Muslim Identities among High School Students
in the South Asian Diaspora
Erum Jaffer
Director, South Asian Youth Action
Drawing from experiences working at South Asian Youth Action (SAYA!) and with volunteer work with the Ismaili Muslim Community, this session will explore the intersectionality between the challenges of adolescent development and expression of faith. The workshop will introduce concepts of cognitive development for adolescent in understanding aspects of faith, particularly within Islam.
Breaking the “Mold”: The Teacher as Individual
Elma Rahman
Queens College Graduate, Secondary Education
My experience in the education system suggests that some administrators may have a “mold” that teachers should fit. But what happens when one is a misfit for this mold due to his/her beliefs, culture, race and most of all, individuality? And how does this, in turn, affect students? This workshop will examine the issue of identity in the professional realm as we consider Muslim teacher identities in the education system and work to become more mindful of those that might be marginalized due to their backgrounds.