Herman Aamir has made the 2023 CBC Nonfiction Prize longlist for Performing Umrah: The Minor Pilgrimage. The shortlist will be announced on Sept. 14 and the winner will be announced on Sept. 21.

If you're interested in the CBC Literary Prizes, the 2024 CBC Short Story Prize is open for submissions.

Herman Aamir is a Pakistani-Canadian emerging writer. She is currently a student at the University of Saskatchewan, entering the fourth year of her BSc program this Fall. She tends to dabble in many things beyond her studies, including volunteerism and project-based ventures that pertain to her interests of graphic design and creative writing. Herman has a short story, The Nursery published in St. Thomas Moore's literary magazine in media res.

"Youthful experience of Islamic pilgrimage."

"As a 21-year-old trying to figure out herself, along with, what sometimes seems like the whole world at once, I have come to value the stability I find within my religion. This story comes as a personal reminder to continue learning and growing more in faith, emphasizing it alongside curiosity and critical thinking, all factors that influence how we choose to perceive the world. I also intended it to differ from the broad-brushed, stereotypical narrative of Islam and its followers that traditional Western media tends to project. Instead, I wanted to shed light on a coming-of-age perspective of a Muslim with a healthy relationship with their faith."

Mecca was a lively place. Buildings towered over the bustling streets where pedestrians scurried to dodge past the countless vehicles swerving down the road. Taxi drivers honked their horns and slurred at the passersby, whereas bazaar owners and merchants welcomed them, showcasing the many delicacies and overpriced commodities they had for sale. The energy within the city seemed everlasting, as even the night was illuminated by the bright lights that lined shop windows.

The winner of the 2023 CBC Nonfiction Prize will receive $6,000 from the Canada Council for the Arts, have their work published on CBC Books and win a two-week writing residency at Artscape Gibraltar Point. Four finalists will each receive $1,000 from the Canada Council for the Arts and have their work published on CBC Books.

The 2024 CBC Short Story Prize is currently open until Nov. 1, 2023 at 4:59 p.m. ET. The 2024 CBC Nonfiction Prize will open in January 2024 and the 2024 CBC Poetry Prize will open in April 2024.