WHAT HAVE BEEN THE MOST REWARDING ASPECTS OF YOUR WORK SO FAR?
The most rewarding aspect of the work I do is getting to meet amazing Black women. I especially enjoy hearing from young Black women who reach out and want to connect or talk about their goals and dreams. I completely subscribe to the saying that none of us succeed unless we all succeed and that work needs to be done woman to woman and friend to friend. Black Muslim women are innovators, truth-tellers and icons when it comes to building movements, challenging systems of oppressions and developing a path forward that is transformative.
WHAT HAVE BEEN SOME OF THE MORE CHALLENGING ASPECTS?
The most challenging aspect of what I do is trying to break ceilings and charging forward to make a path for myself to succeed in my goals but to make it less cumbersome for other Black Muslim women to do the same AND more. You will always stand out and finding a way to use that to get your message across, your ideas and work can be challenging when stereotypes about what you’re capable of are projected onto you. In these moments, I draw on my authenticity to plough on. No one has your experience or knows the full spectrum of your dreams, so be authentic and sincere and the rest takes care of itself.
NAME A BLACK MUSLIM WOMAN WHO HAS BEEN AN INSPIRATION TO YOU.
My mother is my first inspiration. Dr. Fatimah-Jackson Best and Zahra Grant who are always teaching me what it means to be authentic. Hodan Nalayeh for transcending what’s possible and leaving us a legacy of hope. And every Somali woman and girl I’ve met and yet to meet.
