COMING UP ON "BEHIND THE WOMAN."

>> MY NAME IS NAJAH ZAAEED.

I'M THE ASSISTANT PROFESSOR AT SUNY OSWEGO IN THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH PROMOTION AND WELLNESS.

I'M ALWAYS PRACTICING REAL ESTATE AND WOULD I HAVE MY CLIENTS WITH ME AND WE WEREN'T ALLOWED TO GO INTO SOME HOMES.

I ALSO HAD THESE EXPERIENCES THAT LED ME TO WHO I AM TODAY IS TO BECOME AN ADVOCATE.

WHEN AM I GOING TO TOP DOING THIS WHEN I TAKE THE HEDGE OFF.

SUNY OSWEGO PROMOTES THE NEED TO DO SERVICE WHICH IS NOT JUST PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION AND DEVELOPMENT BUT ALSO WHAT ARE WE DOING FOR THE COMMUNITY.

GOOD EVENING.

GRAB A CUP OF COFFEE OR A TEA, GRAB A GIRLFRIEND AND LET THEM KNOW IT'S TIME FOR "BEHIND THE WOMAN."

I'M YOUR HOST Dr. JUHANNA ROGERS.

TONIGHT I'M EXCITED TO BE JOINED BY Dr. NAJAH ZAAEED, WHO IS AN ASSISTANT PROFESSOR AT SUNY OSWEGO IN THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH PROMOTION AND WELLNESS.

LET'S TAKE A FEW MOMENTS AND LEARN MORE ABOUT Dr. NAJAH ZAAEED AND HER WORK.

>> MY NAME IS NAJAH ZAAEED AND I'M ASSISTANT PROFESSOR AT SUN OSWEGO IN THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH PROMOTION AND WELLNESS.

MY MOTHER CAME TO THE STATES WHEN SHE WAS PREGNANT WITH ME, EIGHT AND A HALF MONTHS PREGNANT.

SHE HAD TO LEAVE MY FATHER AND BROTHER AND OTHER FAMILY BEHIND.

WHEN SHE CAME TO THE STATES, SHE ARRIVED AND WAS GREETED BY HER FATHER AND WE LIVED IN CLEVELAND, OHIO.

I GREW UP, BORN, RAISED AND GREW NEWSPAPER CLEVELAND, OHIO.

EVENTUALLY MY PARENTS MOVED TO THE SUBURBS OF LAKEWOOD OHIO.

THIS IS INTERESTING BECAUSE I DIDN'T KNOW MY FATHER UNTIL I WAS TWO AND A HALF TO THREE YEARS OLD WHEN HE WAS FINALLY ABLE TO ARRIVE TO THE STATES.

SO FOR A LONG TIME, I WAS CALLING MY GRANDFATHER, YABBA WHICH MEANS FATHER IN ARABIC.

SO MY LIFE IN GROWING UP WAS COMBINED OF SEEING FAMILY MEMBERS STRUGGLE WITH ASSIMILATION, ACCULTURATION, BEING ACCEPTED FOR WHO THEY ARE.

SO MY CHILDHOOD WAS FILLED WITH DIFFERENT EXPERIENCES.

I HAD BEAUTIFUL TIMES WITH MY FAMILY.

I HAD BEAUTIFUL TIMES WITH FRIENDS.

BUT I ALSO HAD THESE EXPERIENCES THAT LED ME TO WHO I AM TODAY, TO BECOME AN ADVOCATE FOR HUMAN RIGHTS.

FOR INDIVIDUALS ALL OVER THE WORLD.

MY JOB RESPONSIBILITIES AT SUNY OSWEGO, I TEACH VARIOUS COURSES, WHICH INCLUDE HEALTH, TECHNOLOGY, DISEASE, LIFESTYLE DRUGS AND ADDICTION.

I TOOK A GERONTOLOGY COURSE.

I TEACH ONLINE COURSES AS WELL AS FACE-TO-FACE COURSES.

WORKING WITH STUDENTS ADVISING AND MENTORING STUDENTS.

MY STUDENTS SUCCESS IS MY SUCCESS.

JUST TO HEAR MY STUDENTS SUCCESS, IF I CAN BE PART OF THAT IN ANY WAY POSSIBLE, THOSE ARE MY ROLES.

TEACHING, EDUCATING, DOING SCHOLARLY WORK REPRESENTING MY COMMUNITY.

