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Every little girl looks up to her mom so much - that's your first hero.
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To be honest, before I joined the industry, I knew very little about the fashion world, and I hardly knew any name brands. Probably because the price tags were a little too high, and home girl needed to work.
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I did notice growing up that there are so many things, obstacles and things, that people think you can't do because you're Muslim or because you're wearing a hijab. You hear a lot of no's. That was something that I wanted to see change.
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Skin care is so much more important than makeup. Makeup is for when you're having fun and going out. But your skin is forever.
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I choose to focus on the positive.
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I feel bad for my little cousins who don't see themselves being represented, or the little girls in my community who won't have a chance to see a Disney princess... who resembles them.
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I feel like I'm here to bust those misconceptions and stereotypes of Muslim women.
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When you're a kid, to be honest, you could be in the worst situation ever, but you're still going to have ways to enjoy it.
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I love Somali foods like canjeero, a pancakelike bread; same for pizza, burgers, and sushi.
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There is not one description of beauty - that in fact it has different faces, different stories, and different background, and it's important to embrace all of those.
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I mix things from my Somali culture and my American side.
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Be who you are. It's easy to feel like you have to blend in, but it takes courage to live your life with conviction and embrace the person that you are.
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I know I got to do something that's one in a million, to escape a refugee camp, to come to this country and have so many doors open for me. So I want to go back and make a difference and give motivation or hope to all the kids that never got to leave or have the privilege that I did.
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I like shopping at retail places like JC Penney or Macy's, and maybe buying a top or a shirt, and then buying a skirt from Rue 21 or Forever 21 because they have the maxi skirts, which I appreciate so much, and then topping it off with something that I buy from a Somali shop.
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America has always been a land of diversity, basically made up of immigrants, and that is something I want to see continued. It's something I'm proud of when people think of America.
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Always stay true to who you are - barriers can and will be broken!
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I used to be so self-conscious about my braces that people thought I was shy - I just never talked. It took me a long time to realize, whatever, it's not like I'll have them forever, so I might as well enjoy it while I do!
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When you have a lot of women in our state that do wear the hijab, we should be able to see that everywhere.
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If there's one message I want people to take away is never compromise being your authentic self. Even if that means making others uncomfortable.
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Back in high school, I didn't ever see a Muslim homecoming king or queen - there was never even anyone nominated. It just seemed for a lot of those events, Muslim kids were not being included, and it was probably our fault too - no one was going for it, but no one was trying to push us to do it, you know?
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When I was younger, I got bullied for wearing my hijab.
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I learned that when you stand up for what you believe in, you'll get a lot of support. But there are always going to be negative things said about you.
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I think often the West does not understand the history and the privilege of wearing a hijab. They always think of oppression.
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I love speaking at schools. That's always my favorite because I wish I'd had someone who was like me come speak at my school.