I know what you’re thinking you’re probably wondering who I am and where
probably wondering who I am and where
probably wondering who I am and where I’m from and what I’m going to say but
I’m from and what I’m going to say but
I’m from and what I’m going to say but what you’re probably wondering is what
what you’re probably wondering is what
what you’re probably wondering is what on earth am I wearing on my head what I
on earth am I wearing on my head what I
on earth am I wearing on my head what I am wearing on my head is called the
am wearing on my head is called the
am wearing on my head is called the hijab it comes from the Arabic word to
hijab it comes from the Arabic word to
hijab it comes from the Arabic word to cover and to protect many Muslim women
cover and to protect many Muslim women
cover and to protect many Muslim women like myself who choose to wear it wear
like myself who choose to wear it wear
like myself who choose to wear it wear it for one reason above all God Himself
it for one reason above all God Himself
it for one reason above all God Himself people often have different perspectives
people often have different perspectives
people often have different perspectives on the hijab they think it’s a and cruel
on the hijab they think it’s a and cruel
on the hijab they think it’s a and cruel but I really don’t get what’s so
but I really don’t get what’s so
but I really don’t get what’s so oppressive and cruel about covering my
oppressive and cruel about covering my
oppressive and cruel about covering my head I mean it’s a bit different from
head I mean it’s a bit different from
head I mean it’s a bit different from the Victoria’s Secret runway but it’s
the Victoria’s Secret runway but it’s
the Victoria’s Secret runway but it’s 2017 and every woman has the choice to
2017 and every woman has the choice to
2017 and every woman has the choice to wear what she wants to wear now I know
wear what she wants to wear now I know
wear what she wants to wear now I know although in this room and at home for
although in this room and at home for
although in this room and at home for those of you watching you may not be
those of you watching you may not be
those of you watching you may not be Muslim you may not even wear the hijab
Muslim you may not even wear the hijab
Muslim you may not even wear the hijab but I can assure you we have stuff in
but I can assure you we have stuff in
but I can assure you we have stuff in common raise your hand if you like to
common raise your hand if you like to
common raise your hand if you like to eat food raise your hand if you hate
eat food raise your hand if you hate
eat food raise your hand if you hate waking up early on a Monday morning and
waking up early on a Monday morning and
waking up early on a Monday morning and finally raise your hand if you think
finally raise your hand if you think
finally raise your hand if you think babies are cute see I told you we have
babies are cute see I told you we have
babies are cute see I told you we have stuff in common and I probably don’t
stuff in common and I probably don’t
stuff in common and I probably don’t even know your name now with wearing the
even know your name now with wearing the
even know your name now with wearing the hijab it doesn’t mean that I’m not able
hijab it doesn’t mean that I’m not able
hijab it doesn’t mean that I’m not able to accomplish what any other woman has
to accomplish what any other woman has
to accomplish what any other woman has done I will give you three examples of
done I will give you three examples of
done I will give you three examples of what Muslim American women have been
what Muslim American women have been
what Muslim American women have been able to accomplish number one if the Haj
able to accomplish number one if the Haj
able to accomplish number one if the Haj Mohammed Team USA fencing number two in
Mohammed Team USA fencing number two in
Mohammed Team USA fencing number two in hand Omer the first Somalian Muslim
hand Omer the first Somalian Muslim
hand Omer the first Somalian Muslim American female elected to Minnesota
American female elected to Minnesota
American female elected to Minnesota State Legislature and number three Linda
State Legislature and number three Linda
State Legislature and number three Linda Sarsour women’s rights activist and
Sarsour women’s rights activist and
Sarsour women’s rights activist and co-founder of the women’s march on
co-founder of the women’s march on
co-founder of the women’s march on Washington now tell you about my
Washington now tell you about my
Washington now tell you about my background my parents are Pakistani
background my parents are Pakistani
background my parents are Pakistani Muslim immigrants who sacrifice very
Muslim immigrants who sacrifice very
Muslim immigrants who sacrifice very much to provide my family and I a better
much to provide my family and I a better
much to provide my family and I a better life they are the epitome
life they are the epitome
life they are the epitome the American dream my father worked very
the American dream my father worked very
the American dream my father worked very very hard to become a doctor not only
very hard to become a doctor not only
very hard to become a doctor not only was he studying this difficult field but
was he studying this difficult field but
was he studying this difficult field but he was adjusting to a new country a new
he was adjusting to a new country a new
he was adjusting to a new country a new lifestyle and a new growing family later
lifestyle and a new growing family later
lifestyle and a new growing family later after marrying my mom and moving to
after marrying my mom and moving to
after marrying my mom and moving to America he finally settled in Delaware I
America he finally settled in Delaware I
America he finally settled in Delaware I remember my mom telling me a story about
remember my mom telling me a story about
remember my mom telling me a story about when she first came to America as her
when she first came to America as her
when she first came to America as her flight landed into JFK International
flight landed into JFK International
flight landed into JFK International Airport overlooking the bright green
Airport overlooking the bright green
Airport overlooking the bright green lady know the Statue of Liberty Whitney
lady know the Statue of Liberty Whitney
lady know the Statue of Liberty Whitney Houston song I will always love you was
Houston song I will always love you was
Houston song I will always love you was the top hit Cindy Crawford and Brooke
the top hit Cindy Crawford and Brooke
the top hit Cindy Crawford and Brooke Shields
Shields
Shields ruled the runways and New York City was
ruled the runways and New York City was
ruled the runways and New York City was the melting pot of different cultures
the melting pot of different cultures
the melting pot of different cultures from all around the world having
from all around the world having
from all around the world having attended many different private schools
attended many different private schools
attended many different private schools I want to share my experiences that I
I want to share my experiences that I
