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Sitti Soap: Spreading Hope Through Soap

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By Trisha Sales

Established in 1968 as a result of the Arab-Israeli war, Jerash Camp is locally known as Gaza camp in Jordan. According to the United Nations Refugee Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), there are more than 29,000 Palestinian refugees registered with many trying to live out of poverty.

View of Jerash Camp. Photo Credit: Bashar Alaeddin

Various services are available that provide refugees skill development and job opportunities. One of the projects that emerged through community development and fundraising was the Sitti Soap company. It grew out of the hopes of the NGO called The Hopes for Women of Education.

Sitti Soap aims to provide financial independence and skill development opportunities for refugee women.

Jaqueline Sofia and Noora Sharrab, the founders of Sitti Soap, collaborated to help women enhance their skills in soap making. They came across a group of women, who had the ability to make soap out of olive oil.

To the right: Noora Sharrab, Co-Founder of Sitti Soap

“When we created Sitti Soap, it was with the belief that no matter how small we started out, we were part of a community where passion for unity and change would keep our social enterprise driving forward,” Sofia wrote in the Sitti Soap blog.

The word sitti in Arabic means grandmother. The brand uses traditional methods in the process of making soap. Olives are pressed after the harvest. The oil is produced into tins that block out the light which preserves the pure quality of the olive oil. It is also made cold pressed rather than heated.

“Traditionally our grandmothers would make olive oil soap from leftover oil that they gathered from the farms… it’s known to be something very sacred,” Sharrab said.

Sitti Soap partnered with an NGO called Work Shelter in New Delhi, India that makes their tote bags. In return, the organization provides women educational opportunities to Indian women.

“It’s so critical for us. Even those we source to get other products made, they have to fall in line with the same ethical stance,” Sharrab said.

Sharrab believes that everything they do in the company should have a holistic feel- that any work put towards Sitti Soap should aim to have an impact.

Not only do they get their source of income but also a percentage of it is directed towards improving the services in the camp and also provides scholarships that help women achieve higher education.

Photo Credit: Jacqueline Sofia

“At one point we opened a mini daycare so women would be able to do workshop training. The main inspiration is to provide these women financial independence. We want these women to feel that they have the skills and ability to give something back,” Sharrab said.

Sexual Harassment in Religious Institutions

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by Dr. Aslam Abdullah

Every time someone brings up an accusation pertaining to sexual harassment against a prominent religious figure, regardless of his or her faith, people in general react in a manner of disbelief. How is it possible? They ask and then speculations begin. “It must be a conspiracy,” suggest those who are die hard followers. “Finally s/he got caught,” say those who opposed him from the beginning. In these two contrasting and conflicting reactions, the issue becomes personalized. Emotions flare high, tempers fly and the people find one more reason to divide themselves.

Can there be a rational approach to look at such issues. Can we move beyond individuals to focus on something that we often fail to address in our communities, especially if they happen to be religious.

Abuse and misuse of power, authority, influence, or one’s celebrity status is not uncommon. Sexual harassment of vulnerable segments of our community is also nothing unusual. Studies done in the US reveal  that one out of every 6 American women has been the victim of an attempted or completed rape in her lifetime (14.8% completed, 2.8% attempted). that about 3% of American men—or 1 in 33—have experienced an attempted or completed rape in their lifetime. that from 2009-2013, Child Protective Services agencies substantiated, or found strong evidence to indicate that, 63,000 children a year were victims of sexual abuse. that a majority of child victims are 12-17. Of victims under the age of 18: 34% of victims of sexual assault and rape are under age 12, and 66% of victims of sexual assault and rape are age 12-17.

Studies also reveal that sexual assault or harassment also take place against adults. Millions of women in the United States have experienced sexual assault. It is estimated until from 2000 to 2015 more than 50 million American women have gone through the trauma of reported or unreported sexual assault. Females ages 16-19 are 4 times more likely than the general population to be victims of rape, attempted rape, or sexual assault. Women ages 18-24 who are college students are 3 times more likely than women in general to experience sexual violence. Females of the same age who are not enrolled in college are 4 times more likely.

However, when these cases involve religious figures, the issue become larger than life itself.

In the United States Sexual harassment is a form of sex discrimination prohibited by Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. It consists of both “quid pro quo” harassment and “hostile environment” harassment. Religious organizations that are subject to Title VII are covered by this prohibition. An employer is automatically liable for supervisory employees’ acts of harassment, but a defense is available to claims of hostile environment harassment if they have adopted a written harassment policy and an alleged victim fails to pursue remedies available under the policy. In some cases, an employer may be liable for acts of sexual harassment committed by non supervisory employees, and even non employees.

