Karamah is a non-profit organization of Muslim Women Lawyers for Human Rights. This organization was founded by a distinguished lawyer who has been an equal rights advocate for decades, and is a contemporary of Malcolm X. Through a series of connections, they invited me to speak at their winter program for young women.
My talk was held over Zoom (they are based in D.C.) and I was able to have a short talk about the challenges of leadership that women face, particularly keeping in sight of the cultural restrictions of Islamic culture.
How can you stay true to yourself and still “fit in” enough to earn respect as a professional?
It is so important to remember that there are so many misconceptions about Islam, even (and especially) in Islamic cultures, that it’s possible that we, as Muslim women are feeling restricted from a cultural, rather than a religious standpoint.
It all comes down to knowledge. Education is highly elevated in Islamic values; this is an uncontested truth. Every Muslim person has a duty to study and learn about everything as much as possible, and to embrace with humility and sincerity the new discoveries that come with science.
Even though I am still wrapping up my time as Faculty Senate Chair, I am drawn to this group and their mission, because ultimately, the greatest issues are created by harmful or misleading narratives.
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