1

DIALOGUE GUIDE

www.ispeakformyself.com

American Women on Being Muslim

I Speak for Myself

2

Praise for I Speak for Myself: American Women on Being Muslim

The women in I Speak for Myself are part of a new generation of peace-builders. By telling their stories they offer us new perspectives that are vital to the peace building process, and through their honesty and courage they are making a lasting

contribution to the search for cross-cultural understanding. Maria Ebrahimji and Zahra Suratwala’s book joins the mission for global tolerance; it is truly a step in the right direction. —Her Majesty Queen noor

A central part of combating intolerance between people is listening to each others’ stories. In I Speak for Myself, 40 American Muslim women tell us their stories—stories of their faith, their families, their values, and their traditions. They are wonder-fully human and widely diverse, both informative and inspiring. As in all of our faith traditions, the growing role of women will be crucial in shaping the future of Islam. This is a very important contribution to the growing interfaith dialogue in this

country; I commend it to you.

—jiM Wallis, Founder and Ceo oF sojourners and autHor oF RediscoveRing values

This book is a window into how Islam is lived in America by some of its most dynamic, creative, and inspiring leaders. The

voices here are clear and compelling, compassionate and courageous. This is Big Tent Citizen Islam at its best—a community welcoming of its own internal diversity, and making important contributions to the broader society.

—eboo Patel, Founder and President interFaitH youtH Core

I Speak for Myself showcases a part of our country’s story we seldom hear. The book provides a window into the extraordinary lives of Muslim American Women--dynamic, diverse, and finally demystified. Ebrahimji and Suratwala inspire the reader

and help fill a missing piece in the rich tapestry we call America.

—dalia MogaHed, direCtor, galluP Center For MusliM studies

As the dialogue on faith and spirituality progresses, women should not be overlooked. I Speak for Myself demonstrates that American Muslim women have a story and, more importantly, a unique voice in which to tell it. In an era where women’s

empowerment is essential, these are women who have the ability, through their stories and their work, to empower women all over the world to truly speak for themselves.

—MuHaMMad yunus, nobel PeaCe Prize Winner

& Founder, graMeen bank

I Speak for Myself is a must read for anyone curious to understand Islam from a woman’s and an American Muslim’s perspec-tive. This is the work of bridge makers; women who understand that their voices and their truths are one of the most solid,

real, and powerful ways to promote understanding and peace between people of various faiths. Ebrahimji and Suratwala do a superb job in bringing these women’s voices out with beauty, intimacy, and integrity.

I Speak for Myself is the story of every woman embodied in voices of today’s American Muslim woman.

—zainab salbi, Founder, WoMen For WoMen international

Empowering girls through education does not stop in the schoolroom; a book like this can be just as influential in widening a young girl’s view of the world and of her own potential within it. This collection of essays edited by Maria Ebrahimji and

Zahra Suratwala is empowering and inspiring, and a vital part of any education.

—greg Mortenson, autHor, ThRee cups of Tea

3

IntroductionI Speak for Myself’s primary goal is to become a conversation tool. We want you to discuss our stories, challenge your own assumptions about faith and identity, and above all, learn and grow from your reading and your dialogue, no matter how little or much you know about Islam. In many ways, ISFM is an organic movement of free flowing conversation only propelled by the narratives in this book. The movement’s success will be determined as more people share their own narratives, get to know a fellow American Muslim, and more importantly, just ask questions about Islam. As I like to say, “the more you know, the more you KNOW.” In this guide, you will find suggestions on building curriculum around I Speak for Myself, cultivating conversation, and creating change beyond your own circle. Now that you’ve read the book, don’t put it back on the shelf. Help our narratives live on by sharing your own.

—Maria Ebrahimji, Co-Editor

What is Islam?Islam is the last of the monotheistic religions created in the Abrahamic tradition (preceded by Judaism and Christianity, respectively). Followers of Islam are called Muslims. The core belief of Islam is that there is no God but God (whom Muslims call, “Allah”) and Muham-mad is his final prophet. The holy book of Islam is called the Quran (meaning “word of God”), which was revealed by God and recited by Muhammad on the Arabian Peninsula in the seventh century. Islam has five core pillars (duties) required of its followers: declara-tion of faith (there is no God but God and Muhammad is his final prophet), ritual prayer toward Mecca five times a day, paying of alms and community service, fasting during the Holy Month of Ramadan, and completing pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in your life-time (if you have the means).

4

Curriculum Guide(Recommended for Grades 8-12) .

Suggested Timing: 3 week course (including 2 weeks for reading).

(Note: this curriculum guide is an adaptation of a 2008 “Women in Islam” lesson plan developed by WNET.org Education, substituting the book and additional supplemental content relevant to the book, for videos and other media materials presented in the original plan (which can be read in its entirety here)

Introduction: Many Americans and non-Americans perceive Muslim women to be inferior, subju-gated, and less educated than their male counterparts. Many Muslims and non-Muslims themselves see a conflict between the beliefs and practices of Islam and the norms of American society. In this lesson, students will study the core beliefs and practices of Islam, examine the role of Muslim women in American society through the essays presented in the book, and finally, compare and contrast the rights of women in Islam with the history of women’s rights in America.

Key Objectives:

q Demonstrate an understanding of the core beliefs and practices of Islam;

q Recognize the diversity of Islam in America and the various ways in which identity is shaped and valued – through culture, faith, experiences, family, media, etc.

q Compare and contrast the rights and protections Islam has provided for women with the history of women’s rights in the United States.

