Defiance Academy: Recent Episodes
Qaali Hussein, MD, Hani Ahmed, MD
In this podcast, working Muslim women share their stories, struggles, triumphs and lessons learned along the way in pursuit of their careers and family life. Our vision is to continue to foster and celebrate Professional Muslim Women in their respective fields. We strive to hear stories and connect the many Muslim women who have succeeded professionally and have challenged the status quo of what it means to be a Muslim woman in their workplace. Get ready to be inspired, empowered and break stereotypes!
Holding onto limiting ideas and beliefs while trying to break with social norms and standards can be challenging. It's important for us to question and interrogate why we have these beliefs and examine how they limit us from expanding our horizons.
Join us at the Defiant Women's Leadership Conference on January 21, 2023 in Phoenix, Arizona ➡️
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/defiant-womens-leadership-conference-tickets-408409191887
Got questions on life and career goals? Submit them at the link below and tune into the Mentoring Moments segment for in-depth discussions.
Mentoring Moments ➡️ https://www.defianceacademy.com/mentoring-moments
Interested in the Taking UP Space Course?
Enroll Here ➡️ https://www.defianceacademy.com/sales-page-848de76c-8f94-4d8c-b7d4-7367e50050c9
In the pursuit of careers, especially in the STEM fields, one of the biggest gaps in professional development is the lack of leadership training during the early parts of the journey. While these skills are important in helping you to advance in your career, they're also relevant in helping you overcome obstacles, negotiate changes both at work and in your personal life, and prioritize your goals. In this episode, we discuss this gap and the ways in which Defiance Academy is hoping to bridge it for the next generation.
Got questions on life and career goals? Submit them at the link below and tune into the Mentoring Moments segment for in-depth discussions.
Mentoring Moments ➡️ https://www.defianceacademy.com/mentoring-moments
Interested in the Taking UP Space Course?
Enroll Here ➡️ https://www.defianceacademy.com/sales-page-848de76c-8f94-4d8c-b7d4-7367e50050c9
Get on the email list to learn more about the Defiant Women's Leadership Conference ➡️
https://www.defianceacademy.com/defiantwomenconference
Deqa is a premed student passionate about pursuing surgery. She's a first-generation student who lost her father at a young age and was was raised by a single mother. As a Black Muslim woman, she found it difficult to identify with the mentors she was presented with at networking events. Now as an alumna of the Taking UP Space Course, Deqa's mindset is transformed. Listen as she shares her journey thus far and how a mindset shift impacted her ability to dream big.
Got questions on life and career goals? Submit them at the link below and tune into the Mentoring Moments segment for in-depth discussions.
Mentoring Moments ➡️ https://www.defianceacademy.com/mentoring-moments
Interested in the Taking UP Space Course?
Enroll Here ➡️ https://www.defianceacademy.com/sales-page-848de76c-8f94-4d8c-b7d4-7367e50050c9
Get on the email list to learn more about the Defiant Women's Leadership Conference ➡️
https://www.defianceacademy.com/defiantwomenconference
In a society that teaches you to be risk averse, can taking calculated risks in your personal and career goals be the key to overcoming obstacles?
In this episode, Dr. Sondos Al Sad and I dig deep into what it means to be a Muslim woman navigating life and career while maintaining your faith and values and how calculated risks pay off.
You can reach Dr. Al Sad on Twitter @SadSondos
Got questions on life and career goals? Submit them at the link below and tune into the Mentoring Moments segment for in-depth discussions.
Mentoring Moments ➡️ https://www.defianceacademy.com/mentoring-moments
Interested in the Taking UP Space Course?
Enroll Here ➡️ https://www.defianceacademy.com/sales-page-848de76c-8f94-4d8c-b7d4-7367e50050c9
Get on the email list to learn more about the Defiant Women's Leadership Conference ➡️
https://www.defianceacademy.com/defiantwomenconference
Our first Mentoring Moments segment! In this episode, I answer the question "How do you become a surgeon?" I outline the process from high school, college, medical school, all the way to fellowship.
Got questions on life and career goals? Submit them at the link below and tune into the Mentoring Moments segment for in-depth discussions.
Mentoring Moments ➡️ https://www.defianceacademy.com/mentoring-moments
Interested in the Taking UP Space Course?
Enroll Here ➡️ https://www.defianceacademy.com/sales-page-848de76c-8f94-4d8c-b7d4-7367e50050c9
In this episode, we discuss how we can use our biggest strengths - our families and our communities - to our advantage in building the life and career we want.
Got questions on life and career goals? Submit them at the link below and tune into the Mentoring Moments segment for in-depth discussions.
Mentoring Moments ➡️ https://www.defianceacademy.com/mentoring-moments
Interested in the Taking UP Space Course?
Enroll Here ➡️ https://www.defianceacademy.com/sales-page-848de76c-8f94-4d8c-b7d4-7367e50050c9
In this episode, Dr. Emma Wiley shares
- her path into medicine
- how the growth mindset impacted her journey
- the importance of maintaining faith
- her incredible work with the Muslim Women of Merton in advocating for Muslim women and combatting Islamophobia
- her work with the British Medical Association on hijab and bear-below-elbow policy for Muslim women working in the operating room (or operating theater as they call it in the UK!)
To follow Dr. Wiley's work, follow her on Twitter @EmmaWiley16
Got questions on life and career goals? Submit them at the link below and tune into the Mentoring Moments segment for in-depth discussions.
Mentoring Moments ➡️ https://www.defianceacademy.com/mentoring-moments
Interested in the Taking UP Space Course?
Enroll Here ➡️ https://www.defianceacademy.com/sales-page-848de76c-8f94-4d8c-b7d4-7367e50050c9
After you prove yourself and surpass all expectations, you're given the respect you deserve and opportunities to advance in your career, right? Sadly this expectation is inconsistent with the reality of the workplace, especially for the minoritized and underrepresented. In this week's episode, we discuss the importance of developing a strategy early in your career and how you can take control of your career trajectory.
