Muslim Sheroes of Minnesota

Muslim Sheroes of MN S2 E2: Ayan Omar

Meet Ayan Omar. Ayan is an educator and interfaith dialogue practitioner in St. Cloud, Minnesota. Since she was a young Somali refugee separated from her family, hope has been a guiding force in her life. Whether she's telling the story of Emmett Till to her middle schoolers or teaching the essence of Islam to her neighbors, Ayan never gives up hope for a better, brighter world.

Muslim Sheroes of Minnesota is Reviving Sisterhood's storytelling project to showcase the women in our community who aren't waiting for permission to change the world.

Muslim Sheroes of MN S2 E1: Suad Ismail

Meet Suad Ismail. Suad is a mental health advocate who’s disrupting the narrative around mental health in her Somali community. Working as a case manager, she’s approaching the taboo topic and fighting the cultural stigma with compassion and empathy. Accompanied by an illustration from our intern/illustrator extraordinaire Hodan Ali, this episode is about Suad's career plans and the mental health needs that she sees within the community.

Muslim Sheroes of Minnesota is Reviving Sisterhood's storytelling project to showcase the women in our community who aren't waiting for permission to change the world.

Muslim Sheroes of MN E5: Rihab Naheel

Meet Rihab Naheel. Born in Aleppo, Syria, raised in Germany, she calls Minnesota home. She's an ESL teacher, mom, and nonprofit social activist. Although she's teaching a new language to students, she's also guiding them through a different culture, norms and even understanding the American sense of humor. She also runs CISPOS - Committee in Solidarity with the People of Syria - a grassroots organization dedicated to supporting the Syrian people's struggle for dignity and freedom

Muslim Sheroes of Minnesota-profiles amplifying girls & women in our community who aren't waiting for permission to change the world.

A "Shero" is a female trailblazer who is creating change in her community. She takes risks, she challenges misconceptions and addresses injustices. Sheroes are on a mission to build a better world, and the Sisterhood is here to support them and lift their voices. 

A Shero doesn't necessarily have a title or is a head of an organization. She isn't necessarily older or famous. And, her life's work and her contribution might just be beginning. But, her journey is in progress, and sometimes her struggle is like yours and mine: she’s finding her place, using her voice and seeking to be a better version of herself each day. Like any team member, she shows up and works hard. She faces obstacles. When she falls, she gets back up. And she never lets stereotypes tell her who she can and cannot be. 

A shero's effort and her ordinary life can have an extraordinary impact on her community. And it's even more beautiful when she works together with other teammates to achieve her goals

 

 

Muslim Sheroes of MN E4: Krista Siddiqi

Meet Krista Siddiqui. Minnesota born and bred, raised in the Lutheran tradition, she embraced Islam during her college years. She's the first and only Muslim hijabi nursing home administrator in Minnesota. Her heart lies in nonprofit and charitable projects. Working with families on the brink of poverty and facing homelessness, she co-founded ZACAH, an organization that provides assistance through transitional homes. 

Muslim Sheroes of Minnesota-profiles amplifying girls & women in our community who aren't waiting for permission to change the world.

A "Shero" is a female trailblazer who is creating change in her community. She takes risks, she challenges misconceptions and addresses injustices. Sheroes are on a mission to build a better world, and the Sisterhood is here to support them and lift their voices. 

A Shero doesn't necessarily have a title or is a head of an organization. She isn't necessarily older or famous. And, her life's work and her contribution might just be beginning. But, her journey is in progress, and sometimes her struggle is like yours and mine: she’s finding her place, using her voice and seeking to be a better version of herself each day. Like any team member, she shows up and works hard. She faces obstacles. When she falls, she gets back up. And she never lets stereotypes tell her who she can and cannot be. 

