We had the good fortune of connecting with Nadiah Mohajir and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Nadiah, is there something you believe many others might not?
That if you work hard, you will succeed. This advice does not take into account structural and systemic inequities and how (unearned) privilege that may come with race, class, and education can help certain people advance even if they don’t work hard. Moreover, there is no formula to success – as much as the world we live in likes to ‘blueprint’ everything and uphold this idea that there is “one right way” that will lead you to success, I’ve learned that those blueprints aren’t made for everyone. They often don’t work for people of color, or people with disabilities, or people who are in caregiving roles. For this reason, it’s important to think expansively and imaginatively, and give time and space for trial and error.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I am the founding director of HEART to Grow. HEART is one of the only Muslim-led, national nonprofits that builds power with survivors, communities, and institutions to advance reproductive justice and uproot gendered violence, by establishing access and choice for the most impacted Muslims. By offering accurate sexual and reproductive health and violence education, advocacy, research, and training, HEART mobilizes people to become agents of change in their own communities and connects them to a network to sustain their empowerment. What began as a local, volunteer-run organization has blossomed into a national movement-focused organization with eight paid staff members and a larger network of trainers, volunteers, and educators.

Perhaps one of the most innovative aspects of our work is that it has made conversations on reproductive justice, gender-based violence, and Islam accessible, without losing its nuance. For too long, White Christian supremacy has influenced the ways in which North American Muslim discourse on these topics occurred: resulting in the conversation being dominated and led by cis-het Muslim men, without much consideration for the daily lived realities of Muslims having to navigate pregnancy loss, abortion, gender-based violence, and more. As such, HEART has reclaimed our communities’ agency to connect with Islamic tradition and these concepts directly, and live out their values through their decisionmaking and what is best for them and their families.

I am most proud of the impact this work has had on the communities we work with. This work has built power and facilitated a culture shift in some of the most marginalized Muslim communities in the United States. HEART has fostered an expansive network of survivors, volunteers, trainers, and followers. The authentic relationships and community building that HEART’s staff and leadership have created are possibly the organization’s biggest asset and accomplishment. Due to these connections, the HEART team has cultivated a network locally in the communities where they live and work and virtually through online organizing that continues to be engaged, and more importantly, are ready to mobilize their own communities. Our programming has been the source of healing, support, belonging, and leadership development for many in Muslim communities, especially those living on the margins, including survivors, LGBTQIA+ people, and those who have experienced pregnancy loss. The very existence of the expansive HEART community challenges mainstream notions about what it means to be Muslim.

Fifteen years later, I can say this work has been simultaneously the most challenging, and the most rewarding work of my life. My team and I have built a national nonprofit, with a fully remote team (precovid too!) that invests in the leadership of caregivers, survivors, and other directly impacted people. Our workplace not only welcomes children, but recognizes that children being a part of the workplace is in and of itself reproductive justice. Of course, this wasn’t easy – there aren’t a lot of blueprints on how to build a child friendly, trauma informed, fully virtual organization across time zones, but we did it.

Our programming is transforming the conversation on sexual health and violence in the Muslim communities on a national – some might argue global – scale: the staff and leadership are working to build spaces where these issues are no longer stigmatized. More people are equipped with the knowledge and tools they need to make safer and informed decisions. There is a greater, more intentional awareness of sexual assault and reproductive justice issues in Muslim communities, and more individuals are equipped to support survivors – both in personal and leadership capacities. This commitment to capacity building is particularly critical because it is developing the next generation of both Muslim and mainstream reproductive justice advocates and educators. Ultimately, we hope that HEART is a resource that is represented in every crisis center, every mosque, and community center.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I live on the south side of Chicago, the historic neighborhood of Hyde Park Kenwood, fifteen minutes south of downtown. There are so many places I’d show them.

I’d start very locally. In Hyde Park itself, you find the rich history of the World Fair, the past footprints of Muhammad Ali, Malcom X, and the Nation of Islam. You also find the University of Chicago, the Museum of Science and Industry, architectural masterpieces by Frank Lloyd Wright, and our very own Midwest ‘ocean’ the stunning Lake Michigan. All of these are walking distance from my house, so I would love to take them on a walking tour.

Second, I would take them on the architectural boat ride on the Chicago River. And also for a photo shoot by museum campus, where the whole skyline is visible.

Of course, the entire time would revolve around food, because that’s what I do best. Chicago is a great food city, and also one that has nearly every cuisine, so I would have a curated list prepared. From Senegalese and Ethiopian food, to Chicago style pizza to some of the best South Asian food in the country, we would not run out of food options.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
The road to building HEART has been quite the roller coaster, and I absolutely could not have done it by myself. So many people deserve credit and recognition, but I will take a moment to shout out my brilliant team, who have helped me build this organization to what it is today. My long-time colleagues-turned-sisters, Sahar Pirzada and Navila Rashid, who have been at HEART almost since the beginning. They have been my thought partners, my co-creators, my support in all the ways. And the rest of my team: Kiran, Mehlam, Sabreen, Haddi, Aisha, Alia – they have kept me accountable, have opened me up to new ways of thinking and doing, and have taken this organization’s work to the next level with their creativity, their passion, and their expertise.

Website: www.hearttogrow.org

Instagram: @hearttogrow

Twitter: @hearttogrow

Facebook: facebook.com/hearttogrow

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@heartwomengirls1584

Image Credits
I was only able to upload 3, it wouldn’t let me upload anymore.

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