Despite this legal provision, most religious institutions in the US and elsewhere lack a policy of monitoring, recording, reporting and taking appropriate actions in case such allegations are brought forth. In fact most are in a state of denial that such events could ever take place among them. This is the position many religious establishments took in recent years when their members or religious leaders were accused of improper behavior. However, subsequent investigation proved them wrong.

There are a few things that we must realize.

  1. No religious community is immune from the abuse.
  2. The problem will not be resolved by ignoring it.
  3. Acknowledgment of the problem should lead to the adoption of policies ensuring that when and if such incidents happen, appropriate measures would be taken.
  4. These policies should protect the rights of those making allegations as well as the defendants.
  5. If flagrant violation has taken place, the case should be referred to legal authorities
  6. However if the two parties agree, the policies should also ensure a process of arbitration with provision of confidentiality to both parties.
  7. If the arbitration fails the matter should be referred to the legal authorities 

Even after adopting such policies, it cannot be guaranteed that accusations would not be made and harassment would cease to exist. But at least, people can at least be assured that a process is in place to secure the interests of those involved in the situation.

In the absence of a well defined policy to tackle such issues, it would be up to individuals and groups to manipulate events to their advantage and certainly no one would want to be in this situation because it is bad for the alleged perpetrator and the alleged victim.

Let us hope that religious communities would come together to make a pledge that they would root out sexual harassment and abuse from their institutions and ensure that no innocent is pronounced guilty and no victim is left without justice.

Saudi Arabia Lifts Driving Ban on Women

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by Aysha Qamar

A royal decree has been issued by Saudi Arabia, that will allow women in the country to drive, the Saudi Foreign ministry said Tuesday on its official Twitter account. Following the decree, women will no longer need permission from a legal guardian to get a license and will not need a guardian in the car when they drive.

The Kingdom’s Foreign Ministry announced the decision on its official Twitter account.

“This is a historic big day in our kingdom,” Prince Khaled bin Salman, Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to the US, said in a briefing with reporters.

The decision to allow women to drive comes along a broad reform program that earlier led to women being allowed into a sports stadium for the first time. Women were allowed to enter the National Stadium in Riyadh to celebrate the 87th anniversary of the founding of the kingdom on September 23.

Ambassador bin Salman described the step as “part of Vision 2030, which is a huge step toward a brighter future.”

According to the Ambassador, the plan for the country’s economic reinvention depends on youth empowerment, social organization and women’s empowerment, “which is an extremely important element of the changes happening in Saudi Arabia,” the ambassador said.

“We are trying to increase women’s participation in the workforce,” bin Salman said.

“In order to change women’s participation in the workforce we need them to be able to drive to work,” Ambassador bin Salman said. “We need them to move forward, we need them to improve our economy.”

In conversation with CNN on why the announcement was made now, Ambassador bin Salman said, “there is no wrong time to do the right thing.” “It’s not religious nor a cultural issue” and said women “used to use transportation means during my grandfather’s era,” he added.

While there might be social issues, the Ambassador said, legally nothing can prevent the women who wish to drive, nor prevent them from wanting driving lessons without male or guardian permission.

According to the Ambassador, the choice will be up to women. “It’s not ‘women must drive,’ it’s ‘women can drive.’”

In May, King Salman decreed that government agencies should list services women can seek without permission from their husbands, fathers or other male guardian. Before the decree, women were not able to access government services without getting permission from a male guardian or having him present.

State Department spokesman Heather Nauert said the US certainly welcomes the move and sees it as “a great step in the right direction”.

“I think this is historical and a victory, not only for Saudi women, but also a victory for human rights,” Saudi Journalist Najah Altoaibi said. “I mean from now on there is no country that places a ban on women driving, Saudi Arabia was the last country which prevented women from driving.”

In November 1990, 47 Saudi women drove their cars around Riyadh to protest the driving ban. The women faced severe punishment and the campaign stopped until 2008, when Wajiha Huwaider dared to drive a car around the eastern provinces and escaped arrest.

Following Huwaiders daring action almost 10 years ago- several women rekindled the protests by driving local roads. Many were arrested and jailed for going behind the wheel.