THANKFULLY SUNY OSWEGO PROMOTES THE NEED TO DO SERVICE WHICH IS NOT JUST PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION AND DEVELOPMENT BUT ALSO WHAT ARE WE DOING FOR THE COMMUNITY?

>> Juhanna: I'M SO GLAD THAT WE GOT CONNECTED AND THAT YOU ARE HERE.

>> THANK YOU.

GLAD AS WELL.

>> Juhanna: GOOD FRIEND OF THE SHOW AND MESSENGER NIKIA CHAMBERS WHO ARE ALSO CONNECTED TO THE HEALTH MEDICAL FIELD AND PASSIONATE ABOUT ISSUES RELATED TO COMMUNITIES AND WOMEN OF COLOR SAID THAT YOU AND THE WORK THAT WERE YOU DOING WAS JUST PHENOMENAL AND THAT WE HAD TO, IF THE OPPORTUNITY PRESENTED ITSELF, WE HAD TO SIT DOWN WITH YOU AND LEARN MORE ABOUT YOUR STORY.

SO I'M GLAD-- >> THANK YOU.

I HONESTLY FEEL HUMBLED TO HAVE THEM EVEN MENTION ME ALONGSIDE WITH THE WORK THAT THEY DO.

I THINK THEY DO PLENTY MORE THAN WHAT I DO.

AT LEAST THAT'S HOW I FEEL.

IT'S AN HONOR.

>> Juhanna: YEAH, AND IN HEARING YOUR STORY AND LEARNING MORE ABOUT YOUR WORK MYSELF, I WAS SO INTRIGUED BECAUSE YOU HAD DROAMS AND ASPIRATIONS-- YOU HAD DREAMS AND ASPIRATIONS THAT WERE PRETTY OFF THE CHARTS.

AND SO TALK TO ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SOME OF THE DREAMS YOU HAD AND HOW YOU GOT TO WHERE YOU ARE.

>> WELL, I'VE ALWAYS HAD DREAMS.

I GUESS THAT'S-- MY DAD SHOULD HAVE NAMED ME DREAM INSTEAD OF NAJAH.

NAJAH MEANS SUCCESS: THEY MIXED IT UP.

SO WHEN I WAS A KID, I WANTED TO BE IN MODELING AND MUSIC AND THEN MY DAD SAID OVER MY DEAD BODY IN REGARDS TO MUSIC BUT THEN MY DREAM WAS TO ACTUALLY GO AND PURSUE LAW SCHOOL AND TO BECOME A SUPREME COURT JUDGE.

THAT WAS MY ULTIMATE GOAL.

>> Juhanna: I SHOULD HAVE BEEN YOUR FRIEND GROWING UP.

SHE WAS LIKE, I WANT TO BE A SUPREME COURT JUDGE.

>> THAT WAS MY GOAL.

>> Juhanna: AND TO DREAM ALL THOSE THINGS.

>> AND SO LIFE HAPPENS.

I MARRIED AT A YOUNG AGE.

AND WHEN LIFE HAPPENS, DIFFERENT PATHS COME TO US FOR TO US TAKE.

SO THAT KIND OF CHANGED SOME OF MY GOALS AND ASPIRATIONS IN LIFE.

I MEAN I STILL HAVE LAW SCHOOL IN THE BACK OF MY MIND.

>> Juhanna: OKAY.

>> IT DID UNIT MEAN THAT IT'S TOTALLY EXCLUDED AT THIS POINT IN MY LIFE.

BUT IT'S STILL THERE.

I STILL PRACTICE-- NOT LAW BUT PRACTICE PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION, WHICH IS RELATED TO LAW.

AND MY BACKGROUND IS PARALEGAL EDUCATION AND REAL ESTATE.

SO I ENDED UP GETTING INTO REAL ESTATE INSTEAD.

>> Juhanna: RIGHT.

AND YOU SWITCHED GEARS SOMEHOW AND I THINK YOUR POINT ABOUT COMING TO DIFFERENT PLACE IS ON YOUR PATH THROUGH LIFE AND HOW CHOICES YOU MAKE LEAD YOU DOWN A DIFFERENT PATH.

I CAN DEFINITELY RELATE TO THAT, RIGHT?

AND SO HOW DO YOU GO FROM REAL ESTATE AND BEING VERY SUCCESSFUL AT THAT, TO FOCUSING ON MENTAL HEALTH AND THE WELLNESS OF THE MUSLIM COMMUNITY?