Media Resources: q ISFM Book

q ISFM Video (Use the 3 minute promotional video)

q NPR Tell Me More’s Michel Martin interviews two ISFM Contributors on what it means to be American

q Frontline Teachers Guide: “Belief and Daily Lives of Muslims”

q More Rights Than One Might Think

q Living the Legacy: The Women’s Rights Movement 1848-1998

5

UNIT ONE: Understanding the Basics of IslamClassroom Activity: Explain to students that they will be examining the experiences of Muslim women in the United States. Ask them to brainstorm a list of things they know about women in Islam and write them down, without discussing with anyone in class. You may collect the responses or ask students to hold on to them until after the lesson is over. to begin by brainstorming a list of things that they know about women in Islam. Have students record their thoughts about Islam privately, without discussing the responses as a class. Ask students to hold on to their responses (or you may collect them). Explain to them that throughout the course of this lesson they will learn more about the role of women in Islam, and that after they com-plete the lesson they will have time to review and revise their responses.

Assignment: Explain to your students that in order to examine the experiences of Muslim women, they must have a basic understanding of fundamentals of Islam and how they pertain to women. Instruct students to go to the Web site “Beliefs and Daily Lives of Muslims” at www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/teach/muslims/beliefs.html. Ask students to read the information on the page and answer the questions on the Student Organizer 1: Beliefs and Daily Lives of Muslims handout. They are to record the Five Pillars of Islam and a brief explanation of each, a brief description of the daily life of observant Muslims, and each of the aspects of the role of women in Islam with a brief description. Check for comprehension by discuss-ing the questions and answers to those questions.

UNIT TWO: What are the Experiences of Muslim Women in America?Classroom Activity: Show the ISFM Promo video. Explain to your students that you will be taking a closer look at the experiences of Muslim women in America by reading I Speak for Myself. Distribute the books and give them a deadline to finish book for class discussion.

Assignment: Read book, then answer the reading guide questions at the back of the book and listen to the NPR Interview with book contributors.

UNIT THREE: Islam and Women’s RightsClassroom Activity: Explain to students that, now that they have an understanding of some of the experiences of Muslim women in America, they will take a closer look at the issue of women’s rights in Islam and in America. Have students form small groups of two or three. Distribute the Student Organizer 3: True or False? handout to each student, and have the students follow the directions on the organizer: Working in pairs, they are to decide, to the best of their abilities, which statements are true and which are false. When they fin-ish, ask them to read the essay “More Rights Than One Might Think,” which is found at www.pbs.org/wgbh/globalconnections/mideast/questions/women/index.html. Then, have them revisit the true/false statements and make corrections based on what they

6

learn from the essay. Have students revisit the list of things they know about women in Islam which they created in Unit 1. Have them correct errors in their list based on what they now know. Finally, students are to list three things that they’ve learned about women in Islam that they didn’t already know.

Answers to the True/False questions are as follows:

Muslim women are oppressed by their religion. FALSE

The Qur’an explicitly states that men and women are equal in the eyes of God. TRUE

When Muslim women marry, their property is given to their husbands. FALSE

The Qur’an instructs Muslims to educate daughters as well as sons. TRUE

Muslim women have had rights for over 1400 year that were only granted to American women in the 19th and 20th centuries. TRUE

The restrictions placed on women in some Islamic countries are cultural, not religious. TRUE

The Qur’an directs both men and women to dress modestly. TRUE

Use of the hijab, or head scarf, varies according to the society in which a Muslim woman lives. TRUE

Women of many cultures and religions cover their heads in different ways. TRUE

As a class, discuss what students have learned about women in Islam. Ask students what, if anything, surprised them. Make sure students understand the difference between a cultural practice and a religious practice, explaining that many of the oppressive practices that they may have associated with Islam in fact do not come from the religion but are part of a local cultural tradition. Explain that for 1400 years, Islam has given women rights that women in the United States are still fighting for today.

UNIT FOUR: Classroom Activity: Explain to the class that they are going to compare the rights of women in Islam with the rights of women in the United States. Ask students to visit the Web site “Living the Legacy: The Women’s Rights Movement 1848-1998,” located at www.legacy98.org/move-hist.html. Ask them to click on “His-tory of the Movement,” and to find the Declaration of Sentiments drafted by Elizabeth Cady Stanton in 1848. Have the students compare the rights of women in the United States in 1848 to the rights granted Muslim women 1400 years ago (using the resources from this lesson, essays from the book, and the essay “More Rights Than One Might Think.”)

Ask students to create a chart comparing women’s rights in Islam with women’s rights in the United States with regard to the following:

-property -divorce

-rights -education

-marriage -equality

7

When students have completed their charts, discuss their findings as a class. Have them go back and review the list they brainstormed in the introductory activity. Ask students to share what they’ve learned, and dis-cuss how their views on women in Islam have changed.

Extensions

World Cultures/Comparative Religion

Have students research other religions and the roles that women play in those religions, such as Hinduism and Judaism. Have students research the experiences of women who practice these religions in the United States.

Community ConnectionsIf possible, have your students meet with some of the women from I Speak for Myself to learn more about their experiences. (where applicable/see list of contributors below).

