One Muslim Woman's Inspirational Journey to Change the World

Finding A Voice

A few years ago, when I applied to business school at Berkley-Haas, I was asked to describe how I embodied their defining principle "Beyond Ourselves". A safe answer would have been, “I am a working mother of two. All my decisions have to be strategic and beyond myself.” While this is true, in the backdrop of the prevailing political climate, there is a much bigger story to tell.

On September 11, 2001, I was a college student at UC San Diego. As a Muslim woman with immigrant parents from Bangladesh, I experienced firsthand the backlash that was happening to the Muslim community. While trying to earn an engineering degree in classrooms full of men, I began to notice changes in the way people perceived me. The images portrayed in the media contributed to this, and some people even stopped speaking to me. As a response, I started regularly wearing a headscarf, and a lot of other Muslim women did as well.  

In 2009, I created a company called SixteenR, designing and selling headscarves as a tool of empowerment. SixteenR was about the Muslim identity in the West, a platform for the Muslim woman voice. I wanted to connect with others who shared that identity and also present the headscarf as something that was positive and fulfilling. 

Within months, the message of empowerment began to resonate globally. SixteenR’s visibility and influence reached high profile street artists, team U.S.A. athletes, and social activists. We collaborated and created, garnering attention from outlets such as the BBC and French Glamour – all the while contributing to the alternative Muslim woman narrative. This experience taught me to create a brand with a voice and connect with a niche market. I was running a business, and I became an advocate for the modern Muslim woman.

What it Means to be a Young Global Changer 

My drive to connect with and empower women has always been strong. Prior to business school, I was one of the few women engineers in the US Federal Markets division of Motorola Solutions. To find women mentors and peer support, I began virtual Lean In circles to connect with employees outside of my organization, and led discussions about how we could support one another and pursue our ambitions. 

Leaning in has allowed me to reach larger audiences with my message of empowerment. Earlier this year, I was selected to be part of the Young Global Changers, some of the most talented and dedicated people in their fields from all over the world. We were at the 2018 Global Solutions Summit in Berlin, a pre-cursor on policy discussions to be held at the G20 meetings in Argentina, where we were encouraged to speak up and make our voices heard.

While in Berlin, I did just that when I asked Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany a question. Here is what I said: “As the most powerful woman in the world, how are you going to continue this momentum and influence policies and conversation among political and corporate leadership that brings this topic of women in leadership to the forefront? Within developing and developed societies? How might we help you in this effort?”

The reaction I received was a direct validation of years of working for the cause of women. From this one question, I was approached by the T20 Taskforce – thought leaders and change-makers shaping policies that focus on gender economic equity and connecting with the Women's Economic Imperative. My paper on "Building Future Women Leaders" was published in the Global Solutions Journal, which included writings from Chancellor Merkel, and was presented at the 2018 T20 Summit in Buenos Aires, Argentina. 

What I am learning from these experiences as a Young Global Changer is that power is not so much given as it is taken. A moment of authentic and genuine presence can transform the power dynamic. As Young Global Changers we must believe in our ability to evoke change. Only then will change become a possibility.

She Runs It Award Ceremony

Earlier this month in New York City I had the privilege of receiving the GenNext “She Runs It” award at Forbes. I was with a group of women leaders from marketing, media, and tech – some of the most talented and dedicated women in their fields – between the ages of 25 and 35 years old. We were invited by Forbes and Hollywood Life to share our experiences and journeys, with the mission to inspire other young women to pursue their ambitions.

On the panel discussion, I was asked if I thought I was brave. Speaking frankly, it's not for me to say I'm brave. What is more important is how we deal with adversity and what we choose to do in those moments which require a little bit of courage.

Each one of the She Runs It honorees on that stage is brave. Even though we come from very different backgrounds, we face many of the same challenges. We all support each another, and we all are very intentional about inspiring the next generation to pursue their aspirations. It was an honor to represent Symantec – alongside women from HBO, Disney, Hamilton, the New York Ballet, and company founders. 

I encourage my fellow colleagues at Symantec to pursue their ambitions and dreams, and find ways where we can lift each other up. When we are allies for each other, we have greater power to collectively amplify our voices and pursue our ambitions. To advocate for our beliefs and pursue change. To stand by one another. 

Thank you to Symantec's Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion team for creating a space to share our stories.