>> SO WITH REAL ESTATE, I WAS VERY SUCCESSFUL IN IT IN OHIO.

AND I ACTUALLY BECAME A BROKER IN MICHIGAN AND I AM A BROKER HERE IN THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

I JUST BECAME THE BROKER JUST BECAUSE IT'S A FIELD THAT I WORKED IN AND I HAVE THE SKILLS.

BUT I WANTED TO KEEP THAT AS A PLACE HOLDER FOR ME.

BUT THERE IS A RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN REAL ESTATE AND MENTAL HEALTH AND EVERYTHING THAT I'VE DONE MOVING FORWARD HAS HAD TO RELATE TO ANYTHING THAT I DID IN THE PAST, WHICH INCLUDES MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCES, THE LIVED EXPERIENCES OR OBSERVATIONS WITHIN THE MUSLIM COMMUNITIES.

SO IN THE REAL ESTATE FIELD, FOR EXAMPLE, ONE OF THE CHALLENGES THAT MANY INDIVIDUALS FACE IN THE IMMIGRANTS AND MUSLIM COMMUNITY WERE MORTGAGES.

OBTAINING MORTGAGES AT LOW INTEREST RATES.

SO PART OF WHAT I WENT INTO AS A REALTOR, I ALSO DELVED INTO THE MORTGAGE INDUSTRY WHERE I CAN THEN PROVIDE AFFORDABLE LOANS BECAUSE WHAT WAS HAPPENING WAS THAT I FOUND THAT THE LOAN OFFICERS I WAS WORKING WITH THAT WERE HELPING MY CLIENTS OBTAIN MORTGAGE LOANS WERE ACTUALLY CHARGING THEM HIGH RATES.

AND THEY WERE ALSO MAKING ADDITIONAL MONIES OFF OF THE BANK, THE LENDER.

SO MY CLIENTS WOULD END UP SIGNING A MORTGAGE WITH A 12% INTEREST RATE OR 11% INTEREST RATE.

ETHICALLY I FOUND THAT KIND OF CHALLENGING.

SO THEN I GOT INTO THE MORTGAGE INDUSTRY TO HELP INDIVIDUALS TO SECURE THEM WITH LOWER RATES.

MENTAL HEALTH HAS ALWAYS BEEN A CHALLENGE THOUGH, WHETHER IT'S THEIR FIRST TIME PURCHASING A HOME, THE CHALLENGES THEY'VE GONE THROUGH, OR IF IT WAS, AGAIN, THAT LIVED EXPERIENCE THAT I HAD IN WATCHING PERSONS FROM MY COMMUNITY, THE IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY, GO THROUGH THE DIFFERENT CHANGES THAT RELATED TO WHAT WAS HAPPENING MAYBE OVERSEAS IN PALESTINE, FOR EXAMPLE, OR IRAQ OR ELSEWHERE, AND HOW THAT RELATED TO THEIR LIFE HERE WHEN THEY WERE TRYING TO ASSIMILATE AT THE SAME TIME.

AND ALSO MY MOTHER'S LIVED EXPERIENCE IN WATCHING HER LIVE WITH INSOMNIA AND NOT REALIZING THIS, WHAT WAS HAPPENING TO HER OR WHAT SHE HAS BEEN GOING THROUGH UNTIL I ACTUALLY GOT INTO THE FIELD OF SOCIAL WORK.

>> Juhanna: RIGHT.

>> AND SO ALL OF THIS, SOCIAL WORK, BY THE WAY, WAS KIND OF LIKE A MISTAKE.

NOT A MISTAKE BUT SOMETHING I WAS KIND OF FORCED INTO.

BECAUSE I WAS ALREADY TALKING TO INDIVIDUALS AND HELPING COUNSEL INDIVIDUALS EVEN WITH WOMEN WHO WERE CONTEMPLATING DIVORCE BECAUSE IN OUR COMMUNITY, DIVORCE WAS TABOO OR, YOU KNOW, MANY YEARS AGO.

WE RIDE TO WORK OUR MARRIAGES OUT.

AND HERE I WAS A WOMAN THAT WAS DIVORCED.

AND SOME OF THE CHALLENGES OR STEREOTYPES WITHIN THE COMMUNITY ABOUT DIVORCED WOMEN DID CREATE, YOU KNOW, SOME HARDSHIPS FOR ME.

