Shameem Azizad
This interview is with Shameem Azizad, a radiologist and a mother who lives in Austin, Texas. Shameem discusses navigating her faith from her childhood to adulthood and the potential challenges she sees her children face, her background as the child of refugee parents, and her relationship with the state of Texas. Shameem also defines the label “American-Muslim” as it pertains to her views of American culture. Finally, Shameem recounts her work with Muslim Community Support Services, an organization that strives to support indigent and abused in the Muslim community.
Qusay Hussein
This interview is with Qusay Hussein, an Iraqi former refugee who fled his native country to Jordan after losing his vision after a bomb blast detonation in Baghdad. After working with Doctors Without Borders in Jordan, Hussein moved to Austin, Texas in 2012. Hussein credits groups like Interfaith Action of Central Texas for supporting him through his transition. He now studies at the University of Texas at Austin and hopes to uplift those in need of help as a psychologist and motivational speaker.
Amanda Quraishi
This interview is with Amanda Quraishi, a Muslim convert and activist in Austin, Texas. Quraishi discusses her journey of converting to Islam and her story of becoming an activist within the community and beyond. She shares her perspective on the strength and challenges facing the Muslim community, including the power of masses and the importance of accepting pluralism.
Seja Haque
This interview is with Seja Haque, a high school senior in Corpus Christi, Texas who speaks about struggling between her Muslim and feminist identities as well as being involved at her local mosque where she was eventually asked to teach. Seja discusses the immigration story of her parents from Pakistan to America and her deep found appreciation of her cultural identity. She plans on attending the McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas at Austin and eventually becoming a lawyer.
Mehraz Rahman
This interview is with Mehraz Rahman, an outgoing senior at The University of Texas at Austin, serving as Vice President of the student body in her final year. Mehraz discusses navigating her identity as part of a small Bangladeshi community in Austin, a tumultuous election cycle that caused many to question her authenticity, and her personal experiences with assertiveness in male-dominated spaces. As Vice President, Mehraz successfully advocated for the installation of more reflection spaces for students needing a quiet and clean place to pray.
Constance Shabazz
This interview is with Constance Shabazz, a social activist, feminist, and speaker from Chicago. After learning about the health care disparities and injustice faced by the African American community during her time working for the Sickle Cell Foundation in New York, Constance decided to become a physician and advocate for others. Constance talks about how reading the Autobiography of Malcolm X helped align her spiritual beliefs with Islam and informed her opinions on providing free health care for all. Constance moved to Texas in 2016 and continues to organize around community needs.
Duriba Khan
This interview is with Duriba Khan, a Pakistani-Indian Muslim and recent graduate from the University of Texas at Austin. Duriba speaks about spending most of her youth going to Islamic school and the culture shock that came with the transition to college life. During undergrad, Duriba ran for student government, joined a number of organizations and even served as co-president of the Pakistani Student Association. Duriba also discusses navigating immigrant kid guilt when she decided to go against her parents’ wishes and apply to law school instead of medical school.
Neda Hamid
This interview is with Neda Hamid, a Palestinian Muslim and recent Human Development and Family Sciences graduate from the University of Texas at Austin. Neda speaks to Islam being a very important part of their life and the subsequent ramifications of being a highly visible hijab-wearing Muslim. Neda also navigates a shift in their leftist political identity and discusses how being surrounded by progressive-minded people in college was a stark contrast to their high school experience in Baytown, Texas, where they were born and raised. During college, Neda was highly involved with the Liberal Arts Refugee Alliance (LARA) as well as the Palestine Solidarity Committee. Neda would like to tie their life’s work to helping the local refugee community.