Woman, Life, Freedom
On September 16, 2022, in Iran, a 22-year old girl Mahsa (Zhina) Amini was taken by Iran’s so-called “morality police” for “improper hijab,” not abiding by the Islamic dress code laws. While in custody, she sustained injuries after being brutally beaten and fell into a coma. She died shortly after. The incident sparked worldwide protests that continue to this day.
Alefba Group is in support of the Woman, Life, Freedom (WLF) movement and condemns all acts of violence against women and Iranians in general. Joining the Iranian community in Washington State, Alefba Group has taken part in actions and events that support WLF.
Alefba and Woman, Life, Freedom (Explained)
At Alefba’s annual meeting on January 28, 2023, we explained what Alefba did with regard to the Woman, Life, Freedom movement in Iran. We also addressed why Alefba did not take certain actions and answered some of the common questions we were asked in the past few months.
You can watch this part of Alefba’s meeting in the video below.
Tuesday Gatherings
Alefba Group has been hosting a series of programs in support of WLF. These events are held in the form of gatherings and are mainly led by participant discussions.
Seattle Great Wheel Lights
With the efforts of Alefba Group, on December 21st (Winter Solstice), the Seattle Great Wheel was lit with the colors of the Iranian flag and a Silent Vigil was held in memory of lost lives.
Seattle Peace Chorus Concert
The Seattle Iranian Choir performed at the Seattle Peace Chorus on November 19, 2022 at 7:30 PM and November 20, 2022 at 3:30 PM.
The concert “Be the Change” had a theme of affirming universal rights of justice and freedom; the Seattle Iranian Choir performed songs in the Farsi language in support of the uprising of the Iranian people. Prior to the beginning of the concert, speakers from the Iranian community spoke about the events in Iran and the goals of the WLF movement.
Radio Iranshahr Podcast
Radio Iranshahr created a special program, Program 581, in support of the WLF movement.
Seattle Iranian Choir Women
The women of the Seattle Iranian Choir sang in support of the WLF movement in Iran.
T-Shirt Printing Event
Alefba Group hosted a T-Shirt Printing event, during which T-Shirts were provided by Alefba Group, desired WLF designs/posters were selected by guests, and the designs were printed on the T-Shirts.
FAQs
Alefba Group’s Board of Directors and Members are free to take any political stance in their personal lives and social media accounts; there are no restrictions, of any kind, onto volunteers. As a non-political organization, Alefba Group is not legally allowed to take any position towards any governments. Yet, Alefba Group has diverged its programs to support the Woman, Life, Freedom movement ever since September 2022.
Alefba Group, as an organization, is also not allowed to host political rallies or campaigns; however, our members are free and do attend any street protest of their choice. Alefba Group believes that the promotion of culture is just as important in shaping our society and we will continue to do so, to the best of our ability. In recent months, other organizations and groups have been formed in our community with the purpose of organizing street protests; we believe these groups can successfully respond to the need with their expertise.
Alefba Group is not funded by any organization and does not have any financial ties to governmental organizations or agencies. Alefba Group is an independent non-profit organization that receives its funding through donations, membership dues, donation and volunteer time matching, sponsorship, and grants; more specific information is publicly available at alefbagroup.org/support.
With respect to grants, limited grants with specific purposes, time periods, and amount are, at times, awarded to non-profit organizations (by the State, City, or County governments.) Alefba Group, like other non-profits, applies to the related grants; if accepted, the amount will be disbursed to Alefba for taking forward the specific project and, in return, Alefba is obliged to follow-through with the project and report to the grantor periodically. The list of grantors and Alefba Groups’s financial report are publicly available on our website.
No, the President, Board of Director Members, and Members of Alefba Group do not receive any form of compensation for their work; members volunteer their time to Alefba Group due to their personal interest and social duty.
Alefba Group currently only has three official contractors; they have been interviewed, hired, and are compensated for their time. Limited payments are made to other individuals/organizations for limited professional services, as well.