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Hailai Arghandiwal is the former captain of the Santa Clara Women’s Soccer Team, and current member of the Afghan Women’s National Team. I was born in Alameda, a nice town in the Bay Area in California. I am a first generation Afghan-American born to former refugee parents. My journey to finding my “why” in life […]

Dalia Elsayed is a 24-year old Egyptian American Muslim residing in New York City. She is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in social work at Fordham University. Her passion for helping others translates into her career. In her candid story, she shares how her personal outlook on life has shaped her passion for her career

Hanif Sufizada shares his journey from poverty, war, and loss to earning a degree from Cornell — and then discovering that even an elite education is no guarantee of stability or employment. But through it all, he finds resilience in his Afghan heritage. I was born in Charbargh, a village in Laghman province in Afghanistan.

In this story, Ahmad Shah Mobraiz shares his story of a childhood scarred by the Taliban, followed by a journey of resilience and a passion for education in the face of deep hardship and tragedy — a journey that was illuminated by his grandmother’s proverb. My grandmother would always tell us one proverb: “A man

To spotlight and amplify Muslim American voices, join MALA’s campaign to elevate public dialogue on Muslim-American identity in the 21st Century. In the spirit of this inspiring episode and series, we asked you to share your story with us: what is it really like to be Muslim in America? Selected stories are shared by MALA and

Izdihar Bailey doesn’t “look” Muslim to people, but as a convert, it’s one of the biggest parts of her identity. In her story she shares how she found Islam, how it has changed her life, and how she wants to change the narrative for those that join and are not born into Islam – an

Afrina Khan found her passion as a certified holistic health counselor. She trained in more than 100 different dietary theories, from all the new-age, raw food, and vegan movements to ancient traditions like Ayurveda and the work of Dr. Weston Price. She also trained in a variety of practical lifestyle coaching methods such as stress

Vareesha describes the frustration of growing up as a non-citizen in the U.S., and how reconciling multiple cultural identities has impacted her outlook on interpersonal and intercultural relationships. She encourages others to shape the world they want to live in, and to find bravery in the face of uncertainty. This story was recorded and produced

Aamir Hussain: Shanti and Salaam To spotlight and amplify Muslim American voices, join MALA’s campaign to elevate public dialogue on Muslim-American identity in the 21st Century. In the spirit of this inspiring episode and series, share your story with us: what is it really like to be Muslim in America? Selected stories are shared by MALA and National Geographic.

Meeting FGM Survivors for the First Time Was My Cursed Blessing Note: The following was written anonymously by a survivor. Her story highlights the power of storytelling and how it helps break the isolation that many survivors experience in having undergone FGM/C and dealing with the trauma afterwards. Even now, despite my brain trying to