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 Melanie and HH recently hosted a Changemaker's event at The Social Loft, where the level of sisterhood and 

was, as Melanie says, off the charts. A lot of hard work goes into putting on these events, and the space and sisters who host us is so key to really elevating the spirit of sisterhood. 

Most often we are in the homes of our fellow sisters in Islam, and they go above and beyond to host these events. This last Changemakers, however, was held at The Social Loft, a co-working space in Michigan. Our former HH writer Nargis Rahman wrote this story about The Social Loft and the beautiful Muslimahs behind this shared space.

Sisters Aliyah, Taqwa, and Laila Mahdi were looking for an all women’s space to work during the pandemic. There weren’t any, so they pooled their resources together to create 

, a co-working space in Hamtramck, Michigan.

Aliyah usually checks people in as they come to register for a membership or rent a room for a party, like their studio A room. She’s one of three owners of this building created for people’s personal and professional needs like office spaces a gym and a mom room.

Melanie and the women who came out to The Social Loft for a Changemakers event.

"We kind of created the place in mind for like an all-in-one space for women to come to feel comfortable with and working together and networking (and) business," says Aliyah.

Aliyah is a mother of three, and before the pandemic she was an office manager who took a break from work when her son was born. When she wanted to return to work the pandemic hit. She realized she had to do something else.

Laila says that during the pandemic, she noticed a lot of people were opening new businesses , but many people did not have brick-and-mortar. Then in January 2021 an opportunity arose to purchase the building on Carpenter St. Aliyah says the sisters joined forces to purchase the building to create The Social Loft.

"We didn’t necessarily have the money, but we felt like this was a perfect opportunity. And we prayed on it. And things happen, you know, align… it happened the way it was supposed to happen," says Aliyah.

They opened their doors to the public in April 2021.

Laila is also a mother of three. She works at DTE as a customer advocate. She says people needed a quiet space outside of their homes to get their work done during the pandemic while maintaining social distancing.

"That was difficult on a lot of people, a lot of mothers, wives, friends, whatever to be stuck in the house all the time, mentally, even so, we just really wanted to still be able to create something during the pandemic where people felt like they had an outlet."

Taqwa also knows all too well what that’s like. She’s a fashion designer and entrepreneur.

"I’m really passionate about business, community development, as well as uplifting people and being able to give back to the community," says Taqwa. It’s important for minority women to have a space to gather and where they can network and support one another, she adds.

"I really believe that it’s one way that we can really start really building up our communities a little bit more, keeping our money inside of the community," says Taqwa.

Melanie and one of the ladies at our recent Changemakers event at The Social Loft.

The Social Loft Creates a Space for Unique Needs

Taqwa says the sisters grew up organizing events at different locations over the years, but they always wanted their own space.

 Aliyah adds that part of the reason the sisters wanted to create this space was to give back to the community and honor their Islamic upbringing.

"We are Muslim. We grew up in an Islamic environment. We grew up in Islamic schooling, and it was always separate, men on one side, women on the other side," Aliyah explains. "So we wanted to continue to create a space with all mothers and stuff like that, that we can all feel comfortable and coming to and just working together."

Laila hopes people continue to support businesses like The Social Loft, spaces she says, "that are created specifically for women because at some point we probably didn’t have those spaces."

She hopes her kids look to her example as an entrepreneur and as an inspiration, and The Social Loft is something she can pass along to them.

Aliyah, Laila and Taqwa went from organizing events at different locations to opening The Social Loft for women to exercise, network and rest.

And in doing so, they created their own space to build community.

The full and original version of this article was published at 

How Three Sisters Brought Sisterhood Into a Shared Community Space

Despite focused efforts, access to mental health services is limited for minority communities across the country. And even when there is access, getting over one's own stigmas regarding seeking mental health support is a challenge many Muslims and other minority groups face.

But the silver lining of the COVID pandemic has been a growing awareness among our communities that mental health must be better prioritized.

Dr. Asra Hamzavi is an adult psychiatrist who founded her own practice called 

. During an interview for Mental Health Awareness Month in May, Dr. Asra says the pandemic provided an opportunity for people to take mental health seriously through using virtual options.

“When you sit down and you talk to somebody and work through … some of the things that might be affecting you – present-day or even in the past – you start to understand what to do with your thoughts and your feelings. And then it informs kind of your behaviors.”

