Shirzan means female hero and role model. Help empower Muslim girls find their Shirzan in positive sports role models in media.

Why we care: Girls who play sports learn transferable skills leading to greater education, job opportunities, and economic benefits for the community. Sports help girls excel in life and realize their full potential.

How we’re solving this: Through an innovative digital news service featuring Muslim females in sports, we’ll shine a light on struggles and triumphs over barriers, such as gender discrimination, and inspire youth to push for gender equality.

Your support will be the seed funding we need to power the launch and dissemination of our pilot issue in winter 2014. Shirzanan Global Edition is an updated version of Shirzanan, the first Iranian women’s sports magazine that scored over 6.5 million website hits between 2007 and 2009. Our expanded coverage will embolden Muslim females to pursue their rights and dreams – resulting in even greater participation in all aspects of the sports industry.

Our full news service will launch in early 2015 and will include resource directories for girls to play and learn in safe places, as well as leadership and information communications technology training through our grassroots partners. We’ll teach Muslim girls to be citizen journalists and advocates for their social, cultural, economic, and political equity.

We’ll challenge the stereotypes and misrepresentations exacerbated by media, integrate Muslim females in the international sports community, and promote cross-cultural understanding.

We’re determined to overcome censorship and provide sports role models worthy of admiration and emulation. We ask “Who is your shirzan?” and “Where would you be without her?” All people need sources of inspiration. All Muslim girls deserve shirzanan.