Got questions on life and career goals? Submit them at the link below and tune into the Mentoring Moments segment for in-depth discussions.
Mentoring Moments ➡️ https://www.defianceacademy.com/mentoring-moments
Interested in the Taking UP Space Course?
Enroll Here ➡️ https://www.defianceacademy.com/sales-page-848de76c-8f94-4d8c-b7d4-7367e50050c9
Welcome to Season 2! We’re so excited to be back. We’re picking up right where we left off after a two-year pandemic break. Our personal and professional lives have significantly changed since the start of the pandemic. So in this season, we’ll be doing things a little differently. We’ll introduce the new format of the podcast, our respective roles, and new exciting segments and projects we have in store for you. Happy listening! Submit your questions on all things life and career goals below and tune into the Mentoring Moments segment for in-depth discussions.
Mentoring Moments ➡️ https://www.defianceacademy.com/mentoring-moments
Interested in the Taking UP Space Course?
Enroll Here ➡️ https://www.defianceacademy.com/sales-page-848de76c-8f94-4d8c-b7d4-7367e50050c9
Welcome back! The ladies of The Professional Muslim Women podcast sit down and catch up on all that 2020 has dropped into their lives. As front line healthcare workers in the pandemic, their personal lives have been deeply affected and they discuss what they have been up to in the intervening months.
They also discuss the protests for racial justice and the ongoing struggle for racial equality, particularly through the lens of the healthcare system. They discuss the impact Covid19 has had bringing into stark relief the racial disparity in health outcomes. .
They give their take on the upcoming Election and discuss how voting is a powerful tool for progressive change. We are not powerless and they offer some ideas on how to use our power to improve our lives and our communities.
For details on how and where to vote go to https://iwillvote.com/
Building wealth is not as hard as you think. The secrets have been out years ago. We just have to remind ourselves again and again and make a conscious effort to follow it.
What comes to mind when you hear terms like the stock market, bonds, investment, and other financial jargon? It sounds intimidating and scary, right? And you feel like you’ll just lose money if you invest it, so you never really bothered. But it doesn’t have to be.
After listening to this episode, you’ll learn useful financial information to get you moving towards building wealth!
Our guest is Saima Ali, a neurologist who has a deep passion for finance and teaching others the financial skills they needed to improve their financial wellbeing. She shares important resources to manage your debt and make saving money easier.
Saima talks about the difference between halal and haram investments, and things you need to know about life insurance. She also speaks about what it means to live below your means and pay your future self first and how to set your mindset for financial success.
Her goals are to have every woman retire as a millionaire. She created a free introduction to the stock market training, which can be accessed below.
In this Episode, We Talk About:
- The story behind Saima’s finance projects
- Resources to improve your financial wellbeing
- Managing debt wisely
- Building your credit score
- What it means to live below your means
- Why finance is a mindset game
- Instant pleasure vs. delayed gratification
- How to make saving money easier
- The FIRE movement
- How to ensure your assets
- What you need to know about life insurance
- Halal vs. Haram investments
Where to reach Saima Ali
- Instagram @wealthymuslimwomen
- Facebook @WealthyMuslimWomen
- Wealthy Muslim Women - website
- Wealthy Muslim Women Podcast
Resources:
- The Stock Market: mini-training
Want to hear more stories from amazing Muslim Women?
Please subscribe on Apple Podcast, Stitcher or on your favorite podcast platform. Get notified so you never miss out!
Let us know what you think and what part of the podcast conversation you enjoyed the most by leaving us a review and rating here! And don’t forget to join us on our Facebook group Professional Muslim Women to continue the conversation and connect with a community of Muslim women like you!
Quitting your job to start your own business is probably one of the riskiest paths you’d ever take. It’s full of uncertainties. What if you fail? You will surely scratch your knees along the way but once you get past the trying times, the results are going to be gratifying! Join us in this episode as Samira Ali shares her inspiring journey of entrepreneurship and how she left her secured employee position to start her own company. She shares her experience being in the field of HR and how it is like to do volunteer work for a charitable organization. We also touch the topic of self-worth and how you can stand up for yourself. Find out what compelled Samira to leave her secured work and follow the risky path of being an entrepreneur. In this Episode, We Talk About: * How Samira got into the field of HR * Volunteering for a charitable organization * Samira’s journey to entrepreneurship * What the star method all about * Self-worth
Want to hear more stories from amazing Muslim Women?
Please subscribe on Apple Podcast, Stitcher or on your favorite podcast platform. Get notified so you never miss out!
Let us know what you think and what part of the podcast conversation you enjoyed the most by leaving us a review and rating here! And don’t forget to join us on our Facebook group Professional Muslim Women to continue the conversation and connect with a community of Muslim women like you!
Science and faith are often in conflict but our guest for today has integrated both science and faith into her own life that created the synergy to accomplish her aspirations.
Join us in this episode as we discuss the rich tradition of faith and science in Islam with Oncology Hospitalist Marium Husain! She is a hematology-oncology at The Ohio State University. She actively works on community service projects and has volunteered with the WHO on nutrition-related projects. Religion is the opposite of scientific principles, but Marium will educate us about the impact of Islam and the contributions of Muslim scientists to medicine and science in general. Marium also talks about the importance of finding your talents and pursuing a career that you love to enjoy life and fulfill your purpose!
In this Episode, We Talk About: * What led Marium to the field of hematology-oncology * Marium’s experience working in international medicine and abroad * Sustainability, science, and faith * The role of Islam in relationship to Medicine and Science * Finding your talents and pursuing a career that you love
Where to reach Marium Husain
- YouTube
Resources:
- IMANA
- Science Jummah
Want to hear more stories from amazing Muslim Women?
Please subscribe on Apple Podcast, Stitcher or on your favorite podcast platform. Get notified so you never miss out!