Dr. Asra says the need for mental health was present before the pandemic, but it was exacerbated during the pandemic, which presented opportunities for more people to explore therapy.

“For those of us that trained in the field, we are people-oriented and we like to be in front of the person and we actually do a lot of observation when we’re talking to somebody … At the same time, what we gained was a glimpse into people’s homes and lives that we might not otherwise have.”

She says for some people, virtual options make mental health services more accessible while creating challenges for others. Domestic violence, child abuse and martial and family conflict increased during the pandemic, she says.

Dr. Asra treats adults 18 and older. During the pandemic she treated many school teachers, administrators and parents. She says the changing education system during the pandemic took an enormous toll on people caring for children.

“There was the initial shock and people were kind of in survival mode. … as it continued, and people started to realize this is not going away overnight. I think that’s when some of the mental health toll started to take hold.”

All the while, mental health professionals were going through their own challenges.

“So the ability to get that help was a challenge, I think, for many people,” she says.

Mental Health Challenges for Muslim (and Other Minor) Communities

Dr. Asra says minority communities faced greater disparities throughout the pandemic due to barriers like lack of health care, expenses, childcare and transportation.

“All these things are being compromised when you strain the system this much,” she says, adding that people can connect with their social networks such as schools or workplaces to receive assistance.

“A lot of HR departments are recognizing the need to fill this gap and also in the school communities,” she says.

, Asian Americans are three times less likely to seek mental health services, due in part to stigma. Asian Americans make up 6.1 percent of the U.S. population. Dr. Asra says while stigma is not limited to the Asian American communities, it’s amplified. She says those who are afraid to reach out to mental health professionals should exhaust all options – and then consider therapy if they chose to.

“If you feel like you have gone and tried everything you possibly know, every coping strategy that you have, and you’ve gone on every avenue that you typically would use and you’re 

 struggling, you need to be asking yourself, 

Is this working for me? And do I have any other great ideas?

The good news, Dr. Asra says, is that people are resilient.

“Recognizing that you’re not alone and reaching out to people to be honest about how you’re struggling can go a long way,” she says.

Looking for more information on how to take care of your mental health? Here are some resources:

https://www.bloomfield.org/about-us/safety-security/resources

, a network of 133,000 researchers, clinicians, health care professionals

How do you care for your own mental health? Let us know in the comments below! A version of this article originally appeared in 

Mental Health Must be Prioritized in Minority Communities – Talking with Dr. Asra Hamzavi

Fighting hijab bans, changing the public conversation around Palestine, leading a space agency, breaking boundaries in television, standing up as visibly Muslim women 20 years after 9/11. The year 2021 pushed and challenged us in ways we didn’t know possible. The COVID-19 pandemic continued while the emergence of vaccines helped us take back some control of our lives. Muslim women continued to blaze trails, fight against injustices, break boundaries in STEM and run for political offices across the country in 2021. And, we’ve loved chronicling and reading their stories and sharing them with you.

Lists like these are inherently tough to put together because there is no way we can encompass the entirety of all the extraordinary Muslim women who did big things and all the huge moments that happened this year. But we can try and gather some of the highlights for you. Here are nine historical moments and Muslim women to remember from 2021.

1. Muslim women run for elected positions across the country.

South Portland, Maine Mayor Deqa Dhalac; image source: 

From Maine to Michigan, American Muslim women ran for elected positions, becoming pillars in their communities in 2021. Deqa Dhalac, born in Somalia, moved around to a few countries and states before settling in Maine, where in 2021 she was elected as South Portland’s 

, serving in a 90 percent white city. She will 

 on diversity, affordable housing and the environment in her role.

In New York City Shahana Hanif made history as the 

first Muslim woman and Bangladeshi American elected to the New York City Council

 for Brooklyn’s 39th district. Shahana is an activist and community organizer in a district with 

. Her policies include affordable housing, policing with community safety and increasing language services in health care.

Like Shahana, Egyptian American Rana Abdelhamid is working to 

 in New York. She’s one of the founders of 

International Muslim Women’s Initiative for Self-Empowerment ((IM)WISE)

, which teaches Muslim women self defense and entrepreneurial skills. Now she’s running for the 

 to empower women and help them feel safe.

In Hamtramck, Michigan, a small city with a large immigrant hub, Amanda Jaczkowski will be the first Polish Muslim American woman to hold this seat in January 2022 as part of what’s being called the “

Hamtramck is like “a seven-layered cake”

 where people hold onto cultures and traditions as they assimilate and coexist.

