Media & Conversations
Dr. Shumaila Hemani’s work on deep listening, mental health, climate action, and arts-based social change has been featured in interviews, podcasts, and public conversations across Canada and internationally.
These conversations explore how listening, creativity, and community dialogue can contribute to healing, resilience, and collective transformation.
Sufi composer Shumaila Hemani shapes soundscapes for climate justice
An “in-their-own-words” interview told to Patricia Lane and co-edited with the interviewee to present a concise reflection on Dr. Shumaila Hemani’s work as Artist in Residence with Alberta Ecotrust Foundation and the role of artistic practice in exploring energy poverty and social change.
This Alberta-based Sufi singer and songwriter is Artist-in-Residence at Trico Changemakers Studio at Mount Royal University in Calgary. Her prize-winning compositions mix the sounds of climate change-caused catastrophes in South Asia, youthful protests, and her own voice in spoken word, with ancient lyrics, rhythms and tones of Sufi and other South Asian Muslim poets. She was named to the 2023 Women in Music Emerging Artists Honour Roll.
2022
Meet Shumaila Hemani, our Artist in Residence
In this interview with Alberta Ecotrust Foundation, Dr. Shumaila Hemani reflects on her participation in the Artist as Changemaker Residency (2022–2024), a program that brings socially engaged artists together with organizations working on complex challenges. The conversation explores how artistic processes and deep listening can contribute to new ways of understanding and addressing energy poverty, and how art can open pathways for social innovation and community dialogue.
Advocating for Mental Health Awareness
Part of the Stories of Hope series by psychologist David Susman, this interview features individuals who share their lived experiences with mental health challenges. Dr. Shumaila Hemani reflects on her journey of healing and resilience, and how practices such as music, meditation, and intuitive listening shaped her article Listening to Your Intuition.
Podcasts
The Artsy Raven Podcast
Turning Pain into Purpose
A Conversation with JF Gerrard, President of Canadian Authors Association (Toronto Chapter), about Dr. Hemani’s memoir: Writing in the Wound.
OC87 Recovery Diaries
Burnout, Bravery, Breakthrough: A Conversation between Artist-Scholar Shumaila Hemani and Gabe Nathan, Director of Recovery Diaries.
U-Multicultural-Climate Awareness
Prompting Climate Action Through The Power of Music
Bring Deep Listening to your Community
Dr. Hemani regularly speaks with organizations, universities, and community groups about listening, creativity, and collective care in times of ecological and social change.
Topics include:
• Deep listening in times of ecological and social crisis
• Arts-based approaches to climate dialogue
• Listening practices for mental health and collective care
• Creativity, resilience, and healing after burnout
• Sufi sound traditions and spiritual listening
• Community circles as spaces for dialogue and social imagination
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Music Declares Emergency’s Climate Summit
Panel Discussion on Diversity and Intersectionality
Toronto, Canada (2022)
Panel discussion featuring scholars and artists exploring diversity, intersectionality, and social change. Keynote speaker: David Suzuki.
CBC’S What on Earth
November 2022 Episode featuring an interview with Dr. Shumaila Hemani featuring her soundscape composition: Perils of Heavy Rainfall.
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