Muslimah Next Door
Lead with Love, Lead with Hope
I’ve worked as a journalist and editor covering Muslims in America for 15 years, for Muslim media outlets to mainstream media companies to multifaith media and religion platforms. I was based in New York when 9/11 occurred, just having celebrated my son’s first birthday, and spent the next year covering the fallout from the attacks at ground zero.
At no time have I seen such vitriol and targeted, specific hate rise as I have in the past two-three years – especially in this presidential campaign. My 13-year-old and eight-year-old are well-versed in the politics of Islamophobia and Trump then I care to have them be.
My daughter loves the band Twenty-One Pilots and reading teen dystopian novels. She just got a snapchat account, against my better judgment. My kids learn the Quran from their grandmother. They play soccer in the spring and the fall.
My daughter wears long pants in gym class. Unapologetically kids. Unapologetically Muslim.
My only way forward is to stay unapologetically Muslim. To “tie my camel” (as the saying goes) and be smart and safe, but to not back down from who I am. We all have to make our choices.
My choice is to lead with love. Lead with kindness. Lead with conviction. Lead with hope.
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