Marie Betcher
This interview is with Rabbi-Cantor Marie Betcher, a female rabbi in Austin, Texas. Rabbi Betcher discusses her upbringing, growing up in Brooklyn, NY in an Italian family. She shares her multicultural background and the migration story of her family. She also discusses the gender dynamics she experiences as a female rabbi. In this interview, we hear her account of life in the pandemic and her involvement in the community. She currently serves as a chaplain with the Austin Police Department.
Husaina Yusuf
This interview is with Husaina Yusuf, a young Muslim woman who was born in California and raised in Texas. In this interview, she discusses her upbringing in Houston, the cultural dynamics of her religious sect, and her life experiences. Yusuf was raised as a Bohri Muslim, a subsect of Shia Islam. She shares stories of her family dynamic, her community, and observations of Bohri culture. She also discusses her experiences as a woman navigating gender roles in her religion and personal life.
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.
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.