Let us know what you think and what part of the podcast conversation you enjoyed the most by leaving us a review and rating here! And don’t forget to join us on our Facebook group Professional Muslim Women to continue the conversation and connect with a community of Muslim women like you!
Know that you will fail. Know that you will scrape your knees but you will be okay and you’ll be so much stronger. — Deqa Gelle To get to where you need to be, you must take the initiative and take action to get there. You won’t learn how to run unless you learn how to walk. In this episode, we explore Deqa’s journey in finding her path and how she started One Stone HR. Deqa is an experienced Recruitment Manager with 10 years of experience in the recruitment industry. She helped build successful and harmonious teams for corporate organizations and she currently helps individuals and corporations in cultivating their brand. She talks about how taking action - big or small helps her show up every day for herself and others. Find out how Deqa overcame her adversaries and what motivates her to push through and take continuous action.
In this Episode, We Talk About: * Deqa’s journey to HR Recruitment * What drives Deqa to keep pushing on * Making the leap and getting over self-doubt * The stigma around divorce * Action, action, action
Where to reach Deqa Gelle
- Deqa Gelle YouTube Channel
- One Stone HR Website
Want to hear more stories from amazing Muslim Women?
Please subscribe on Apple Podcast, Stitcher or on your favorite podcast platform. Get notified so you never miss out!
Let us know what you think and what part of the podcast conversation you enjoyed the most by leaving us a review and rating here! And don’t forget to join us on our Facebook group Professional Muslim Women to continue the conversation and connect with a community of Muslim women like you!
“Make your mark and don’t be afraid.”
-Dr. Samira Hassan
Dr. Hassan, General Practitioner, Family Medicine Specialist and vice president of the British Somali Medical Association shares with us her unconventional path to medicine.
On this episode, we explore Dr. Hassan’s journey of finding her self through the culture shock of being transplanted in the Somali community as a teenager, her meandering path to solidifying her interest in medicine including turning down an offer of admission to medical school, and dealing with the agony of rejection after re-application and how she learned the importance of seeking feedback in the face of it. She also shares her passion for community outreach in addressing health awareness and literacy including mental health awareness as well as creating career fairs for the youth. She has certainly made a mark and has influenced Somali youth globally with the spread of her Careers Fair platform on a global scale.
In this Episode, We Talk About:
- Dr. Samira’s journey to medicine
- The value of listening to your inner voice
- The value of finding yourself and what your true passion really is
- Community outreach
- Hidden blessings
Where to reach Dr. Samira Hassan
Want to hear more stories from amazing Muslim Women?
Please subscribe on Apple Podcast, Stitcher or on your favorite podcast platform. Get notified so you never miss out!
Let us know what you think and what part of the podcast conversation you enjoyed the most by leaving us a review and rating here! And don’t forget to join us on our Facebook group Professional Muslim Women to continue the conversation and connect with a community of Muslim women like you!
It’s never easy being a mom and having a full-time job. Balancing work and home is always a very challenging feat but is it really impossible to become successful at both? Recently, the Harvard Business Review published an article that talks about women, being an ideal worker or a perfect mom. The article was demeaning as it deems that women have to choose between motherhood and career if they want to excel and meet society’s high standards. Join us in this episode as we break that narrative that society continues to throw at us. We will also tackle the issue of pregnancy and breastfeeding in the workplace as well as debate on why the article written by Harvard is wrong in many ways.
In this Episode, We Talk About:
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding in the workplace
- Why there is nobody who’s an ideal worker and a perfect parent
- Filtering out people who aren’t good candidates for you to work for or work with
- How to advocate for yourself
Want to hear more stories from amazing Muslim Women?
Please subscribe on Apple Podcast, Stitcher or on your favorite podcast platform. Get notified so you never miss out!
Let us know what you think and what part of the podcast conversation you enjoyed the most by leaving us a review and rating here! And don’t forget to join us on our Facebook group Professional Muslim Women to continue the conversation and connect with a community of Muslim women like you!
Resources:
- Ideal Worker of Perfect Mom? From Harvard Business Review
Join us in this episode as we sit with Dr. Anjabeen Ashraf to talk about trauma, depression, mental health, and social justice activism. Dr. Anjabeen is a mental health expert, speaker, researcher, educator, and social justice activist. Her work is mainly centered on exploring the experience of American Muslims and South Asian Americans. In this conversation, Dr. Anjabeen explains what vicarious trauma is all about and how one can heal from traumatic experiences. She also shares some of her findings on vicarious trauma from her research study. Moreover, we also tackle the issue of postpartum depression and what you can do about it. Talking about your struggles is another way to heal, and so Dr. Anjabeen elaborates on the importance of honoring your mental, reaching out for help, and the role of a community in helping others heal. She offers tools you can apply to yourself and your community to cope with stress, depression, and trauma. Lastly, we talk about boundaries, how to set up healthy boundaries in the workplace and Dr. Anjabeen’s social justice work as part of the hate crime law implementation committee in Oregon. In this Episode, We Talk About: * What is ‘vicarious trauma’? * What Dr. Anjabeens research study reveals about vicarious trauma * Honoring your mental health * Healing through community * Coping with your stress and trauma through ‘grounding’ * What to do when you have symptoms of postpartum depression * Boundary work and why it matters * Setting boundaries in the workplace * Dr. Anjabeen’s social justice work on the hate crime law implementation committee in Oregon * Dr. Anjabeen’s advice to young Muslim women who are thinking of a career in counseling, psychotherapy, mental health, and psychology
Where to reach Dr. Anjabeen Ashraf:
Dr. Anjabeen Ashraf Bio:
Dr. Anjabeen Ashraf holds a doctorate in Counselor Education and a Master’s degree in Counseling. Her work has focused on vicarious trauma in American Muslims, mental health counseling, and anti-oppression work.
She has presented on a number of topics including working with Muslim clients, social justice issues, mental health issues, and courtship/marriage.