DIALOGUE GUIDELINESNote: These guidelines and the conversation starters below can be used in conjunction with the curriculum guide, for a book club gathering, or as part of a public reading or presentation.

Setting the Tone & Ground Rules:At the beginning of your dialogue, introduce any community members or experts in the audience and then set a few ground rules. Some basic ground rules could include:

q Acknowledging and valuing people’s differences in their backgrounds, values, and life experiences.

q Trusting that people are always doing the best they can.

q Speaking your discomfort.

q Maintaining confidentiality.

For more information about setting ground rules for dialogue, please visit: http://www.edchange.org/multicultural/activities/groundrules.html

8

Conversation Starters/Suggested Questions:

q What are the commonalities between Islam and other religions?

q What is culture? How is it intertwined with religion? Is it so intertwined in the United States? How do the women in I Speak for Myself address the act of balancing their faith with their American identity?

q Some writers insist that a “clash of civilizations” is inevitable. Others have claimed that a person cannot be both a faithful Muslim and a loyal American citizen. What do you think?

q Questions of identity are universal among all humans, though they manifest in different ways. Have you ever questioned your own identity? Explain some of the challenges you have faced navigating your own background, culture, or religious upbringing.

q What is the difference between integration and assimilation? Do you believe that Muslim Americans have integrated more or assimilated more in this country? Why or why not?

q What was your perception of Islam before reading this book and has it been transformed or con-firmed after reading the book? In what ways, if any, has it transformed?

q What did you learn about Islam after reading this book that you didn’t already know?

q Whose story or perspective in the book did you find especially surprising or compelling? And further-more, with whose story did you identify most strongly?

q Did this book inspire you to read more about the history of Islam and Muslims? Is there anything you learned about this history that you wish to investigate further?

q Do you adhere to a religion that has a religious text? If so, how old is that text? Do you know what every word means? Would you take every word literally? If not, why not?

q What is there about the Muslim head covering that provokes such reflexive reactions in many non-Muslims? Is it different from nuns’ habits? Jewish orthodox head coverings? What are the issues involved in religious dress?

q After reading some of the essays in the book, do you believe that feminism can co-exist with Islam?

q How did some of the contributors deal with issues of feminism and faith?

q Do you believe that Islam is unfairly treated in the media? If so, what can be done to change media frameworks?

q What is the role of religion in politics? How does religion impact our public discourse on where we are going politically or culturally as a nation?

q There has been a rise in attacks on Muslims and mosques in the United States. Has Islamophobia affected your community? How do you respond to Islamophobia?

9

q Is there any such thing as objectivity? We all come from somewhere. Can we divorce our upbringing, religion, environment, country, and socioeconomic class from our point of view?

q Do you identify some of the contributors who articulate challenges balancing motherhood and ca-reer? Is this a universal challenge?

q How does this book fill the gap in current dialogue around Islam? How does it contribute to inter-faith understanding?

q What would you like to investigate further after reading this book?

Structured Dialogue Suggestions:Suggested Activity 1: Appreciated Inquiry

(Adapted from a dialogue guide for the film, Divided We Fall, 2008)

Appreciated inquiry involves reflection, storytelling, and problem solving, while getting to know someone else. To begin, invite people to pick a partner, preferably someone he or she doesn’t know. Then, read one of the questions below and give each pair 5-10 minutes to share with each other.

1) What surprised you about the stories in the book? What made you the most hopeful?

2) Name a moment when you have you been seen as an outsider. How did you respond? Now name a moment when you saw someone as an outsider. How did you respond?

3) Whose essay resonated with you the most? What would you like to say to them?

4) Have you ever dispelled a stereotype or stopped potential bias from spiraling? What inspired you to take action?

After the pairs have shared with each other, invite volunteers from the group to share their conversations. As a facilitator, take notes on the themes and summarize them at the end, highlighting the similiaries in the answers and any proactive ways to further the dialogue.

Suggested Activity 2: Impersonation and Interpretation

Allow each member of the group to read an excerpt from the essay that resonated/spoke to them the most. (Note: Asking participants to come prepared ahead of time with this excerpt is ideal and will save time.)

After each reading, ask the participant to answer one or two of the following questions:

1) What were the emotions you felt as you read this essay the first time?

2) What did you identify the most with in X’s story.

10

Suggested Activity 3: Community Dialogue through Reflections, Questions, and Exchanges about Content Issues in the Book(Adapted from a dialogue guide for the film, Divided We Fall, 2008)

Take time to list some of the themes that threaded through the book. Think about issues and current events in your areas that might also relate to Islam or Muslims. Then, host a panel discussion at your local library, bookstore, place of worship, or local social organization, that would involve community members, experts, and where possible, contributors from the book, all of whom would address the topics at hand.

