MOSTResource.org

Resources on Muslims for the Entertainment Industry

  • Story Bank
    • Business & Technology
    • Entertainment
    • Culture & Lifestyle
    • Medical
    • National
    • Faith
    • Sports
    • Women
    • World
  • Resources
    • Faces & Places
    • Statistics
    • Infographics
    • Research / Reports
    • Quick Takes
  • Perspectives
  • Events
  • About
    • Contact Us
    • Staff
    • Parent Organization
    • Videos
  • Story Bank
  • Business & Technology
  • Entertainment
  • Culture & Lifestyle
  • Medical
  • National
  • Faith
  • Sports
  • Women
  • World
mostresource storybank video

Explored Our Story Bank Yet?

Our curated collection of thousands of stories has helped top Hollywood writers, producers, and creatives. Watch our brief video to learn more.

National, Women — December 6, 2016   

In NYC, Muslim Women Take Self-Defense Into Their Own Hands

Original article by Emma Whitford published in the Gothamist on 12/05/2016

Photo Credit: Gothamist
Photo Credit: Gothamist

In Manhattan, Nisma Zakria teaches a self-defense class through the Muslim nonprofit Women’s Initiative for Self-Empowerment (WISE). Due to the increase of anti-Muslim hate crimes this election year, there has been an “overwhelming” response for self-defense classes in the Muslim community, particularly with women. “We were not expecting that when we published the event the election would have gone the way that it did,” says Emaan Moosani, Program Director at the Muslim Community Network where Ms. Zakria recently taught classes. “Within ten hours it was sold out, [and] our Facebook event had 500 shares.”

As of November 13th, 328 hate crimes had been reported in New York City compared to 250 during the same period in 2015. Of that total, 25 have allegedly been committed against Muslims—a 108% increase from 2015. And just last week, a man screaming ‘Donald Trump’ attacked a woman wearing a hijab on the subway and a Muslim police officer’s son was recently attacked.

“We are here because we feel that we are being targeted,” says Amirah Aulaqi, a 26-year-old modest fashion designer. Ms. Aulaqi was also a guest speaker, lending an emotional component to the workshops which is attended by many new Muslim immigrants. “We didn’t want to just do self-defense courses. We really needed a support group,” she explains. “We [work] with a lot of mothers and women who wear full garments that are really normal to them back home, and when they get here [to America] they don’t understand other people being fearful of them.”

Read more ...

Our Experts Are Here To Help

Want to start a conversation with our experts for help with your project?

Related Articles

  • M Film Lab Now Accepting Applications for Screenwriting Program
  • American Eid – Interview with Director Aqsa Altaf
  • Post vaccine, Muslim travelers are heading to… Israel

More From The Story Bank

Post vaccine, Muslim travelers...

Last year the Abraham Accords were signed between Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco and Sudan. This marked a public normalization of relations not seen in decades. And with this new … [Read More...]

Meet the first Muslim head...

As new head coach for the New York Jets, Robert Saleh is making history as the first Muslim American to lead a team in the National Football League. The Lebanese American is also the third Arab … [Read More...]

Meet American’s Youngest...

According to The Hill, Bushra Amiwala "is part of a new generation stepping into politics." In 2019, she was elected to the Skokie Board of Education in Illinois, making this Pakistani-American … [Read More...]

Riz Ahmed Is Oscars’ First...

Riz Ahmed has become the first Muslim nominated for Best Actor in a Leading Role at the Academy Awards for Sound of Metal, not long after Mahershala Ali made his own history with two Best Supporting … [Read More...]

More Women Study Physics in...

A recent report from Physics magazine finds that physics departments in many western universities have a "significant gender disparity, with far fewer women than men taking up the subject." However, … [Read More...]

Enter your email to receive periodic updates

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • RSS
  • Twitter

About | Contact Us | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy© 2002–2023 MOST ResourceMOST Resource globe


We use cookies to improve your browsing experience and to collect anonymous data to enable us to manage our website. Our Privacy Policy is a complete disclosure of our data collection policies, including the choices you have to control information we might collect. Your use of this site represents your consent to our Privacy Policy.