The Muslim American Experience with Sabeen Sadiq and Aida Alami

This year marks the 25th anniversary of the deadly September 11th attacks—a day that significantly shaped and altered the lives of Muslim Americans. While we mourned and were shocked by the attacks, we quickly became a community under suspicion. Our loyalties and belonging were questioned, and millions of us were rendered guilty for crimes we didn’t commit, simply because the perpetrators shared the same faith. In many of the ensuing conversations and debates that followed, Muslims were the central topic but were rarely given a space to have our voices heard. Our lives, our faith, and our very identity became legitimate topics of discussion, but we were rarely allowed to speak for ourselves.

The Muslim American community is not a monolith—it’s one of the most diverse in the country, with individuals coming from different racial, ethnic, and economic backgrounds. Yet despite that diversity, Muslim Americans have shared similar experiences in the post-9/11 context, one that largely involved issues of identity, belonging, and Islamophobia.

Today we have Sabeen Sadiq, a stand-up comic, actor, and writer based in New York, and Aida Alami, a Moroccan reporter who has written extensively on Muslims and Islamophobia. Together, they created Storytellers: Muslims, Community, and Culture in America, a documentary that captures Muslims’ lived experiences—weaving in stories about Islam in America and how Muslims were impacted in their day-to-day lives following 9/11.

As we mark 250 years of American independence this year, it’s worth noting that the documentary specifically highlights the influence and integral role Muslims have played throughout American history. And while it touches on heavy topics like racism, Islamophobia, and government surveillance, it incorporates comedy into vibrant storytelling—conveying to the listener an authentic and natural portrayal of what it means to be Muslim American.

Bios:

Sabeen Sadiq is a stand-up comic, actor, and writer based in New York. Her comedy has been described as whimsically honest and even “I didn’t think she’d talk about that,” with topics ranging from her Muslim upbringing and family dysfunction to being related to white people (surprise!!). Sabeen can most recently be seen as the lead in the digital series CODE SWITCHED and was the lead in the play Arrangements, which sold out at the New York Theater Festival. Her comedy album, Perfect Daughter, is out now and available wherever you listen to your music.

Aida Alami is a Moroccan reporter currently leading a project funded by the International Women Media Foundation, supporting journalists covering Muslim culture’s role in the United States. She has been contributing to The New York Times since 2011 and mainly covers migration, human rights, religion, politics and racism. She was a contributor to the best-selling book, Our Women on the Ground: Essays by Arab Women Reporting from the Arab World, and is a graduate of the Columbia School of Journalism.

Link to documentary: https://www.iwmf.org/reporting/storytellers/