Topics could include:

q The value of seizing one’s own narrative

q Voices from a diverse American Islam

q The Media’s role in propelling & curtailing stereotypes

q National Security and Civil Rights Post-Post 9/11

q Religious Pluralism in America: Better now than ever before?

q Women in Islam: Gender roles defined, deconstructed, de-mystified

ADDITIONAL RESOURCESALTMUSLIMAH: An online portal exploring gender issues in Islam (Founded & Edited by one of the book’s contributors) http://www.altmuslimah.com/

ASMA SOCIETY: An organization building bridges between Muslims and the American public. Their online library offers a great list of recommended reading on Islam, Muslims, and interfaith work. http://www.asmasociety.org/education/library.html

MPAC: Public service agency working for the civil rights of American Muslims, and for the integration of Islam into American pluralism. http://www.mpac.org/

Interfaith Youth Core: Brings together young people of different religious and moral traditions for cooperative service and dialogue around shared values. http://www.ifyc.org/

Interfaith Leaders Toolkit: Chapter 1 includes the best practices of building religious pluralism by looking at the transformational power of storytelling. http://www.ifyc.org/sites/default/files/Inter-faith%20Leader%27s%20Toolkit-Chapter%20One%2C%20Storytelling_0.pdf

11

ALA’A WAFA is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a double ma-jor in International Studies and Political Science. After graduating, she moved to the east coast and worked on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. for two exciting years. Ala’a then decided to pursue a law degree from Michigan State University College of Law and graduated in May 2010 with an International and Comparative Law concentration. While a law student, Ala’a served as an editor on the MSU Journal of International Law, competed in a moot arbitration competition in Vienna, Austria, and published an article in a legal journal. She hopes to specialize in U.S.-Middle East relations and particularly, the Palestinian-Israeli conflict as she is driven by her grandparents’ struggles as refugees and their dream to see a peaceful resolution in their lifetime. In her free time, Ala’a enjoys photography, painting, traveling, and spending time with family and friends.

AMANY S. EZELDIN is an attorney at Life Span Center for Legal Services and Advo-cacy and works with immigrant victims of domestic violence and sexual assault. She is also an adjunct professor of Human Rights at Columbia College and when not working, she enjoys being outdoors hiking, biking, attending Chicago’s outdoor summer festivals and concerts, performing in theatrical productions, reading, and laughing! The middle of five children, Amany was born and raised in Chicago to her Egyptian parents, who immigrated to the United States in the 1970’s.

AMIRA CHOUEIKI was born in Columbus, Ohio and spent some of her childhood in Kuwait City, Kuwait. She currently attends the Georgia Institute of Technology, where she majors in Economics and International Affairs. Amira has interned and done re-search in domestic policy in Washington, DC and at a security and defense think tank in Dubai, U.A.E., focusing on terrorist group recruitment and training. Amira has also spent time working with Autistic students and organized a weekly Bible/Quran/Torah com-parative study with friends of different faiths that continues to this day over email. She plans to pursue a career in education development in the Middle East, and strives to be an ambassador of both her faith and country. You can follow her adventures or contact her at http://achoueiki.tumblr.com.

I Speak for Myself CONTRIBUTOR BIOS

**If you would like to schedule an interview or invite a contributor to speak at your event, please contact Steve Scholl at White Cloud Press (scholl@whitecloudpress.com).

12

ARSHIA KHAN currently lives and works in Khartoum, Sudan, where she is a Program Officer with the United Nations World Food Programme. She holds an MA in Inter-national Studies from American University in Washington, DC and an MA in Natural Resource Management and Sustainable Development from the UN University for Peace in Costa Rica. Arshia has interned in Chile, served as a Peace Corps Volunteer for en-vironmental conservation in Mala’i, East Africa, and has hitchhiked and backpacked across Southeast Asia, Southern and Eastern Africa and Latin America. She is an avid outdoors-woman who aims to climb the highest of mountains and spend as much time as possible enjoying the splendors of nature. A dedicated environmentalist, Arshia wishes to combine her passion with humanitarian issues and poverty alleviation and strongly believes that environmental harmony is at the foundation of peace and prosperity.

ARSHIA SAIYED is a Teach for America corps member teaching 9th grade English in Nashville, Tennessee. She is a recent graduate of Centre College with a bachelor’s in History and Government. Arshia is passionate about Democratic politics, closing the achievement gap, and discovering new, delicious recipes. Arshia was born in Chicago IL, but she was raised in and currently calls Shelbyville, Kentucky home.

ASMA T. UDDIN is the founder and editor-in-chief of altmuslimah.com. She is also an international law attorney with The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, a public inter-est law firm based in Washington, D.C. Asma’s writing has appeared in Muslim Girl Magazine, Islamica Magazine, altmuslim, beliefnet, and in the Guardian’s “Comment is Free.” She is also an expert panelist for the Washington Post/Newsweek blog On Faith, and a contributor to Huffington Post Religion, CNN’s Belief Blog, and Common Ground News. Her more scholarly work has been published in the Rutgers Journal of Law and Religion, The Review of Faith & International Affairs, and the St. Thomas University Law Journal. Asma has traveled throughout Europe and to various Muslim countries to meet with Muslim and other minority groups as well as politicians, journalists, and anti-discrimination organiza-tions. She is a 2005 graduate of The University of Chicago Law School, where she was a member The University of Chicago Law Review.

AYAH H. IBRAHIM is a graduate student at George Mason University, where she is pursuing her doctoral degree in Comparative and American Politics. Her research in-terests include minority civic engagement in pluralist states, foreign policy and interest groups, and political Islam. She received her undergraduate degree in Government and Middle East Studies from the College of William and Mary in 2007. Born and raised, and now studying in Northern Virginia, Ayah greatly enjoys traveling her country and world. When she is not busy studying or researching, she volunteers in her local commu-nity. To relax she paints, sketches or creates videos and websites.