Bushra Amiwala grew up going to school in the Skokie School District 73.5 Board of Education. Now she’s serving as a school board member there. She’s the youngest Muslim elected to office in the United States. This year Bushra was named on the list of 

, which looks at milestones of women from diverse backgrounds. Bushra opened the Amiwala Foundation to inspire people who are politically engaged. And these are just a handful of passionate Muslim women who ran for office in 2021!

2. Hijab bans enforced in Quebec, threatened in France & (being) eliminated in the U.S.

That France historically places a premium on keeping religion out of state affairs should be nothing new to any of us. But the country’s systemic targeting of Muslims was taken up to another notch in April of 2021 with an amendment to a proposed law that would ban the hijab for minors under the age of 18 as well as banning Muslim hijab-wearing mothers from accompanying their children on public school field trips. In an 

, Rim-Sarah Alouane, a Ph.D. candidate in comparative law and a researcher/legal academic at the University of Toulouse, said there is a deep French history of suspicion and “near animosity towards religion going back to the country’s history with the Roman Catholic Church. And while the amendment is written broadly enough to apply to any religion, “of course it’s the veil that it’s targeting,” she said.

Meanwhile in Quebec, Canada, a popular third-grade teacher was removed from the classroom and assigned to another role because of her hijab, which is banned by Bill 21, a provincial law that bars “public employees in positions of authority, including teachers, from wearing religious symbols, such as turbans, kippah and hijabs, at work, as reported 

. News spread quickly over the removal of Fatemeh Anvari in her Chelsea, Quebec community, pushing the story onto the national and international stage. However the U.S. has made strides in doing away with waivers and bans on religious head covering. In February, the National Federation of High Schools (NFHS) announced that it was 

doing away with its rule regarding the need for a waiver for religious head coverings

 for field hockey, soccer and a number of other high school sports are also following suit.

3. Muslim women are honored for their work in charity.

Asma Hanif of Muslimat Al-Nisaa Home Center

In 1996 Najah Bazzy began helping women and families in need out of the back of her van by providing resources. In 2019 she was named a CNN hero for founding and her work with Zaman International, which has served over 250,000 people. This year Najah was named 

100 most influential women by Crain’s Detroit Business of Michigan

At HH, we spent November 2021 sharing the stories of dynamic Muslim women, like Najah, volunteering and working in charity around the country. Executive Director Somayyah Ghariani and Program Director Saman Quraeshi created 

, a nonprofit to empower divorced and widowed women to pursue their education. The 

foundation provides scholarships and grants

 for these women. We also featured the story of Emina Ferizovic, who opened J&E Community Relief, a 

nonprofit food pantry and community center

 in Michigan that provides for those in. During the pandemic she had to find new ways to serve those in need while keeping their doors open. Emina started her life in the United States as a refugee from Bosnia. She wants to 

Nadia Montalvo’s father Albert Montalvo created 

, a nonprofit to help survivors of Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico. Nadia later took over the foundation as director to help people in Michigan and internationally during the pandemic. The nonprofit provides meals and items for those in need. The nonprofit sponsors food and resources internationally. 

Nadia says being a Puerto Rican Muslimah helps her connect with people

 who wish to receive assistance but are afraid of being shamed in their own communities.

We also wrote about Asma Hanif, who is the definition of being “the change you wish to see in the world.” First she opened Healthy Solutions Holistic Health Center clinic in Maryland for Muslim women needing healthcare in 1987. Twenty years later she opened 

r in Baltimore, Maryland for women who suffered from domestic violence and homelessness. She hopes the next generation continues to 

 for Allah (S). And finally, ICNA Relief wrote a guest post highlighting four dedicated women who work tirelessly behind the scenes to help others. Read about them 

4. Muna El-Kurd helps change the conversation around Palestine.

In May, as Ramadan was coming to a close, social media was rife with stories coming directly from 

, where Israeli settlers were seizing homes from Palestinians who had been living there for decades. This, coupled with the 

 (the third holiest mosque in Islam) and 

 (killing 21 people, including children so far) upset and enraged Muslims and Palestinians around the world. Muna and Mohammed El-Kurd, a sister-and-brother team in Palestine, 

helped harness the power of social media to bring attention, sympathy and support to Palestinians

 in a way that hadn’t been done before. Muna (and her brother) made it to Time Magazine’s 

100 Most Influential Persons of the Year in 2021

 for providing “the world with a window into living under occupation in East Jerusalem this spring – helping to prompt an international shift in rhetoric in regard to Israel and Palestine.”

