On July 15th, about twenty young professionals gathered together for lunch and intimate discussion about the varying perspectives of Muslim women in the world.  In an effort to explore the diverse and complex identities of Muslim women living in the US and abroad, four Muslim women serving as summer interns for the National Council on US Arab Relations (NCUSAR) agreed to lead the roundtable, sharing their own stories and journeys as a starting point for the discussion.

Sara Aceves, Nesrien Hamid, Imaan Ali, and Salma Mousa reflected on their personal experiences in Virginia, DC, Norway, Egypt, Qatar, California, and other locations around the world. They discussed how societal expectations had an effect on their perosnal faith practices.

“These are the kinds of discussions that just don’t come up in normal conversation.  It’s so freeing to find a setting where we can engage one another candidly while still being respectful,” expressed one of the panel attendees.

“I found that the discussion of the American narrative was quite interesting, especially because all of us agree that the American narrative is not exclusive, and therefore, Muslims are no less American than anyone else,” another participant  noted.

Because of the small and comfortable setting, participants were able to express their own questions, doubts, and comments openly, as we covered topics from feminism to personal faith to interreligious understanding and misunderstanding.   At the end of the roundtable, many lingered to continue our conversations.  Hearing the women’s stories emphasized the individuality of each experience.  Instead of seeking to find an answer to a religious debate or a political clash, participants explored one another, learning from our individual narratives.