I want to share my experiences that I learned from you I even learned
learned from you I even learned
learned from you I even learned something shocking that I experienced
something shocking that I experienced
something shocking that I experienced Islamophobia even before wearing the
Islamophobia even before wearing the
Islamophobia even before wearing the hijab my visible symbol and being a
hijab my visible symbol and being a
hijab my visible symbol and being a Muslim shocking right on the first day
Muslim shocking right on the first day
Muslim shocking right on the first day of fifth grade I was called a terrorist
of fifth grade I was called a terrorist
of fifth grade I was called a terrorist I’ll tell you what I was wearing a navy
I’ll tell you what I was wearing a navy
I’ll tell you what I was wearing a navy blue polo applied kill leggings and a
blue polo applied kill leggings and a
blue polo applied kill leggings and a plaid headband for my long hair that I
plaid headband for my long hair that I
plaid headband for my long hair that I wore down as I entered my classroom I
wore down as I entered my classroom I
wore down as I entered my classroom I took my seat like any other ten-year-old
took my seat like any other ten-year-old
took my seat like any other ten-year-old I was nervous and excited for my first
I was nervous and excited for my first
I was nervous and excited for my first day I introduced myself to the front of
day I introduced myself to the front of
day I introduced myself to the front of the classroom I proceeded with hi my
the classroom I proceeded with hi my
the classroom I proceeded with hi my name is Arriba I live in Newark Delaware
name is Arriba I live in Newark Delaware
name is Arriba I live in Newark Delaware I like to play tennis and my family is
I like to play tennis and my family is
I like to play tennis and my family is from Pakistan and we are Muslim that
from Pakistan and we are Muslim that
from Pakistan and we are Muslim that very moment a blond-haired blue-eyed
very moment a blond-haired blue-eyed
very moment a blond-haired blue-eyed girl stands up at her desk pointing her
girl stands up at her desk pointing her
girl stands up at her desk pointing her finger at me screaming terrorist
finger at me screaming terrorist
finger at me screaming terrorist terrorist terrorist I can tell you that
terrorist terrorist I can tell you that
terrorist terrorist I can tell you that at the age of 10 years old I didn’t even
at the age of 10 years old I didn’t even
at the age of 10 years old I didn’t even know what the word terrorist met I
know what the word terrorist met I
know what the word terrorist met I didn’t even know what 9/11 was and I did
didn’t even know what 9/11 was and I did
didn’t even know what 9/11 was and I did even know the name of this girl who had
even know the name of this girl who had
even know the name of this girl who had called me this horrific word
called me this horrific word
called me this horrific word luckily my teacher stepped in and
luckily my teacher stepped in and
luckily my teacher stepped in and resolved the situation over the course
resolved the situation over the course
resolved the situation over the course of the year I befriended this girl I
of the year I befriended this girl I
of the year I befriended this girl I treated her with kindness and empathy
treated her with kindness and empathy
treated her with kindness and empathy the Golden Rule treat others the way you
the Golden Rule treat others the way you
the Golden Rule treat others the way you want to be treated pushing aside our
want to be treated pushing aside our
want to be treated pushing aside our differences he bonded over our
differences he bonded over our
differences he bonded over our similarities we both enjoyed listening
similarities we both enjoyed listening
similarities we both enjoyed listening to Selena Gomez and Taylor Swift and
to Selena Gomez and Taylor Swift and
to Selena Gomez and Taylor Swift and were obsessed with acnes chocolate chip
were obsessed with acnes chocolate chip
were obsessed with acnes chocolate chip cookies we ended up becoming us friends
cookies we ended up becoming us friends
cookies we ended up becoming us friends and invited her to my home for a
and invited her to my home for a
and invited her to my home for a playdate this is the power of kindness
playdate this is the power of kindness
playdate this is the power of kindness this is the power of dialog this is the
this is the power of dialog this is the
this is the power of dialog this is the power of a ten-year-old changing the
power of a ten-year-old changing the
power of a ten-year-old changing the mind of a bigot into a friend this
mind of a bigot into a friend this
mind of a bigot into a friend this situation that no ten-year-old should
situation that no ten-year-old should
situation that no ten-year-old should ever have to experience taught me some
ever have to experience taught me some
ever have to experience taught me some lessons about to share although bigotry
lessons about to share although bigotry
lessons about to share although bigotry exists within our society we need to
exists within our society we need to
exists within our society we need to remember that as Africans we were a
remember that as Africans we were a
remember that as Africans we were a nation built by immigrants seeking to
nation built by immigrants seeking to
nation built by immigrants seeking to escape religious persecution not the
escape religious persecution not the
escape religious persecution not the only way for America to move forward is
only way for America to move forward is
only way for America to move forward is when we unite our diversity as our
when we unite our diversity as our
when we unite our diversity as our strengths before I leave you from our
strengths before I leave you from our
strengths before I leave you from our time spent together I want you to
time spent together I want you to
time spent together I want you to remember some things be proud of who you
remember some things be proud of who you
remember some things be proud of who you are we all wear our job in one way or
are we all wear our job in one way or
are we all wear our job in one way or another whether you’re black or Catholic
another whether you’re black or Catholic
another whether you’re black or Catholic or Jewish or Spanish or female you are
or Jewish or Spanish or female you are
or Jewish or Spanish or female you are special
special
special on your identity and be proud of who you
on your identity and be proud of who you
on your identity and be proud of who you are your hood job is beautiful your head
are your hood job is beautiful your head
are your hood job is beautiful your head job is beautiful your head job is
job is beautiful your head job is
job is beautiful your head job is beautiful I’m going to use these lessons
beautiful I’m going to use these lessons
beautiful I’m going to use these lessons to be a part of America’s future will
to be a part of America’s future will
to be a part of America’s future will you thank you
you thank you
you thank you [Applause]
”
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