Aarzu Punjani
This interview is with Aarzu Punjani, a business manager and first-generation Indian-American living in San Antonio, TX. Aarzu talks about her early experiences with and without Indian and Ismaili communities. She describes growing up as the daughter of immigrants and how their constant hard work to provide in the US influenced her upbringing. She talks about her involvement with her family’s business, her college experience, and work-life balance. Aarzu also shares about her experiences with racism and xenophobia in the US, as well as her relationship to her Indian heritage and family.
Sarah Aburumuh
This interview is with Sarah Aburumuh, a high school teacher in San Antonio, TX. Sarah describes growing up in her large Muslim family, memories of 9/11, and her decision to put on the hijab in middle school. She talks about her experiences as a teacher, especially with regards to race, religion, and teaching diversity. Sarah shares about being seen as a representative of Islam because of her hijab as well as her approaches to prejudice. She also talks about her inspirations and influences.
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.
Therese Quinto
This interview is with Therese Marie Quinto, a first-generation Filipino-American nursing student living in San Antonio, TX. Therese talks about her parents’ experiences as immigrants and how being a daughter of immigrants has shaped her. She describes the cultural influence of her Filipino-American community as well as her relationship to Catholicism and her non-profit work with Catholic Charities. She also talks about her friendships and her exposure to many cultures through them.
Amro Eltayeb
This interview is with Amro Eltayeb, an engineer in San Antonio, Texas. Amro talks about childhood memories like his father’s business and the ways his family supported his education. He tells the story of his education in mechanical and software engineering and his early work experiences developing off-road wheelchairs. He also describes his current project of designing a note-taking app. Amro also shares about the moral decisions he has had to make in his career and how Islam has influenced his sense of ethics.
Aisha Fall
This interview is with Aisha Fall, a Senegalese-American Muslim in Chicago, IL. Aisha shares memories from her childhood, including friendships, schooling, and travels to Senegal and France. She describes her time at UTSA and her involvement with the MSA there. While there, she attended the Muslim Children Education and Civic Center where she became a leader on the Youth Committee. She talks about her experience there and the influential people she worked with.
Moureen Kaki
This interview is with Moureen Kaki, an Palestine solidarity activist with Jewish Voice for Peace in San Antonio, TX. Moureen describes her experiences of seeing the ills of settler-colonialism in Palestine first-hand, and how that direct exposure as a Palestinian-American has catalyzed her work. She talks about the politicization of her identity as a Palestinian, and of Muslim identities as well, and how she has felt uncomfortable sharing her identity and culture with others at different points in her life. Moureen also discusses misconceptions she would like to clear up about Palestinian solidarity and the nature of the conflict.
Saagar Shaikh
This interview is with Saagar Shaikh, an actor living in Los Angeles, CA. Saagar talks about growing up as a Pakistani Muslim in Alief and San Antonio and describes the differences between those communities during his childhood. He describes his career path, including his decision to become an actor and the ups and downs of finding his place in the industry. Saagar goes on to talk about his recent role as Aamir Khan in Disney’s Ms. Marvel series. He shares about a day in the life, favorite scenes and memories, and what the role means to him.
Negena Haidary
This interview is with Negena Haidary, an Afghan-American Shia Muslim woman. Negena speaks about her relationships and experiences with her family, particularly as a first-generation American. She speaks about the impacts of 9/11 on her family, the difficulty of finding community as a member of a minority group, and the ongoing act of balancing immigrant parents’ expectations with the necessity of participating in American culture. Negena also discusses the challenges of navigating mental health and finding one’s own life path, sharing the wisdom she has gathered through her own journey of healing and growth.
Nasriya Witt
This interview is with Nasriya Witt, an Indian immigrant and refugee youth mentor. Nasriya talks about her experiences of living in India, Oman, and Saudia Arabia as a child before moving to the United States. She discusses her acclimation to the US as well as her schooling and fascination with research psychology. Nasriya also describes her current job as a mentor for refugee youth in San Antonio.