TORONTO 鈥� Mozhdah Jamalzadah, who was known as the 鈥極prah of Afghanistan鈥� for hosting a controversial talk show in the Taliban-controlled country, is speaking out about her continued activism and championing of women鈥檚 rights in her new biography, 鈥淰oice of Rebellion.鈥�
鈥淭here鈥檚 just something inside me that always fights for the underdog, fights for those who are less fortunate,鈥� Jamalzadah said on CTV鈥檚 Your Morning Wednesday. 鈥淚t鈥檚 just something that I love to do.鈥�
The book chronicles Jamalzadah and her family鈥檚 flight from Afghanistan to Vancouver, B.C. when she was five-years-old, her troubled childhood rife with bullying, her groundbreaking success in the music charts, her talk show in Afghanistan and her return to Canada.
The bullying during her childhood in Vancouver 鈥渉appened more often than I would have hoped,鈥� she said, recalling the time at a baseball game another child called her a racial slur.
鈥淚 had a very difficult childhood growing up here [in Canada], but at the same time, escaping war [sic] 鈥� being five-years-old and having a rocket fly over my head while I鈥檓 playing with my cousin in the yard [ in Afghanistan], not knowing where the rocket is going to land鈥� it鈥檚 either dealing with that or dealing with the bullying 鈥� I would take the bullying any day,鈥� Jamalzadah said. 鈥淚 feel like in Canada we鈥檙e very fortunate that it doesn鈥檛 happen as much as it does in other places in the world.鈥�
In the 2009 song 鈥淎fghan girl,鈥� Jamalzadah took a poem her father wrote about an acid attack on Afghani women and set it to music. The song climbed the charts and led to an unexpected audience 鈥� the Obamas.
鈥淭hat was probably the best day of my life,鈥� Jamalzadah said of her 2010 performance at the Whitehouse. 鈥淭o see my mom sitting next to Michelle Obama鈥� it was surreal.鈥�
After her performance for the Obamas, Jamalzadah received an invitation to return to Afghanistan to host her own talk show.
鈥淭he Mozdah Show,鈥� which tackled taboo topics affecting women and children in Afghan society, like divorce and domestic violence, earned her death threats serious enough for her to need armed guards.
The topic of divorce 鈥渋s pretty much where 鈥楾he Mozdah show鈥� ended,鈥� she said. 鈥淭here were so many young females [sic] who were in really bad situations, abuse relationships, who were burning themselves to death.鈥�
鈥淚 was trying to talk to the families and say鈥� it鈥檚 okay, if your daughter is in such a bad situation, to have her divorce and come home rather than inflict that kind of pain on herself,鈥� Jamalzadah said.
Eventually, the death threats became so severe that Jamalzadah returned to Canada, where she continues to champion women鈥檚 rights.
鈥淚 think inner strength is the most important thing for me, what makes me survive and go on with any situation,鈥� she said.