Manal al-Sharif, a Saudi women’s rights advocate- who now lives in Australia, was jailed in Saudi Arabia after posting a video on Youtube, of herself wearing a black headscarf and sunglasses while driving. Her actions provoked death threats and led to her formulating the Women2Drive campaign.

Sharif and another woman, Najla al-Hariri, became global figureheads of the cause, drawing attention from world leaders and activists to urge Saudi Arabia to end the ban.

In response to the announcement, Al-Sharif, tweeted various comments including a photo of herself in a car.

Many others have also taken to twitter and social media to express their happiness and feelings towards the lifting of the ban.

Loujain Hathloul arrested in 2014 after trying to cross the border from the United Arab Emirates into Saudi Arabia and detained for 73 days, tweeted ‘praise be to God’.

“It is amazing,” said Fawziah al-Bakr, a Saudi university professor who was among 47 women who participated in the kingdom’s first protest against the ban — in 1990. After driving around the Saudi capital, Riyadh, the women were arrested and some lost their jobs.

“Since that day, Saudi women have been asking for the right to drive, and finally it arrived,” she told reporters. “We have been waiting for a very long time.”

Ending the ban on women driving is expected to face some resistance.

Earlier this month, a Saudi cleric was banned from preaching after saying that women should not be allowed to drive because their brains shrink to a quarter the size of a man’s when they go shopping.

Opposition scholar Madawi Al-Rasheed congratulated women’s rights activists, but emphasized the challenges ahead.

“Without an elected government and political representation, we will not benefit,” she said.

According to the decree, a ministerial committee has been formed to implement the ruling and it will present recommendations within 30 days.The new policy is set to be implemented on June 24, 2018, the government said.

Liesl Gerntholtz, executive director of the Women’s Rights Division at Human Rights Watch, told CNN while it was a “very important step” there was still a long way to go for Saudi women.

“This prohibition on driving is just one in a vast series of laws and policies which prevent women from doing many things,” she said.

Media fellow at the Muslim Public Affairs Council Marwa Abdelghani, told CNN the new laws wouldn’t take effect for another year.

“Saudi Arabian women are going to continue fighting and are going to continue running these campaigns to try to overturn these laws,” she said.

“At the end of the day these laws are showing how Saudi Arabia has been resisting overturning or relinquishing power to over 50 percent of the population.”

Ibtihaj Muhammad: Fusing Faith, Fashion and Fencing

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by Humera Dasu

Islam, saber fencing, and Louella, all have a common denominator- and that is Ibtihaj Muhammad. Otherwise known as the first hijabi on the American Olympic team, Muhammad is breaking barriers through her passion in fencing. Amidst her athletic drive and unapologetic representation of her religion, is a love for fashion. Muhammad is also an entrepreneur, running a fashion line of modest wear for women. She has used her versatile talents and interests on her way to success.

Muhammad began fencing at the age of 13, at the request of her mother who liked that Muhammad could be in a uniform that covered her, without making her stick out from the rest of her team mates. Muhammad fell in love with the sport instantly and carried this hobby through her youth and adulthood. In 2002, Muhammad began training in New York with the Westbrook Foundation’s Elite Athlete Program, under former olympian, Akhi Spencer-El. Muhammad is a 5-time Senior World medalist, currently ranking No.2 in the United States and No.8 in the world.

Muhammad has been a member of the United States National Fencing Team since 2010. In 2016, Muhammad qualified for the summer Olympics after winning bronze at the Fencing World Cup held in Athens, Greece.  She gained worldwide recognition as she became the first Muslim American woman to compete in the Olympics with a hijab. Social media sites stormed with stories, tweets, posts and pictures about the Olympian. Muhammad was successful in her first

Olympics games, coming home with a bronze medal in saber fencing for Team America.

Muhammad with her bronze medal in fencing at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. Photo via US Magazine

Muhammad has been victorious in her athletic career, without having to shun the love for her faith, Islam. Her hijab never came in the way of her sport, nor did she have to sacrifice any aspect of her religion to play.

Muhammad takes pride in her hijab, “Wearing the hijab is a reminder to myself, in a society that is not predominantly Muslim, of being aware of your own religion. Being in sport, it is part of my journey and as an individual, the hijab has always felt right for me.”

