Finding Beauty in Diversity
As generations of empowering females arise, the struggle of beauty causes many able women to break the glass ceiling. As a group of diverse individuals we strive to create a safe haven for women to feel enriched and able to break down the walls that surround them. Here we have two team captains from different cultural backgrounds who took the beauty found within Islam into their own lives.
Ashley Rosado
Since you come from a different culture (please state culture), what are some beauty standards you held close to your heart?
I come from a Hispanic-American background. I have held many beauty standards by living with an influx of Hispanic influence and American influence. A lot of the standards I hold or have held have little to do with appearance. I value expression, empowerment, and kindness. I also value fashion, makeup, different body types and more.
What motivated you to wear the hijab?
A lot of factors motivated me to wear the hijab for MIST 2016. My team let me know that it was not required by any means, and it was entirely my choice. Wearing a hijab was a complete 360 from my usual lifestyle, and as I experienced the months of MIST preparation and learned more about Islam, i began to value it a lot. I empathized with Muslim women after the Islamophobia that i've seen (outside of MIST) and I decided to wear the hijab out of respect and appreciation for Islam and Muslim women.
How did you envision hijabi women before this? Was this idea altered?
I've always admired Hijabis. I value their commitment to wear the hijab full time, especially in today's society. One of the biggest misconceptions I had about Hijabis, was that my decision to wear the hijab for MIST would upset them. However, i did not experience that at all. When i approached my team about wearing the hijab for MIST, they showered me in support and love and it's truly a memory that I cherish. A lot of the girls even helped me put it on and showed me different styles that would look better with my face shape.
What were you expecting from outsiders when you put it on? What did you expect from yourself?
As I mentioned earlier, I expected to receive a lot of negative backlash being a non-Muslim wearing a hijab. I was extremely nervous and asked my team mates if it was okay repeatedly. I wanted to make sure I wasn't appropriating Islam, and our team captain Sara assured me I wasn't because I was wearing the hijab while being informed of what it means and symbolizes and out of respect, not as a fashion accessory. I expected myself to not go through with it for the whole weekend or to feel out of place but i didn't experience either of these things.
How did you feel with the hijab on?
Honestly, I felt beautiful with the hijab on. One of my lines from my spoken word last year was "I have found beauty in modesty" and I hold this with high relevance to my life. I felt empowered, included, and happy. The only negative (and a little silly) thing I could say is that I felt slightly self-conscious of my hijab style. I kept fixing it throughout the day and asking my friends if it "looked right" on me.
Would you go through it again?
This is a question a lot of people have asked me post MIST or even this year. As I mentioned before, I had a great and eye-opening experience wearing the hijab and I do plan on wearing it for MIST again this year.
If you could tell your fellow sisters one thing about beauty what would it be?
I would tell my fellow sisters that there is beauty in so many things, and this year's MIST theme has really made me strive to look for that everyday. I have found beauty in my voice, in my mother's tired eyes, in the faces of everyone striving for a better world. If you can find beauty in the hard parts of life, you can find happiness anywhere. I'd like to conclude with some amazing words to live by in terms of beauty, "stay modest, stay strong." -Sara Eddekkaki
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Manal Akkouche
Coming from an Islamic household, what are some beauty standards you hold close to your heart whether physical or spiritual?
I never feel like I have to show more just to feel beautiful. I cover my outer beauty to build more inner beauty. This inner beauty gives me more confidence showing me that I don't need to flaunt what god gives me for the approval of others because in the end their approval has no value.
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Once you became of age to wear a hijab, how did your view on your yourself change, about the world?
I don't think I changed.
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How does wearing a hijab make you feel?
Wearing hijab makes me feel empowered almost as if it's a shield, a crown I place on my head everyday. I live in a society where most tell me to take off my hijab because I'll be more beautiful that way. This gives me the strength to keep faith in what I have passion in.
Do you have one memory of wearing the hijab you would like the share that made you feel empowered?
There is no specific experience where I feel empowered through wearing hijab. I feel empowered every time I put it on knowing that what I'm doing feels right.
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Other than the Hijab what are some characteristics Islam has that makes you feel beautiful?
In Islam we're taught that every creation is beautiful/perfect.
Do you have any advice you would like to share with your fellow sisters about the challenge of finding beauty in an imperfect world?
To my sisters, beauty doesn't come from what others tell you to be. In the end inner beauty is what counts most. To have outer beauty but also be unkind, greedy, selfish, etc. is a lost cause; that beauty has no value. When you have inner beauty that your religion teaches you to have, the beauty you can actually have control of, not only do you have the most valuable beauty but you attract friendships and relationships that will help you in life.
