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Daniela shares her personal narrative in converting to Islam, and how her professional passions shape her worldviews in giving back to her community. This story was recorded in partnership with MALA and StoryCorps. “I was born in Melrose Park, which is a suburb of Chicago. I was born there and I grew up primarily in […]

Onaba Payab is the first female valedictorian at the American University of Afghanistan in Kabul. Before she became a Fulbright Scholar, she moderated a discussion between former First Lady Laura Bush and then First Lady Michelle Obama, and was recently part of a delegation of Afghan women at the U.S. Capitol. My name is Onaba

Awatif Yahya is the founder of Awe Horizons, a company that offers leadership workshops and consultancy services to business managers and entrepreneurs to help them gain competitive advantage. Here, she shares her journey of “breaking from the norm.” I have made it my mission to break perceptions and stereotypes for Muslim women. The image of

Asad walks us through his history and journey upon arriving in Chicago, and shares his wisdom from the lessons he’s learned while finding himself. A practicing physician, Asad provides examples of the benefits of hard work and dedication. This story was recorded in partnership with MALA and StoryCorps. “I was born in Dhaka, Bangladesh, formerly

Samia Kemal grew up in the leafy green haven of Connecticut. Surrounded by her mostly white classmates, she cultivated a dry sense of humor to make sense of her insulated world, and hungrily sought out media and pop culture as an escape. Here, she reflects on how her outspoken nature has fueled her career in

Tamim Majeed survived war and refugee camps; he pursued his education and nurtured his entrepreneurial spirit to move forward and find safety and opportunity for his family. I was born in Kabul, Afghanistan, once called “the Garden of Asia,” surrounded by small mountainous valleys on all sides. Kabul is lively city, where you don’t need

Rohan paints a picture of his childhood in a multicultural neighborhood in Mumbai, India and describes how envisioning success and focusing on goals has led him to a fulfilling life. This story was recorded in partnership with MALA and StoryCorps. “I was born in Mumbai, in India, which was called Bombay at the time. It

Mahjabeen Malik came to America for an escape and for support. While not everyone in the U.S. has welcomed her with open arms, the community she has created is exactly what she was looking for and makes her proud to call the U.S. home. In her story she shares why she left her roots and

Michelle shares her struggles and triumphs in balancing a demanding career in public relations, while navigating an interfaith marriage. Raised in a conservative Jewish family, Michelle’s relationship with her husband, Sam, was controversial and often the subject of criticism from her family early on. She tells the story of how her family has grown and

Fereshteh Forough founded Code to Inspire to empower Afghan women with skills in technology and entrepreneurship — all from her laptop in New York City. Fereshteh Forough: “I was born in a small town at the border of Iran and Afghanistan. My greatest inspiration has been my mother, who would make dresses to support our