Dr. Ashraf is currently serving on the Hate Crime law implementation committee in Oregon. This groundbreaking legislation passed in Oregon in 2019 and amends the criminality of hate crimes and expands the state’s tracking of hate crimes and hate incidents. Dr. Ashraf’s work on the steering committee focuses on trauma-informed practices and support for survivors of hate crimes.
Dr. Ashraf firmly believes in the power of counseling and personal growth work. Her online presence is focused on destigmatizing mental health and wellness in South Asian and Muslim communities. Engaging with the public outside the siloes of academia is important in Dr. Ashraf’s anti-oppression framework.
Want to hear more stories from amazing Muslim Women?
Please subscribe on Apple Podcast, Stitcher or on your favorite podcast platform. Get notified so you never miss out!
Let us know what you think and what part of the podcast conversation you enjoyed the most by leaving us a review and rating here! And don’t forget to join us on our Facebook group Professional Muslim Women to continue the conversation and connect with a community of Muslim women like you!
Resources:
- Revolution Counseling, LLC
"For the little girl that didn't know a word of English or French, then to graduate in University with both official languages, I felt victorious." -Rahma Mohamed
Literature has always been a passion of Rahma's. Having to forego pursuing her college studies in literature to satisfy her immigrant parents' need for security in choosing a career, Rahma found her way back to her passion unexpectedly. Having never read a children's book herself, Rahma became fascinated with the value and legacy in nurturing and sharing this childhood experience with her own children. As she tried to create this experience with her children, she realized the scarcity of diversity and representation in children's literature. Because of the lack of diversity in the market for Muslim Children’s Book, she decided to self-publish children’s books to encourage kids to be proud of their uniqueness, spread awareness, and celebrate diversity.
Join us in this episode as we talk about diversity in literature, storybooks and parenting with Rahma Mohamed, a children’s storybook author. In this Episode, We Talk About:
- Rahma’s early school and career experience
- What made Rahma walk the path of being a Children’s Storybook Author
- What it feels like to be the only child of color in your class
- How to raise your child so that they have self-confidence within themselves
- Why literature representation for people of color is important
- The role of diversity in literature
Where to reach Rahma Mohamed:
- Rahma Rodaah
Rahma Mohamed's Bio:
Rahma Mohamed was born and raised in Hargeisa, Somalia. At the age of eight, her family immigrated to Quebec, Canada where she attended her first formal school in French. She mastered both French and English and became the first to graduate from University in her family.
She didn’t learn to read until she was at the age of ten. When she learned to read, a new world opened up to her. And she read all kinds of stories. But sadly, she never found herself in any of them.
Once she became a mother, she set out to self-publish children’s books to encourage youth to be proud of their uniqueness by celebrating diversity.
Fueled by her struggles and life experience, she became determined to offer books centered on characters that are Muslim and with African roots.
She firmly believes that children need to be able to identify themselves in the book they read to enhance their self-confidence as well as bolster their sense of pride. She writes under the pen name Rahma Rodaah which is her first name and middle name combined.
Mentioned from this episode:
- Muhiima’s Quest by Rahma
- Little Brother for Sale by Rahma
- Pebbles that Build Mountains by Rahma Mohamed | TEDx
Want to hear more stories from amazing Muslim Women?
Please subscribe on Apple Podcast, Stitcher or on your favorite podcast platform. Get notified so you never miss out!
Let us know what you think and what part of the podcast conversation you enjoyed the most by leaving us a review and rating here! And don’t forget to join us on our Facebook group Professional Muslim Women to continue the conversation and connect with a community of Muslim women like you!
As a Muslim, how should we approach parenting? Raising a child is no walk in the park. It’s confusing and daunting, especially that as a parent you’re expected to do a perfect job. But it is also rewarding at the same time, especially when your child grows into a fine, responsible, and loving adult. What should we do as parents to raise our kids properly while still keeping with the principles of Islam? Join us in this episode as we talk about parenting in the Islam perspective with Gulnaz Ahsan, the editor of Halal Parenting. Halal Parenting is a magazine that offers parenting techniques that work. It provides a delicate balance of fresh, modern parenting content that incorporates Islamic principles to help you make the best decisions for your children and family. In this conversation, Gulnaz shares why she decided to become an entrepreneur and why she founded Halal Parenting. She also talks about parenting from the perspective of Islam and how parenting is likened to an on-the-job training. She also addresses the misconception that women automatically know how to take care of and raise a child. Gulnaz explains why entrepreneurship is the ideal career for women and moms who want to stay at home and take care of their children. For our Professional Muslim Women listeners, we’re offering you a 15% discount off the annual subscription to Halal Parenting magazine! Use our exclusive coupon code PMW15 when you purchase! In this Episode, We Talk About:
- Gulnaz’ early career experience
- From finance to entrepreneurship
- Parenting from the perspective of Islam
- What to do when your child is throwing a tantrum
- Staying consistent as a parent
- Why entrepreneurship is a good career choice for women
Where to reach Gulnaz Ahsan: LinkedIn
Gulnaz Ahsan's Bio:
Gulnaz Ahsan the editor of Halal Parenting magazine. She studied International Business Finance in the UK and later took Business Software Applications in Northern California. She works as a licensed investment advisor with a focus on managing clients for a few and then later on married and moved to Milwaukee Wisconsin. She continues to work for project outsourcing companies that serve large financial institutions throughout the country.
Mentioned from this episode:
- Halal Parenting
- Halal Parenting - Facebook
- Hala Parenting - FB Group
Want to hear more stories from amazing Muslim Women?
Please subscribe on Apple Podcast, Stitcher or on your favorite podcast platform. Get notified so you never miss out!
Let us know what you think and what part of the podcast conversation you enjoyed the most by leaving us a review and rating here! And don’t forget to join us on our Facebook group Professional Muslim Women to continue the conversation and connect with a community of Muslim women like you!