13

DEWNYA BAKRI-BAZZI attends Thomas Cooley Law School in Michigan. She re-ceived a bachelor’s Degree in Political Science and Criminal Justice from the University of Michigan, Dearborn, where she also played basketball. Dewnya was born and raised in Dearborn, Michigan however, she remains very attached to her roots in Jnoub, South Lebanon.

ELHAM KHATAMI is a reporter for Congressional Quarterly in Washington, D.C. She is a 2009 graduate of the University of Pittsburgh, where she studied political science, writing and French and served as an editor for the college newspaper, The Pitt News. She has won collegiate writing awards from the Columbia Scholastic Press Association and the Pennsylvania Newspaper Association. In the past, Elham served as an intern for CNN and the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, where she covered the June 2009 Iranian election fallout. She enjoys reading, writing, hiking and traveling and aspires to become a foreign correspondent.

FATEMEH FAKHRAIE is an editor, author, and blogger who discusses issues from her perspective as an American Iranian Muslim woman. She writes about Islamic feminism, Islam, politics, and race for several online and print outlets, including Racialicious, B*tch magazine, and AltMuslimah. She founded Muslimah Media Watch in 2007 and cur-rently serves as Editor-in-Chief.

HADIA MUBARAK is a fourth-year doctoral student in Islamic Studies at Georgetown University. Her research interests include classical Quranic exegesis, family law, Islamic legal reform, and gender issues in Islam. Mubarak previously worked as a Senior Re-searcher at the Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding at Georgetown University, a researcher at the Gallup Organization’s Center for Muslim Studies, and a researcher with American University’s Islam in the Age of Globalization project. In 2004, Mubarak was the first female to be elected president of the Muslim Students Association National (MSA) since its establishment in 1963. Mubarak received her master’s degree in Con-temporary Arab Studies with a concentration in Women and Gender from Georgetown University. She received her bachelor’s degree in International Affairs and English from Florida State University. A washingtonpost.com On Faith panelist, Mubarak writes regu-larly on issues of gender, religion and politics facing Muslim Americans.

HEBAH AHMED was born in Chattanooga, TN to Egyptian immi-grants. She attended a Catholic all-girls high school in Houston, Texas and then went on to receive her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Me-chanical Engineering from Texas A&M University and University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, respectively. After several years in the corporate world, Hebah left to explore her spirituality and become a community activist and mother. She is married to Dr. Zayd Leseman,

14

a professor at the University of New Mexico, and is busy homeschooling her two chil-dren. Hebah began wearing the hijab and niqab after September 11, 2001 in response to a deeper love and understanding of Islam and modesty. She founded Muslim Women’s Outreach, an organization that sponsors interfaith dialogues in order to build bridges and educate people on Islam and Muslim Women, and Daughterz of Eve, a Muslim girl’s youth club. She is currently an Associate Writer for MuslimMatters.org.

JAMEELAH XOCHITL MEDINA is an educator, a business owner, a published author, a poet, an artist, and a student. She first began writing poetry at 12 years-old, and has been drawing since 2001. Jameelah is the author of The Afro-Latin Diaspora: Awak-ening Ancestral Memory, Avoiding Cultural Amnesia published in 2004, the owner of Hijabified 24:31 line hosted at Cafepress.com, and the owner of The Medina Academy of Overachievers. She is a third-generation Muslim African American, who was born and raised in Southern California as the youngest of six children. Jameelah earned her bachelor’s degree in Spanish from Claremont McKenna College and her master’s degree in Education and Teaching and Learning from Claremont Graduate University. She is currently a Ph.D. Candidate at the same university, where her research focuses on social justice issues, including Muslim women’s experiences with Islamophobia in higher educa-tion after 9/11. Jameelah’s research and activism has won her the honor of being listed in Oprah Magazine as one of 80 women leaders of the future, nominated by the White House Project. She loves to travel the world and has lived and studied abroad in Spain and Panama.

KAMEELAH JANAN RASHEED was born in East Palo Alto, CA. She lived in Cape Town, South Africa as an exchange student, in Johannesburg as an Amy Biehl U.S. Ful-bright Scholar, and in Washington, DC as a Harry S. Truman Scholar. After teaching for three years in California, she relocated to Brooklyn, NY for a teaching position. Ka-meelah earned her B.A. in Public Policy-Africana Studies from Pomona College, and holds an Ed.M in Secondary Education from Stanford University. As a documentary photographer, her work has been exhibited in California, New York, and Washington, DC. Her photography has been published in F-Stop and Make/Shift magazines, as well as Zimbabwean and South African publications. Kameelah is a co-founder of Mambu Badu, a photography collective for emerging female photographers of African descent. She also serves as the Visual Arts editor for Aaduna, a journal for emerging writers and artists. Her published writings can be found in The Nation (online), Pambazuka: Social Justice in Africa, Change.org, as well as WireTap, Illume, and Make/Shift magazines.

MARIA M. EBRAHIMJI is a journalist and Executive Editorial Producer for CNN, where she is responsible for guest coverage and story planning for the network’s special events and breaking news programming. Maria is a member of the Asian American Jour-nalists Association, and serves on the boards of the Atlanta Press Club and Tau Chapter of Alpha Chi Omega. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Mass Communications from Bre-nau Women’s College and a master’s in International Affairs from Georgia State Univer-

15

sity. While born in Westminster, MD as the eldest daughter of East African immigrants, Maria was raised in Northeast Georgia and proudly embraces southern hospitality. Her spare time is spent travelling the world, hiking, running, and being an idealist. She cur-rently lives in Atlanta, GA.