Concurrent with her busy life as an athlete is also Muhammad’s creative personality as a fashionista and entrepreneur. In 2014, Muhammad founded her clothing brand, Louella, based in Los Angeles, California. Muhammad aims to bring modest, fashion-forward clothing to women around the world through her online store. Growing up, Muhammad struggled to find both athletic attire and clothing that she felt comfortable in. Thus, her brand provides women and girls with a flexible shopping experience, including a magnitude of choices for their wardrobes.

Muhammad emphasizes the importance of hard work and determination to fulfill dreams and conquer all obstacles. Having faced racism, sexism, and religious bigotry while growing up, Muhammad is a prime example of perseverance.

“I just remember being ostracized and being told that there were things that I couldn’t do because I was black, or there were things I couldn’t do because I was Muslim, or there were limitations because I was a girl,” she said. “Throughout my entire life, I feel like I’ve tried to combat these stereotypes.” Muhammad represents many minorities and wishes to inspire those that share her attributes. As a black, Muslim, hijab-wearing woman, she is striving in the athletic and business world.

In a world where hatred and fear are becoming normalized, many feel too hopeless to chase their dreams. It is people like Muhammad that serve as role-models, for standing up to prejudice to follow each and every one of their dreams.

Anti-Immigrant Group Mistakes Bus Seats for Women

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by Aysha Qamar

“It looks really scary, should be banned. You can never know who is under there. Could be terrorists with weapons,” comments on a picture posted on a private Norwegian anti-immigrant Facebook page read.

The picture posted, with the comment ‘“What do people think of this?,” in the Facebook group ‘Fedrelandet viktigst’ translating to ‘Fatherland first’, sparked a debate amongst group members after some mistook six empty bus seats for six women wearing burqas.

The group consisting of over 13,000 members has thus been widely mocked.

Johan Slattavik, the user who posted the photograph, claims he posted the image as “a little practical joke,” to see how people would react to a picture of an empty bus.

“I laid out the photo to see what happened,” Slattavik told WorldViews. “I ended up having a good laugh.”

The picture quickly caught attention with a variety of comments, media agencies reported.

“Ghastly. This should never happen”

“Islam is and always will be a curse”

“Get them out of our country – frightening times we are living in”

“I thought it would be like this in the year 2050, but it is happening NOW.”

“It’s just an empty bus”

“Imagine that empty buses can create so many hate comments”

Sindre Beyer, a former Norwegian politician, said he joined the group out of curiosity.

Beyer shared the original post and published 23 pages of the group’s comments.

“What happens when a photo of some empty bus seats is posted to a disgusting Facebook group, and nearly everyone thinks they see a bunch of burqas?” he asked, in a post that has gone viral.

Hva skjer når det legges ut et bilde av noen tomme busseter på en brungrumsete gruppe på Facebook og nesten alle tror de ser en gjeng med burka ?😳

Posted by Sindre Beyer on Friday, July 28, 2017

Beyer said, he shared the image to expose prejudice within the far-right group and was shocked to see so much hatred against bus seats.

“After following the group for a while I felt the need to find the best possible post to share with the public,” Beyer told CBS News. “When I came across this post I found it tragicomic and with a obvious symbolic value. It frightens me if such groups grow without being contradicted.”

Rune Berglund Steen, head of Norway’s Antiracist Centre, told reporters that people “see what they want to see – and what these people want to see are dangerous Muslims.”

Norway recently became the latest European country to propose restrictions on the wearing of burqas and niqabs in public places. Belgium, Bulgaria, France, the German State of Bavaria and the Netherlands all restrict full-face veils in some public places. This summer, Norway’s government announced a plan to ban burqas in kindergartens, schools and universities.

During a press conference in June, then acting immigration and integration minister, Per Sanderberg said that face-covering garments such as the niqab or burqa “do not belong in Norwegian schools.”

#HappyPeriodDetroit

#HappyPeriodDetroit Provides Female Hygiene Products to Local Shelters

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by Nargis Rahman

Recently #HappyPeriodDetroit, a local chapter of the social movement #HappyPeriod which provides female hygiene products to those in poverty or homelessness, and Youth of Ummah sisters’ youth group teamed up to collect $1,100 worth of products and prepare them for distribution in Metro Detroit. There were products for 863 periods, including 301 kits containing one week’s supply of pads, tampons and panty liners.

YOU Outreach Coordinator Mehruba Akthar, 26, organized Michigan’s first packing party at the Islamic Organization of North America. Mehruba said, as Muslims, it is important to do our part.