Choosing a career is hard enough. Having a mentor to guide and help you with your chosen career makes all the difference and keeps you right on track.
Today, our guest is Dr. Uzma Syed who is a true Muslimah trailblazer. She is the President of Align Us, a not-for-profit organization that offers unique mentorship opportunities to help foster career development for high school students. Align Us is an after school program which helps students bridge classroom to real-world experiences.
Join us in this episode as Dr. Uzma Syed shares her experience in becoming a public figure and trailblazer in her community. She tells us about the difficult road of pursuing her doctorate career without a mentor and how that experience inspired her non profit. Her ultimate goal is to bridge cultural and societal gaps so that all American citizens have an active role in their community at hand.
In this Episode, We Talk About:
- Her activism in having Islamic Holidays recognized state wide
- The huge benefits of mentorship to young students
- Advise for blazing your career
- Getting the right resources
Where to reach Dr. Uzma Syed:
-
Instagram @uzmasworld
-
Twitter @druzmasyed
-
Linkedin @uzma-syed
Where to reach Align Us:
-
Website
-
Email: info@align-us.org
-
Facebook
-
Twitter
Dr. Uzma Syed’s Bio:
Dr. Uzma Syed is a board-certified infectious disease specialist, an education leader and a political activist. She cares a lot about education, from directing a nonprofit called Align Us that provides mentorship and career development to serving on school board committees as an advisor.
She's a rising Muslim civic figure in Nassau community politics, she co-founded the eighth-holiday coalition, served on the commissioner's community council, and is recognized by the legislature as a female trailblazer.
She also ran as a school board trustee candidate in 2018 all while being a proud and visible Hijab Muslim woman.
Mentioned from this episode:
- Dr. Uzma Syed a Woman of Substance
Want to hear more stories from amazing Muslim Women?
Please subscribe on Apple Podcast, Stitcher or on your favorite podcast platform. Get notified so you never miss out!
Let us know what you think and what part of the podcast conversation you enjoyed the most by leaving us a review and rating here! And don’t forget to join us on our Facebook group Professional Muslim Women to continue the conversation and connect with a community of Muslim women like you!
Beauty comes in all colors. But sadly, skin color (colorism) features in defining standards of beauty due to the historical context of colonialism in large parts of the world.
Our next guest, Amira Adawe, MPH was the researcher who discovered the high levels of mercury and other toxic chemicals in skin lightening creams. These chemicals were not identified on the label, which not only bucks FDA laws but led to harmful effects on unsuspecting women.
Join us in this episode as Amira talks to us about her early research and ongoing advocacy through The Beautywell Project a non profit organization that aims to end skin-lightening practices and chemical exposures. She’s on a mission to help women embrace their identity and love themselves. Amira shares why she started her research on preventing skin-lightening products and the dangers it can cause. We also discuss the topic of beauty standards and how we can change the narrative around it.
In this Episode, We Talk About:
- The origin of skin-lightening practices
- The reason why Amira started her research on preventing skin-lightening practices
- How colonialism affected the defining of beauty in many cultures around the world
- The dangers of skin-lightening products
- What beauty means in the culture
- Is a career in public health really fulfilling?
- Educating individuals about wellness
- The reason why Amira chose to teach
Where to reach Amira Adawe:
Amira’s Bio:
Amira is the Founder and Executive Director at The Beautywell Project, a non-profit organization that aims to combat skin-lightening and chemical exposures as well as addressing other environmental impacts in Minnesota, nationwide and international.
She previously managed Minnesota’s Children Cabinet of Governor Mark Dayton where she worked on early childhood in all policies and systems using equity lens. She’s also a public health researcher and her research interests include women’s and children’s health in the areas of access to health care, skin-lightening practices, and chemical exposures.
Amira is the host of Beauty-Wellness Talk at KALY Radio and Podcast. Amira has an undergraduate degree in Family Social Science from the University of Minnesota and a Master of Public Health from the University of Minnesota School of Public Health. She was also a Policy Fellow 2015-2016 at Humphrey School of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota. Amira's work has been featured on local and national media including StarTribune, Minnpost, STAT News, National Public Radio (NPR), Matter of Fact with Soledad O'Brien and WSB-TV.
Mentioned from this episode:
- BeautyWell Project
- Why black people discriminate among ourselves: the toxic legacy of colorism
Want to hear more stories from amazing Muslim Women?
Please subscribe on Apple Podcast, Stitcher or on your favorite podcast platform. Get notified so you never miss out!
Let us know what you think and what part of the podcast conversation you enjoyed the most by leaving us a review and rating here! And don’t forget to join us on our Facebook group Professional Muslim Women to continue the conversation and connect with a community of Muslim women like you!
This week, we're doing things a little differently! We will be talking about one of the most frequently requested topics of discussion: Time management. We will be tackling this subject in an interactive way with our first ever Facebook live event. Join us in our Facebook group
on Wednesday Nov 13th, 2019 at 8:30 PM EST for an interactive conversation with our PMW community!
Facebook group here
Podcast page here
Instagram here
When you look up Muslim women online, the search results you’ll mostly see are negative. It’s constantly about how oppressed we are or how we’ve been attacked. How do we change this negative narrative that is surrounding our community? How can we create a more positive impact and encourage more Muslim women to step up and own their stories?
In this episode of the Professional Muslim Women, Founder and Executive Director of Reviving the Islamic Sisterhood for Empowerment (RISE), Nausheena Hussain, joins us to talk about how their platform is elevating how Muslim women are perceived. They’re on a mission to make sure that Muslim women are at the table.
Reviving Sisterhood is a platform created to showcase Muslim women’s work and empower them to grow and develop in every aspect of life. Get empowered as you listen to Nausheena’s words of wisdom and motivation so that you can claim your voice and create impactful change in your community.