BUT NOT NECESSARILY BECAUSE I WAS FORTUNATE TO HAVE PARENTS THAT SUPPORTED ME AND A FAMILY SYSTEM THAT SUPPORTED ME.

BUT THERE WERE OTHERS THAT MAY HAVE HAD MORE CHALLENGES THAN WHAT I HAD.

SO HELPING THEM WORK THROUGH THOSE CHALLENGES IN THEIR LIVES.

>> Juhanna: IT'S REALLY INTERESTING THAT YOU WERE ABLE HIVE HOIF AND AGAIN PROBABLY BECAUSE YOUR OWN PERSONAL EXPERIENCES, YOU WERE ABLE TO SEE THE CONNECTIVE TISSUE BETWEEN LIKE THESE INSTITUTIONS AND THESE SYSTEMS, RIGHT, WHERE YOU TALK ABOUT THE HOME BUYING AND MORTGAGE EXPERIENCE.

I'M TALKING WITH FRIENDS OF MINE WHO ARE REALTORS AND ONE SHARED WITH ME RECENTLY, YOU KNOW, SHE WENT INTO BECOMING A REAL ESTATE AGENT IN NEW JERSEY BECAUSE WHEN SHE WAS TRYING TO BUY A HOME, IT WASN'T-- SHE WAS WORKING WITH A WOMAN THAT WASN'T REALLY LISTENING TO HER, RIGHT?

AND SHE WANTED TO BE THERE FOR SOMEONE WHO MAY HAVE BEEN GOING INTO IT SIMILAR TO HER FOR HER FIRST TIME AND REALLY WORK WITH SOMEBODY THAT UNDERSTOOD WHAT HER EXPERIENCE, THE FEARS, RESERVATION AND GAVE HER THE BREATH TO KIND OF EXPERIENCE IN HER OWN WAY.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

IT'S THAT PERSONAL CONNECTIVENESS TO SAY, YOU KNOW, I KNOW WHAT YOU MIGHT GO THROUGH, LET ME HELP PREVENT THAT.

>> Juhanna: YEAH.

>> BECAUSE WHEN WE THINK ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH OR HEALTH AND WELLNESS, ANYTHING, WHEN WE USE THE EIGHT DIMENSIONS OF WELLNESS.

WHEN I TEACH DIFFERENT COURSES AT SUNY OSWEGO, AND I USE IT BECAUSE I WANT STUDENTS TO UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE DIFFERENT FACTORS THAT GO INTO ONE'S MENTAL HEALTH.

RIGHT?

SO IN TERMS OF OCCUPATION AND IN TERMS OF THE SOCIAL COMMUNITY, IN TERMS OF ENVIRONMENTS, SO IF WE ARE THINKING ABOUT ENVIRONMENT, FOR EXAMPLE, PERSONS WHO ARE AGING IN PLACE, WHO WE HAVE THE HOMES AVAILABLE FOR THEM.

AND IF NOT, HOW CAN WE MAKE AFFORDABLE HOMES AVAILABLE TO THEM THAT ARE GOING TO HELP THEM AGE IN PLACE ADEQUATELY, RIGHT?

BECAUSE NOW WE ARE ADDRESSING THEIR MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS.

>> Juhanna: RIGHT.

>> AND SO WHEN I GOT INTO, YOU KNOW, THINKING ABOUT THIS CONNECTION, AT SOME POINT IN MY LIFE, I FELT THAT, YOU KNOW, WORKING IN THE REAL ESTATE INDUSTRY AND IN THE MORTGAGE INDUSTRY WAS NOT ENOUGH.

TO HELP THE POPULATION, I HAD TO DO MORE.

I CONTEMPLATED MEDICAL SCHOOL.

I WAS CONTEMPLATING MEDICAL SCHOOL IN THE CARIBBEAN BUT I MET MY HUSBAND.

SO THAT WAS THE PATH.

>> Juhanna: AND IT SHIFTED.

>> MY HUSBAND DIDN'T HAVE A GREEN CARD AT THE TIME SO WE COULDN'T GO TO THE CARIBBEAN.

WE LIVED IN SYRACUSE AND HE WAS DOING HIS POST DOC AND I CAME TO SYRACUSE AND I GOT INTO THE SOCIAL WORK PROGRAM AND FROM THERE I WANTED A DOCTORATE DEGREE TO COMPLEMENT WHAT I WAS DOING SO IT WASN'T NECESSARILY THE SAME-- MY DOCTORATE IS IN PUBLIC HEALTH.