“Helping the community is something YOU is passionate about. It is our goal to make a positive impact on the community through initiatives like Happy Period Hygiene Kit Drive,” she said.

Discussing periods is a taboo topic across cultures, including Muslim and South Asian homes, although the lack of female hygiene products is the most prevalent problem for women in homelessness and poverty. It is one of the less-thought-about factors of homelessness, which affects people’s everyday life, wellbeing, and dignity.

According to the Family & Youth Services Bureau, 80 percent of mothers facing homelessness fled domestic violence. Women also are more likely to get sexually assaulted and have dependents while homeless. Lack of access to female hygiene products adds to a load of stress in an already unpleasant situation.#HappyPeriodDetroit

#HappyPeriodDetroit’s founder Jessica Marie Bertollini, 28, of Farmington Hills, stepped up to change that last year by opening the local chapter of #HappyPeriod, which began in California in 2015. She was inspired by its sisterhood.

“What I love about #HappyPeriod is the support and comradery it encourages among women,” she said.

I was introduced to Jessica by a mutual friend after posting a Facebook status about getting involved in the cause locally.#HappyPeriodDetroit

Jessica asked her best friend Danielle Poulin, 29, from Sterling Heights to join the movement. Danielle was drawn to the cause for its simplicity to give back and raise awareness about the taboo topic of periods.

Danielle said, “No one wants to feel dirty, when they don’t have something as simple as a pad.”

#HappyPeriodDetroit collects products throughout the year and distributes them according to need at local shelters.

Contact Jessica at happyperioddetroit@gmail.com to collect products or host a packing party event. Visit hashtaghappyperiod.org to learn more about the cause.

bicycles

Pakistani Women Reclaim the Streets by Getting on Bicycles

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by Fatima Ahmed

Pakistani society, a male-dominated society, isn’t always a friendly and safe atmosphere for women living there. In fact, women often find themselves victims of catcalling, harassment, assault, and much worse. Because of this culture, women are discouraged from venturing out into public alone. Simple tasks like running errands in certain areas of the country can be difficult to accomplish for women living on their own. But that is not about to stop Pakistani women from reclaiming the public areas they have the right to. And they plan to do it in a saddle.

On April 2nd, 2017,  dozens of Pakistani women participated in female-only bicycle races in cities like Islamabad, Karachi, and Lahore. The race was a way to encourage women to reclaim public spaces and was organized by the Pakistani group called Girls at Dhabas. They are more than a group, however—they are a movement that started more than two years ago as a way to showcase women defiantly existing in public spaces. And it is still going strong today.

It started in Karachi with Sadia Khatri when she uploaded a picture of herself on Instagram with the hashtag #girlsatdhabas. Soon after, photos of women boldly loitering in dhabas started flooding Instagram and Twitter. This sparked an entire battle for the freedom of mobility and the right to access public spaces regardless of gender in Pakistan. Most recently, this battle manifested itself in the aforementioned bicycle race which spanned the entire nation. Women proudly rode they two-wheelers despite the stigma and danger associated with the activity.

Riding bicycles as a way of claiming independence, freedom, and agency is occurring more frequently in Pakistani feminism. Last summer saw the Women on Wheels (Wow) rally in Lahore, where 150 female motorcyclists participated. As part of the project, Chief Minister Sharif even launched a program to give 1, 000 pink scooters to women at a 50 percent subsidized rate. The hope was to encourage and train more young working women to ride motorcycles.

Also supporting this movement is Superpower Motorcycle. Last year, this automotive company hosted a four-week training session for women learning to ride motorbikes in Karachi. Women were invited to take lessons for free in the hopes that it will encourage them to be independent with their transportation. Mehwish Ekhlaque, one of the few women who has been riding her bike around Karachi for years, was asked to train the women. And she served as a great inspiration for them.

Ekhlaque lost her husband in 2012. Without his support, she had no choice but to get a job and her new job required transportation. Before her husband passed away, he had taught her how to ride his bike for pleasure purposes, but she would later use it for her livelihood. She has since been using the motorbike as a means to get around the city. She now has three bikes and has never gotten in an accident. Ekhlaque’s story is a reminder that adopting bicycles and motorbikes as a method of liberation isn’t a new trend for Pakistani women, but a necessity.