In this Episode, We Talk About:
- What made Nausheena pursue the amazing arena of social justice, activism, and civics
- What is RISE
- Gender Islamophobia
- Taking back the negative narrative about Muslim women and turning it into something positive by telling the story ourselves
- Muslim Sheroes of Minnesota
- Why you can’t be what you can’t see
- Ways to connect and empower Muslim women
- RISE's 1st conference
- Nausheena’s vision for RISE
- Focusing on our similarities and honoring our differences
- Building your personal BOD
Where to reach Nausheena Hussain:
- Nausheena Hussain's Website
- Youtube
Nausheena’s Bio:
Nausheena Hussain is the co-founder and Executive Director of a new platform to empower women in her community known as Reviving the Islamic Sisterhood for Empowerment. She is dedicated in building a movement to address leadership development, increase community engagement, and create a philanthropic legacy for change.
One of Nausheena’s top strengths is that she is a learner. So naturally, she’s always on the path to increase her knowledge and better her skills. Nausheena graduated from the University of Minnesota cum laude in 2003 with her MBA in Marketing and Healthcare Administration. She holds certificates in Executive Leadership from Stanford and Harvard Universities. She is a fellow graduate from the American Muslim Civic Leadership Institute, Studio/E entrepreneurial program, Rockwood Institute Fellow and is a 2016 Bush Foundation Leadership Fellow.
Because of her hard work and dedication, Nausheena has been recognized for her achievements. She was named the 2012 Catalytic Leader by the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits. In 2016, the Minnesota Women’s Press named her “Changemaker of the Year.”
Click here to learn more about Nausheena and her work.
Mentioned in this episode:
- Reviving the Islamic Sisterhood for Empowerment (RISE)
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Figuring out what brings joy and fulfillment in one's life is a struggle many are faced with today. With societal pressure, it's easy to go down a path you never really intended. Listening to that tiny voice inside you that's telling you to chase after real joy. Listening to that tiny voice inside fo you that's telling you to chase after real joy is not always easy, because along the way we tend to detour or get lost.
How can we become connected to ourselves and start seeking real happiness?
Join us in this episode as we talk about personal development in relation to the principles of Islam with Kaltun Karani. Kaltun is a tafsir teacher and the founder of Hikma Academy. She’s also the author of the book Intentionally Rising: Lifestyle Design for the Conscious Muslim.
Kaltun shares what motivated her to write her book. She also talks about how, within her journey, she resisted external pressures around her and chose instead to listen to her heart. At the end of this episode, Kaltun leaves us with an amazing message that reminds us of what our purpose is in life!
In this Episode, We Talk About:
- Listening to your heart and figuring out what really brings you joy
- Calculating your decisions and going for what makes you feel better
- What motivated Kaltun to write her book
- How Kaltun face and overcome obstacles
- Kaltun’s passion for teaching women and the youth about Islamic studies
- Self-care and community service
- Trusting the process and doing your best
Where to reach Kaltun Karani:
- Kaltun Karani | Website
Kaltun’s Bio:
Kaltun Karani is the founder of Hikma Academy. She has over 10 years of experience working with youth and women in the country as a teacher and mentor in spiritual and personal development. She has also worked as an early childhood coach supporting teachers in quality interactions with children.
She's also the author of the book, Intentionally Rising Lifestyle Design for the Conscious Muslim, a workbook that uses Islamic Principles of self-development to guide readers to intentionally design their ideal lives.
Mentioned from this episode:
- Intentionally Rising: Lifestyle Design for the Conscious Muslim by Kaltun Karani
- Hikma Academy
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Let’s be honest, achieving work-life balance is hard! There are times you’re more active and present at work than you are in your personal life. And sometimes, it can burn us out. That’s why it’s really important to have a good work-life balance so that stress can be minimized and work won’t feel more of a burden.
In this episode of the Professional Muslim Women, join as we talk about the six ways to create a better work-life balance according to the career experts at FORBES. We also discuss the reality of work-life balance for medical professionals. Learn why you need to let go of perfectionism, burnout, the concept of Kaizen and many more!
Listen on and learn how you can elevate your work-life balance and start living a life that is comfortable for you!
In this Episode, We Talk About:
- The reality of work-life balance in the medical world
- What is burnout and how to beat it
- Consequences of burnout for medical professionals
- Unplugging from your source of stress
- How journaling can help alleviate your stress
- Why you need to spend less with people who waste your time
- Self-care and Kaizen
Mentioned in this episode:
- Forbes 6 Tips For Better Work-Life Balance
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Do you have a goal that you’ve been wanting to achieve but it’s still not crossed out on your list? You know how to get it but somehow you lack the motivation to move forward and accomplish it. Most people make excuses on why they're not doing it. For others who already started, sometimes they quit halfway through. If you’re one of those people, then you might consider getting a life coach to help you!
Joining us today is Ifrah Ibrahim, a Biochemist turned life coach. She specializes in helping Muslim women find meaning and clarity in their lives. Ifrah uses traditional Islamic approach to healing trauma, creating mindset shifts, and making powerful decisions.
In this episode, we’re going to talk about how she transitioned from working as a Biochemist to becoming a life coach and counselor. Ifrah also shares important tips on how not to feel fatigued when making decisions, managing work-life balance, and creating productivity strategies.
Listen till the end to find out how you can overcome your procrastination and have the willpower to thrive and live a purposeful life!
In this Episode, We Talk About:
- What is life coaching and why it’s important
- Why we don’t automatically do the things that we know we need to do
- What does a life coach do and why you need them to equip you for success
- What is decision fatigue
- How can you make powerful decisions
- Muslim life coaching
- Why Ifrah chooses to focus on coaching and working with Muslim women
- What motivated Ifrah to get into the arena of coaching and personal development and how that shift affect her personally
- Managing work-life balance
- The best way to honor your parent’s sacrifices
Where to Reach Ifrah Ibrahim:
- Email: ifrah.ibrahim@gmail.com.
