Tala Motazedi’s story is one of strength, survival, and finding freedom through words.
A queer screenwriter and playwright from Iran, she is the 2024 PEN Writer-in-Residence at George Brown College (GBC); she’s also the first screenwriter and playwright to hold the title in the program’s 20-year history.
Now a student at GBC, Motazedi came to Canada in 2023 after facing persecution for her identity and activism. She had joined the Women, Life, Freedom movement in Iran, protesting the mandatory hijab laws and the violent repression of women’s rights.
“They killed a beautiful, innocent woman in the street because of her hijab,” Motazedi says. “I refused to wear it. I joined the protest. After that, I was interrogated, banned from working, and had to leave my country.”
Thanks to her wife and the safety Canada offered, Motazedi found herself starting over.
She enrolled in English classes at GBC and joined the Writers-in-Exile network, receiving both the Writer-in-Residence opportunity and a scholarship from Humber College.
“For the first time, I could say I’m a queer writer. I can write about my community,” she says. “In Iran, I had to hide who I was. Now, my words are alive. I don’t censor myself anymore.”
Motazedi’s current novel blends historical fiction with personal truth, focusing on a queer woman during the second world war in Iran, a time she believes marked the early roots of the oppression that still affects people in her homeland.
“In Iran, I thought I was cursed. Everyone tried to fix me. But now, I write about queer migrants, their struggles, and how we carry the pain of our past into new spaces.”
As part of her residency, Motazedi visits GBC classrooms to share her story with students. Many of them are newcomers to Canada, just like she once was.
“I always tell them: Freedom is a privilege. Don’t take it for granted. Use it. Write about yourself, your wounds. Finding your voice is the first step to telling your story,” Motazedi says.
Students are often moved by her honesty. In one session, a student asked about rejection. Motazedi didn’t hesitate as she showed the class a rejection letter she had received and used it as a lesson in resilience.
“I told them ‘Don’t give up. Keep writing. Your story matters.’”
Paula Applebaum, a professor in the department of English and Communication, and coordinator of the PEN Writer-in-Residence program, says Motazedi’s presence has had a deep impact on the college community.
“Tala is a powerful example of a woman who risked everything to be heard,” Applebaum says. “She shows students, especially those from marginalized backgrounds, that they have a voice too, and that storytelling can be healing.”
Applebaum, who has been at GBC for more than 16 years, believes the program plays a key role in fostering inclusion and understanding.
“When students see someone like themselves at the front of the classroom, it creates a strong sense of belonging. Tala doesn’t just share her story, she opens the door for others to share theirs.”
Motazedi agrees. “The students help me, too. They ask questions that make me reflect. I learn from them, just like they learn from me.”
One of her most emotional moments at GBC came when she realized her assumptions had changed. In Iran, hijabs were a symbol of control. But in Canada, her closest friends include hijab-wearing women from Syria.
“They wear it by choice, and they respect my identity. That changed me. Now, I understand, it’s about freedom to choose, not being forced.”
Motazedi’s story is a reminder of the power of voice, the importance of safety, and the strength that comes from sharing even the most painful parts of ourselves.
“My leadership is not about being a woman or queer, it’s about using my thoughts, my experience, and my words to help others,” she says. “If you have a voice, follow it.”