In places like Pakistan, women are not allowed to be independent. By making it difficult for women to access public spaces, be mobile, or self-sufficient, society is insidiously taking away their equality. However, through bicycles and motorbikes, Pakistani women can once again feel free to operate on their own. Who would have thought that bicycles and motorbikes would become the new symbol of Pakistani feminism?

business

Muslim, Women, and Entrepreneurs: An Ode to Muslim Womanhood

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by Elizabeth Jaikaran

Despite prevailing western narratives that perpetuate false and degrading representations of Muslim women, the realities of Muslim women’s strength, power, and resilience are becoming more and more difficult to ignore. In the past year alone, stories detailing the incredible feats of Muslim women have surfaced as seeming anomalies to the collective understanding of Muslim femininity.

In the face of monolithic characterizations of Muslim women as oppressed, subjugated, and helpless, women like Noor Tagouri and Ibtihaj Muhammad have emerged on the national radar as not only successful and empowered, but as hijab-toting forces to be reckoned with. While imperative to recognize these women and the leaps they have made with respect to the visibility of Muslim women in western media, it is equally crucial to recognize that Muslim women have always been forces of resilience and power—from the time of Khadija (may Allah be pleased with her) to now. In the spirit of Women’s History Month, here are just a few unsung and absolutely remarkable Muslim women entrepreneurs who are dominating in their respective industries.

HASINA AHMED FROM ROYAL CHARMS, INC.

business

“My name is Hasina Ahmed and I am the founder and CEO of Royal Charms, Inc.—a full-service event studio specializing in wedding planning and design. I was born in Bangladesh, raised in Malaysia and later immigrated to Queens, NY. I have a degree in Computer Science from St. John’s University and I worked for many years as an outreach advisor for under-privileged New York City youth, and as the Director of Conferencing Services at St. John’s University. After having children, I decided to infuse all of my greatest professional attributes—organization, detail coordination, design, and family engagement—into a fulfilling career. That’s how I ended up in event planning and design. I literally make people’s dreams come true for the most important events of their lives. I get to guide them through the stresses of transitioning through these delicate phases of lives, and through all of the formal events—culturally and religiously—that go along with that.

My work doesn’t leave much time for hobbies. When I’m not at the office or with a client or at a venue, I’m usually doing research or catching some scarce sleep. But my work is so entirely fulfilling and, because it is my passion, my company has been such a beautiful success. In the beginning, it was difficult. I wear hijab, and I think there is still so much bias in the United States surrounding women who look like me. As a businesswoman, this is difficult because this bias exists when you’re meeting with vendors, clients, and venue owners. After years of working in the industry, however, I’ve made my mark and the industry players have become quite accustomed to me, with my hijab and headset, taking venues by storm. This was an important development for me because I wanted my daughters to see me be unstoppable, so that they know that they can be unstoppable too.”

HUDA QUHSHI FROM LE JEMALIK SALON

business“My name is Huda Quhshi and I am a licensed cosmetologist. I am Yemeni-American, born and raised in Brooklyn. I am 37-years-old and married with three children aged 12, 13, and 17.

My salon, Le’Jemalik Salon & Boutique, is everything a girl could ever need. From makeup application for an evening out, a relaxing afternoon at the spa, or hairstyling for an entire bridal party, we offer a range of services that cater to the needs of every woman. Le’Jemalik is designed to be a safe haven for women who, for either cultural and/or religious reasons, cannot receive such services at any other salon. As a Muslim woman myself, I always had difficulty finding a salon that could accommodate my needs for a women-only space. For this reason I always knew that I had to create this environment myself!

Thus far we have gotten wonderful feedback on the salon! Many women of all faiths have reached out to commend us on our efforts and support the salon. We have also been excited about support by our community, which has warmly welcomed us into the Bay Ridge neighborhood. The greatest highlight is receiving such supportive and heartwarming messages from women of all religions and backgrounds, telling us how happy they are to see that we have opened Le’Jemalik.

I still have to pinch myself sometimes to make sure this all isn’t a dream. The opening of the salon was so surreal! I knew people were excited about it but the turnout shocked me. We expected about 200 people to attend but had over 600 people show up. It was unbelievable! Nonetheless, being a Muslim entrepreneur while being a wife and mother of three is no easy task. Trying to find a balance between family and business was a struggle but my family stood by me all the way. Their undying support is what keeps me aiming high. They are my rock and I know I can always stand strong with my loving family by my side.

From the perspective of being a Muslim woman, I believe the opening of my salon came exactly at the right time, especially after Trump’s election as president. I believe that he has ironically brought everyone closer together in opposition to his ideals. Le’Jemalik is here to stay and we will continue to empower women because that is what we stand for.

