“Having a president that creates a Muslim ban, law enforcement that targets African American men, and a demographic of people that does not recognize Black lives; these are my challenges.”

I took my shahada on July 3rd, 1998. That was my second chance. And once you internalize what second chances mean, you try to get into that work and help provide that opportunity to others.

I designed a program for formerly incarcerated people to help them return to society and create successful next steps. There are those who should receive a second chance, especially when they made a minor mistake, or they were incarcerated because of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Even as functioning Muslims, the stuff that we get into when nobody's looking, we need a second, third, and fourth chance. The business of second chances is an honorable effort for us because whether you’re Muslim or not, this life is a struggle.

I grew up in Compton, California, a part of the community where there were certain activities that you got involved with to maintain your personal sustainability. I was never incarcerated for a long time, but I could see where Allah had his mercy on me. I'm blessed to be in this position now to help others fight social ills.

When I first became Muslim, I stopped getting invited to barbecues because it was pork on the grill. I stopped getting invited to parties because of the activities. My friends stopped inviting me to these situations because of the respect they have for Muslims. It's been a wonderful experience. I love my community and I love my people.

As an African American and Muslim in the US, my whole life has been a struggle. Having a president that creates a Muslim ban, law enforcement that targets African American men, and a demographic of people that does not recognize Black lives; these are my challenges. These are the macro aggressions that have been assigned against me. This is what I live with. In all, I feel hopeful because Allah promised those who believe in him the justice and liberation that we need. But we have to do this in solidarity. We have to create allies with people whose issues align with ours. And we have to get out of get out of this Muslim bubble of thinking that it's just us. We are a part of humanity.