We are college students who set out on a documentary project throughout Southern California to interview dozens in our Ummah who span a diverse range of race, class, age, experience and interpretation. 

Primarily out of pocket, we spent August contacting, interviewing, filming, and writing. Dozens of major college campuses throughout the country will screen our completed feature-length film this fall, Inshallah. 

We are fundraising to offset the remaining costs associated with post production: music rights, software, processing & publishing, outstanding travel that remains, and submission fees to national professional film festivals.

Featuring the interviews of individuals from Congressman Keith Ellison to other social justice leaders, our documentary is historical in large scope, youth focus, and honesty and uplifting nature. This project has empowered Muslims to broadcast their stories and hopes to a large sphere of the American population who otherwise maintains little access to the voices, challenges and dreams of the community. 

It encourages non-Muslims and Muslims alike to look beyond stereotypes, engage in dialogue, and see the humanity in people commonly viewed as “other”. 

Our film paints a nuanced and honest picture of what it means to be Muslim in America today: the hopes, the happy, the hate, the unexpected.

As we launch into post-production work, we need your support to make this film a reality. This movie will reach a wide audience. Our educational background– solidified through the connections of our close peers and friends from boarding school– allow us to screen the film throughout the entire Ivy League, UCs, major state colleges throughout the nation, high schools, and film festivals. Our hope is that our film will reach an even larger audience and spark a larger dialogue as the first one of its kind. 

Post-production, however, requires funds. Currently, we are college students without the ample funds to complete the film our ideal early fall date. We go to school, and we need your help.

Our motto was simple: "keep it REAL." 

We contacted so many communities through calls, emails, facebook, (many unreciprocated) voicemails, messages, questions, so-and-so-recommended, family, friend, family-friend, family-kind-of-friend, twitter, instagram, handmail (yes, written communication), posters, flyers, brochures, just showing up places: WE WANTED AS MUCH OF EVERYONE FROM AS MUCH OF EVERYWHERE. 

We filmed in living rooms, kitchens, masjids, offices, parks, coffee houses, backyards, side of the road, etc. 

Frankly we were pretty much two colleges with kids (+ generously donated film equipment), hungry with a vision and a hope for change. Now, we have the footage and stories to back us up. This IS real because we've kept it and will continue to keep it as such. 

Themes covered in the film include confronting hatred, what Muslims wish others understood about Islam, what it means to wear or not wear the hijab, being American as well as Muslim, spirituality and serving others, and more.  

Using the LA area as our case study region given then recent incident of the San Bernardino shooting, we were able to make this project happen only thanks to generous family who have let us stay in the area. 

Our documentary is not purely a Muslim-specific film, but a universal one that showcases what humanity and religion can be at its very best. Stories featured in the movie include a neurologist who devoted his life to public service and raised over 200,000 for the victims of San Bernardino, a college student who overcame hate crimes and stereotypes against her community throughout her life to find pride and strength in her culture and religion, and racial minorities and converts within the Muslim community whose deep spirituality allowed them to rise above crime-riddled communities and work to uplift disadvantaged people within society. 

Our film seeks to inspire non-Muslims and Muslims alike to be more open and understanding of people different from them, understand for themselves what faith truly means, and work to create positive change in the world.  

Zoha’s childhood with the Southern California Muslim community, where she was born and raised, has offered us a rare insight and connection with many of the communities we are engaging. 

Her personal relationship is supplemented by our prior journalism and arts experience – which include the HuffingtonPost, MuslimGirl (the web’s leading platform for Muslim women), the Exonian (the oldest high school newspaper in America), and YoungArts (the nation’s most prestigious arts recognition program for young adults). 

We have reached out to several mentors who have happily worked with us along this process to narrow our project, sharpen it focus, and outline our approach. These mentors include Academy-award winning director Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy, Amani Al-Khatahtbeh of Muslim Girl, New Yorker Writers, and Stanford faculty. 

However, although we have mentors, we still require money in order to complete our project.

Inshallah we are excited to share our product – a confluence of the arts and Muslim identity, on a canvas that strives to shed positive light and uplift not just Muslims but all Americans amongst the perceived darkness and hatred.

The work in reporting and recording is done. However, only through your support can this film can gain the wide reach of which we dream.

Please Donate and Share our campaign with as many people as you can!

We are so grateful for your generosity Alhumdulillah. 

Thank YOU!