Outside of working for the salon, I love teaching. We are now offering seminars on beauty techniques at the salon, covering everything from makeup application to tips and tricks for hairstyling. We will be inviting other highly acclaimed artists in the industry to guest teach as well. I am hoping to inspire an empowering environment for women. We at Le’Jemalik want to foster talent and, for this reason, we are actually providing our weekly seminars.”

EMAN IDIL BARE OF EMAN IDIL DESIGNS

business“I am Eman and I am a 24-year-old yoga teacher, fashion designer, and journalist who wants to make the world a better place through storytelling. I am Somali/Ethiopian-Canadian and I grew up in Regina, Saskatchewan. My upbringing and hometown have everything to do with why I am the person that I am, in addition to, of course, my parents and my brothers. I’ve always been blessed in the sense that I’ve had educators and mentors who have invested in me from a young age.

Defiance is what made me want to go into fashion. There are a lot of things about the fashion industry that makes me sick, actually. When did we decide sweatshops are normal? Many industry players are destroying our world and peoples’ lives for pretty things, and it’s crazy to me that we’re allowed to sell garments that were made through slave labor in North America. I went into fashion both out of love, and a larger goal to change the industry ethically.

The greatest highlight of having my own business thus far has been the fact that this business is entirely mine—from the idea to the startup costs, and the networking I needed to do to get here. I worked very hard for this, and the blessing is that the brand is an extension of who I am. I get to decide what the norm is in our procedures and policies. I’m a Black Muslim woman from a small city in the middle of Saskatchewan, Canada. I’ve been othered my entire life. Except for in my business. In my business, I get to decide what the norm is and what is acceptable.

The most difficult part of my journey thus far has been finding balance. I work every day, and I’m usually at a desk for 16 hours or so, between being a journalist and a designer. It’s straining on my relationships because things are always happening, and I need to keep up. If a shipment is late coming in from Casablanca or Dire Dawa, it’s on my shoulders. It’s a really overwhelming feeling, but I look at what I’ve done so far and remember that I’ve always been able to find a solution and that I will continue to find solutions.

As a Muslim businesswoman, I’ve always been underestimated, and this has to do with, not only being a Muslim woman but also being Black. People don’t expect me to be as intelligent, as driven and as successful as I am. When I’m talked down to, however, I don’t see it as a negative experience for myself or for my brand—I see it as a weakness of the person that I’m dealing with. I’m unapologetic in my identity, and people who have doubted me have always been my biggest supporters because they are why I’ve been able to grow my business as quickly and as successfully as I have.

Outside of work, I teach yoga and I’m currently planning my first retreat right. Otherwise, I enjoy playing rugby and/or watching a good rugby match with my best friend. In the future, I will go to law school, and hope to eventually work toward making it illegal in Canada to sell garments made in sweatshops. I also hope to open a factory in Somalia that offers safe and fair employment to women, as well as free education for their children as part of their benefits, in addition to health care.”

DR. TABASUM MIR OF GLAMMIR

business“I am Dr. Tabasum Mir and I am a celebrity Dermatologist, hailing from New York. I started medical school at the age of twenty and started my own practice over twelve years ago. Since then, my practice and personality has taken over the media via reality television and radio platforms. After completing my medical degree and finishing as a resident with New York University and the Manhattan Eye, Ear and Throat Hospital, I became exceedingly tired of not being taken seriously in a male-dominated industry. Thus, I started my own dermatology practice on the East Coast, which has now expanded to two other locations in Beverly Hills and Newport Beach, California.

The highlights of my career are plentiful and they have changed along with my goals. Opening my first practice was one highlight, then launching a skin care line was another, followed by being on QVC. But then Bravo TV came knocking and now I’m so grateful for that highlight as well. In essence, these newfound media opportunities have given me a new direction and new voice to educate and uplift others. My biggest media highlights, I’d have to say, are being on The Doctors show, and interviewing Deepak Chopra for my CBS radio show.

The most difficult part of my journey has been remaining resilient. Along any journey, people will disappoint you and you will sometimes feel like you are all alone. You will be told “No” a lot and that things are impossible to do. It is so important to be resilient and to realize every disappointment is an opportunity to get back up and learn.

