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Isabel Carter shares her earliest memory of communication. My mom has always told me this story of me from my childhood. I’m maybe two years old, right, so I don’t do much yet, just eat and sleep and toddle around, get my diapers changed when it comes to that. But for whatever reason, one day […]

Ryan Marinelli recounts how his travels and studies abroad widened his perspective on issues such as community, bigotry, social justice, peace, and belonging. He is an intern for MALA for Spring 2017. Some of the most my most important memories regard my experiences aboard. I have spent the last year in Japan and have traveled

Melanie Elturk is the founder and CEO of Haute Hijab. A fashion icon whose passion for vintage scarves worn as hijab inspired her to start a successful brand for Muslim women. Her success is not limited to fashion exclusively but her ability to inspire young people to follow their dreams. Her legacy is simple and

Kareem Devanté Rose’s path to happiness hasn’t come easy. Growing up surrounded by discriminatory classmates, parents in an abusive relationship and later an abusive relationship of his own sent him down the wrong path. But as he has grown, and overcome his previous obstacles, he has become comfortable in his own skin and hopes his

Amr’s family immigrated to the US from Syria. He shares how he broke the mold of expectations by pursuing a career as a videographer. Amr shares his identity as a Muslim American, and how he wants to change the media perception of Muslims in mainstream media. This story was recorded in partnership with StoryCorps and

In 1989, Tabinda was working in a Manhattan hotel as a housekeeper. She had just immigrated to the United States from the Dominican Republic and one day at work, she caught the eye of a fellow employee who was working behind the hotel’s front desk—Tariq Sheikh. Tariq was also a recent immigrant, but from Pakistan,

Fatima Sabri is a young Afghan leader for women’s equality now developing her studies and career in the United States. Her family fled the Taliban when she was a child, and as she writes below she has ever since been on a journey seeking belonging and freedom. I was born in Afghanistan, but could not

Ayub Ayubi is the founder and chairperson of Renaissance by Social Innovation in answer to violent extremism and radicalization. Ayub implements cultural conflict resolution skills and ample opportunity for dialogue, space and time for students on a global scale.   Ayub works tirelessly as a researcher, trainer and facilitator to counter violent extremism, cyber extremism

Anxhela Ndrio wrote this as a freshman at Loyola University Chicago. She shares her unique perspective as an immigrant to empower people of all backgrounds to stand up and respond to the refugee crisis in Syria.   I will never forget a man by the name Dr. Ghaffar Kazkaz – a retired Syrian engineer and

Fatima was born in Venezuela, of Lebanese descent. In her beautiful story, she combines her worlds of Arabic, Latin, and American cultures. In 2006, she visited Lebanon, where she was caught in cross-fire due to war. Fatima has lived in Michigan for over 20 years, and wants to be identified by her range of dynamic