Ahmad Kaki
This interview is with Ahmad Kaki, a legal assistant and law student in Arlington, VA. Ahmad describes growing up Palestinian and Muslim in Texas and how his life changed after 9/11. He talks about his college experiences of involvement in the Muslim Students Association and pro-Palestine organizing. Ahmad shares the trajectory of his career, which brought him to law school and his current work as a legal assistant with the Council on American-Islamic Relations.
Maesha Meto
This interview is with Maesha Meto, a public affairs grad student and activist in Austin, TX. Maesha talks about her childhood experiences as a young immigrant, such as learning English and feeling alienated from her peers. She shares stories of the Islamophobia she and her family experienced while she was growing up. She also talks about her political awakening and her activist involvement, including police reform work in New York City.
Omar El-Halwagi
This interview is with Omar El-Halwagi, an employment discrimination lawyer in Houston, TX. Omar talks about growing up as a Muslim in the American south and discrimination he faced at a young age. He tells his story of being represented by the American Civil Liberties Union in order to secure the time and place to pray during high school. Omar also describes co-founding the organization Grassroot Islam, a virtual space for a diverse and inclusive Muslim community created to combat pandemic isolation. He discusses coming into his relationship with God on his own terms and learning from the spiritual journeys of others.
Sharon Mathew
This interview is with Sharon Mathew, a medical student and aspiring reproductive healthcare provider in Clearwater, FL. Sharon talks about growing up as a first-generation American in a Malayali home, and how that affected their experiences of gender dynamics and relationships to peers. She shares her journey of relating to her heritage, from shying away from Mohiniyattam dance due to childhood bullying to embracing wearing pottu and learning Malayalam as an adult. Sharon discusses their passion for reproductive healthcare as a powerful freedom and describes their activist work as well as their career aspirations and inspirations.