- Website: Ifrah Ibrahim
- Read her full life-coaching story here
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Please subscribe on Apple Podcast, Stitcher or on your favorite podcast platform. Get notified so you never miss out!
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Go straight to the heart of danger, for there you will find safety. ~ Chinese Proverb
Explicit bias continues to be a huge issue that needs to be addressed head-on. We think we’ve dealt with it but the sad truth is, it’s still a daily encounter for many.
Join us today as we talk about a relevant subject that needs more attention. In this episode, we discuss the topic of diversity and inclusion, as well as intersectionality. Dr. Hussein also shares a recent experience she had at a women’s conference, why implicit bias is gaining so much interest nowadays and what we can all do to take action over this negativity.
In this Episode, We Talk About:
- What is “intersectionality”?
- Why all this talk about diversity and inclusion is more of a lip service
- Explicit and implicit bias
- Dr. Hussein’s experience in a recent women conference
- How do we address the main issue, which is the system
- Sexism in the field of medicine
- Knowing other’s experiences preps us to be in a better situation
- Why it’s important to take the time and educate yourself to know what your rights are
- The vulnerability of Muslim women
Mentioned from this episode:
- Suffrage Rights Movement in the U.S.
- Black Civil Rights Movement in the U.S.
- Marthin Luther King Jr.
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Professional career advancement for women, especially women of color, can be slowed by many factors. Whether it is the responsibility of parenthood, cultural barriers, or overt discrimination, our guest today, Sahra Noor, has not only overcome these obstacles but has become an exceptional change agent. With her leadership skills, she has made a lasting impact in transforming dysfunctional health systems into something that benefits her patients.
Sahra Noor is the founder, and principal of Grit Partners, a women-owned consulting firm that places collaboration, inclusion and community wellbeing at the forefront of everything they do. She is also an executive coach, facilitator, and health strategist with 20 years of experience in the health and medical fields. Her consulting work focuses on strengthening health systems, training the workforce, and helping them improve their performance.
In this episode, Sahra shares her journey on how she became a health executive and starting up her own health and leadership consulting firm. Being a former CEO, Sahra and I also touch on the issues of institutional racism, systemic racism, as well as the challenges Muslim women face in the workplace.
In this Episode, We Talk About:
- Sahra’s journey to becoming a health executive
- Dealing with motherhood, married life, and college
- The importance of having a network to support you in accomplishing your goals
- Sahra’s transition from nursing to leadership
- Systemic racism and dysfunctional health systems
- How to serve the people who are underserved
- From CEO to running a Health + Leadership consulting agency
- How staying focused and doing the right thing can lead you to better opportunities
Where to reach Sahra Noor:
Sahra’s Bio:
Sahra Noor is the founder and principal at Grit Partners. Recently she has served as an award-winning CEO of People’s Center Clinics & Services, a network of integrated community clinics providing medical, dental, mental health and social health services in Minnesota.
Mentioned from this episode:
- Grit Partners Consulting
Want to hear more stories from amazing Muslim Women?
Please subscribe on Apple Podcast, Stitcher or on your favorite podcast platform. Get notified so you never miss out!
Let us know what you think and what part of the podcast conversation you enjoyed the most by leaving us a review and rating here! And don’t forget to join us on our Facebook group Professional Muslim Women to continue the conversation and connect with a community of Muslim women like you!
The hijab is a veil worn by Muslim women in public to cover their head down to their chest as a form of modesty and religious code. But nowadays, wearing a hijab has more connotations than simply religious observance.
This topic has always been a sensitive issue especially for hijab-wearing women, and we’re going to try to unravel this topic today!
Join us in this honest discussion about the hijab. Learn why some Muslim women opt to wear it despite the prejudice and racial comments of society and why some women choose not to.
Should you wear the hijab? Whatever your decision may be, tune in as we talk about comfortability, sexism, and spirituality.
In this Episode, We Talk About:
- Should you wear a hijab or not?
- When Dr. Hussein started to wear the hijab and why she decided to wear it
- Obstacles hijabis are faced with
- How Dr. Hussein manages to get through the criticism of wearing a hijab
- How struggles and hardship can mold you into a better version of yourself
- Being open and having an honest discussion with people
- Misconceptions people have when it comes to Muslims
- Dealing with sexism
- Being comfortable with yourself
- Wearing a hijab is a spiritual decision
- Advice for young women on wearing hijab
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Let us know what you think and what part of the podcast conversation you enjoyed the most by leaving us a review and rating here! And don’t forget to join us on our Facebook group Professional Muslim Women to continue the conversation and connect with a community of Muslim women like you!
As underrepresented minorities in many fields, Muslim women find it difficult to maintain their authenticity and are expected to fit into a system. In this episode, Dr. Nusheen Ameenuddin, a Pediatrician at Mayo Clinic joins us to share her story of maintaining her authenticity throughout her journey. Aside from being a pediatrician, Dr. Ameenuddin is also chair of the Council of communication and media at the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Today she will share why she chose to become a pediatrician and what drew her close to pediatric medicine. Dr. Ameenuddin also shared her thoughts on the wearing of hijab. Moreover she wants us all to be more intentional in our work and more authentic to ourselves.
In this Episode, We Talk About:
- Dr. Ameenuddin’s journey into medicine and pediatrics
- What drew Dr. Ameenuddin to the field of Pediatrics
- Doing things with the right intention
- The obstacles that Dr. Ameenuddin needed to overcome
- Embracing your story and being true to yourself
Where to reach Nusheen Ameenuddin:
- Nusheen’s Bio on Mayo Clinic
Nusheen’s Bio:
Dr. Nusheen Ameenuddin is a pediatrician at the Mayo Clinic. She's also chair of the council of communication and media at the American Academy of Pediatrics. She recently completed a fellowship in minority health policy at Harvard Medical School.
From Dr. Ameenuddin:
The opinions expressed on this podcast reflect my own and are not the views of Mayo Clinic or the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Want to hear more stories from amazing Muslim Women?
