In the Press: “Our Stories, Our Power”: the exhibition that helps girls become empowered

Organized by lilipad, " Our Stories, Our Power " is a group exhibition showcasing texts and photographs created by young girls from the Abdesslam Bennani Children's Shelter in Casablanca. This project provides a rare public space for stories born within the care facilities.

Developed during creative writing, photography, and collage workshops, the works were created in collaboration with Moroccan artists and cultural facilitators. Together, the participants explored new ways of expressing self, memory, and identity, giving rise to personal, introspective works of quiet power.
“Our Stories, Our Power” was born from this desire to take a further step: to bring these creations out of the closed space of the center and share them with the public. “Not to speak for them, but rather to shift perspectives, break with any pity-based approach, and affirm that these young women can tell their own stories in their own voices  ,” explains Sara Arsalane, founder of Lilipad.

Telling one's story is considered an act of empowerment because it allows these young women to first and foremost declare, " I exist ." This is essential for them to break free from the stereotypes defined by their past, by an administrative or legal situation. Some participants choose to recount something positive, such as a friendship or a happy memory, while others address more difficult stories. The exhibited works bear witness to sensitive, committed, and deeply personal perspectives.

Beyond visibility, the exhibition carries a clear message: these young women are not defined by their placement or their vulnerability. As Sara Arsalane, founder of lilipad, points out, they are artists and writers in the making – voices that deserve to be seen, heard, and taken seriously in Casablanca's cultural life.

This exhibition aims to empower these young women to take a step forward, to bring their creations out of the confines of the center and share them with the public. Not to speak for them, but rather to shift perspectives, break with any pity-based approach, and affirm that these young women can tell their own stories in their own voices.

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