A shero's effort and her ordinary life can have an extraordinary impact on her community. And it's even more beautiful when she works together with other teammates to achieve her goals

Muslim Sheroes of MN E3: Faryal Khan

Meet Faryal Khan. Her family immigrated from Pakistan for a chance at higher education and to break glass ceilings. She runs the Emergency Assistance program at Building Blocks of Islam which alleviates the financial burden of numerous families and individuals every year in need. She's a busy mom, understands self-care and the value of our owning your narrative. As she's working on her Master's degree to be a marriage family therapist, she's starting the conversation on sexuality in the Muslim community. It's uncomfortable, funny, but absolutely necessary.  

Muslim Sheroes of Minnesota-profiles amplifying girls & women in our community who aren't waiting for permission to change the world.

A "Shero" is a female trailblazer who is creating change in her community. She takes risks, she challenges misconceptions and addresses injustices. Sheroes are on a mission to build a better world, and the Sisterhood is here to support them and lift their voices. 

A Shero doesn't necessarily have a title or is a head of an organization. She isn't necessarily older or famous. And, her life's work and her contribution might just be beginning. But, her journey is in progress, and sometimes her struggle is like yours and mine: she’s finding her place, using her voice and seeking to be a better version of herself each day. Like any team member, she shows up and works hard. She faces obstacles. When she falls, she gets back up. And she never lets stereotypes tell her who she can and cannot be. 

A shero's effort and her ordinary life can have an extraordinary impact on her community. And it's even more beautiful when she works together with other teammates to achieve her goals

Muslim Sheroes of MN E2: Nimo Ahmed

As a social worker and healthcare advocate, Nimo Ahmed works to enrich the lives of disabled African people. She’s packed bandages, beds and dialysis machines into a “hospital-in-a-box” and shipped it off to Mogadishu. She works hard in connecting resources in transportation, workforce development, and education to bridge the equity gap people with disabilities face.

Muslim Sheroes of Minnesota-profiles amplifying girls & women in our community who aren't waiting for permission to change the world.

A "Shero" is a female trailblazer who is creating change in her community. She takes risks, she challenges misconceptions and addresses injustices. Sheroes are on a mission to build a better world, and the Sisterhood is here to support them and lift their voices. 

A Shero doesn't necessarily have a title or is a head of an organization. She isn't necessarily older or famous. And, her life's work and her contribution might just be beginning. But, her journey is in progress, and sometimes her struggle is like yours and mine: she’s finding her place, using her voice and seeking to be a better version of herself each day. Like any team member, she shows up and works hard. She faces obstacles. When she falls, she gets back up. And she never lets stereotypes tell her who she can and cannot be. 

A shero's effort and her ordinary life can have an extraordinary impact on her community. And it's even more beautiful when she works together with other teammates to achieve her goals

Muslim Sheroes of MN E1: Sumera Islam

From Karachi to Nigeria to California, Sumera Islam calls Minnesota home. Her day job as a Senior Financial Analyst at a Fortune 500 company doesn't stop her from community activism and her busy family life. She volunteers at a women's prison, serves on the board of her children's school, and started up a local interfaith book club. Listen to how this Shero continues to create positive change in her community. 

Muslim Sheroes of Minnesota-profiles amplifying girls & women in our community who aren't waiting for permission to change the world.

A "Shero" is a female trailblazer who is creating change in her community. She takes risks, she challenges misconceptions and addresses injustices. Sheroes are on a mission to build a better world, and the Sisterhood is here to support them and lift their voices. 

A Shero doesn't necessarily have a title or is a head of an organization. She isn't necessarily older or famous. And, her life's work and her contribution might just be beginning. But, her journey is in progress, and sometimes her struggle is like yours and mine: she’s finding her place, using her voice and seeking to be a better version of herself each day. Like any team member, she shows up and works hard. She faces obstacles. When she falls, she gets back up. And she never lets stereotypes tell her who she can and cannot be. 

A shero's effort and her ordinary life can have an extraordinary impact on her community. And it's even more beautiful when she works together with other teammates to achieve her goals.