Hijabi on Parliament Hill My Experience as a Page in the House of Commons

A nice story by Yasmeen Ibrahim about her experience as a page in the House of Commons:

The most important thing that I wish to leave with Muslim youth, especially those who are more visible than others, is that do not assume that just because you are Muslim or that you wear hijab that you will not get the job or get accepted into some program that you applied for. We have all grown up hearing about somebody not getting a job because they wore a veil or being asked to take it off upon accepting a position. For the longest time ever, I succumbed to this and let it be the factor in determining if I should even bother with applying to something or not.

At the same time, we keep saying that we need to increase the Muslim presence on all fronts in order to educate others about Islam and fight Islamophobia. In order to fight stereotypes, we not only need visible Muslims in the fields of engineering and medicine, but also in non-traditional fields like journalism, politics, education, and law enforcement. It was after thinking about this that I realized the only way I can fulfill my part in promoting Islamic awareness is by successfully passing the interview stage and by performing at my highest level in any job I decide to pursue in the future, all while wearing my hijab proudly.

As for youth in general, we all get to a certain point in our lives where we want to make the world a better place. We take part in protests and demonstrations that are dear to our hearts, we sign petitions on issues we feel strongly about, we give motivational speeches about our dreams for the future, and, overall, we become more active citizens. However, politics is the real engine for change in todays world. Laws are what regulate individuals activities and it is through the legislative process that they come to be.

I am not undermining the people that take their concerns to the streets because these individuals do have some sway on political action, but it is mainly up to the government to have the final say. For this reason, it is important that we see those passionate youth, who yearn for change and a better society, possessing a clear understanding of the political process and inside the folds of Canadian government.

Hijabi on Parliament Hill My Experience as a Page in the House of Commons.