12. Aligning with your authentic Identity and Tackling Toxic Cultural Norms with Biracial Muslim Founder, Sofia Haq

09/29/20 • 70 min

Sofia Haq was born and raised in Southern California. She graduated from UCLA with a Bachelor of Arts in Gender Studies and studied International Business abroad for a summer at The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). In 2018, she graduated from the Riordan MBA Fellows Program at UCLA Anderson School of Management and the Forte MBALauncher Program.

Currently, she is an Ambassador at the United State of Women (USOW) and Founder and President of Muslim Women Professionals (MWP).

MWP is an organization that promotes empowerment amongst Muslim women by educating, empowering, and mobilizing a global network.

Sofia lies at the intersectionality of multiple identities: Muslim, woman, Pakistani, and Mexican. She has written for outlets like Forbes, was featured on multiple podcasts, and interviewed for various publications. She is a frequent panelist at events centered around female empowerment and diversity and inclusion. Her mission is to foster unity amongst Muslim women, bring awareness to the struggles of underrepresented communities, and create resources to help them thrive.

Listen to Sofia Talk about

Being a Biracial Muslim - Pakistani and Mexican
The toxic aspects of Pakistani/Muslim culture (Auntie culture!)
Founding Muslim Women Professionals
Importance of Gender Equity in Desi Culture
2020 election, VOTE.

Find Sofia on Instagram at @sofia__haq

Follow Her Zindagi on Instagram: @her.zindagi

Find the host, Maheen, on Instagram: @maheen93

If you or someone you know would make a good guest on the podcast or if you have any questions/comments/concerns please email [email protected]

Currently, she is an Ambassador at the United State of Women (USOW) and Founder and President of Muslim Women Professionals (MWP).

MWP is an organization that promotes empowerment amongst Muslim women by educating, empowering, and mobilizing a global network.

Listen to Sofia Talk about

Being a Biracial Muslim - Pakistani and Mexican
The toxic aspects of Pakistani/Muslim culture (Auntie culture!)
Founding Muslim Women Professionals
Importance of Gender Equity in Desi Culture
2020 election, VOTE.

Find Sofia on Instagram at @sofia__haq

Follow Her Zindagi on Instagram: @her.zindagi

Find the host, Maheen, on Instagram: @maheen93

If you or someone you know would make a good guest on the podcast or if you have any questions/comments/concerns please email [email protected]

Previous Episode

11. How to Follow Your Intuition with Politician Nadia Rahman

Nadia is an activist and organizer who has worked in digital strategy for the last 14 years, and has channeled that skillset into creating awareness around the issues and candidates she cares about. Originally from Texas, Nadia spent 8 years in the DC area before moving to San Francisco three years ago where she ran for office as a candidate herself earlier this year. Her parents immigrated to the U.S. from Pakistan and Nadia identifies as Muslim and Pakistani American.

Listen to Nadia talk about

Going through a divorce at the age of 30
What she learned from divorce
Following her intuition to start a new life
Getting involved in the Democratic Party
Being a Muslim Pakistani woman in politics
Running for office
2020 Election, VOTE VOTE VOTE.

Follow Nadia on Instagram, @nadiarahmansf

Follow Her Zindagi on Instagram: @her.zindagi

Find the host, Maheen, on Instagram: @maheen93

If you or someone you know would make a good guest on the podcast or if you have any questions/comments/concerns please email [email protected]

Next Episode

13. The Life Threatening Effects of Stress with Survivor Zoha Hussain

My name is Zoha Hussain and I was born and raised in Boston, Massachusetts. I currently live in London where I work at the University College of London Hospitals as a Clinical Systems Senior Analyst. I have always been inspired to create positive change, whether that is by improving healthcare in low-income areas, mentoring high school children, embracing my passion for dance or using my journey as a survivor to empower other Muslim women.

Muslim women face abuse or abusive behaviors in all aspects of life- be it religious, social, cultural, interpersonal, or domestic.

Cultural, societal and religious stigma around abuse has planted immense pressure on South Asian Muslim women to remain silent, afraid and simply helpless. Just one hand, one similar experience can pull one out of darkness towards an imaginable light of hope.

My hope is to build a community of young women who will support, strengthen and empower one another to fight against any adversity, any inner or external battles we experience in life. Awareness and understanding begin from within. Together, we can empower one another to move through the silence.

Contact information: [email protected].

Listen to Zoha talk about