5. Visibly Muslim women share their stories on the 20th remembrance of 9/11.

New Yorker Shay N. shared her 9/11 story.

September brought us the 20th remembrance of the horrible events of 9/11, which brought about a series of reflections by visibly Muslim women about how the past 20 years had been for them, with the rise of Islamphobia and anti-Muslim rhetoric in the U.S. And while those Muslim women who choose to be visible (whether it’s via their hijab or their work or in other ways) are more then the Islamophobia they are often pushed up against, it can’t be denied that their visibility has shaped their life experiences. Haute Hijab

 produced a series in September on the stories of visibly Muslim women

, how the years after 9/11 affected them and their choice to remain visible. This included stories on how some of us 

 because “this is not about dismissing one collective trauma for another. This is about recognizing how national mourning tends to happen around certain things rather than others, and how various communities’ trauma are too often ignored or given little importance.”

 faced their own anti-muslim discrimination that took years to reckon with. As our HH Blog Editor Dilshad wrote, “While there is no neat bow we can tie on this package – because frankly, life is always messy, complicated and, well, a test – there are extraordinary lives being lived all around us.”

6. #CantBanUs – women challenge clothing (and hijab) bans at the Olympics.

 refused to wear leotards during the Olympics in Tokyo

, saying they should be able to wear what they want to desexualize the sport, sparking the discussion of whether women should be allowed to wear hijab and modest clothing in sports. HH welcomed this conversation as part of their #CantBanUs campaign, which supports women who are working to change the legacy of hijabi women in sports. The German gymnastics team's choice of more coverage in their uniform over their bikini-cut leotards came just days after the uproar over Norway women’s beach handball team, which was fined for choosing to wear shorts instead of bikini bottoms in their Olympics competitive play as required by the International Handball Federation.

The Tokyo Olympic games also was an opportunity for us to witness Saudi Arabia’s Yasmeen Al-Dabbagh, who ran the 100 meters 

. Yasmeen had a love for sports from a young age and has been called Saudi Arabia’s fastest woman. Yasmeen said she is running for herself and her country, 

7. Muslim women appointed to serve in the Biden-Harris administration.

Deputy Director for the National Economic Council Sameera Fazili

 for the National Economic Council at the White House. 

 formerly worked as the Director of Engagement for Community and Economic Development for the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta. Sameera previously worked for the Obama-Biden administration as a senior policy advisor on the White House’s National Economic Council and as a senior advisor at the U.S. Treasury Department in both Domestic Finance and International Affairs. Biden also appointed Farah Ahmed (a Bangladeshi American) to the Office of Chief of Staff of the Secretary of Rural Development for the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

 delivers laughs AND nuanced Muslim characters.

Let’s start by addressing the white elephant in the room, wrote Hind Makki for HH in

 her review of the hilarious British comedy, We Are Lady Parts

: “Yes, many Muslims might not like this show, these characters, these storylines. Yes, it's about an all-women punk band, so you can imagine the faith-based debates that start there. WALP, whose TV-MA rating is based on language (and some Muslim viewers may be uncomfortable with its portrayal of drug use and both straight and queer premarital relationships) is unapologetic about allowing its five female Muslim protagonists to fully occupy each facet of their identities.” WALP took British (and to an extent, American) television by storm this past summer when it debuted six hilarious (and serious) episodes about four Muslim women coming together to form a punk rock band and explore the intersectionality of their Muslim lives.

Wrote Hind, “While at first glance the Lady Parts women seem to be too punk to be real, the layers are peeled back to reveal authentic Muslim women creating their own space, refusing to be defined by Islamophobia or the patriarchy – whether from within Muslim communities or in broader British society. They navigate relationships with their families and partners, pursue their dreams and support each other as sisters. If you mute the electric guitar, most of us will recognize these women from our own lives. But why would you want to lower the volume?” And the best part? It’s been 

9. UAE Minister of State for Advanced Sciences leads country’s first orbiter space mission.

Sarah bint Yousef Al Amiri became the United Arab Emirate’s first Minister of State for Advanced Sciences and chairperson of the UAE space agency. Sarah led a science mission to send the Al Amal spacecraft into orbit around Mars in February of 2021. It’s the country’s first orbiter mission to space. Sarah is the deputy project manager and a computer engineer, working with other universities to develop the orbiter. At 33, Sarah's the youngest person to lead a space agency. 