Please subscribe on Apple Podcast, Stitcher or on your favorite podcast platform. Get notified so you never miss out!
Let us know what you think and what part of the podcast conversation you enjoyed the most by leaving us a review and rating here! And don’t forget to join us on our Facebook group Professional Muslim Women to continue the conversation and connect with a community of Muslim women like you!
While many find inspiration in seeing successful people they can identify with, the majority of people want to know the nuances of how to get through the various social and workplace obstacles we face. The most common feedback from our podcast launch has been how we’ve been able to accomplish our goals.
In response, we’ve identified three key factors which were essential in our journey to pursuing our passions: grit, sacrifice, and support.
Angela Duckworth, in her TEDx talk, defines grit as passion and perseverance for very long-term goals. It’s that ability to become mentally tough and to persevere through tough circumstances.
Join us today as we discuss these factors and how they helped mold us into better versions of ourselves and learn how they can help you as well.
Listen on as we both share our experiences and how we overcame the many obstacles through grit, sacrifice, and support from our loved ones!
In this Episode, We Talk About:
- Dr. Hussein’s grit and how she had no other choice but to persevere
- How to deal with failure from a surgeon’s standpoint
- Finding success in your life through sacrifice
- Identifying your support network - who are the people in your circle?
- Mom-shaming
Mentioned from this episode:
- Angela Lee Duckworth TEDxTalk - Grit: the power of passion and perseverance
Want to hear more stories from amazing Muslim Women?
Please subscribe on Apple Podcast, Stitcher or on your favorite podcast platform. Get notified so you never miss out!
Let us know what you think and what part of the podcast conversation you enjoyed the most by leaving us a review and rating here! And don’t forget to join us on our Facebook group Professional Muslim Women to continue the conversation and connect with a community of Muslim women like you!
Choosing a career path can be a difficult process to work through, especially when you don’t know exactly what you want to do. A lot of people stress out over the fact that they don’t have a straight path; which is a huge expectation society places on not yet fully developed 17 and 18 year old students. To get yourself where you want to be, it's important that you take the time to really think through your options.
In this episode of The Professional Muslim Women podcast, Fatima Hassan Ali, a strong professional who graduated from Harvard Law School will talk about her journey to finding her own career path. Growing up as an immigrant from Somalia, she always wanted to be in a profession that impacted people’s lives. But before she became the wonderful lawyer that she is now, Fatima had no idea how to get where she wanted.
Join us as Fatima shares her story on how she found a pathway to her dream profession. She’ll also talk about the important lessons she has learned from law school. Moreover, Fatima shares how having a mentor, network, and a community that supports you is vital in achieving success.
Tune in and be inspired by Fatima’s unique journey.
In this Episode, We Talk About:
- How Fatima started her journey to law
- Participating in World Health Organization programs
- The importance of mentorship and growing your network of supporters
- How Fatima got into Harvard Law School after being a pre-med student
- The important lessons Fatima learned from Law School
- Not measuring yourself against someone else’s progress
- Imposter syndrome and figuring out what you want
- Fatima’s biggest obstacles and how she overcame it
- Having a balanced life and getting in touch with your mental wellbeing
- The 2 sets of mentorship circles you should have when you’re planning to go into law school
- Fatima’s awesome tip for success
Where to reach Fatima Hassan Ali:
Fatima's Bio:
Fatima Hassan Ali is an associate at Jones Day in Houston, Texas. Before private practice, Fatima clerked in one of the nation's busiest federal courts for Judge Micaela Alvarez of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas. Fatima is currently the co-chair of the Diversity Committee of the Houston Young Lawyers Association and member of the International Human Rights Committee of the State Bar of Texas.
Want to hear more stories from amazing Muslim Women?
Please subscribe on Apple Podcast, Stitcher or on your favorite podcast platform. Get notified so you never miss out!
Let us know what you think and what part of the podcast conversation you enjoyed the most by leaving us a review and rating. And don’t forget to join us on our Facebook group Professional Muslim Women to continue the conversation and connect with a community of Muslim women like you!
Resources mentioned in this episode:
- Never Split the Difference: Negotiating As If Your Life Depended On it by Chris Voss
Welcome to the very first episode of the Professional Muslim Women Podcast! There are many professional Muslim women role models to look up to but they’re not visible. The stories and achievements of Muslim women are traditionally not highlighted in the mainstream media. And for young women who also aspire to be mothers, seeking a career is sometimes advised against.
So, Dr. Qaali Hussein (Trauma Surgeon and a mother of six) and Dr. Hani Ahmed (Internist and a mother of two) decided to create a platform. The Professional Muslim Women podcast is a place where working Muslim women can share their stories, struggles, triumphs, and lessons learned along the way in pursuit of their careers. It’s a place where young aspirants can be inspired and learn from the experiences of the women who came before them.
We all have our own stories to tell and it’s relevant that we tell those stories. The stories of Muslim women are usually told by others and are based on perceptions and prejudice. It’s time for Muslim women to take control of our narrative, celebrate our achievements and how diverse we are!
Get ready to be inspired, be empowered, and break stereotypes.
In this Episode, We Talk About:
- How Dr. Hussein and Dr. Ahmed met and the reason why they started this podcast
- What to expect from the Professional Muslim Women's Podcast
- Workplace difficulties and Muslim women stereotypes
- A recap on the careers of Dr. Hussein and Dr. Ahmed
- Breaking the narrative outsiders have of Muslim women
Want to hear more stories from amazing Muslim Women?
If you do, please subscribe on Apple Podcast, Stitcher or on your favorite podcast platform. Get notified so you never miss out!
Let us know what you think and what part of the podcast conversation you enjoyed the most by leaving us a review and rating here! And don’t forget to join us on our Facebook group Professional Muslim Women to continue the conversation and connect with a community of Muslim women like you!