayoral candidate Kevin Johnston known for his anti-Muslim propaganda has been ordered to pay $2.5 million to Paramount Fine Foods owner
@mohamadfakih8
for Islamophobic hate speech. Judge says comments not protected by freedom of expression rights.
#BREAKING
: PM: "You don't need an AR-15 to shoot a deer"
Effective immediately Liberals move to ban, sell, transport, import, export, buy or use 1,500 models of assault-style weapons.
@LisaLaFlamme_
Lisa, you have been an inspiration to an entire generation of journalists. You have not only led by example in our field but in civil society though your passion for people and giving back. Thank you for pushing us to do and be better. Wishing you the best in your next chapter.
8 yrs ago was the lowest point in my life as I carried life & death in my body. One twin who had passed, another about to be born. Grief and depression I didn't know existed and still work through today.
#BellLetsTalk
More on my journey here:
Welcome to Canada's first dementia village. 🧠🏡 🇨🇦
A gated community with a store, cafe, salon, farm - offering freedom & quality of life. ☕️
For months I've been working w/producer
@alleywilson_
on those revolutionizing dementia care in Canada 💙
#BREAKING
: 36 cases with the B.1.617 variant (first detected in India) have been detected in Ontario.
All of these cases were identified in the last few days.
Another sad day for Canadian journalism. Started my career as a reporter at
@NEWSTALK1010
and the team they had recently were among the best (especially during the pandemic). Heartbreaking to hear they are among the
#bellmedia
cuts today.
Me: You know one day you will be taller than mummy.
6 year old: How? You are still growing everyday.
Me: No baby, I stopped growing years ago.
6 year old: (pause)
6 year old perplexed: but you eat so much 🤦🏽♀️
Remember when parents were told March break wound turn into April break, and we all looked at the calendar and thought - 4 days of school between a (potentially super spreading) long weekend and 'March' break...that seems weird?
Fact: People in all income brackets are exhausted, feel suffocated and need a break, change of scenery
Fact: People in lower income brackets, racialized, live in poorer areas, are under housed, can't afford a change of scenery are more likely to get and die from
#COVID19
Behind the scenes photos from my first day working/anchoring from home. Not sure it's been done before but these are unusual times. Very cool seeing my kids watching from inside.
#SelfIsolation
#Day3
#FlattenTheCurve
#covid19Canada
Sad reality in Canada right now: a surplus of food and an increase in food insecurity.
- Farmers forced to throw out produce like potatoes, dispose of milk, in some cases consider culling cattle.
- Food banks seeing a substantial rise in demand.
How do we connect the two?
Today is
#EidAlAdha
and it is a difficult one for many Canadian Muslims with the sharp rise in Islamophobia and hate-attacks here. What can you do as an ally? Use your voice to challenge hate.
Excited to share a project I've been working on with
@HistoryTVCanada
called
#CanadaUncovered
A docu-series investigating the Canadian histories most of us didn't learn in school.
Events that have been imperative to making this country what it is today.
There’s a lot more to Canada than what you may have learned about in school.
@FarahNasser
hosts Canada Uncovered, a 4-part series coming soon to
@HistoryTVCanada
One thing my parents taught us was not to focus on being the smartest person in the room instead the most curious. Every person is a wealth of knowledge on their life experience, background, perspective. Ask questions, listen, learn, grow, open your mind.
Snapshot of this very moment. Homeschooling, listening to PM, unclogging a toilet, laundry waiting, have no clue what's for lunch. As I type this one kid is says "I'm bored" the other "I'm hungry". The burden is high on parents right now. Just want you to know you aren't alone.
Excited to be travelling to Washington to cover this historic election. Our in-depth live coverage will be in accordance with Cdn & US public health guidelines. Upon returning, I'll be co-anchoring
@GlobalNewsTO
from home, while quarantining for 14 days.
Stay safe, stay tuned!
My man and I have taken on an extreme, last minute, very unlike us task. Putting together a doll house together before Christmas morning (less than 10 hours away). Kids are finally asleep. He’s handy, I’m bossy.. and what could go wrong?
Giant shout out to my cameraman Max Trotta who saw me losing my temper while tryin to listen to a press conference, fix make up, respond to emails & entertain the kids. He went to his car, pulled out his hockey stick and played with my son (from a safe distance). So grateful 🙏🏽