In the future, I hope to take my career in medicine and media to new levels so that I can continue to educate, inspire and uplift. I want to always have a purpose in life that gives me meaning and creates happiness.”

international women's day 2017

7 Muslim-American Women to Celebrate on International Women’s Day 2017

by

by Fatima Ahmed

Muslim women often find themselves underrepresented in our society. Too often they find themselves unfairly represented because they are women and misrepresented because they are Muslim. While other groups of society speak for us and about us, we never seem to get a voice in debates about our own existence. So today we are deciding to celebrate the Muslim women who talk back, voice themselves, and make sure they are heard. To celebrate International Women’s Day, here is a list of awesome Muslim women who are changing the world for the better.

1. Linda Sarsour

International women's day 2017Linda Sarsour is a Palestinian-American political activist and the Executive Director for the Arab American Association of New York. She became widely known through her position as the co-chair and organizer for the Women’s March which swept the entire globe earlier this year following the inauguration of President Trump on Jan. 21, 2017. She has spoken up for Muslim rights, women’s rights, the Black Lives Matter movement and more. Recently, Sarsour mobilized Muslims to raise over $160,000, overwhelmingly surpassing the initial goal of $20,000, to rebuild a vandalized Jewish cemetery in St. Louis, Missouri. She is bold, outspoken, and definitely a true role-model.

2. Zahra Billoo
international women's day 2017Zahra Billoo is a fierce champion of Muslim and women’s rights. She is a civil rights lawyer, activist, and an unapologetic Pakistani-American. As the Executive Director of the Council of American-Islamic Relations- San Francisco Bay Area (CAIR-SFBA), she has been challenging the government’s surveillance of American Muslims, fighting against Islamophobia and religion-based discrimination, as well as much more. Billoo is also a staunch supporter of civil rights, employment rights, and women’s empowerment. Currently, she is speaking out against Trump’s Muslim Ban 2.0 and defending the freedom of religion that all Americans, including Muslims, enjoy.

3. Ilhan Omar
international women's day 2017A former refugee and a recently elected legislator, Ilhan Omar is the first Somali-American, Muslim woman to hold office in the US. She is an accomplished policy analyst, activist, and humanitarian. Previously, she served as the Director of Policy Initiatives at Women Organizing Women and became a formidable figure in the empowerment of East African women to become leaders. Omar is devoted to raising the minimum wage, fighting for equal pay, and advocating for racial equality. Omar is easily the voice Muslim and Black women need in American politics today.

4. Amani Al-Khatahtbeh
international muslim women's day 2017A media force, author, and entrepreneur, Amani Al-Khatahtbeh is the founder and editor of MuslimGirl. MuslimGirl is an online magazine for Muslim women which recently saw its traffic grow 90% with 100 million hits in recent times. Al-Khatahtbeh uses her platform to represent Muslim women in mainstream media through web series, articles, speeches, and more. Just last year, she also released her debut book called MuslimGirl: A Coming of Age which is based on her life. In it, she recounts her experiences growing up as a Muslim Girl in a post-911 world. Al-Khatahtbeh is current, fearless, and a creator of her own little empire.

5. Nura Afia

International women's day 2017As part of their #LashEquality campaign to promote diversity, CoverGirl announced Nura Afia as one of its ambassadors. This makes Nura the first hijab-wearing ambassador for the brand. Starting as a beauty blogger on YouTube with over 200, 000 subscribers, Afia joins the ranks of some famous celebrities and models. Afia’s work helps to normalize the hijab in the media while also raising awareness about Islam. Her videos show young Muslim girls the amalgam of religion and self-expression.

6. Dalia Mogahed
international women's day 2017Dalia Mogahed is an Egyptian-American scholar. She served as the Director of Research at the Institute for Social Policy and Understanding as well as the President and CEO of Mogahed Consulting. She has also served as an advisor to former President Barack Obama on the White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighbourhood Partnerships. Coming from a business background, Mogahed is outspoken about the Muslim-American experience. She uses her platform to inform people about Islamophobia, female empowerment, and the American Muslim community. She is definitely an example to many Muslim women today.

7. Joohi Tahir
international women's day 2017
[Source: mwachiago.org]

As the Executive Director of MUHSEN (Muslims Understanding and Helping Special Education Needs), Joohi Tahir aims to make the Muslim community more inclusive to people with special needs. She herself has a daughter with Autism and this experience inspired her to champion MUHSEN. As an activist, she has been raising awareness about Muslims with special needs and disabilities. She also uses her marketing background to help companies make Halal food accessible to consumers everywhere.