Saamiya Seraj
This interview is with Saamiya Seraj, a Bangladeshi-American immigrant and entrepreneur in Austin, TX. Saamiya shares memories of Bangladesh and her family, then talks about her decision to come to the US for college and graduate school. She talks about her education and work as an engineer, both in the US and in Bangladesh. Saamiya describes the founding of A Better Force, a professional development company that focuses on empowering women and people of color. Saamiya also shares her experiences with cancer, including medical sexism and racism.
Van Wagner
This interview is with Van Wagner, IDCL’s Community Archive Director, in Austin, TX. Van talks about growing up in a military family, moving around, and living in conservative Christian culture in Georgia. They describe their experiences in high school and college, including music, religious studies, and involvement in a student organization. Van discusses their relationship to Texas, especially as a queer person with a Jewish partner. They also describe their current life and musical involvement.
Ramon Mejia
This interview is with Ramon Mejia, a veteran of the Marine Corps and anti-war organizer in Waxahachie, TX. Ramon describes his childhood in Oak Cliff, Dallas, leading up to his decision to join the Marines. He shares about his experience in the military, his deployment in Kuwait and Iraq, and being discharged for his health. He talks about his curiosity about Islam after deployment and his decision to convert. Ramon goes on to describe his work as an educator and organizer. He talks about how his intersecting identities influence the work he does, particularly in the post-9/11 United States.
Muna Hussaini
This interview is with Muna Hussaini, an Indian-American Muslim and tech professional in Austin, TX. Muna describes her childhood in an expat community in Saudi Arabia and the transition to moving back to the US. She discusses the impact of gender roles on her and how her relationship with hijab changed over time. Muna shares her experiences of hate crimes and harassment as a hijabi woman post-9/11. She talks about how the kindness of others helped her through those times, and how she strives for kindness in her daily life and work with Muslim Space.
Amanda Veasy
This interview is with Amanda Veasy, co-founder of One Love Longview, a nonprofit resource center for unsheltered, uninsured, and underserved populations. Amanda talks about the rapid rise of her organization as a response to community needs for accessible mental and physical health care. She describes the changes in her religious experiences over time, including being spurred to leave the church over her unwillingness to condemn the LGBTQ community. Amanda also talks about her methods of helping effectively by putting the individual’s desires and consent first.
Latifah Hameen
This interview is with Latifah Hameen, a life/relationship coach and domestic violence awareness advocate in Sachse, TX. Latifah describes her education and family life growing up Catholic in Milwaukee, WI. She talks about her conversion to Islam at twenty-one, her family’s acceptance of the change, and the ways in which Islam influences her morality and actions. She discusses her activism in domestic violence awareness, which includes several published books and life and relationship coaching. Latifah also tells of her life as an educator, including the years of teaching and tutoring she has done with Muslim youth.
Jaime "Mujahid" Fletcher
This interview is with Jaime “Mujahid” Fletcher, founder of IslamInSpanish. Jaime shares about his youth, during which he was involved in gang activity in Alief then developed his value of education in Colombia. After his conversion to Islam at twenty-three, Jaime began to translate Islamic literature and thought into Spanish so his Latino family and community could better understand Islam. Jaime goes on to describe the growth of IslamInSpanish from its inception as a family project to its current state as a vibrant community in the Centro Islamico in Alief. He also discusses the social justice projects IslamInSpanish is involved in and shares his advice for working toward social change.
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.
Meili Criezis
This interview is with Meili Criezis, a former member of the Institute for Diversity and Civic Life team. Meili talks about growing up as a minority in majority White spaces, and the negative impacts of racial dynamics on her high school experience and opinion of Texas. She then discusses how her positive college experiences, as well as her involvement with IDCL, tempered that negativity with more respectful treatments of diversity. Meili also speaks about how she found Islam through exploration of her heritage, and what her current relationship with her faith looks like.