MARIAM SOBH is the founder and editor in chief of Hijabtrendz.com the original fash-ion, beauty and entertainment blog for Muslim women. She’s had a varied journalism ca-reer and has worked for a variety of media outlets as a news anchor, political reporter and more recently a traffic editor and reporter. Although her roots are in Boulder, Colorado where she was born, Mariam also spent time growing up in Virginia, Saudi Arabia, and Illinois. Mariam currently resides in Chicago where she divides her time between work, family and waiting for her big break.

MARRYAM ABDL-HALEEM was born in the southwest suburbs of Chicago. She lived there until she was 18, when her family decided to move out to rural America (Southwest-ern Wisconsin), and start up a small family farm, raising chickens, goats, lambs, turkeys, and ducks. She has eight siblings: five brothers and three sisters. Marryam graduated from UW-Madison with a double major in comparative literature and philosophy and recently began her PhD at the same school, focusing on Gaelic, French, and Arabic literature. Social justice has played, and continues to play a major role in her studies and writing. Through studying these literatures Marryam hopes to contribute to the voices calling for a more just world. Marryam recently married the boy of her dreams.

MARYAM HABIB KHAN is a Project Engineer for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). When she is not traveling for work, she enjoys traveling for fun with her hus-band, reading, taking care of her toddler, and catching up on sleep. While she was born and raised in Maryland, Maryam has had the opportunity to travel to Pakistan every few years to visit extended family, practice her Urdu, and learn more about her heritage. She currently lives in Clarksburg, MD.

MAYTHA ALHASSEN finds it of the greatest importance to bridge her worlds of com-munity organizing, social justice activism, academic research and artistic expression. She received her B.A. in Political Science and Arabic & Islamic Studies from UCLA, a mas-ter’s in Anthropology from Columbia University, and is currently a doctoral student in American Studies and Ethnicity at the University of Southern Califor-nia, where she works as a program assistant in the Middle Eastern Stud-ies program. While at Columbia, she conducted research for the Mal-colm X Project and worked with arts-based social justice organization Blackout Arts Collective. As a member of the collective, she facilitated creative literacy workshops with incarcerated youth at Rikers Island, helped organize a Hip Hop Film Festival in the prison’s high school, and wrote an introduction for “One Mic,” an anthology of the stu-

16

dents’ art and poetry. Maytha also works as a performer and organizer for play produc-tion “Hijabi Monologues,” co-hosts Arab-American themed TV variety show “What’s Happening,” and writes for blog Kabobfest. She has participated as a member of the Arab Complete Count Committee of Los Angeles, and was the Los Angeles coordinator of the Arab Film Festival.

MONA RAJAB was born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri. She graduated from the University of Missouri-Columbia with a bachelor of arts in French and Wichita State University with an MEd in early childhood special education. In 2009, Mona moved to Damascus, Syria, with her husband, Issam, and four children, Ayman, Sarrah, Zayna, and Layla. She currently teaches English at Al-Wataniya, a Syrian national school. Mona dreams of one day earning a doctorate in education and becoming a university professor.

NAFEES ASIYA SYED is an author and a public servant. She is a legislative aide to Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson, advising the ranking Democrat on foreign af-fairs, immigration, and tax policy and directing the Congresswoman’s renowned Wom-en’s Initiative. Dedicated to human rights and public policy, Nafees previously worked for the U.S. House of Representatives Judiciary Committee, the British Parliament, and the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia. Her writing and research has appeared in several publications, from popular to academic outlets, including CNN.com and the International Journal of the History of Sport. Currently, Nafees is writing a novel featuring a Muslim-American woman. A native of Georgia, Nafees graduated several states away from Harvard University in Government and medical studies. She graduated with honors, magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa, and received a Distinguished Senior Award from the Dean of Harvard College.

NAHEED HAMID received her bachelor’s degree from UCLA with a degree in Micro-biology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics. She is currently completing her master’s in Public Health at UCLA in Epidemiology and finishing up her first year of medical school at Western University of Health Sciences. Naheed is a champion of humanitarian causes and is an activist in the Afghan American community. On her free time she enjoys painting, traveling, hiking, and attempting to learn how to play the rubab, the national instrument of Afghanistan.

NOUSHEEN YOUSUF-SADIQ received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Illinois at Chicago with a major in History and double-minor in Religious Studies and Gender and Women’s Studies. She earned her master’s degree in Religious Studies from Boston University where she focused on women in Islam, after which she taught a religion course at a Chicago-area community college. She now lives in Philadelphia with her hus-band and is currently working as a freelance editor. Nousheen aspires to attain her PhD in religion and teach at the university level. Her educational and career goals are to help bridge gaps in understanding within and between the diverse Muslim community and surrounding American populations and giving a voice to marginalized peoples.

17

NYLA HASHMI was born and raised in Connecticut to an American mother and Paki-stani father. Growing up in a progressive yet conservative Muslim household, it was a challenge to find clothing that fit the modest dress code that she felt confident wearing. With this, she turned towards designing and sewing her own clothing. Nyla attended one of the top fashion schools in America (Fashion Institute of Technology) and graduating with a bachelor’s degree in fashion design. She has worked alongside of top designers in the industry like Elie Tahari, Oscar de la Renta, Armani Exchange and Sean John. She started Eva Khurshid, a women’s fashion brand with long-time friend Fatima Monkush. After three years building their brand, they are sold in boutiques across the United States and the United Kingdom.