IT'S NOT NECESSARILY SOCIAL WORK OR MENTAL HEALTH, BUT IT INTERCONNECTS.

INTERRELATED.

>> Juhanna: AND THAT'S HOW I THINK WE HAVE SOME SIMILAR RELATIONSHIPS WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE OR I'M BIG FANS OF.

AND WHEN I THINK OF THE FOUR OF YOU WORKING IN THAT HEALTH SPACE AND THE ADVOCACY AND THE PASSION THAT YOU ALL HAVE FOR STUDENTS, THE COMMUNITY, THE ISSUES AT HAND, I'M REALLY INSPIRED BECAUSE I KNOW THAT LIVING THE EXPERIENCE AND BEING AN ADVOCATE AND UNDERSTANDING IT IS ONE THING BUT I ALSO KNOW THAT GOING INTO THESE INSTITUTIONS EVERY DAY ISN'T EASY ALSO AS A WOMAN OF COLOR.

>> ABSOLUTELY NOT.

AND THIS IS WHERE, WHEN I FIRST MET NIKIA, IT WAS ACTUALLY WHEN I WAS LOOKING FOR ORGANIZATIONS TO PLACE MY STUDENTS FOR SERVICE LEARNING WHEN I WAS EMPLOYED AT SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY IN THEIR PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT.

I TAUGHT A COUPLE COURSES.

ONE WAS THE CULTURAL COMPETENCY OR CULTURAL AWARENESS IN HEALTHCARE SYSTEMS.

ANOTHER IS COMMUNITY HEALTH.

>> Juhanna: RIGHT.

>> SO THIS WAS GIVING STUDENTS AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO OUT INTO THE FIELD TO LEARN TO BE EXPOSED TO DIVERSE POPULATIONS NEEDS, TO UNDERSTAND THEIR NEEDS.

AND THINK ABOUT HOW THAT'S GOING TO BE APPLIED IN THEIR PROFESSION, RIGHT?

NOT JUST BECOME EXPOSED AND INTERACT WITH INDIVIDUALS, BUT WHAT ARE YOU GAINING FROM THIS OPPORTUNITY AND HOW IS THAT GOING TO HELP YOU BE A MORE EFFECTIVE AND INCLUSIVE PROFESSIONAL IN THE FUTURE?

AND THIS IS WHERE NIKIA CAME INTO THE PICTURE.

AND SINCE THEN, AT THAT POINT, NIQIA I URGED HER TO COME AND TALK TO MY STUDENTS AND SHE SUPERVISED HER AND SIMONE, THEY SUPERVISED MY STUDENTS AS WELL.

SO MY STUDENTS WERE COMING BACK WITH GREAT INFORMATION AND THEIR EXPERIENCE WITH THEM.

>> Juhanna: IT'S A SMALL WORLD.

AND THIS IS THE BEAUTY OF, I THINK, HAVING THIS SHOW AND THIS CONVERSATION WITH WOMEN ACROSS NEW YORK BECAUSE SIMONE AND NIKIA WERE PART OF THE INSPIRATION FOR ME DOING THIS SHOW.

WHEN I WAS THE DIRECTOR OF HEALTH SERVICES, SHE AND SIMONE WERE THE FIRST STUDENTS TO INTERN IN MY OFFICE.

SO THEY MAY HAVE BEEN SOME OF YOUR STUDENTS, YOU NEVER KNOW.

BUT THEN WE WOULD COME TOGETHER AND TALK ABOUT THE ISSUES IN THE COMMUNITY AS THEN BEING PART OF THE INSTITUTION TRAINING THE STUDENTS, ME BEING IN THE COMMUNITY AND UNDERSTANDING THE NEEDS AND IT'S JUST THAT PROFESSORS LIKE YOURSELF THAT ARE TAKING THE RESEARCH BEYOND JUST THE LIBRARIES AND THE BOOKS BUT REALLY TOUCHING THE PEOPLE.

>> IT'S NO LONGER BEING TEXTBOOK SMART.

IT'S ALSO BEING LIFE SMART.

>> Juhanna: OOH.

RIGHT.

