My Perspective as a Muslim Girl in the U.S.

By Sara Saleh

Growing up in the United States and then moving to the Middle East then coming back, I have faced a lot of cultural and identity problems.

When I moved to the Middle East, even though I was only five I recognized it felt different to be surrounded by people who actually accepted you for who you are. People didn’t look down on your for your religion or ethnicity. When I moved back to the United States in 2015, I felt... uneasy. I could never tell anyone what my favorite celebration/holiday of the year was: Eid; a Muslim holiday. I lied and told everyone that I celebrated Christmas when people asked me If I celebrated Hanukkah or Christmas. Being Muslim wasn’t an option here. When Islam was mentioned, it was in the backs of classrooms or in the halls during transition time: mocking it. “Allahuakbar” and then throwing things, or little comments about how “we all deserve to die” in the bus.

For a long time I tried to mold my morals, and culture into what a Western ideology would “accept”, but I won’t do that anymore. I am a Muslim woman in the US and I won’t sit back and let people talk bad on my religion.

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Author: I'm Sara Saleh, I'm a sophomore at Winston Churchill High School. I like to draw, travel, and spend time with friends and family, and I am excited to be apart of Diversivity! My Instagram is @ssarasaleh