RABEA CHAUDHRY is an artist, attorney and writer living in the Bay Area with her husband Farukh Rashid and their beautiful daughter Summer. Her artwork has been displayed all over the country including the New Orleans Museum of African American Art and History and Berkeley’s University Press Cafe. Her writings have appeared in the Journal of Islamic Near Eastern Law, The National, and Altmuslimah.com.

RASHIDA TLAIB was elected to the Michigan House of Representatives for the 12th House District (Detroit) in 2008. She was raised in Southwest Detroit, the eldest of 14 children and child of Palestinian immigrants. Rashida made history by becoming the first Muslim woman elected to the Michigan Legislature. Prior to being elected, Representa-tive Tlaib worked at a number of nonprofit organizations, including the Arab Commu-nity Center for Economic and Social Services (ACCESS) and the International Institute of Metro Detroit where she advocated for better access to human services, education, and civil rights. In 2009, Rashida was a recipient of the Role Model award by Alternatives for Girls. She also was awarded the Emerging Leader award by the National Network for Arab American Communities, Women of Wayne Headliners award, and CAIR Michigan’s Empowering Muslims award, in addition to being named one of Crain’s Detroit Business Women to Watch. Representative Tlaib received her B.A. in Political Science from Wayne State University and her law degree from Thomas Cooley Law School.

REEM ODEH is a lawyer and an advocate for the Arab-American community. As one of six children, she was born in Fairfax, VA to Palestinian immigrants. She received her bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Mass Communications from Saint Xavier Univer-sity and her Juris Doctorate from John Marshall Law School. Reem is fluent in spoken and written Arabic and is a member of the Arab-American, Illinois State, American, and Chicago Bar associations. Reem has worked with Amnes-ty International and continues to be active in human-rights causes and organizations, including the Arab-American Democratic Club and the Palestinian-American Women’s Association. In 2008, Reem was nomi-nated as a delegate to the Democratic National Convention. More than anything, Reem is a proud Chicago mom who loves travelling with her three supportive, patient, and understanding children.

18

RIMA Z. KHARUF was born and raised in Southern California. She currently teaches Special Education at a public school and enjoys hiking, learning about social justice is-sues, and earning frequent flyer miles visiting her family. Rima received her master’s in Counseling from California State University, Fullerton, as well as a master’s in Education and Human Development from The George Washington University. She and her hus-band live in Northern Virginia.

RUQAYYA RAHEEM GIBSON is an advocate for the emotional development and em-powerment of families and youth. She has worked in non-profit management for several years, personally writing grants raising over $1 million to fund programs for families af-fected by Hurricane Katrina. Ruqayya also produces independent documentary films with an emphasis on social justice, vulnerable populations, and self esteem. Among the awards she has received are the American Mental Health Alliance (AMHA) Community Leadership Award and the Association of Black Social Workers (ABSW) Community Advocate Award.

SALIQA A. KHAN is a digital journalist working with a leading Internet news com-pany. During her professional tenure, Saliqa has broke and covered some of the nation’s most gripping news stories and continues to seek new and innovative ways to tell a com-pelling story with multi-media panache. Saliqa also works closely with Grammy award nominated artists and producers in the music industry on several independent projects. Saliqa often expresses herself through poetry and spoken word. She is a rebel at heart who enjoys walking the thin line and occasionally crossing it to bring awareness to in-justices that surround her trying to implement change. Saliqa is a firm believer that the pen is mightier than the sword. As a priority, she strives to make sure she is always giving back in some form starting with family first and continuing with those in need. Saliqa feels blessed with the wisdom to see the silver lining in almost any negative situation. She truly believes that Allah knows best. For more information on Saliqa and her work check her website: www.saliqa.com.

SAMA WAREH holds a master’s of Science in Environmental Studies with an emphasis on Environmental Education and Communication. She won the award for Best Master’s Project/Thesis for her Documentary “Dwindling Drops in the Sand” and was the gradu-ation speaker for the class of 2009. Sama has been working with the Orange County Department of Education as a Field Naturalist and Traveling Scientist where she leads outdoor Science Education hikes and brings animals and programs to public and private schools throughout Southern California. She also sits on the board of the YMCA as the environmental program advisor. Besides her work in the environmental field, Sama is an artist and illustrator, focusing on Environmental messages through art as well as Arabic Calligraphy and Abstract Design. You can view her artwork at www.warehArt.com

19

SAMAA R. ABDURRAQIB graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a PhD in English, specializing in Gender & Women’s Studies. She is currently a Visiting Assistant Professor of Gender & Women’s Studies at Bowdoin College. Samaa’s research interests include 20th-21st Century American Literature, diaspora, and violence against women. She has also written articles on the intersections of African American identity and Muslim identity. Samaa’s writing can be seen in: Muslim Voices in School: Narratives of Identity and Pluralism, Arab Voices in Diaspora: Critical Perspectives on Anglophone Arab Literature, and Teaching Against Islamophobia.

SARAH PASHTOON AZAD is an Obstetrician & Gynecologist in the San Francisco Bay Area. She is also a committed youth group leader, where she focuses on inspiring young American Muslim women to lead confident, articulate lives, dignified by Islam. Sarah takes an active interest in cultural sensitivity training for health care providers of Muslim patients. In her free time, she’s an avid reader and runner and is working on her fifth language.