What a powerful exam for young girls to pursue careers in STEM

Who did we miss? Let us know in the comments below, and Bismillah for a good 2022!

From Politics to Social Justice to STEM – 9 Major Moments for Muslim Women in 2021

Editor's note: It's time for our annual #LikeYouMeanItHH end-of-the-year reflection time! What does it mean to "wear it like you mean it?" We invite you (and ourselves) to renew our intentions and reflect on what our hijab (and faith and other areas of our lives) mean to us. Throughout the month we are sharing stories of what this means to women around the U.S.

Friendships are an important pillar of living a full and balanced life. Our deen, in fact, encourages us to have good friends who bring us close(r) to Allah. They hold us accountable, cheer us on, keep us grounded and so much more. Oftentimes we share some of our most intimate thoughts with our friends, and thus who we choose to keep close matters so very much.

Prophet Muhammad (saw) said: “A person is on the religion of his companions. Therefore let every one of you carefully consider the company he keeps.” [Tirmidhi]

Ultimately friendships grow – and sometimes fall apart. Assessing our friendships, especially what our intentions are in these relationships, are so critical to maintaining healthy and love-filled bonds. So how do you renew your intentions about having good friendships? Consider these 10 tips!

1. Renew your intentions about the purpose of your friendship. 

Our first priority as Muslims is to obey Allah (S). Therefore our friendships should reflect this, and our friends should be people who bring us closer to His pleasure.

The Prophet Muhammad (saw) was reportedly asked: “Which of our companions are best?” He replied, “One whose appearance reminds you of God, and whose speech increases you in knowledge, and whose actions remind you of the hereafter.” [Al-Muhasibi]

2. Find friends who are higher than you in 

When I began my undergrad studies at Wayne State University, I didn’t want to make any new friends. I simply wanted to go to school, get my degree and move on with my life. But Allah (S) had greater plans for me.

I met Mariam, a Pakistani Muslim girl from Canton, Michigan, in my psychology class. We quickly hit it off, and then I was introduced to her friends, who were mutual friends with my good friend from high school. They began to invite me to halaqas, or, Islamic lectures, on campus, as well as Muslim Students Association events. The organizer in me gravitated toward these events. The girls also came from different socioeconomic backgrounds but were so humble that I could never tell.

Sooner or later they began inviting me to do simple things, like pray on campus or grab a bite to eat. I felt so humbled by their embrace and gentle nudge in the right direction. Nearly a decade later we are still in touch, although we may only speak once or twice a year. When we see each other, it’s all positive vibes and 

. Sometimes we simply reach out to check-in and ask for du’as.

The Prophet Muhammad (saw) said, “A good friend and a bad friend are like a perfume seller and a blacksmith: The perfume seller might give you some perfume as a gift, or you might buy some from him, or at least you might smell its fragrance. As for the blacksmith, he might singe your clothes, and at the very least you will breathe in the fumes of the furnace.” [Bukhari, Muslim]

 Do your friends take you closer or further away from doing good deeds? One of the most important qualities of good friends is, do they remind you of Allah (S)? They don’t have to be Muslim – but do you they implore you to think of others? Care for your families? Do they focus on enjoining good in the world?

4. Reflect on the benefits of being a good friend.

good friends will be reunited during the Day of Judgment

 and offered shade for the sake of the friendship. Remind yourself to be a good friend, and aspire to get the blessings of being one.

The Prophet told us that one of the seven categories of people promised the shade of Allah (S) are two persons who loved each other for the sake of Allah (S), got together, and departed on this basis. [Bukhari, Muslim]

5. Pick people who have similar circumstances in life.

 Another thing I have learned is how it’s important to find people who are going through similar things in life like you. I found two women like this – one who I met through her marriage into the community, and the other an older sister of my friend. We connected over our unique similarities. We share stories of our kids and how to get through the daily grind. Whenever I feel stuck in a situation, I reach out to them, knowing they will give me advice that’s good for my 

(hereafter). We don’t see each other very often, but we know that we are only a phone call away.

Now, later in life, I’ve realized having these women go through my life with me has given me the encouragement to grow as a person.