>> AT SOME POINT, ONE OF THE THINGS I DID WHEN I MOVED TO SYRACUSE AND WHEN I FIRST LEFT SYRACUSE I CRIED BECAUSE IT WITH IS A CULTURE SHOCK WHETHER IT WAS INTERACTING WITH PERSONS WHO WERE DIFFERENT THAN MYSELF OR EVEN WITHIN MY OWN MUSLIM COMMUNITY.

THERE IS A CULTURE SHOCK.

LIFE IS DIFFERENT HERE.

AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I DID BECAUSE I HAD TO UNDERSTAND WHAT MY KIDS WERE GOING THROUGH, AND THEIR CULTURE SHOCK BECAUSE THEY WENT TO SCHOOL IN OHIO AND ALSO MICHIGAN AND SO THEY WERE COMFORTABLE IN THE SCHOOLS THAT THEY WERE IN BUT WHEN THEY CAME HERE, IT WAS NIGHT AND DAY, DIFFERENT SCHOOL CULTURE AND THEY WERE IN THE SYRACUSE CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT AND I SUBSTITUTED AND THAT WAS AN INTERESTING EXPERIENCE BECAUSE I GOT TO SEE SOME OF THE STEREOTYPES AND CHALLENGES THAT MAY BE STAFF WOULD FACE FROM PERSONS WORKING IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AND ALSO FROM THE STUDENTS.

RIGHT?

SO EVEN BEING A PERSON OF COLOR, IT WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, THE CHALLENGES THAT WHEN SOMEONE WOULD SEE A SCAR OF ON MY HEAD, THE COMMENTS I WOULD HEAR FROM STUDENTS OR FACULTY FROM THE SCARF ON MY HEAD OR THE ASSUMPTION THAT I'M NOT THERE TO TEACH BUT I'M A PARENT COMING IN AND I DON'T SPEAK ENGLISH.

>> Juhanna: YOU KNOW WHAT?

I'M GLAD YOU SAID THAT BECAUSE EVEN, YOU KNOW, SITTING HERE, AND I HAVE FRIENDS BUT IT'S LIKE THERE IS A DIVERSITY WITHIN MUSLIM FAITH.

>> SO YOU BRING UP A GREAT POINT BECAUSE BACK BEFORE I CAME TO SYRACUSE POST-9/11,-- ACTUALLY PRE-9/11, I PUT THE HAJIB ON AND I WORE IT BEFORE MI MOTHER WORE IT.

SO THAT TELLS YOU EVEN WITHIN OUR FAMILY, WE ARE VERY DIVERSE.

SOME OF MY SIBLINGS WHERE WEAR IT, SOME DON'T.

SOME OF MY CHILDREN WEAR IT, SOME DON'T.

VERY DIVERSE FAMILY IN TERMS OF WHERE WE ARE IN TERMS OF THE LEVEL OF RELIGION IS ON AT THIS AND PRACTICE.

I HAD MY HAGIB ON UNTIL SLEIVE.

I OWNED AN ISLAMIC BOUTIQUE.

I SOLD ISLAMIC CLOTHING AND BOOKS AND ITEMS.

WE WERE ATTACKED AFTER SEPTEMBE.

AND AT THAT SAME TIME I WAS PRACTICING REAL ESTATE AND WOULD I HAVE MY CLIENTS WITH ME AND WE WEREN'T ALLOWED TO GO INTO SOME HOMES.

>> Juhanna: I CAN IMAGINE.

>> WHEN WOULD YOU OPEN A DOOR, THEY WOULD SAY NO, SORRY.

>> Juhanna: THAT'S WHAT I WAS THINKING ABOUT JUST BECAUSE OF MY AGE AND MY RELATIONSHIP TO UNDERSTANDING THE DISCRIMINATORY THINGS THAT COULD HAPPEN TO A PERSON.

AS I WAS SITTING HERE LISTENING TO YOU, I WAS JUST-- I COULDN'T IMAGINE, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE MOMENTS-- NOT THAT IT HAS STOPPED.

WE ARE ALMOST AT 20 YEARS POST... >> BUT I THINK THINGS HAVE CHANGED THOUGH BECAUSE AT THAT POINT IN TIME, I DECIDED TO TAKE MY HAGIB OFF AFTER CONSULTING WITH RELIGIOUS LEADERS AND SOME FAMILY MEMBERS.

I ENDED UP TAKING MY HAJIB OFF BUT IT NEVER FELT THE SAME.

