
Never Stand Down: The Quraishi Family
Elena Chang / Short Documentary / US / English, Urdu / 16:46 / 2025
For Indian Pakistani American Khalid Quraishi, his daughter Zunaira’s announcement that she was ready to marry the woman of her dreams was a joyous, even miraculous, occasion. Having lived through the Partition, persecution, and the harrowing threat of nearly losing Zunaira to illness, Khalid never once doubted what his Muslim faith had taught him to believe was most important of all: his love for his family.
Cast & Crew:
- Director: Elena Chang
- Writer: Gene Wang
- Producer: Elena Chang, Aries Liao, Suma Reddy, Constance Sng
- Cast: Khalid Quraishi, Zunaira Khalid, Ebony Bates
- DoP: Sargon Saadi
- Editor: Marnie Salvani
Director’s Bio

Elena Chang is 2nd generation Korean American who grew up on Staten Island, NY. She has organized multiple national efforts amplifying the stories of underrepresented communities by way of theatre, film, and visual arts. Previously, Elena served as program director of the Asian American Arts Alliance, where she managed artist-focused programs and community-centered initiatives. She was honored for her work by the White House AAPI Champions of Change Initiative for her artistic advocacy, has served on the advisory committees of API Rainbow Parents and KQTCon, and has produced projects for National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance and Act to Change. Elena received a BFA in Theatre from Rutgers University, Mason Gross School of the Arts, and continues to be inspired by the intersections of art, culture & activism.