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53 years ago today, the world lost a great man. A man who spoke truth to power, who didn't work towards acceptance but towards respect, a man whose truths made America uncomfortable. 53 years later Malcolm X aka al-Hajj Malik al-Shabazz still teaches us lessons from the grave. Reading his autobiography made me think deeper about the world I live in. About what I am willing to do for freedom. His words, his truths, his courage, his radical love, his activism, and his undying commitment to justice inspires me every day. Malcolm X was a man who taught millions how to be unapologetically Muslim and unapologetically black. He may have been one of the most hated men in America but he was also the most respected, as his words tell us, "If you have no critics you'll likely have no success." His words ring true today, and just this week I was feeling overwhelmed and I remembered his words, my favorite Malcolm X quote that I have hanging in my room: "There is no bett

I woke up today with a heavy heart, hurting for all the people who died in and had to experience the Florida school shooting. But I also have some strong words for people who don't want to acknowledge that America has not only a gun problem and a politicians who take no action because they're paid by the NRA to remain silent but also a problem with how we perceive people who commit crimes based on their race. Let me make something very clear and set it straight. This was a white nationalist TERRORIST who was RADICALIZED through a white nationalist organization in his hometown that he was a member of. But he's not Muslim, he's white so according to the media he's mentally ill and this isn't terrorism. When you read the news stories on this they paint a picture of someone who randomly decided to shoot up a school and yet when it's a Muslim (or Hispanic or black person) who commits violent crimes we hear day in and day out about their personal life and their j

There is a quote by one of my favorite people, Malcolm X, that says, "There is no better than adversity. Every defeat, every heartbreak, every loss, contains its own seed, its own lesson on how to improve your performance the next time." It had always been just a quote to me, but I think that now I finally understand what it really means. Adversity. It's a simple word and yet a word that many people don't truly understand. Adversity can be caused inside of oneself or because of external factors. For me, I have faced both. I have faced adversity because I have made mistakes on the path to where I am now and I have faced adversity caused by other people who just wanted to make my life miserable. As a Muslim, I was always taught that God put everything in my life to make me a better person. To teach me lessons. Sometimes though, it's really hard to see that through all that I face. This semester, when it came to schoolwork, I struggled really badly. I struggled