WHEN YOU TRIP YOURSELF AWAY FROM SOMETHING YOU DECIDED TO DO AND YOU ARE DOING IT FOR PROTECTION, BECAUSE I WASN'T FORCED TO WEAR MY HAJIBY.

I DIDN'T COME FROM A FAMILY THAT WAS OVERLY PRACTICING TO BEGIN WITH.

SO WHEN I TOOK IT OFF, YOU KNOW, MY FAMILY WAS OKAY WITH IT.

BUT INTERNALLY I WAS STRUGGLING.

MY BUSINESS CARDS, I WOULDN'T PUT MY PICTURE BACK ON THE BUSINESS CARDS FOR A WHILE.

IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT.

YEARS WENT BY AND OF COURSE YOU KNOW, I USED TO TELL MYSELF, ONCE I GET TO THE POSITION OF WHERE I WANT TO BE CAREER WISE, I'LL PUT IT BACK ON.

BUT I KEPT, YOU KNOW, ONE DAY I WAS DRIVING AND I WAS DOING VERY WELL IN TERMS OF MY REAL ESTATE WORK.

ONE DAY WHEN I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM THE MOSQUE ON A FRIDAY AFTERNOON, I HAD MY PAYCHECK AND I KISSED MOO I PAYCHECK.

THANK GOD FOR THE PAYCHECK AND AT THAT POINT I WAS A SINGLE MOTHER.

AND IN MY MIND, I'M LIKE WHEN AM I GOING TO STOP DOING THIS WHEN I TAKE THE HAJIB OFF WHEN I LEAVE THE MOSQUE AND GO BACK TO WORK BECAUSE EVEN IN THE WORKPLACE IN THE MORTGAGE INDUSTRY, WOULD I GO TO PREPARE MYSELF TO GO TO THE MOSQUE ON FRIDAYS BASE THAT'S OUR RELIGIOUS CONGREGATION DAY.

AND COPPING OUT, IF MY COLLEAGUES WOULD SEE ME, I WOULD HEAR COMMENTS.

OH YOU LOOK LIKE AN AFGHANY TERRORIST OR THIS OR THAT.

THEY WOULD SEE ME PRAYING.

WOULD I MAKE MY OWN SPACE FOR PRAYER AND WOULD I HAVE TO HEAR COMMENTS.

IF THEY DON'T KNOW THAT YOU ARE NOT MUSLIM, YOU WON'T HEAR AS MANY COMMENTS, BUT ONCE THEY IDENTIFY YOU AS A MUSLIM, YOU'LL MARE COMMENTS.

AND MY SISTERS HAVE GONE THROUGH SOME OF THE SAME CHALLENGES, EVEN THOSE WHO DON'T WEAR THE HAJIB, THEY'VE HEARD THE SAME COMMENTS IN THE WORKPLACE.

THERE IS STILL DISCRIMINATION BUT IT'S HOW WE ARE DEFINING THE DISCRIMINATION, WHAT WE ARE DOING TO ADDRESS IT NOW THAT'S DIFFERENT.

BECAUSE WE HAVE MORE ORGANIZATIONS, MORE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE ADVOCATING, RIGHT?

AND SO THAT'S WHERE THE CHANGE HAS REALLY COME FORTH.

THAT NOW WHEN I WENT INTO-- WHEN I DID DECIDE TO PUT MY HAJIB BACK ON, IT WAS DIFFERENT BECAUSE THIS TIME I SAID NO MATTER WHAT, I'M NOT TAKING IT OFF.

>> Juhanna: I'M NOT TAKING IT OFF AND I THINK WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THE IMPACT, AND AS YOU SAY BEAUTIFULLY WEAVED YOUR EXPERIENCES TOGETHER BETWEEN REAL ESTATE, TO MORTGAGE BROKER TO FOCUSING ON MENTAL HEALTH AND ADVOCATING FOR THE MUSLIM AND IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES BECAUSE EVEN THAT EXAMPLE OF HAVING TO TAKE YOUR HAGA GAB ON OFF TO PROTECT YOURSELF, THERE IS A LAYER OF IMPACT.

>> MY IMPACT TO PUT IT BACK ON WAS MY DAUGHTER AT THAT TIME, SHE WAS FIRST GRADE, I BELIEVE.

SHE PUT THE HAJAB ON HER PEERS WERE MAKING COMMENTS.

