The Expressions Narrative Project is a platform dedicated to the voices and perspectives of Muslim women, from activists and artists to professors and political representatives. This blog showcases personal narratives expressing Muslim women's thoughts, opinions, and lived experiences.
It was through conversations with fellow Muslim women entrepreneurs that I noticed a trend. Many of us weren't fully utilizing our potential. We hesitated to apply professional business strategies, believing our businesses were too niche. This mindset, I realized, was really holding us back.
Read MoreAll that I know about community care and community service is what I learned from the example of my grandparents and my parents. They taught me that we each have a duty to use our particular talents in service of our people. Since my grandfather was a chef in the navy and my grandmother was a kitchen manager for a nursing home, a major part of their contribution to the community was cooking. They would spend hours in the kitchen preparing meals to give away.
Read MoreMy lived experience has instilled in me a commitment to proudly writing my own story while encouraging others to own their stories. I have been held back by the system, and I know that others like me have been dismissed in classrooms and educational settings. This work is deeply personal because I know that I can use my mental health training, coaching experience, principal training, and doctorate in education to make education work for every student, family, teacher, building administrator, and district staff.
Read MoreWhen I was a child, the month before Ramadan, my immigrant parents would sit at the kitchen table with my sister and me to discuss how our family could give back. They would tell us about a family relative back in India who could use our help. Maybe it was for something critical, like surgery; or something invaluable, like education; or something practical, like a sewing machine! My working-class family’s support was not extravagant, but we did what we could. This experience taught me that, even as a child, I had the power to make a transformational difference in others’ lives.
Read MoreWe know our community wants to know more about our recent leadership transition, so we sat down with Nausheena and Malika to talk about transitioning leadership with community trust, support, and love.
Read MoreThe mosque was already doing caucus trainings, but I felt like they were not being widely attended by women. What would help the women see their collective power, and what would bring them all together in a non-intimidating environment?
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