Steven Zhou is a journalist and editor who focuses on international security-related affairs, often in the post-9/11 context. He has worked and consulted on a number of initiatives aimed at implementing effective counter-terrorism and civic engagement measures among Western Muslim populations. He has worked as a journalist for The Ottawa Citizen and for CBC-Radio’s Day 6 program. He is currently an associate editor of the The Islamic Monthly magazine and is a frequent op-ed contributor for CBC News online. His writings have also appears on Al Jazeera English, Al Jazeera America, The Globe and Mail, Buzzfeed Canada, The American Conservative, and Embassy Magazine, among other outlets.  Steven studied Socio-cultural Anthropology at the University of Toronto before obtaining his Master of Journalism at Carleton University.

A campaign to write condolence letters to the family of the late U.S. Ambassador to Libya, Chris Stevens ended on Sept. 24, but its impact is continuing. The campaign initially hoped for 1,000 letters in 10 days. Instead it went viral with over 7,500 letters from 115 countries.

Mr. Stevens was killed this September in Benghazi by an armed mob protesting violently against the release of an obscure anti-Islam film in the United States. In response to the tragedy, Celebrate Mercy, a non-profit organization which tries to promote the values and example of the Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings upon him, organized a letter-writing campaign.

Carleton University's Students Against Israeli Apartheid (SAIA) continued their Israeli Apartheid Week on Tuesday Feb. 6 with the showing of the acclaimed independent documentary, Budrus. The movie showed aspects of Palestinian nonviolent resistance, and was a part of SAIA's aim to dispel myths on the occupation of Palestine.

“Alongside the misconception that Palestinians resist the occupation by Israel with violence are the myths that women are less involved than men, and that young people in Palestine take a backseat when it comes to speaking out,” Dax D'Orazio, a SAIA member said.

“This film really breaks those myths, and we wanted to show that women and youth are really at the forefront of a lot of nonviolent protests that take place in Palestine, be it against the apartheid wall in the West Bank or in other areas,” he said.