HOW CAN I TALK TO HER ABOUT IT IF I'M NOT DOING IT.

>> Juhanna: SHE'S WATCHING YOU.

>> RIGHT.

SO THIS IS-- THANK YOU THIS IS EDUCATIONAL FOR ME VERY HUMBLY, RIGHT AND DEFINITELY WANT TO-- THIS IS SUCH AN IMPORTANT CONVERSATION TO CONTINUE, RIGHT, BECAUSE WOMEN OF COLOR FROM TWO DISTINCT BACKGROUNDS, LIKE SO MUCH TAKING THE HIJAB ON AND OFF.

IT'S NOT THE SAME THING, BUT CONVERSATIONS ABOUT BLACK WOMEN AND THEIR HAIR.

AND THE CROWB CROWN ACT AND HAVING TO ADVOCATE FOR WHAT WE LOOK LIKE AND NOT HAVING THAT DEFINE WHAT WE HAVE OUR ABILITIES TO DO OR TO STEREOTYPE US AND JUST BEING ABLE TO HAVE THE SPACE TO BE WHO WE ARE.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

AND THEN EMPOWERING YOUNG GENERATIONS OR EVEN OLDER GENERATIONS.

EMPOWERING ANYONE, RIGHT?

WHEN I STARTED SUBSTITUTING, THE LITTLE CHILDREN, THE STUDENTS, THE MUSLIM STUDENTS WERE ASKING THE TEACHERS IF THEY COULD COME AND SEE ME.

I'M LIKE WOW.

I'M NOT FAMOUS BUT THESE KIDS LOOKED AT ME LIKE AN INSPIRATION.

>> Juhanna: YEAH.

>> AND THEY JUST WANTED TO HUG ME.

>> Juhanna: I SEE SOMEBODY THAT LOOKS LIKE ME.

AND THEY OFTEN PROBABLY DIDN'T.

>> RIGHT.

I KNOW I DIDN'T SEE IT WHEN I WAS IN SCHOOL.

MY KIDS BARELY SEEN IT.

SO HOW CAN WE BE INSPIRATIONAL TO EVERYONE?

AND THAT'S WHERE THE MENTAL HEALTH PIECE COMES INTO PLAY.

AND STARTING WITH, YOU KNOW, MY FOCUS IS IMMIGRANT REFUGEE POPULATION.

RAL REALLY I WORK WITH ANYONE BECAUSE MY KIDS ARE SECOND GENERATION OR 1.5 GENERATION IMMIGRANTS.

I CAN'T NECESSARILY SAY I'M GOING TO EXCLUDE ANY POPULATION.

I NEED TO UNDERSTAND ALL.

I'VE GOT MY FOOT IN THOSE WHO HAVE ASSIMILATED, SECOND, THIRD, FOURTH GENERATION TO THOSE WHO ARE JUST ARRIVING OR STILL OVERSEAS.

>> Juhanna: YEAH THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT DO YOU.

>> THANK YOU.

>> Juhanna: IT IS POWERFUL.

THANK YOU NAJAH FOR JOINING US THIS EVENING ON "BEHIND THE WOMAN."

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO VIEW THE SHOW AGAIN, YOU CAN VISIT US ONLINE AT WCNY.ORG/"BEHIND THE WOMAN."

AND WE HOPE YOU'LL SHARE THE SHOW WITH A FRIEND.

MY NAME IS Dr. JUHANNA ROGERS AND ON BEHALF OF "BEHIND THE WOMAN," THANK YOU AND HAVE A WONDERFUL NIGHT.

NEXT WEEK ON "BEHIND THE WOMAN..." >> I'M TOMMI BILLINGSLEY AND I'M THE FOUNDER OF THE FEARLESS QUEENS.

I I AM GOING TO SAY I GREW UP IN THE CRACK ERA AND YOU STARTED TO SEE THE COMMUNITY PLUMMET.

I MADE A DECISION I WANTED TO BE THE CHANGE THAT I NEEDED TO SEE.

I AM IT IS A WOMEN'S EMPOWERMENT COMPANY.

I NEED TO BRING BACK WHAT I'M LEARNING AT SCHOOL.

BACK TO MY PEERS.

WE ARE SO POWERFUL ON OUR OWN BUT WE ARE MAGICAL WHEN WE ARE TOGETHER.

I DON'T GO WITH THE FLOW.

I AM THE FLOW.