SARAH KAJANI received a bachelor’s in International Relations and a minor in Eng-lish from Mount Holyoke College. Born near Pittsburgh and raised near Atlanta, she is a proud nerd, creative thinker, coffee addict, and avid reader. Sarah is pursuing a career in Marketing and Public Relations.

The only child of a Turkish father and an American mother, SEVIM SABRIYE KALY-ONCU grew up in Tuscaloosa, Alabama and in the suburbs of Washington, D.C. She re-ceived her B.S. from the Georgetown School of Foreign Service and her M.A. in Middle Eastern Studies from the University of Chicago. In addition to working for various non-profit organizations in Washington, D.C., Sevim was awarded a grant by the University of Chicago’s Human Rights Program that allowed her to work in Turkey with women’s organizations fighting against the country’s ban on the Islamic headscarf. She currently lives in Arlington, Virginia, with her husband, Andy Nunez, and works as a freelance edi-tor, specializing in writings that deal with Islam and the Middle East.

SOUHEILA AL-JADDA is a journalist and award-winning television producer. Her opinion columns have been published in newspapers worldwide including USA Today, The Christian Science Monitor, and The Dallas Morning News, among others. Souheila is also a Senior Editor of The Islamic Monthly Magazine. She is a mem-ber of the Board of Contributors for USA Today. Souheila serves on the Board of Directors of Illume Magazine, an award-winning, inde-pendent magazine that captures and articulates the Muslim-American experience. She is also a producer with Link TV, earning a George F. Peabody award for the program, Mosaic, World News from the Middle East. She also produced the Who Speaks for Islam? series for the sta-

20

tion. Souheila is a global expert for the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations and has appeared as a guest analyst on various national radio and television networks on topics relating to women, Islam and the Middle East. In 2008, she was selected as a global Mus-lim Leader of Tomorrow. She earned a B.A. in Journalism and Political Science from the George Washington University and an M.A. in International Relations and Economics from the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies.

YUSRA TEKBALI is a freelance journalist and blogger, born to Libyan parents in Wood-land, California. She graduated from the University of Arizona with degrees in Journalism and Near Eastern studies and speaks Arabic and Spanish fluently. After college, she spent time in Washington, DC where she worked as a staff assistant in the United States House of Representatives, volunteered with The Arab American Institute, and was elected to serve as a board member of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee. She also worked in Libya for the National Youth Council, reporting on Libyan women. Yusra blogs for Muslimah Media Watch and her work has appeared in The Tripoli Post, The Arizona Daily Star, Chicago Public Radio, The Washington Diplomat, Al Jazeera English, The Arab American News, CNN, Global Post, and IslamOnline.Net. Yusra is a certified Zum-ba Instructor and a natural performer, with a background in theater, gymnastics, cheer-leading and dance. Her blog 7obsessions, is a collection of spoken word poems chronicling the complexities of being an Arab, Muslim feminist in the modern world. Yusra was the only Libyan selected to compete in the Miss Arab USA Pageant.

ZAHRA NASIRUDDIN JAMAL is a passionate community leader. Appointed by His Highness the Aga Khan to two boards, she oversees social welfare and religious education initiatives in the United States. She has consulted on conflict resolution and women’s rights projects for the United Nations and other organizations. Zahra met with the Ambassador to the Netherlands and Muslim leaders to increase Muslim civic participation in Western countries. She designed the Aspen Institute’s Muslim Philanthropy Project. Zahra is current-ly the Mellon Fellow for International Women’s Rights at The Center for Gender Studies at The University of Chicago. She researches gender, transnationalism, and civic engage-ment among Muslims in North America, South and Central Asia. Zahra was previously an award-winning Anthropology Lecturer at Harvard and MIT. She held the Javits, Mellon, Weatherhead, and Hearst Fellowships. Zahra received a Ph.D. in Anthropology and Middle Eastern Studies from Harvard, and degrees in Islamic Studies and Slavic Studies from Rice.

21

As President/CEO of Zahra Ink, Incorporated, ZAHRA T. SURATWALA writes and does marketing on a consulting basis for a variety of small businesses. She has found a way to combine her love of writing with her desire to pursue projects that can truly af-fect change; the result is a small business which she takes very seriously and finds intensely fulfilling. Zahra obtained her Master’s of Arts degree in English Literature from Loyola University in 2003. She has lived in Egypt and Thailand but will always call Chicago home: she loves its beauty and its very fickle weather. When she is not writing, Zahra can be found causing a ruckus with her husband, son and daughter. If home is where the heart is, her home is firmly placed in their hands.

ZAINAB ALWAN attends law school at Case Western Reserve University School of Law where she focuses on immigration law. She graduated from the University of Rochester with a bachelor’s degree in Religious Studies and a minor in Biology. Zainab is heavily involved with interfaith mediation and dispute resolution work. She co-founded a Muslim-Jewish Dialogue at the University of Rochester, was an Outreach Education and Training Intern for the Interfaith Youth Core, was a counselor at Seeds of Peace, an international peace camp, and was a law clerk with CAIR-Chicago. In 2009, as president of the Inter-national Law Society, she helped raise over $600 for the Invisible Children Foundation and over $2,000 for victims in Haiti. In her spare time Zainab enjoys spending time with family and friends and running.