WHAT HAVE BEEN THE MOST REWARDING ASPECTS OF YOUR WORK SO FAR?
Everyone has a story, and being able to share some of those stories with the world is always rewarding, whether it’s to shed light on an issue, spotlight a unique innovation, or share in someone’s sorrow and grief. Knowing that people trust me enough to let me inside their world is heartening, and a job I don’t take lightly. It’s also rewarding to hear from young Muslim women who are inspired to pursue careers in broadcast journalism after finally seeing someone like themselves represented on television.
WHAT HAVE BEEN SOME OF THE MORE CHALLENGING ASPECTS?
As the first woman in hijab to anchor a national show, I feel a lot of pressure to succeed. I have been underestimated, judged, and stereotyped by my appearance, and constantly feel like I have to prove that I deserve to be here. The silver lining is it pushes me to work hard and be the best I can be — there is no room to be mediocre.
NAME A BLACK MUSLIM WOMAN WHO HAS BEEN AN INSPIRATION TO YOU.
My mother always pushed us to go after our goals, and create opportunities for ourselves where they didn’t exist. She wanted us to feel proud of our faith, and recognize that it wasn’t at odds with our Canadian identity. She taught us not to wait to be invited to the table — just pull up a chair and take a seat.
