Harrow College students have taken part in a talk given by Humza Arshad, in which the acclaimed comedian and writer helped to turn racial and religious stereotypes on their head.
Over 80 students attended the talk, which was given in the lecture theatre at the College’s Harrow on the Hill campus on Thursday 19 March.
Arshad is best known for his Diary of a Bad Man series on YouTube, which follows a fictionalised and comical portrayal of Arshad and his life as a young Asian Muslim in today’s society.
Arshad’s talk was made in conjunction with the Met Police and their ‘Prevent’ Strategy for Counter-terrorism, which aims to highlight extremism, whether that be religious, far right or animal extremism, and debunk the stereotypes and myths that surround the wider narrative on the subject.
Arshad and PC Rick Warrington from the Met Police’s Prevent Strategy talked to students about the reasons someone might have for turning to extremist groups and how those issues could be addressed by society as a whole.
After the talk, Arshad answered questions from the audience on topics ranging from Islamic extremism to which comic book publisher he preferred. He also took time out to pose with students for photographs.
Asked as to why he thought it was important to speak to young people about forms of extremism, Arshad said: “I am very happy and fortunate to be a part of these open discussions with young people. These talks are a great way to bring awareness to these young people and give them a chance to interact. These students may have some questions about these heavy topics and might find it hard to speak to their parents or to speak to anyone about it. Talks like this hopefully open the conversation. Not only can students take something from it and learn something from it, but also have some fun. And although it is fun it has a good message behind it. I definitely believe that I’m making a difference.”
Business student at Harrow College Muhubo Ali added: “I think this talk was definitely beneficial. It’s really important to talk about topics like this in an open and frank way. I think getting PC Warrington’s perspective on this issue was also really helpful. I think that Humza Arshad is a great example and role model to young Muslims.”