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.
Jin-Ya Huang
This interview is with Jin-Ya Huang, an artist and immigrant from Taiwan living in Dallas, TX. Jin-Ya describes her childhood in Taiwan and memories of the stark differences between her mother’s and father’s families. She shares about coming to the States, including the challenges of her parents’ career changes and working in family restaurants. Jin-Ya talks about influences on her life both good and bad, from keeping her cultural traditions to experiencing intergenerational trauma.
Tara Bonds
This interview is with Tara Bonds, an educator and librarian in Elgin, TX. Tara shares the story of a trip she took to Egypt with her grandmother after college, and how it opened her eyes to cultural diversity and intercultural connection. She then describes her first year teaching middle school, which began with the events of 9/11, and how she navigated that in the classroom and provided a safe escape for students. Tara also discusses the lasting impacts of post-9/11 legislation on every-day freedoms and national security.
Saleem Shabazz
This interview is with Saleem Shabazz, a retired postal worker and Air Force veteran living in Longview, TX. Saleem tells about his childhood, describing his family dynamics, the places he lived, and being Baptist in his youth. He talks about travel and work in the Air Force and being exposed to different cultures and beliefs. Saleem discusses converting to Islam and his experience of the hajj. He also talks about his engagement with his Muslim communities over the years, including being and imam for a time, and his observations on social and political change in the US.
Steven Kling
This interview is with Steven Kling, a US Army veteran and former candidate for the Texas Senate. Steven talks about growing up in conservative settings and developing progressive values along the way, including his values of strength and service. He shares his story of joining Civil Affairs in the US Army at the age of thirty and serving tours of duty in Afghanistan and Iraq. Steven also talks about running for the Texas Senate and aiding Afghan immigrants during the Fall of Kabul.
Obaid Zia
This interview is with Obaid Zia, a pharmacist living in New York City. Obaid compares the Muslim communities and diversity present in the different communities in which he has lived, including Houston, TX. He describes the profiling and prejudice he experienced after 9/11, especially when traveling. He discusses his personal experiences of religion and the role Islam plays in his life today. Obaid also shares his experiences of being active in his high school’s Muslim Students Association and of participating in protesting following the 2017 Muslim ban.
Miguel Robles
This interview is with Miguel Robles who grew up in California and moved to Houston, Texas at a young age. Miguel attended the University of Texas at Austin, studying communications and interned at the Institute for Diversity of Civic Life. After graduating, Miguel moved to Indonesia to teach English at a middle school. In this interview, Miguel discusses his experience growing up in Texas, working at IDCL, and his time in teaching in Indonesia.
Sarah Pearose
This interview is with Sarah Pearose, an Afghan-American medical student living in San Antonio, where she grew up. Sarah comes from a family of medical professionals and attends University of Incarnate Word School of Osteopathic Medicine in pursuit of her Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree. She speaks about growing up as the daughter of immigrants, her interest in medicine, and the lessons she values from Shia Islam. Sarah also shares her experience of deciding to wear the hijab and how that decision impacted her relationships with God, other people, and her own sense of self.
Sarah Elsunni
This interview is with Sarah Elsunni, a Sudanese-American digital marketer living in San Antonio. Sarah was born and raised in Louisiana, where she attended Islamic School, fleeing to Texas after Hurricane Katrina in 2005. She speaks to the importance of diversity and inclusivity in the public school system as one of the few Black identifying and the only hijabi students. In college, Sarah had the opportunity to experience several study abroad trips that further solidified her appreciation for multicultural understanding and led to a passion for digital marketing in grassroots organizations. Sarah currently works for Malikah, a gender justice organization.