During the pandemic (after we got vaccinated), we began an informal breakfast rule. We ask each other to breakfast if we need a safe space. We have seen each other more than we have in the past, but realize this is something we uniquely need now.

I remember doing an interesting exercise during counseling one day. I had to come up with six affirmations. However, I am uncomfortable saying nice things about myself to myself. So my counselor came up with this neat strategy. She asked me to envision some of the folks I admire and come up with six words about them.

I imagined my cousin, who wears her mascara as she says, “I am a badass,” in a candlelit room; my dear friend, who always talks about the akhirah as the highest priority of health and wellness; the one who took me under her wing like an older sister to ask if I was okay as I adjusted to major life changes; and the girls in my writer’s community who encourage me to just try.

I came up with words like, “badass, faith-based, confident.” My counselor told me these words described me, but I couldn’t see it in myself. I was surrounded by amazing women, who ultimately gave me the confidence I needed inside to aspire to be these traits. I felt so grateful in that moment to have friends with whom I can grow.

7. Keep honest communication between friends.

 A few years ago I was going through a hard time with a personal matter. One of my closest friends said, 

while I support you, my limitations in this matter are xyz.

 It was such a beautiful way to say, this is how I can support you and this is how I cannot. I love her for being honest with me and creating a boundary that I can honor.

8. Be specific whether you’re asking for advice or want to vent.

, or advice, or rather if you want them to listen. Don’t expect people to know what you expect or to fix and solve your problems for you.

9. Ask them to hold you to higher standards when you slip. 

Once in a while when I ask my friends for advice, I ask them to help me make decisions. But I also ask them for their sincere advice on steering me in the right direction, holding me accountable, and letting me know when I can do better. We all can.

10. Evaluate your friendships; ask if they are one-way or two-way friendships built on respect. 

A good and fair friendship should be mutually beneficial. They are not one-sided. If the friendship no longer serves you, your mental health or well being, it’s time to wish them well, make a du’a on their behalf and let it go. As you get older, you will start to see your circle get smaller. That’s okay. It’s okay to change and grow, even if that means growing apart.

Friendships are important relationships that deserve solid and thoughtful intentions behind them. It’s important to renew your intentions around your friendships and mutually communicate, hold space, and make du’a that the friendship brings you closer to worship. May we all aspire to become better friends and have fulfilling friendships for the sake of Allah (S).

10 Ways To Assess, Nurture and Renew Your Intentions in Your Friendships

Editorial note: All this month we are focusing on the stories of Muslim women working in charity, whether as the head of some charitable organization, doing volunteer work or anything in between. We want to explore what drives these women to give of themselves to others, how they balance that in their lives and what advice they have to encourage others to take up work to help those in need.

In 1996 Emina Ferizovic and her family moved from Bosnia to Hamtramck, Michigan as refugees, depending on the kindness of strangers to build a new life. Emina says she is humbled by her experiences, which shaped her ability to empathize with those who experience similar journeys as refugees resettling in this country.

“I've been in their shoes. I've been in a place where I had everything in life, and then we had nothing and had to start from zero. And if it wasn't for certain services and help that we received at that time when we didn't have anything – when we were just newcomers – I don't know where we would be today,” she says.

Experiences like this inspired Emina to give back. That opportunity came in August 2018, when she quit her job and opened the Hamtramck-based nonprofit 

The organization serves those in need in surrounding neighborhoods in Detroit, Hamtramck and Highland Park. Many of the people who come to the community center are African American, Yemeni and Bangladeshi.

“I always had a strong sense of having to give back to this community because it gave me so much at that time,” Emina says.

She says the pandemic has caused many sponsorships to end due to businesses that closed down. Now, the organization is looking for ways to stay afloat.

Before the pandemic the community center offered health and wellness classes, a homework club for students, a library, food pantry and space for a mom-to-mom event held annually. Much of those in-person services were put on pause during the COVID-19 global pandemic. But their winter coat and hygiene drives have resumed as well as providing hot meals to a local homeless shelter in partnership with local donors.

During the pandemic, Emina and volunteers held drive-through food distributions and delivered groceries to those who didn’t have cars or are elderly. “The community was amazing. We've had a lot of volunteers [whom] I've never met before they were here, and they [would] stay way after distribution would [conclude] to help clean up. We had a lot of teenagers who [would] come in and help package the stuff and then anybody who was [available]to drive [would] deliver food,” she says.