Saniyyah
USA
Age
35 years old
Who am I?

I grew up as a black Muslim woman in Philadelphia. I always loved fashion! As a black Muslim woman, I use fashion as a way to express myself, find my voice and identify with who I am. Fashion modeling was something that came naturally to me but I wasn’t motivated to pursue it as a career because I knew my modesty and hijab wouldn’t be accepted. I went on to study fashion and had a successful career as a wardrobe stylist while always yearning for modeling but only pursing it as a hobby. After years of seeing hate crimes against Muslims, country bans restricting us from wearing our hijabs, not seeing us represented in fashion ads, commercials, fashion shows etc and seeing Muslim women being oppressed. I began to feel more obligated to become a influential face for my black Muslim women community by pursuing fashion modeling as a career. In doing so, I have also experienced rejection & discrimination from industry professionals stating my hijab was a problem and that I would never be successful due to how I look. Knowing that I am not the only black Muslim women experiencing this treatment, I continue to use my platform to teach and motivate ladies especially teen girls that self-love is the best shield against the naysayers. I teach a fashion modeling course to teen girls and I love doing speaking engagements, sharing my story hoping to inspire others. My motto is “Dare to be unique and own it.”


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