The Return Of Amara Majeed by Sarah Lynch

The Muslim-American activist who created the Hijab Project has returned to the national spotlight with a new mission: fighting an Obama-era program called CVE.

“Chill. Zen. Tawakkul.” These three words compose Amara Majeed’s signature mantra. When her friends brood over small matters or when she herself encounters daunting obstacles, she invariably recites this poignant precept: “Chill. Zen. Tawakkul.” The last word comes from the Arabic language and means trusting in God’s plan — something Majeed has done and strives to do as a young woman of devout faith and unyielding conviction.

Islam endures as an immovable facet of Amara Majeed’s identity and daily life. From her birth in Towson, Maryland, as the daughter of Sri Lankan immigrants to her present endeavors at Brown University and beyond, Majeed’s status as a Muslim American and her intrinsic motivations molded a young woman on fire for sweeping change and impassioned advocacy.