Shelina Merani has many accomplishments to speak of.

She once spearheaded an award-winning photography project that was praised for giving a human face to public service workers.  

She is a founder of Muslim Presence, a network which she says aims to promote universal values and active citizenship.

And lately, she's been performing standup comedy in Ottawa and Quebec.

The Centrepointe Studio Theatre boomed with laugher, applause, and appreciative snapping on the evening of November 9th,  as Muslim performers, including poets, comedians, and singers, entertained an audience of over 200 people at “Hope Eternal,” the 6th annual show organized by Expressions of Muslim Women (EMW).