Woman assailed by 'Nazi' in racist verbal attack uses 1-year anniversary 'to make our community better'

A year ago Kaniz Fatima pulled over to ask for directions during a family vacation in Manitoba.

What happened next changed her world, but instead of being a victim she decided to use the experience to create positive change. 

In an exchange captured on video by her husband, a man who described himself as a "Nazi" told Fatima to take her "head towel off" because it "supports Muslims."

He also told her to "go back to your own country" while holding up his middle finger throughout the exchange, which happened at Seven Sisters Dam near Pinawa, Man.

• Watch the racist verbal attack on Kaniz Fatima in the video below:

Woman subjected to racist verbal attack in Manitoba

7 years ago

Duration 1:09

Family asking for directions, were verbally assaulted instead​

She was shocked and scared, but Fatima defended herself.

"You are being racist" she said in the video. "This is my hijab. Why should I take it off?"

The video went viral.

Fast forward a year and Fatima stands in her backyard in Rundle in northeast Calgary, BBQs sizzling and smoking, surrounded by more than 100 friends and neighbours in a colourful and diverse show of multiculturalism, in defiance of her attacker and that jarring experience.

She wanted to use the anniversary of what was a negative event to bring together her community in a positive celebration, while also marking Eid al-Adha, the second of two major Islamic holidays celebrated every year.

"After that incident we started thinking what could we do to let people know how we are, what we are," said Fatima, saying she and her husband used it as an opportunity to build bridges and get to know more people in their city.

"We might have some negative experiences with racism but let's not stop there. Let's do something, all of us together, to make our country better, to make our community better, to make our world better," said Fatima.

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"So we thought ok let everybody come: our neighbours, our colleagues, people from all walks of life, people from different ethnic groups, relatives, let them come and let us know each other so we can make a better Canada that brings harmony and peace," she said.

"That person did not represent Canada to me. This is Canada," Fatima said.

Fatima says she plans to hold another event at the same time next year.

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