Q: Have you ever been discriminated against because of your religion?

A: Yeah, I definitely have. Where I grew up, being different was completely unacceptable. Just my ethnic background and religious background [made me] a minority in every sense. Just the fact that I could speak a different language, that my name was funny, you know those things, I did experience some discrimination but it definitely went up after I decided to put my scarf on. There were quite a few kids who just had really rude, mean things to say and that was okay but there were points where is became physical where there were kids who thought is was okay to hit or try to pull my scarf off so I had quite a few incidences like that. But I think after being at the school for awhile and just being very vocal about who I am it started to calm down some.

Q: What is the most disrespectful thing someone has done due to either how you look or religious affiliation?

A: We had quite a few things happen. I don’t want to go through all of the gory details but where I grew up there were quite a few families who were part of the KKK. We would find things in our yard that were left behind. Probably two of the worst incidences that had happened is when someone pulled my scarf and the safety pin that I use to hold it in place came open and got me in my neck. That was probably one the most painful things that had happened. Another time I was at the university and someone just saw me and he had kind of followed me around campus and then he just took a full swing at me. He spit at me, he called me a darn Arab, and then he swung at me. Thankfully I didn’t get hit but those are probably two of the scariest moments of my life.

Q: What are some common misconceptions people have about Islam?
A: A lot of people think, when they see a hijab or women in a scarf, that she is oppressed, that she’s not educated, that she’s not allowed to drive, or do all the other things that people do and that’s the exact opposite. If anything, Islam, if you really study it, really is a feminist religion. It’s been emphasized since Islam started. Now, it gets a little muddy when you look at cultural versus religious. A lot of times culture muddies those waters. Religion is one thing and cultural kind of puts its tentacles in it and messes with the essence of the message.

Q: If you could tell everyone in the world one thing about Islam what would it be?

A: I really want to say, and I can’t emphasize this enough, that we are – as human beings – regardless of our faith, more alike than we are different. All religions have the essential message of love and kindness and goodness to others, treat others like you want to be treated, and I think that is a theme in all of the faiths. I wish people would look past the differences and know that we are more alike than we are anything else.

Q: How would you describe ISIS to someone who doesn’t know what it is?

A: They’re a bunch of radical thugs who had no place in society and they happened to find each other because the Internet is a very easy way to meet people, know people, and organize.

Q: Not in terms of being a Muslim, how would you describe yourself?

A:  I am a very determined person as far as being a teacher. I want my students to know material. I want them to love it like I love it. I’m also a very loyal person. My name, Wafa, means loyal and faithful. I will never trade that for anything in the world.